I'm back from Ukraine

[MissHoneychurch]

:hi:

It was a wonderful and interesting vacation. I had a fantastic time. The weather was gorgeous and the food plenty.

Here are some first impressions from Kiev and the Crimea

St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral


St. Sophia Cathedral, tower


St.Andrew's Church




Independence Square


The view of my hotel room on the Crimea in Gurzuf
The mountain Aiu-Dag




The town of Gurzuf at night

[The Straight Story]

1. Awesome pics - did ya play any chess :)

Hope you had an awesome time there. I never did get that postcard.... :rofl:

[MissHoneychurch]

4. I had a great time

no chess plays though ... I can't play it. But I can read the kyrillc letters again :D

Sorry with the postcard .... I lost your adress :rofl:

[liberaldemocrat7]

14. a 1,000 pictures? Wow

Did you happen to pass through Mukachevo or Dobromil by any chance? My great grandfather used to run the train station in Mukachevo ( Munkacs ) over 100 years ago.

You see, a good deal of the Austro-Hungarian branch of my family came from 2 cities now in Ukraine, Mukachevo ( the Former Munkacs, Hungary ) and Dobromil which used to reside in the former Austrian Crown colony of Galicia. ( No, not the spanish area by that name. )

My grandfather born in 1893 left Mukachevo ( Munkacs), 100 years ago and came
here to New York, and his father, born in Dobromil in July 1865.

So even though I have lived in America since birth in 1949, some of my family came from cities now in Ukraine.

I would love to see more pictures.

Oh and if you want any pictures made into either a poster, a jigsaw puzzle or placed upon a dinner plate, I can do that for you.

[MissHoneychurch]

16. I've only been to

L'viv, Kiev, Bila Tserkva and a tiny part of the Crimea.

It is good that you know where your family is coming from. I sure will post more pictures in the coming days.

[liberaldemocrat7]

23. Thank you.

The pictures look very nice.

[MissHoneychurch]

24. Thank you

I was fascinated by Kiev. The churches with their golden tops, glittering in the sun is just an amazing sight. Of course you see a lot of destruction right across the streets as well but I expected that. I grew up in Eastern Germany after all and know about the government denying everything that didn't fit their ideology. Same in the former Soviet Republic. But the Ukraine is moving and I hope in the right direction. They have elections soon again.

[Inchworm]

2. very pretty dear

and you took them all in with your eyes...

:hi:

[MissHoneychurch]

5. Thanks Inchworm

there are more to come. But I need to sort them first. I took about 1000 pictures.

[The Straight Story]

7. 1000 - you are as bad as I am :)

I took 23 rolls once on a cross country trip.

And not matter how good they looked, it was so much better being there in person :)

[MissHoneychurch]

8. Definitely

it was a life time experience.

And I am more than glad that I have a digital camera :D

[enigmatic]

3. Great pics!

Eastern Alberta (where I'm living) is heavily Ukrainian and there are churches like the ones you posted (although more modest) all over the countryside here...

[MissHoneychurch]

6. Must be a pretty site

and I bet the streets are better than in Kiev ....

[hfojvt]

9. was that a car trip

or a plane trip? Or a train trip?

Good to have you back :hi:

[MissHoneychurch]

10. A car and train trip

by car till Kiev. And with the train from Kiev to the Crimea (the train ride took about 15 hours). In Kiev with took the public transportation and on the Crimea most times our feet from the hotel to the beach :)

As fun as it was it is also good to be back :hi:

[BarenakedLady]

11. Gorgeous pictures!

Welcome back. I'm glad you had an great time.

:hi: :hug:

[MissHoneychurch]

12. Thanks BNL

It was a really wonderful vacation. Three weeks a complete different way of life.

[Callalily]

13. Wonderful pics MissH!

I can't wait to see more and to hear your stories. I'd love to take a three-week vacation, especially to a wonderful destination like Kiev and the Crimea.

Good to have you back!

[MissHoneychurch]

15. Hello SimplyF

so good to see you :hug:

You can be sure of more pics :D

Here are a couple more .... just scenery from the Crimea.

[Callalily]

17. You take such

great pictures. Looks like you had a chance to go hiking?

[MissHoneychurch]

18. A little bit hiking

but not really much. But we walked a lot in Kiev, I would count that as hiking too ... LOL

[Callalily]

19. Oh it is hiking . . .

I call it urban hiking - really! Great way to get the flavor of your surroundings. And to scope out out-of-the-way restaurants too.

[MissHoneychurch]

20. We got fantastic homecooking in Kiev

way better than any restaurant. And on the Crimea we just bought us fresh veggies on the market and bread and cheese and had that for dinner. The hotel there had a good buffet in the mornings.

[Callalily]

21. I could make a meal

of fresh bread and cheese alone! Yummy!

It must have been fun going to the market. I always like to visit local markets when I'm traveling. Tells one a lot of about the local culture.

[MissHoneychurch]

22. Don't forget the wine

LOL

Even though we had so much alcohol during the week in Kiev (vodka and wine) that we didn't drink much while on the Crimea.

My mom and I love to do the same. Going to the local markets and stores. It is so much fun and you always find special food. And I tell you, the water melons were YUMMY!!!!!

[billyskank]

25. I missed you

Glad to have you back. :hug:

[MissHoneychurch]

26. Soon we will miss you

oh wait ... you are going with Joani and her portable Internet access :)

:hug:

[billyskank]

27. I think you'll probably hear from me while I'm there.

Certainly while I'm at Deb's. :)

:hi:

[MissHoneychurch]

28. Hope so

:)

Check your pm's.

:hi:

How have you been doing?

[wildhorses]

29. wonderful shots!!

magical place :wow:

good to see you :hug:

:hi: :loveya: :hi:

[MissHoneychurch]

30. Hey wildhorses

:hi: :loveya: :hug:

you put it right, "magical places". I was fascinated.

Good to see you too.

[Haole Girl]

31. Great pics!

Thanks for sharing these! :hi:

[MissHoneychurch]

37. It is my pleasure

:hi:

[YankeyMCC]

32. Very nice

particularly the view from the room...beautiful spot.

[MissHoneychurch]

38. Oh yes

it was nice to be woken by the sun and having such a great view to get up to :)

[huskerlaw]

33. Lovely pictures!

I have co-workers who are from Ukraine. No wonder they miss it!

[MissHoneychurch]

39. Yes, one can understand them

the people are really friendly there. And the scenery .... breathtaking

[Eurobabe]

34. Oh nice photos!

Looks like they have some interesting architecture there? And the sea looks very inviting. Glad you had a good time! Missed you!!! :hug:

[MissHoneychurch]

40. Missed you too!!!

The churches are some of the buildings that are restaurated already or re-built. But they have some other really nice architecture as well. I will post more pics in the next days.

Swimming in the sea was wonderful. Only "problem" was the stones on the beach ... and since there isn't much beach, the people were stacking up ... LOL

[NewJeffCT]

35. wow, some great pictures

Glad you had a good time.

[MissHoneychurch]

41. Thank you

yes, I had a great time. It is a fascinating country.

[In_The_Wind]

36. Your photographs are awesome.

Welcome back! :hi:

[MissHoneychurch]

42. Thanks Joani

:hug:

the pics are normal tourist pics, nothing special

:hi: