How many here have ever traveled to Ukraine?

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Given that it is in the news these days, I was wondering how many here have ever been to Ukraine.

I have been there, both for my job on several trips for 2-4 days each, and many more for tourism. My first trip there was in 2001 and my most recent was in October 2012. I have been to Kiev and Odesa many times, as well as Lviv on several occaisions, Crimea for a week-long family vacation the summer before last, Kamilets-Podilsky with its castle and medieval old town on several occaisions, as well as several other places in the country.

[mav Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Carolinian,
I bet you have some of the most fascinating stories to tell of your traveling experiences! You have REALLY been to some unique places. I know we are having some fabulous times and have many stories, and you have been to SO MANY more then we have. Keep on moving on! We are TRYING to catch up to you!

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I have not been there but have many friends/acquaintance from there that live on Eastern LI.
My heart breaks for them as many (who have been here 15 years+) still have family there.

[somerville Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close somerville]

We took a cruise in 2003 that went into the Black Sea and stopped in Yalta and Odessa. One of my favorite memories is a statute of Lenin that was in a park near the port. He had his arm raised pointing ahead. He was pointing directly at a McDonald's.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Haven't been myself but I've sent a few packages their way.
I guess I won't be going any time soon either.

[easyrider Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close easyrider]

How many languages do you speak Car ? I would love to travel Europe, especially eastern Europe. All most did last fall. The language barrier gas been a concern for us.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

How many languages do you speak Car ? I would love to travel Europe, especially eastern Europe. All most did last fall. The language barrier gas been a concern for us.

I would not worry so much about the language barrier, as it is easy to get around with English. Many young people have been studying it in school since the fall of communism, as well as many older people whose jobs interact with tourism.

[jerrry94087 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jerrry94087]

Actually, they were studying English in schools there even during the Soviet Union time, but foreign language teaching has never been very good there, and very few people can actually communicate in English.
And I would guess now it is the same. So you will likely have a communication problem.

Odessa has a very interesting history there and culture somewhat different from the rest of Ukraine. Also western towns like Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk should be interesting to visit. They had a strong nationalist movement there during the WWII, and chose to cooperate with Germans in hope to get rid of Soviets. This has always been putting them at odds with the eastern parts of the country. Eastern parts of Ukraine must be more plain, and more like Russian towns.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Western Ukraine, including Lviv, was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1918, and the Austrians allowed Ukrainians to maintain their culture and language, unlike the Russians who tried to suppress both, even in Czarist times. Lviv has a very scenic and well restored medieval Old Town and in many ways reminds me of Krakow, Poland. There is no problem in Lviv communicating in English. Kamilets Podilsky is another interesting place to visit, with another nice old town and a castle. Again, it is easy to get around with English. Kiev and Odessa also have interesting things to see, and it is not a problem getting around with English. Odessa has more charming old buildings, but more 19th century than medieval. Crimea had fewer English speakers, but still not a terrible problem.

I do recall one trip when communicating was a problem. I was spending a few days in Odessa and decided to visit the White Castle, a large medieval fortification of the old principality of Moldavia on the Black Sea south of the city in what used to be Romania before it was annexed to the USSR by Stalin in World War II. There is a suburban train that runs right along the sea coast to the town where the castle is located. Buying the tickets in the train station in Odessa was no problem, but once I got to the station on the other end, I could find no one who could speak English, German, or Romanian to provide directions for about 30 minutes. Finally, I encountered someone who had been stationed in the Soviet Army in East Germany who was able to give me directions in German and I found the castle.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

If anyone goes to Kiev, they need to be aware of the ''Kiev game'' or more appropriately the Kiev scam. This is very commonplace in Kiev although I have never seen it done anywhere else in Ukraine. I first encountered it on my first trip there as a tourist and have seen it every time I have been back.

It works like this. Suddenly there is a clear plastic pouch under your feet with a large denomination bill on the outside, a US $100 or 500 Euro note, and other money behind it. Someone you will not be aware of has skillfully slid it there. The mark is supposed to pick it up, as is tempting to do. Then someone comes up and says they have just lost a large sum of money. Most people then produce the pouch they have just picked up, but if not another person comes up and says they saw the mark pick it up. The ''loser'' then expresses thanks at getting his money back. but starts to count it. Then he gets upset saying some is missing and blames the mark who picked it up. He wants to see the marks money. However much the mark has, he will say that is how much of his money is missing. The mark of course denies it, because he has not taken anything. Then someone comes up and identifies himself as a policeman. The mark is accused by the ''loser'' of taking his money. The ''policeman'' says that he will need to take the mark in to the police station for questioning unless something is worked out. To avoid that, the mark usually gives up his money to avoid a trip to the police station.

There are variations. I have always just walked on and ignored the money, because I was aware of it before it was ever attempted on me. However, on one business trip to Kiev, I was walking from our Kiev office to a McDonalds on Maidan Square, and had someone try to play the Kiev game. When I walked on, one of those trying to pull it picked it up and waved it in my face saying ''look what we found'' and trying to put it in my hands. I avoided that and continued walking away, although he followed me for a block trying to get me to take the bait.

The director of our Kiev office, who had worked as an American expat in Ukraine for years, said he still had people regularly try to play the Kiev game on him, and he had started trying to kick the pouch out into the middle of traffic as he was walking, if he could, and watch five or six people go scrambling to it.

[Hobbitess Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hobbitess]

The director of our Kiev office, who had worked as an American expat in Ukraine for years, said he still had people regularly try to play the Kiev game on him, and he had started trying to kick the pouch out into the middle of traffic as he was walking, if he could, and watch five or six people go scrambling to it.

Excellent idea.

Although I hope he makes it look like an accident, lest some of those people go scrambling to take revenge on him!