Kyiv s Steve-om, Part Four

Well folks, this is the last installment of photos from Kyiv, this one featuring - you guessed it! - people. Above, my host, Steve, in his natural summertime habitat, on the banks of the Dnepr, downing a cold one. It's not Lake Calhoun, but it'll do.

Kyivans relaxing near the Dnepr, enjoying a typical Kyivan activity: a slack-line competition (?!).
- What?! They're Kyivans too, and deserve to be photographed. Plus, it documents the boat rental process.
- '90s Bulls shorts; Penny Hardaway all-star game warm-up jersey; fanny pack; Formula 1 hat. Most fashionable man in town.
- as mentioned, the slack-lining competition. Further proof that Kyiv is basically Berkeley.
- glam shots at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Midwesterners on vacation. (avert your eyes, young folk.)
- lots of people take wedding photos on Andreevsky Spusk.
- I did not.
- A man and his city. And his underground mall.
- competition heats up.
- Kyivans often break out in spontaneous song. In national costume.


And yet again, spontaneous song. Question: street performers or beggars? Or both?

Kyiv s Steve-om, Part Three

This one's all buildings. Sorry mom, no photos of me!





- lest we forget where (chronologically) we spent a good chunk of last century.











- oops, how'd this from the Monastery get in this batch?








- at left, facing Steve's apartment.




- at right, aren't the "ugly Stalin buildings" more cute and interesting in Kyiv?











- St. Someone next to St. Other













- as Steve rightly points out, probably the reddest building in town.























- Kofe Khaus, even in Kyiv, a blight on the landscape (writes Charles while sitting in the air-conditioned, fast internet equipped confines of his local Kofe Khaus).










- not a bad Opera Theater. Not bad at all.














- Oh Kyiv, you little corner of Krakow/Budapest, you!













- seriously, where are we? Central Europe?!





















- St. Sophia's Cathedral, although domes have changed shape and visage many times, the interior really remind one of Hagia Sophia, its sister/mother.











- the bell tower at St. Sophia's.






















- just another of Charles' favorite Kyivan structures. Many more like it, lending hilly, tree-lined, balconied Kyiv its atmosphere.

Kyiv s Steve-om, Part Two

Here is another batch o'Kyiv, this one showing the Monastery of the Caves as a living, breathing, pilgrimage, commercial, social center. Unfortunately the centerpiece cathedral above is off limits.

Descending to the caves..

As much as I love holy honey, I didn't like the idea of a holy honey accident in my luggage.

When you're friends with a priest it's really convenient. He can bless your baby any time you want.

The gray boundary between piety and extortion.



Oh, and I'll take a tea with that blessing, please.

Kyiv s Steve-om, Part One

Dear friends,

This weekend I finally went to Kyiv, the historic center of Orthodox Rus lands. Tis a wonderfully liveable, pleasant "little" city of 4+ million. I kept fighting off the thought - this is what Moscow is supposed to be like - but to little avail. The pace is quieter, the people more outwardly friendly, it less overwhelmingly suffused with power, money and the pursuit and display of both. Sure, it has its corrupt politicians, its obnoxious Кофе Хаусы, it's muscle-pumped bald guys and failing infrastructure. But it also has commanding views of the Dniepr, the true center of Orthodox spirituality at the Monastery of the Caves, lots of tree-lined streets, and acres upon acres of historic buildings preserved with taste or left to pleasantly convalesce, reminiscent of gloomy, friendly Krakow. Sure, people want to leave Kyiv for the west, but not as in such striking numbers as in Moscow. People are proud of their city and proud of its gentle calm and sense of self. In this way it reminded me of St. Petersburg - but with better weather and topography.

These photos are all at the Monastery of the Caves. Sorry, didn't feel like breaking the rules to snap photos inside the actual cave, where you wander in passageways with a candle, with people huddling and praying over tiny sarcophagi. You'll have to use your imagination there.

And so, enjoy.