What I really think of Kyiv - on the record, anyway

‘What a snare this travelling business is to the young writer. He goes to some blasted jungle or other and imagines that everybody will be interested in it.’

‘Though most of us would not write except for money we would not write any differently for more money.’

Evelyn Waugh, Labels: A Mediterranean Journey

Many years ago, I harboured thoughts of starting a career in journalism. I long ago put that idea to bed, but I recently got a brief taste of what my life might have been like had I gone in that direction, when I was asked to write an article on Kyiv for Airgate: Krakow Airport Magazine. I quickly realised that being paid to write isn’t the career for me. The pressure of a time deadline was more than I could handle: I faffed about for hours trying to decide on what to write, and in the end, churned out the piece below in very short time. They seemed happy with it, and it was published in the spring issue (I was unable to find it online).

They asked me to make slight alterations to my first draft: there were parts, they said, that sounded a little too ‘touristy/guide-booky’, which wasn’t what they were after. They also asked me to say more about religion in Ukraine (you figure the Poles would), as well as writing brief synopses about Chornobyl, the Orange Revolution and the best cafés, bars and restaurants. Not to make excuses, dear readers, but I really rushed these last bits, and they aren’t really my finest work. Still, they saw fit to include them all.

Last note: those kind chaps flattered me greatly with their description of me, just below my photo: ‘journalist and traveller’. Pah! I wrote that I was merely ‘an English Teacher’.

This is the version that was published. Below that are the bits that I took out. Judge for yourselves whether they were too ‘touristy’. And they came up with the title.

Dynamo-like Kyiv

The name of Kyiv’s most famous football team, Dynamo, aptly captures the rapidly changing fortunes of this city. We’re barely 25 years removed from the disaster at Chornobyl, yet it all seems such a distant memory. Nowadays, the more well-heeled locals and tourists prefer to while away their hours sipping the country’s finest beer, downing shots of vodka at fashionable streetside cafés, watching the world go by. Or at the very least, the clippety-clop of high heels as Ukraine’s loveliest beauties proudly strut their stuff: this is a city, after all, in which to be seen and show off is just as important as anything else.

On the surface, with the wide, imposing main commercial thoroughfare of Khreschatyk and its glamorous shop-lined windows and mix of Stalinist and Art Nouveau architecture, you’d think that this was a place where wealth is ubiquitous, where people lead a pampered, comfortable existence. Outside the centre you’ll find thriving residential enclaves and luxurious Western-style shopping centres. But below the surface, Kyiv is a city of extremes and stark contrasts. Behind the façade - or Potemkin village perhaps? – lies another side to the city, the one where poor and struggling babushkas struggle to make ends meet.

Life in Kyiv is always an adventure, which is the real beauty of this place. Everything is always unpredictable and you never know what to expect. The locals are generally hospitable and welcoming, though patience is a virtue when it comes to cracking the surface. But that, however, is a massive part of the charm: for life in Kyiv also isn’t easy. Every day brings a new challenge, but that’s exactly what makes this place so energetic and dynamic. Kyiv is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get, (apologies to Forrest Gump).

Beyond the glitz and grime on the surface, there’s a sobering, introspective, serene side to the city, often reflected in its dizzying array of bright and gleaming Orthodox churches. From St Andrew’s at the top of cobbled, winding Andriyivsky Street; to St Michael’s, with its golden dome and Baroque-style on the outside and Byzantine interior; and to Pecherska-Lavra, the caves monastery complex and the holiest site of all, Kyiv is a city of the spiritual. The churches certainly dazzle on the outside; they are no less impressive on the inside.

The gleaming architectural splendour of the churches is a reflection of the spirituality that pervades the Ukrainian nation. Religion is alive and kicking here, and in many ways serves as a sort of unifier between east and west, with Kyiv right at the heart. Because religious expression was generally suppressed in the days of the Soviet Union, it’s seen a great awakening since independence in 1991. For many Ukrainians, however, religion is more of a traditional way of life, rather than a form of pure spirituality. With the daily rigours and struggles of everyday life, religion is cathartic. Ukrainians first and foremost turn to religion in times of difficulty, for assurances of a better future. For many, faith is stability.

Ukrainians have unique ways of celebrating the holiest days of the year. Easter features the cross-shaped Easter bread Paska, which is taken to church to be blessed, as well as the decorate egg painting practice of Pysanka, meant to symbolize new life and new beginnings. Christmas, celebrated in early January, features a 12-course Holy Supper minus any meat or dairy products. Both tend to be more sombre, family-oriented affairs in Kyiv, though western Ukrainians display a more fervent, exuberant brand of religious expression, reveling in outdoor festivities and games, especially at Easter time. More outward expressions of religious devotion in Kyiv can be witnessed during Epiphany, when the city’s bravest souls bare all to plunge into the icy waters of the Dnieper. Most of the time, copious amounts of alcohol are consumed beforehand.

There is art to be seen as well, from intimate galleries to museums displaying more traditional, classic art from some of the old European masters, as well as beloved native son, poet and artist Taras Shevchenko. At one end of Khreschatyk is the Pinchuk Modern Art Centre, showcasing the most cutting-edge, opinion-dividing modern art and its ultra-swank Sky Art Café at the top, offering splendid views of the city.

A trip back up the other end takes you to Independence Square, the pulsating heart of the city, and main stage of 2004’s Orange Revolution. At times scene of outdoor rock concerts, at others a staging ground for ever-frequent political protests, this square captures the essence of Kyiv. It’s grand, magnificent and yet maintains a sense of intimacy when packed to the throngs, which it frequently is. When it comes to politics, Ukrainians veer somewhere between pessimistic and despondent. The Orange Revolution is now a fading memory. But they do definitely care, and are certainly politically aware. Politics is taken very seriously here.

Kyiv has the glazed, surreal look to it of a place torn between east and west, unsure of whether it wants to be a closer part of Europe or whether it’s happy to remain on its fringes. ‘Ukraine’ after all, does mean ‘borderland’. As European as it does seem, many parts of it, some of the most charming parts in fact, feel more wild and reckless, in a very positive way. And you ask the locals, where the language split is roughly 50/50 between Ukrainian and Russian, and you get roughly the same type of answers. This is a country still trying to forge a clear identity for itself.

The heavy stuff aside, Kyivans like to and know how to party. From bustling nightclubs with their booming house and R&B club hits – big name DJs and bands make regular appearances here - where pretty young things cavort, flaunt and make their impressions, swilling an impressive range of cocktails to swish restaurants offering both comfy Ukrainian food and ‘European-style’ fare, there are plenty of places to flash your cash. There is also a thriving university scene, both in academics and in the nightlife, and it’s never difficult to find a hot nightspot, whether it’s a dark, intimate cellar type pub with various nooks and crannies, or your more upscale lounges with their Club Med soundtracks and their thigh-high booted lovelies guzzling Cosmopolitans. There are places to satisfy every whim, taste and desire. 

It wasn’t so long ago that it was hard to find high quality coffee in cosy confines. These days, it’s everywhere. There are quaint cafés, American-style chains in the form of Coffee Time, Coffee House and Coffee Life, and even the ubiquitous, portable coffee trucks that keep sprouting up everywhere. These days, the quality of the coffee is excellent, a far cry from the culinary desert and squalor of yesteryear.

When it comes to cuisine, deep down Ukrainians love nothing more than comfort food, no matter what the season. Westerners may call it stodgy or bland, and though Ukrainian dishes aren’t as well-known as those from other locales, there is still a colourful array of tasty delights on offer. Borshch can be found just about everywhere, along with varenyky (dumplings filled with anything from potato, mushrooms and cabbage, to cherries, strawberries and apples) deruny (potato pancakes), syrnyky (a fried cheese breakfast treat served with cream and jam) and, naturally, chicken Kyiv. A generous dollop of smetana is often applied to most things. Some of the more popular dishes aren’t for the faint-hearted and fall more in the category of potentially heart-attack inducing fare. Salo, or pork lard, is popular and along with vodka forms the most potent national combination, and one of Kyiv’s more perplexing sights is the long queue that forms outside a small hole in the wall on Bohdana Khmelnytskoho Street, where locals patiently wait for a fried sausage in batter called a perepichka. Yummy they aren’t, fatal they are.  

And of course, one thing dominating discussion these days is Euro 2012, as Ukraine readies itself for its place on the world footballing stage, alongside Poland. The question on many people’s minds is, will the city be ready? While question marks remain about whether the hotels and infrastructure will be up to scratch, many of the key elements are already in place. With a clean, efficient, as regular as clockwork metro, along with the social delights and array of historical offerings, Kyiv already has much to offer. In some regards, it has some ways to go, but Kyiv is certainly pretty close to getting there. 

Sidebars
 

The Orange Revolution

In late 2004, Viktor Yanukovych was swept into power after a narrowly-fought election. Or so he thought. Thousands of people begged to differ, and protestors occupied Independence Square for days on end demanding a recount, accusing Yanukovych and his cronies from the previous administration of rigging the election. The Supreme Court agreed and ordered a re-run.

The second vote saw Viktor Yuschenko take the reins as president, with his trusted ally Yulia Tymoshenko appointed as prime minister. The Orange Revolution brought great hope and optimism to the country, but the euphoria wasn’t to last long. Relations between Yuschenko and Tymoshenko became bitter and in 2006, Yanukovych replaced Tymoshenko as prime minster. From then on, different coalitions were formed and then collapsed, and Ukrainians began to feel dispirited. Fast forward to the present day, which sees Yanukovych in power, Tymoshenko charged with abuse of state funds, and Yuschenko exiled to the political wilderness. We’re more or less back to where we started.

The best cafés

* Azbuka, Saksanskogo St, Pymonenko St & Shota Rustaveli St. Coffee 10-22ua, Food 50-100ua. Cosy café set amidst a bookshop.

* Teatr Kavi Kaffa, Skovrody St (Podil), Saksanskogo St & 3 Shevchenko Lane (near Independence Square), Coffee 16-28ua, Food (snacks, pastries) 14-40ua. Kyiv’s best quality coffee, by far. An extensive coffee menu.

* Zoloty Ducat, Volodymyrska St (near St Sophia’s Cathedral) & Chervonoarmiyska St, Coffee and incredible hot chocolate 10-24ua, food (snacks and pastries) 20-50ua

The best bars

* Kupidon, Pushinska St, Food 20-90ua. Studenty, alternative hangout, which has lots of character, but can get a bit smoky.

* Sunduk (‘The Chest’, as in a pirate’s) Pub, Prorizna St and Mykhaylivska St, extensive variety of beers, 14-50ua, Food 30-150ua. Wood-paneled décor and massive interior.

* Viola’s Bierstube, Tarasa Shevchenka St, Food 20-150ua. Cavernous, cellar bar with terrific atmosphere

* Sepia, Sahaydachnoho St, Podil. Food 20-160ua. Good venue for live music, from quiet piano jazz to funky soul, kitted out like a photographer’s paradise. Be warned: the service can be a bit iffy.

* Docker’s ABC, Khreschatyk St. A good live-music venue, guaranteed to offer a thumping good time.

The best restaurants

* Tsarke Selo, near Pecherska-Lavra. Food 30-300ua. A fairly glamorous dining spot, decorated in traditional Ukrainian style, featuring salo in chocolate.

* Varenichnaya #1, Esplanadnaya. Food 20-200ua. The place to come for the widest variety of varenyky.

* Chateau, Khreschatyk St. Food 40-250ua. They brew their own beer here and offer pleasant views of Khreschatyk, providing you get a window seat.

* BarBQ, Horodetskoho St. Food 50-300ua. A new addition to the restaurant scene, featuring arguably the best hamburgers in Kyiv.

* Sky Art Café, Pinchuk Art Centre, Khreschatyk. Food 20-250ua. Apparently Kyiv’s only purely vegetarian restaurant, featuring also a nice, exotic selection of tea.

The bits that were cut

For the most inspiring dose of spirituality, head to Pecherska-Lavra, the caves monastery complex in the hilly part of the city. As you make your way from the Arsenalna metro station, considered by some to be the deepest in the world at around 105 metres, past Slavy Park overlooking the Dnipro River and onto the Left Bank of the city on the other side, give pause to a moment’s reflection on Ukraine’s tragic past in the shape of the Holodymor Memorial, dedicated to the victims of Stalin’s famine of the 1930s. For this is a country still burdened by the heavy weight of history. Further away from the centre is Babyn Yar, the tragic scene of the massacre of 34,000 Jews by the Nazis in 1941.

The children's memorial at Babyn Yar

Pecherska-Lavra is easily Kyiv’s holiest site. Pilgrims flock here to pay homage, while tourists descend into the cavernous underground, candles in hand, to meander their way through dimly-lit passages. It’s in turns eerie and moving, yet is an absolute must for anyone, no matter how spiritual you consider yourself.

Beyond the caves monastery is the towering and menacing Rodina Mat (Defence of the Motherland Monument), standing guard overlooking Kyiv’s hills. Below her is the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, a sombre display dedicated to Ukraine’s sacrifice in World War II. As with many of Kyiv’s museums, the lighting may be dim, and you’ll be given a stern, but friendly rebuke by the guards if you usher along too quickly – they like it when you stop and reflect – but the overall impression is powerful enough. This is a country that takes pride in its museums.

Charming Andriyivsky Street winds it way down to Podil, the old mercantile quarter with some of the city’s nicest architecture and flats. Along the way, as you descend from St Andrew’s Church, you pass a host of market sellers flaunting their goods, souvenirs, paintings, national team tops, matryoshkas and various bits of war paraphernalia. This is definitely the place to buy gifts. Three of the city’s finest museums are in this neck of the woods: the Mikhail Bulgakov Museum, where much of his novel the White Guard was set, the Museum of One Street, offering a glimpse inside the past residences of Andriyivsky, and further along, the Chornobyl Museum, where the full-scale of the horror is on display.