Kyiv

July 05, 2018

St Michael's Golden Domed Monastery

St Volodymyr's Catherdral

Kiev or Kyiv as my Ukrainian friend corrected me is the capital of Ukraine, bisected by the Dnieper River and famous with pilgrims for its religious relics, architecture, Soviet styled monuments and history museums.

Inside St Volodymyr Cathedral - there aren't any pews

St Michael's Golden Domed Monastery

St Michael's in all its glory

I flew with Lufthansa and was rather surprised by the perpetual flight delays of the otherwise German precision. Whatever happened?

Radisson Blu hotel turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I appreciated the newly renovated spacious room with a Nespresso machine, big tubes of toiletries, a pillow menu and massage services. Definitely to be repeated, price permitting.

Happy to see you and your table

My friend's husband Paul came to fetch me upon my arrival to have dinner with them in their house. It is such a privilege reserved only for close friends to be hosted at a Ukrainian's home and I was really honoured. To thank them, I had picked a box of premium Belgium chocolates at the duty free in Brussels airport.

Unforgetable Dinner at the Sultansky's

Red cabbage with pine nuts - Delicious

Eggplant rolls stuffed with creamy cheese

For dinner, Liubov served a cacophony of local produce. There were cold cuts, three kinds of traditional breads like dark rye, red beet salad with pine nuts, mulled plums, freshly harvested forest mushrooms sauteed in butter and another kind of mushroom preparation: a la facie; eggplant filled with soft cheese and slivers of ox tongue. The main dish was a beautifully baked salmon with lemongrass and mixed herbs. Dessert was a meringue and hazelnut gateau, which is the favourite dessert of the President! Liubov served a self-concocted herbal tea with herbs and flowers picked from her dacha or country house. This tea is taken with honey and a platter of cherries and berries from their own harvest. Gorgeous!

Cow's tongue - a delicacy here

The president's favourite meringue chocolate cake

Berries from their Dacha

Breakfast at the hotel was delightful. I loved the selections of danish pastries, muffins, different kinds of jams and honey. There were cold cuts, cheeses, fresh fruit compote, muesli, oat porridge, fresh yoghurt, three kinds of cereals including gluten free. Freshly squeezed orange juice and a smoothie corner were always my favourite pick-me-up beverage. And for the big eaters, there were sausages, bacon, baked beans, several kinds of freshly baked bread and a dedicated egg station.

Radisson Blu's tempting table

Weakness for fruit jams

local cheeses, preserved fruits and vegetables

That will get Roland to agree heartily

bird food - seeds and grains

my kind mornings

cute morning greetings

Fruit compote and yoghurt

The next two days, I was introduced to Kyiv by my friends who took turns as my chaperon. I learnt so much from their valuable insights and comments. We visited several Orthodox churches, parks, war monuments, arts and crafts alley at St Andrew's Descent, took the Kiev funicular which connected the historic upper town to the commercial district of Podil, walked along Khreschatyk Street, which is the main shopping street and enjoyed some people watching on Mydan square.

wall murals are common

Orthodox churches have the most ornate interiors of all churches I've seen. Photo taking are not allowed in most churches as these are active places of worship, where people are deep in prayer pressing against glass panels housing relics and icons, lighting candles and looking sombre. It seemed almost awkward to be whipping out the mobile phone and take pictures of the beautiful St. Volodymyr's cathedral.

St Michael Monastery with its famous gold domes and pastel blue facade makes a pretty picture. The Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev is another outstanding architectural monument of Kievan Rus' and together with the Pechersk Lavra is listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

My visit to the 11th century Kiev Pechersk Lavra, which is a monastery and pilgrimage site left a deep impression on me. This monastery complex is known for its catacombs lined with burial chambers containing the mummified bodies of Orthodox monks alongside a collection of gold objects from the ancient Scythian times. Usually the caves get very crowded with pilgrims. With its narrow passages, barely enough for two persons to pass side by side, it can get horrifying claustrophobic.

Matryoshka dolls - Russian nesting dolls

Pilgrims, mostly women and men of all ages, some with their children, were making their rounds, lighting candles and kissing the coffins. No photos nor mobile phones are allowed, so my friend and I lighted some used candles and wandered inside this dark labyrinth. I guessed we must have looked like tourists as a kind pilgrim told us that we could purchase a guide book, inexpensively at the entrance, that would show us who's who buried in there. I must admit I was not in a hurry to grab a copy.

After about 30 minutes, we surfaced and I was glad to be out in the open again. It was just an incredible close encounter with the dead. If you're a staunch Orthodox, this is holy ground, whereas if you are not of that faith, the visit can be hair-rising. In either way, all women visitors had to cover themselves with a wrap around skirt over their pants and cover their heads with scarves... and only candles are allowed to guide your paths.