In Slavic mythology, Berehynia is a female spirit who serves as the “hearth mother, protectoress of the home”. This monument to Berehynia is located in Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kiev, Ukraine.

View of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant from a bridge leading into the deserted city of Pripyat. Taken during our July 2007 excursion to the exclusion zone.

This is from the August 2, 2008 edition of Frontera, a Tijuana/San Diego based Spanish-language newspaper. Recognize that photo at the bottom? Yeah, that is Ryan and I in front of Chernobyl’s infamous reactor four when we (along with Laura) toured the exclusion zone on July 4, 2007.

The entire article is behind a paywall now, but it did list my blog address and this blurb:

Lindsay Fincher es una californiana que visitó el reactor número 4, en su blog describió la experiencia en el lugar como “surrealista”.

From my three years of high school Spanish (which I’ve almost completely forgotten), it generally translates to “Lindsay Fincher is a Californian that visited reactor number four and in her blog described the experience as surreal” or whatever.

The funny thing about this? I had no idea this article existed until it showed up in my website stats. Figures.

If you were under the impression that sidewalks existed solely for the use of pedestrians, you would be wrong. At least if you were in Kiev, where it is quite common for drivers to park on sidewalks. With Kiev’s horrendous traffic, you’re also likely to see cars driving down the sidewalk, as we did while on our bus coming back from Chernobyl. Our bus driver felt it was appropriate to drive on the sidewalk rather than wait at a busy intersection. Amazingly, no pedestrians were harmed in the process.

As bizarre as it sounds, wealthy Ukrainians are building vacation homes near the 30km exclusion zone surrounding the Chernobyl nuclear reactor:

The sky is a cornflower blue and the lake is calm. Sunburned fishermen pull up to the dock in motorboats, their nets filled with pike.

On the deck of a hunting lodge, couples are feasting on their catches and rehashing the day’s adventures. Farther down the road, crews are finishing the roof of yet another lakefront, luxury home.

The latest villa to sprout on the shores of the Kiev Reservoir is just a few metres from the barbed-wire fence that marks the 30-kilometre exclusion zone surrounding the infamous Chernobyl plant.

Yes, nature lovers have discovered Chernobyl. The region near the scene of the world’s worst nuclear accident is now dubbed the “Chernobyl Riviera” for its grand homes and commanding vistas.

[...]

Twenty-one years after a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded, ripping off the roof, and spewing radioactive poison into the countryside, Ukrainian holiday-makers are flocking to the region to bask in its quiet and enjoy the abundant wilderness that sprang to life when humans were forcibly evacuated.

Today, the woods and waters surrounding the village of Strakholissya – a half-hour drive from the stricken plant – are among the best hunting and fishing grounds in Ukraine. Wild boar, deer and wolves roam in the dense birch and pine forests.

Not one of the many weekenders interviewed expressed concern about potential health hazards. “It’s more contaminated in Kiev,” one fisherman said, laughing.

Recently, Ukraine’s rich and famous discovered the tranquil spot. They are mainly from Kiev, townspeople say, and they have built a line of lavish homes, hidden from prying villagers’ eyes by tall fences.

Their magnificent houses, docks and swimming pools are on full display if you rent a boat and ogle from the lake.

[...]

At the hunting lodge, Mr. Kuzmenko, his wife and friends said they weren’t worried about radiation levels.
“Our bodies have adapted to this,” said Sergei Ivanov, who, along with Mr. Kuzmenko and their wives drove up from Kiev for a weekend of duck hunting.

The group were up at dawn with their rifles. By early afternoon, they were back at the lodge, relaxing on the deck, the corpses of their hunted fowl hanging from the railing. Mr. Kuzmenko’s wife, Oksana, was looking forward to sunset.

“In the evening, the water gets an interesting colour,” Ms. Kuzmenko said. “The moon gives a white light, which makes [the lake] look like ice.”

Personally, I’d rather invest in beachfront property and spend my time surfing instead of picking radioactive mushrooms, but that’s just me. To each their own.

Related: LAist Interview: Director/Adaptor of Voices from Chornobyl, Cindy Marie Jenkins, Chernobyl plant to get a proper burial

Yeah, I’m finally done writing about this trip. Only took me four months. Still, that’s a significant improvement over last year’s trip to the Caucasus, which I didn’t finish writing about until December. I haven’t the slightest idea why it takes me so much time to write about places I’ve gone, considering that my travel posts are what most people stumble across, and therefore e-mail me about.

So, if you missed anything, here you go:
1. LOT – The airline of the proletariat
2. Ukraine Photos: Touring the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
3. Dispatches from Chernobyl, Part I: Dude, where’s your Geiger counter?
4. Dispatches from Chernobyl, Part II: Liquidators Memorial / Kopachi / Catfish / Reactor 4
5. Dispatches from Chernobyl, Part III: The ghosts of Pripyat
6. Dispatches from Chernobyl, Part IV: Chisto?
7. Kiev: Post-Chernobyl food run/4th of July dinner (or how I flew 6000 miles to partake in Oreo Madness)
8. Ukraine Photos: Kiev
9. Kiev: You’ve seen one Rodina Mat, you’ve seen ‘em all
10. Make sure to secure the door when I am gone. There are many dangerous people who wanna take things from Americans, and also kidnap them. Good night!
11. Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Kiev Monastery of the Caves)
12. Poland Photos: Krakow / Auschwitz-Birkenau / Wieliczka Salt Mine
13. Kraków
14. Auschwitz
15. Wieliczka Salt Mine: Goin’ Deeper Underground

I’m accumulating a rather impressive collection of head scarves due to my travels throughout the former Soviet Union. It’s not that I actually collect head scarves, or even wear them, but I always forget to pack one and am thus forced to purchase yet another before heading into an Orthodox cathedral/church/monastery/whatever. While visiting the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev, I opted for a cheap, boring yellow scarf. (Nothing will ever top the head scarf I purchased for our trip to a monastery in Novgorod a few years back…it was bright pink and covered with several large flamingos. I think the monks were duly impressed…or appalled.)

The Kiev Monastery of the Caves is one of the most famous sights in Kiev, primarily due to its complex system of underground tunnels. Upon entering the tunnels, you are surrounded by worshipers prostrating themselves before icons, lighting candles, and kissing glass coffins that contain the remains of monks. I was convinced that, while navigating through the narrow passageways, I would bump into a member of the candle carrying faithful and my cheap, yellow headscarf would soon be in flames. I do not recall seeing any fire extinguishers down there. If you’re claustrophobic, you might want to avoid the caves.

Seriously, how unbelievably cute is that little onion dome?

I love Eastern European apartments. Where else would you find such an awesome bedspread? (Except, of course, perhaps in a certain genre of movies produced in the San Fernando Valley during the 1970s?)

Yes, I slept here.

If you are looking for a place to stay in Kiev, I’d recommend checking out kievapts.com. The apartments are decently priced, especially when compared to a hotel, and it’s much more comfortable than a hostel. We really couldn’t have asked for a better location – our place was about a 2-3 minute walk to Independence Square.

The building’s exterior could use a bit of work…

Ryan loved his inflatable bed

I stole the title of this post from the movie Everything is Illuminated. If you haven’t seen this film, and you’ve spent some time in Eastern Europe, you need to put it on your Netflix queue ASAP.

One thing the Soviet Union excelled at (besides sending dogs into space, building intercontinental ballistic missiles, and producing awesome holiday cards) was designing some rather impressive war memorials. Due to my interest in the Eastern front of World War II (or, as they say in the former USSR, The Great Patriotic War – Великая Отечественная война), I always feel obliged to visit these memorials, even if it means dragging myself and my friends up whatever hill the memorial is situated on. The Kiev memorial, Rodina Mat, more or less follows the standard Moscow decreed blueprint for war memorials (highest point of elevation, stern-looking woman holding sword, various military vehicles scattered about the grounds). At a height of over 200 feet, however, Kiev’s Rodina Mat does not disappoint.

If only I had a plastic sword, I could look even more foolish

Close-up of the shield (thank you, 12x zoom)

I’m positive this wasn’t the original paint job…

Sculptures throughout the grounds

Ryan and I

There is also a small outdoor exhibit containing a variety of Soviet aircraft, tanks, and artillery pieces. And you already know how much I love Soviet military pieces…

Could use a new paint job

Katyusha

This ain’t a scene, it’s a goddamn arms race

I finally got my act together and uploaded the rest of my photos from Ukraine. Got a few more Ukraine-related posts and then I’ll start on the Poland photos.