The Great Ukrainian Ice Cream Tour

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When on the road travelling and you have no plans, but then suddenly things do not go according to the plan of having no plans, what does one do? I know what I would do: Head to another country. And since I am not fit for working in a small farming village in Romania, and I have turned down all my suitors asking my hand in marriage, it only seems reasonable that I recover in a hostel for 5 days before packing up my rucksack and taking a rickity bus across the border of Suceava, Romania to Chernivtsi, Ukraine. At the border, the border officer looking at my passport asked me to step off the bus because he mistook my first/middle name and believed I was Vanessa Mae, the Asian violinist.

In Chernivtsi, I hadn’t booked a hostel ahead of time, and quickly learned that it is essential in Ukraine to do so, and to text the owner when you arrive. The hostels are not allowed to display signs where they are located which does not help a lost traveller trying to find a room. The English hostel owner, Markus, gave me a quick lesson in booking hostels and travelling in Ukraine, then convinced me to buy a mobile phone, which was a great investment. Got a great tour of this beautiful university town and Ukrainian culture; full of young women attending the university, prancing around in small outfits and very high heels.

Got to see a proper Ukrainian disco (sitting at tables, drinking vodka, watching interesting dancing, and eating fruit) and was actually turned away from one because my hiking trainers/street shoes were not appropriate attire for the disco! I even got to see the horror that is a common hospital in Ukraine. Just like something out of a horror movie… dark green paint chipping off the walls, dim lights swinging in the entrance way, stray cats wandering the grounds, the distant screaming of patients, very unhygienic/unsanitary conditions.. but it did have a very lovely garden outside. On the way to Kamyanets-Podilsky, stopped at the Fortress Khotyn, then explored the fortress/town of KP which is surrounded by a canyon. Very beautiful views of the city and surrounding canyon/wooded areas.

Overnight trains in Ukraine are pretty fun, especially if you try to save a few euros and sacrifice comfort and privacy, and instead ride in a carriage full of hot, sweaty people, topless drunk men, and fussy children. And the fact that Ukrainians refuse to crack a window in public transport (afraid of catching their death), thus making the ungodly hot train ride even more sweaty and uncomfortable. But I saved a few euros! (later spent on ice cream!) To the city of L’viv… really taking in the stunning architecture and unbelievable history of the country. The city center in L’viv was especially fascinating; all the buildings of similar size, shape, and construction (just different colours). And all the buildings being 3-4 stories high, many having 3 windows per floor facing the plaza. This is because 3 windows is the most the buildings could have for the cheapest taxes-- any building with more than 3 windows belonged to wealthy individuals… interesting.

Spent a day at Lychakiv Cemetary, a very interesting place, full of huge grave markers with the deceased persons faces laser-etched into the smooth rock or having a very large bust of their head mounted on top of the tombstone. Loved people-watching in L’viv: all the women wearing brilliant sundresses or skimpy outfits (complete with a cross around the neck, of course) and always delicate, fashionable high heels. Even very pregnant women trying to navigate the cobble stone streets in high heels was entertaining to me. And constantly getting glares of anger and disgust when I wander the street in my skirt, t-shirt and hiking shoes.

Then took an overnight train to Uzhgorod, which isn’t too worth mentioning… just seeing the outside of a rubbish castle, then taking overnighter back to L’viv with the only seating option being 4th class travel- no benches assigned but an upright hard bench I had to first fight to find, then sit the entire night with my bag in my lap sleeping with one eye open.

And did I mention that nearly every day I ate an icecream (or 2!) from a street vendor, thus making my Ukraine trip a grand ice cream tour? They have some good flavors on a stick. My personal favorite being a white chocolate covered icecream with poppy seeds inside and an anti-drug message on the wrapper. Yum.

Any way, I met a very colourful character from the Netherlands (Jaco) who I spent the following 1 ½ weeks gallivanting the south of Ukraine with and having loads of misadventures with … wait for it!


^Út Í Óvissuna^

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