#90 UKRAINE

One of the best things about living in Istanbul was the exceptional flight connectivity all over the world, and often flights to Europe were so cheap and convenient that you could just head off to a new country for the weekend. Well, that's what Zoran and I did with Ukraine, and we had a great time!

With such a short time in the country, the priorities were sightseeing in Kyiv and a day trip to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, the site of one of the world's greatest man-made disasters. Of course, now it's generally considered safe to go, and tour agencies run trips to Chernobyl (and the nearby town of Pripyat) all the time. Still, it was pretty exciting to be in a new kind of "danger zone" and get a glimpse into 1980s Soviet life frozen in time. 

Of course, along the way, we also tried lots of great new foods -- tons of caviar at Besarabsky Market, lots of different kinds of lard, and, of course, the iconic Chicken Kiev! 

Kyiv, 2018

Buying caviar in Besarabsky Market - Kyiv, 2018

Chicken Kiev in Kyiv! Pervak Restaurant, 2018

Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) - Kyiv, 2018

A selection of five different lards! Pervak Restaurant - Kyiv, 2018

Downtown Kyiv, 2018


Entering the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone! 2018

Contaminated and abandoned Ferris wheel - Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Pripyat), 2018

Soviet propaganda - Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Pripyat), 2018

Pork chop lunch - Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Pripyat), 2018

Arrival in Pripyat, 2018

Duga radar: enormous abandoned antenna hidden in the forest near Chernobyl!

Abandoned operating center - Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Pripyat), 2018

Discarded toys at an abandoned school - Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Pripyat), 2018

Beautiful stained glass - Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Pripyat), 2018

Discarded Soviet propaganda posters - Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Pripyat), 2018

Abandoned pool and sports complex - Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Pripyat), 2018

Discarded gas masks - Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Pripyat), 2018

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