Trip to Kyiv

With the help of Mr Putin and the arrangement of Government holidays our mid term break after four weeks was 12 days long. Plenty of time to have a holiday. We looked at various options but having been ill I went for something easy - a city break and what a good choice. Kyiv as spelt in Ukraine, Kiev for the rest of us.

Having had a few days at home and been out to Koskovo we packed our bags, caught the mid morning flight and landed an hour and a half later. We had a slight hitch when we couldn't change any money in the terminal at the airport. Change terminals and the catch the airport bus.

The metro is a smaller version of the Moscow metro. Same trains and design ideas. Our hotel was small and modern and very comfortable and not far from the city centre.

We found somewhere for a snack lunch - a bikers bar with reasonable pizza and then set off into the city. I won't give you a blow by blow account of what we did but I have put the photos together in some sort of logical order.

The centre of Kyiv is Maiden Nezalshnosti. In Soviet times it was called Revolution Square and was dominated by a huge statue of Lenin.  In 2004 it was the focus for the Orange Revolution. At the weekend and on public holidays it is a vehicle free zone with the road closed so people can walk in comfort.

The area is full of interesting  buildings. This is the house of Chimeras. The statues and figures are amazing.

It was built back in the 19th century in cement which was a revolutionary material then. When it was built it even had a special room for a cow so they could have fresh milk every day.

Down the hill from the house of Chimeras was this puppet theatre with these lovely statues.

They are stunning statues.

We arrived on the Saturday before Easter. I'm afraid we were too lazy to stay up for the Easter vigil which started around 11.30 in the evening and went on for several hours. The Orthodox Church, and I include Ukraine in this, does really have a tradition of chocolate eggs. They are beginning to creep in, but home decorated eggs are the main celebration. Eggs are boiled in water with red onion skins or wrapped in shrink plastic which is pre decorated and shrinks onto the egg as it boils. There were lots of decorated eggs in Kyiv to buy and we found this wonderful display in one of the parks. They were so creative.

Yes every display is made of either hard boiled or blown eggs. They were amazing.

Towards the end of our first day we were heading back to the hotel when we found this amazing playgound. The first part I saw was this pile of cushions and wondered what it was.

There were several piles like this and then we went round the corner and this is what we found. amazing.

This is just a taste of what else we saw. More to come.

Kuskova

The long winter is finally over so Peter and I can get out and about a bit more. We are just coming to the end of a long break - 12 days. May 1st Labour day, May 9th Victory Day plus one moved from February have been combined together so we have had a good break. Peter and I have been to Kyiv for five nights but more of that later.

Kuskova is in the south east suburbs of Moscow and was the country seat of the Sheremetevs, one of the wealthiest aristocratic families in country. They owned it for over 200 years until the Revolution and Sheremeteva airport is named from them.

The present palace and gardens were laid out and built in the late 1700s by Count Pyotr (Peter) Sheremetev. The gardens are formal and were described as the Russian Versailles. The palace itself is made of wood which has been plastered and decorated. As with so many estates it fell into disrepair after the Revolution and is only now being restored. The garden has the shapes of the beds made in grass and gravel but no flowerbeds yet.

It was a bit odd as each building had a separate entrance fee so we only went in a couple.

The main entrance with carriage slopes leading to the front door. 

This is the tapestry room and is decorated with Flemish tapestries. These rooms are unusual as they have both a ceramic heater and an open fireplace in corners of each room. As the place is made of wood I was surprised at the open fireplace.

This is a bed in the drawing room and not used for sleeping at all.

The decoration is beautiful with fabric stuck on the walls.

A square of fabric has been lifted to show the construciton underneath.

This is a proper bed.

The ballroom

The sideboard set for dinner.

A magnificent confection - made of plaster!!

The banquet

The rooms upstairs are not open which is where I expect the proper bedrooms are. These are the state rooms for show.

Next to the house is the Church of St Michael the archangel with its bell tower.

The kitchens are in a building of their own, not far from the dining room but far enough for the food to get cold!!

In the garden was a grotto - a brick built building decorated inside with patterns made of shells and sparkly stones set in plaster. Sadly much of it has been spoilt with the shells being broken off, but the ceiling still looks pretty and the pictures interesting.

The Dutch house

The Italian Cottage

A building in the menagerie used for song birds.

I'm not sure why all the different houses were built in the grounds, but they are interesting and I will go back to look at the collections inside. At the far end of the garden is an enormous orangery which now has a collection of porcelain. Sadly much of it is closed for restoration.

When we go into some old houses we are asked to wear blue plastic over shoes. Not here. They got us polishing the floor as we walked around!!

It was an interesting place to go and I hope to return to look in more of the museums.