I have been in Ukraine just over a week now and am slowly adapting to the way things are done here, shopping seems to be done on a daily basis,,,,many trips to small shops and kiosks buy everything fresh and use it that day,,,thats ok as the kiosk shops are less than 5 minuets walk,,and if we jump on a suicide bus then we can be at a shopping mall within 10 minuets,, Now I would like to tell you about the area that I am staying at the moment,,,it is an area of apartment buildings ???LOL more like Soviet social housing built in the early 50s when Ukraine was still part of the USSR to house all the workers that would work in the missile factory during the cold war,,,(not the prettiest buildings in the world, but they hold a sort of war torn charm )this factory is the largest of its type in the world making missiles capable of carrying conventional as well as nuclear war heads,,,still producing and selling missiles all around the world today including the USA and China. Most people here think this is one of the main reasons Russia wants to re-gain control east of the River Dnepro I dont think there has been any maintenance on these building since they were built ,,the only evidence of any repairs seems to be when the tenants do it them selves ,,,it seems that all you actually rent is the walls ,,,,all fixtures and fittings are down to the tenant (windows ,doors , bathroom, kitchen ,,,even the elec meter is down to the tenant???) Ilona has fitted double glazing, new modern kitchen and internal doors , so quite nice here and rent is only 55euro a month inclusive of all services and tax. The roads are no better, I think originally they were concrete but have been tarmacked over a couple of times ,,,i know this because the pot holes are about 6-8inches deep and I can see the various different layers (I feel like im on time team now) lol. In some areas the tarmac has gone completely leaving just broken concrete and rubble, but nobody seems to care. We had some light rain yesterday and when I went out this morning all the pot holes were full of water and most of the roads around the apartment buildings appeared to be flooded, now this is because there is no road drainage system they just wait for it to soak away into the ground ,,but as the roads are mostly concrete it just hangs around ,,,this is why about 3 weeks ago when they had heavy rain they then had several sink holes appear swallowing cars and people lol, I had better watch where I tread. Talking of the people ,,everyone here is very nice ,,kids play in the street and potholes, people chat to each other in the street too,,,how weird is that ,,everyone seems to know everyone ,,,it must be what it was like in the tenement blocks in London before the war,,,they are very poor people but seem to be very happy and have held on to traditional values,,oh and they are incredibly patriotic you see the Ukrainian flag everywhere which is worrying as we are in the Russian sector of the city. ,,,in contrast to the outside of the buildings the people are very house proud and its a bit of a shock when you go into an apartment ,,,,,they are very clean most I have visited have modern kitchens flat-screen tv etc and the interiors would not be out of place in a modern apartment in any large city,(but these have been people all under the age of about 35-40). although the plumbing and electrics all seem to have been installed by a group of one armed blind monkeys, and I can imagine some apartments have not been changed or modernised since they were built,,,a bit like the old houses we all fell in love with in France lol I also sometimes feel that I am in the Lada (Bac3) capital of the world but I have been assured its the same all over Ukraine and indeed Russia too,,,,i have lost count of the amount of old Ladas still in daily use let alone the ones parked up that have not moved for decades ,,,,,i might just have to buy one on my next trip,,,,as it seems most people with old cars have no insurance as it is not compulsory ,,,, and if in an accident they do one of three things ,,, 1. They either see the other person and agree a cash settlement on the spot after a fight with baseball bats and machetes and wait for a friend to turn up with the money then push cars to the side of the road and walk home ,,, 2. Or they grab there stuff out of their car and casually walk off ???? 3. Or there is a gun battle winner takes all,,,, not sure how that works ,,,,but “when in Rome”,,think I might get my self down to the shopping mall, saw I real nice AK47 the other day lol Although a lot of people do its probably not worth owning a newer car as ,,,,,if the potholes dont get you the nutter in a uninsured Lada most defiantly will, lol,,, it was warm again today and I have now had 4 of my 10 massage sessions ,,,,im surprised at just how many instruments of torture this girl has,,,but im telling myself that it is all for the better good of my back and neck,,,, Got to go now as Ilonas friend Tanya has just arived and that means the Vodka is about to come out ,,,happy days Keep well everyone xxx oh I nearly forgot HAPPY BIRTHDATY SALLY DERBYSHIRE
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 14:17:20 +0000
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