Going to Kiev in 7 days, any tips?

[Lena and Igor 5]

In Kiev now, my girl is coming over in a bit and we're going to go shop for groceries so she can cook dinner tonight.

Flights..well they are what they are.,,,ZERO problems at KBP. They don't even have you fill out any forms. I was through customs in 5 minutes, bags took a while but still no problems. Apartment, I guess as good as it gets for Kiev. I'm right across from Kiev Theater and next to a McDs on Kreshatyck (sp?). Seems to be a popular spot. I walked around today, was snowing pretty heavy and still girls are hopping around on high heels..

My girl is nothing short of awesome! She's an extremely beautiful woman even more so in person! She loves to read literature and for the life of me I couldn't remember one American author to suggest to her last night. She has an accounting degree but works as Customer Service rep for Viola cable. Long hours for little pay. Apparently that's the only job she could find and sounds like her boss is an A-hole. So far I think we are doing good, I told the agency to forget about the other meetings. We had a pretty spendy dinner last night at some Arabic restaurant but we were there for 4 hours and put down a few alcoholic beverages...and ohhhh the belly dancers kept coming to the table and it was the hardest thing I've ever done to not stare at the hot dancer doing her thing inches away from me with my girl sitting next to me. It was like a Ukraine Torture Test. My girl and the interpreter had their eyes glued to the dancer like they were in a trance. Not sure what it is but seems RUB girls really get into watching belly dancers. My girl asked why I keep looking at her and not at the belly dancer when she comes to the table ... I said, coz I only have eyes for you my dear ...

The biggest hang up we have so far is a communication problem. Her English is basic (we usually chat with Skype and Google translate) and my Russian is even worse. The few phone calls we had were short and I noticed that her English was not very good. We manage but she will start taking English classes soon. The beat up rose carried all the way from New Orleans was a huge hit. Thanks Barron! She was almost in tears when I told her how I carried it by hand all the way 18hrs from USA just for her.

Kiev is alright. Old buildings everywhere, seems a bit run down in areas but seems like a good place. I've been to much worse places in Southeast Asia. Well...my girl is on her way, I think she's cooking her favorite Borscht recipe tonight. Yum Yum.... Later guys

Johnny, are you getting used to "shoes off" and "slippers on" when entering the apartment? How about street clothes off and put on "clothes for the home"? Best of luck in Kyiv!

[DavidandIrina 1]

Well I've never been to a club in Kyiv where people were literally "hooking up" on the dance floor right then and there. I've been to clubs where you typically had to know somebody or pay enormous sums of money to go into a back room, and I'm sure all kinds of interesting things happened back there. Maybe that's what you're talking about, but I never saw anything like that open to the general public. The militsia will turn a blind eye on whatever happens in the exclusive area, but not up front. Groping, sure. Maybe even a ####### flash here and there. But not down and dirty right there.

BTW what was the name of this club?

[DavidandIrina 1]

Johnny, are you getting used to "shoes off" and "slippers on" when entering the apartment? How about street clothes off and put on "clothes for the home"? Best of luck in Kyiv!

Johnny,

Another tip for you: Go to Kontraktova square. Look there through the different vendors and find the flower shop that is across the railroad tracks in with the other little buildings. I bought my lady a bunch of different roses there when I was there and she really liked it :-) You know you are in the right spot since there is a Domino Pizza there in the center of the square :-)

Good luck!

David

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

You know you are in the right spot since there is a Domino Pizza there in the center of the square :-)

Good luck!

David

First time I heard the "right spot" in Ukraine described as the place with the Domino's Pizza joint.

[Lena and Igor 5]

There's gotta be a Subway (sandwich shop) nearby :-) If not, there should be and they should serve kulbasa subs on wheat with lite mayonazz!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

There's gotta be a Subway (sandwich shop) nearby :-) If not, there should be and they should serve kulbasa subs on wheat with lite mayonazz!

Subway is fairly popular there. Our son Sergey LOVES Subway. He likes them here better than in Moscow because they have FOUR kinds of cheese here, not one, and they make the sandwiches faster. It is his favorite "break from school cafeteria food"

Edited March 29, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[LvivLovers 39]

I hope Johnny is just having a great time and not in some Ukrainian prison.

[james&olya 1,121]

I hope Johnny is just having a great time and not in some Ukrainian prison.

I think he has better things to do right now than post here!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I hope Johnny is just having a great time and not in some Ukrainian prison.

OMG! There was a horrible prison in Odessa, not far from the train station. Just a horrible place. DO NOT get sent there. I think you can get TB, typhoid and lockjaw just walking past the place.

[Brad and Vika 129]

There's gotta be a Subway (sandwich shop) nearby :-) If not, there should be and they should serve kulbasa subs on wheat with lite mayonazz!

Vika's favorite restaurant at the center was Planeta Sushi.

OMG! There was a horrible prison in Odessa, not far from the train station. Just a horrible place. DO NOT get sent there. I think you can get TB, typhoid and lockjaw just walking past the place.

You know this how?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

You know this how?

I used to ride the bus by there.

[Brad and Vika 129]

I used to ride the bus by there.

Just so long as you weren't walking.

[~Johnny~ 27]

Well, I just returned home at 2am this morning. Sorry, I haven't been paying much attention to my laptop since I arrived in Kiev!

First thing I want to say is Paris De Gualle Airport...you suck!

Now on with the report. Kiev is a very interesting city. I liked it a lot but it seems a bit expensive and people there either have LOTS of money or not much at all. I swear I seen more luxury cars than in LA. Kiev must have more Porsche Cayenne's per capita than anywhere else in the world. And ANY day in front of my flat I would see Bently's, Ashton Martins, Rolls Royce's...etc. Not just a few but every few minutes one would go by!! Amazing for a poor country! My flat was right across the street from Kiev Cinema, at the end of Kreschatick.

Getting through KBP Airport was a breeze. They didn't have us do entry forms or anything. Just your passport, the cute little red head immigration officer looked at me and said youuuurr puurrrpose heeerrrre (they role their R's ..very sexy). I said for pleasure to meet friends, she asked if I'm here to meet girlfriend, I said yes, she asked for my flat address, I gave it and she said welcome to Ukraine. 5 min I was through. Bags took a while to come out but that happens almost anywhere in the world. I walked out the security and heard a loud scream...Jooooohnnnyyyy!! It's my girl...she couldn't wait and went to the airport. She was absolutely stunning in my mind and she walked up with those knee high boots and black jean type pants. Very very sexy I think! I put some photos in the gallery here Photos

First night was pretty cool. We went to my flat and I got a shower and she had some bread and "lard" and beer waiting for me when I got out. Yes..Lard! I noticed they seem to have a taste for lard. I liked most everything I ate there but of course I like my girl's cooking best. One night she did some shrimp in soy sauce and we sat around drinking beer and peeling and eating shrimp. She seems to be always wanting me to eat! Sushi bars seem to be babe magnets!

The buildings in Kiev are pretty old. You can definitely feel the age of a 1,500 year old city when walking around. My flat's elevator was a 1-2 person, small cubible elevator. It was always fun squeezing with my girl and her roommate into the elevator. We did the museum circuit, seen some parks and of course we walked on Lover's bridge. At some point we ditched the roommate, I think Antonia was getting jealous of her, and I even think she fussed her a few times for coming over teasing me with a long kind of sexy hug for a shirt I gave her. The next day, we had no more roommate, which was OK just we have language problems. I am going to learn Russian in next few months if it kills me.

My daughter wanted me to bring her back a Russian Doll (Russian egg that has smaller and smaller ones inside). We found some in an open market near the museum. Antonia told me to "keep wallet in pocket until I say so." She then argued with this vender for 10 minutes going back and forth with him and pointing at other vendors and she eventually broke him down from $400 Hryvna to $235!! I was amazed and then she fussed him because he didn't pack it good! I felt sorry for sales guy..

I think the trip was pretty smooth. No big issues came up. The sites around Kiev particularly with the women are amazing! I have never seen so many beautiful women and so many knee high boots clicking in my life. In the pictures I posted, my girl has them on and with a 5" metal shaft heel. It was pretty funny watching her bobble along on those cobblestone roads near the Lover's Bridge area. Of course she was hanging on to me for dear life, but that was fun too.

I'm trying to schedule a trip back soon. I told her August was my next best window to travel and she almost started crying because she said that's too long. I may try in May but I told her it would be better because for money in August. When I said money, she understood and said she'd wait for me. She's a pretty smart girl. I think it's just common nature there that girls become well educated. Seems like it's their duty.

Well, that's pretty much round 1 in Kiev in a nut sack... I won't get into the beyond closed door things because that's personal stuff. But I can end by saying OMG!!!

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Nice Johnny !

Now where's the pics of her roommate ?

[~Johnny~ 27]

Nice Johnny !

Now where's the pics of her roommate ?

I get the feeling my girl would strangle my nuts if she caught me putting a pic of her rommate on the net.. I never could get pics of us three together..