Ukraine Unexplored

So, I am back home after a trip to Ukraine. Yes, you heard right. Ukraine.

When I was first told about the trip, I was like “Huh?” I mean who goes to Ukraine, right? I was proven wrong when I had to go down to their embassy in Delhi to apply for visa in person. You wouldn’t believe the rush that had come to apply for visa. Dancers, students, businessmen galore. That was an eye-opener.

Anyhow, after spending almost an entire working day convincing them that I had no nefarious motives in visiting Kiev, I finally got the visa about a week back.

I reached Kiev on Monday afternoon and left yesterday morning. Since I spent most of my time in meetings, working and presenting, I had no time to explore the city, except on my way to client’s office from the hotel and back and on the way to the airport.

The glimpses I had of the city made me really wish that I had more time. It is a city rich in history and endowed with breathtaking natural beauty also. It is late autumn in the city currently and the temperature is generally below 10 degrees. The lovely gold, russet, green and orange of the falling leaves, crunching under feet reminded me of Keats’s ‘To Autumn’, though I suspect that not everyone in the country see this time as “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”.

The architecture clearly was similar to what you would expect in the Russian cities. The hotel I stayed in had a beautiful old world facade and the interiors were gilded opulence without going over the top.

Since I do not have more details to provide about the city, I leave you with some pictures that 

I managed to capture from my hotel balcony and cab windows.

Until next time, ciao.

These black and gold angels watch over the city

View from my balcony

View from my balcony

Lobby at Opera Hotel, Kiev