This is a strange travel Tuesdays post but it will all make sense if you read . . .
Waaaaay back in 1983 I was offered an opportunity to join a school trip to the USSR. 18 year old Jerry took the money that had been saved to go backpacking through Europe and signed up. I figured that there would be lots of opportunities for Europe but who knew about the USSR.
We visited three cities - Moscow, Kiev, (Kyiv) and Leningrad (St. Petersburg).
The other day I was looking for some old pics from that trip but was unsuccessful. I did manage to find I my trip journal and reread it.
It's a bit painful reading your 18 year old thoughts. OK, a lot painful! LOL
That aside - Kyiv was my favourite stop on the trip. It left a significant impression on me. The people there were the only ones we encountered on the entire trip who smiled at us. (Well, except for the Russian guy who approached us in Red Square of all places wearing a Toronto Blue Jays hat and was wanting to buy all of our jeans but that is a different tale). People in Kyiv laughed. Mothers sang with their children. Children played out on the streets and in parks. The city was bright, clean and colourful. The oppressive security presence that was everywhere in Moscow was absent. Shops were open and you could go in and buy things. Food was plentiful and delicious. Apparently I snuck off with four fellow travellers, found a bar, and got a bit tipsy on vodka shots. We only spent three days in the Ukraine but they left an impression.
One thing 18 year old Jerry did not observe was the strength, courage, and bravery of the people but these characteristics are very evident today as the people of Kyiv defend their city and fight for their freedom. Real freedom.
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