Bottles Make Bucks
Psst! Pass me that empty bottle You see them all the time, I know you do. You watch them scurry about, looking in trashcans, under park benches, and behind trees. You wonder why they eye your beer so closely, judging by the angle you drink at, how close you are…
Read MoreBreaking Rules with a Smile
Don’t forget that all-important registration when you get to Ukraine! The odd Salute Hotel Firemen never check doc’s Thankfully no jail time Kyiv feels so relaxed, so mellow, that sometimes I forget that I am still in the CIS. Take my Ukrainian registration for example. My first night in Ukraine…
Read MoreCan You Speak Ukrainian?
Even the Russians are confused by Ukrainian! Now I’m getting so confused. Everywhere I look, from the advertisements, to the menus, to the visa in my passport, everything is written in Ukrainian. Whenever I listen to the radio, watch TV, or listen to anyone speak, it’s always in Russian. This…
Read MoreThe Source of All Rus
Adventures at the headwaters of Russian Culture: Ukraine Just like Rome (almost!) Independence Square at night Psst! Wanna church? What a scene! I’m chilling on a balcony in Kiev (or Kyiv, as its know here), watching the show that’s unfolding below me. I’m on the main street, Khreschatyk Ulitza, and…
Read MoreLittle Russia on the Med
Every May, Russia invades Southern Turkey with a vengeance! The blonde for 20 olives! Nice breeze but no sails! When I lived in DC, I would see them and laugh. Sometimes, if I was feeling a bit rowdy, I would even point and yell loudly, “Look Ma, tourists!” Its those…
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