D35 - Ticket Nightmare

JUL15 - Day35 - Kharkiv - Km3609

 

La primera cosa que hem de fer avui es comprar els bitllets de tren. Voliem anar a nedar a un llac als afores de la ciutat, potser hi anirem a la tarda. Anem amb Ola a l'estacio de tren a comprar els bitllets. No hi ha gaire finestretes obertes, i algunes son nomes per militars o per gent jubilada o per estudiants. Fem 40 minuts de cua inutil perque ens diuen que aquella finestreta es nomes per trens que marxen avui. Els bitllets per altres dies s'han de comprar en una altra oficina en un altre edifici. Anem al lloc on ens indiquen, una sala plena de gent i amb l'aire super carregat. Ola es comenca a marejar i jo em quedo a la cua, potser hi han 15 persones davant meu, pero les demes cues estan igual. Mitja hora mes tard, quan nomes queden 3 persones davant meu, una dona gran i grassa es cola dient que te pressa. Comenca a comprar bitllets i mes bitllets, tarda mes de mitja hora i la gent es comenca a indignar. Finalment acaba la "macro-compra" pero la mala sort no s'ha acabat. Es hora de dinar i la noia que ven els bitllets baixa la cortina davant els nostres nassos. Son les 2 i no tornara a obrir fins les 3. Increible.

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Today we must buy the ticket for Ola to go back to Donetsk tomorrow, plus my ticket to Moscow for the day after (Monday). We go to the station by metro. After 40min queueing we are told that this ticket office is only for trains departing today, for other days we have to go to another building across the road. The new ticket office is not easy to find, no indication no nothing. Finally we found a gray dirty place packed with people queueing. The shortest queue is about 15 people long. We stay in line, is hot and boring. Ola goes outside because she doesn't feel good with the heavy air in the room. I keep in line for 30 min. The queue moved slightly only. When we are 2 places from the window one old fat lady goes to first position saying that she is in a hurry. She starts buying tickets and more tickets... probably for half an hour or 40 minutes she keeps buying tickets, more than 10. I cannot believe what is happenning, everybody is angry but she doesn't care. Finally she goes away but the bad luck is not over. Is 2pm, time for lunch, the lady selling the tickets close the window and disappears. She is back at 3pm.

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D34 - Ola

JUL14 - Day34 - Kharkiv - Km3609

Es curios, pero aquesta es la tercera vegada que visito Kharkiv, ciutat poc turistica pero on hi tinc bastants amics. Desafortunadament Sergey i Ludja no hi son, van marxar el mes de Gener a Dinamarca amb un contracte de feina d'un any a recollir flors en granges, la unica feina que ofereixen als ucranians. Tanya, estudiant de dentista em diu que no es a la ciutat, que ha marxat a fer les practiques d'estiu lluny de Kharkiv. Iryna i Andrew no contesten els emails ni els sms. Marianna m'estimo mes no trucar-la. A falta de contactes locals aviso a Ola (Olga, 26) amb uns dies d'antelacio per si vol venir a passar el cap de setmana amb mi. Vaig coneixer Ola a Nica fa mig any, quan ella treballava en un bar a la part vella de la ciutat. Ens vam intercanviar els telefons i ara ens veiem de nou en el seu pais. Ella es de Donetsk, a unes 7h en tren de Kharkiv. Arribara amb el tren de les 8 del vespre. Ens comuniquem en frances de la manera que podem.
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This is my third time in Kharkiv but my contacts are either away or unreachable. Sergey and Ludja, my best friends in the city, left to Denmark to work for a year, Tanya is out of the city, Iryna does not answer sms/email. Fortunately I could convince Ola (Olga, 26) from Donetsk to take the train and spend the weekend together here in Kharkiv. I met Ola in France last year, she was working in a bar in the old town of Nice, we exchanged phones and we have been in contact since then. I promised to go to Donetsk to visit her but I am running out of days, so we decided to meet here before I go to Russia. She arrives by train in the evening. We communicate in french with difficulties.
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D33 - Kharkiv

JUL13 - Day33 - Kharkiv - Km3609 (+850)

Despres de 17h de tren sense aire condicionat, arribo rebentat a Kharkiv, la segona ciutat de Ucrania en numero d'habitants: 1.5 milions. Vaig al centre a recollir les claus del pis de la ma de Dimitry. M'explica que tenen gairebe tots els pisos llogats, porta 7 anys en el negoci i el boca-orella ha fet la seva feina. Kharkiv va ser la capital d'Ucrania durant gairebe dues decades al primer terc del segle XX, ara es una ciutat que energetica gracies a les seves Universitats i la quantitat d'estudiants que hi viuen. Te el centre forca verd, amb el Parc Schevchenko que s'acaba on comenca la placa mes gran d'Europa dins d'una ciutat: Placa de la Llibertat (Svobody Ploscha), segona del mon despres de la de Tiananment a Xina. Destaquen l'arquitectura comunista que envolta la placa i una inmensa estatua de Lenin.
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I arrive exhausted to Kharkiv after 17h on the train, extremely hot day. I go to meet Dmitry in the office to get the keys of the appartment, I plan to stay 3 or 4 nights, depending on the train schedules to Moscow.
Kharkiv (in ukrainian), Kharkov (in russian) is the second largest city in Ukraine with its 1.5 million inhabitants. Only 40km away from the russian border. The population is mostly russian speaking, compared to the ukrainian speaking west of the country. Kharkiv was the capital of Ukraine during 17 years: 1917-1934. Has lots of green areas in the city center and the largest inner city square in Europe, the second largest in the world after Tiananmen in China. Is called Svodoby (Freedom) and has a huge Lenin monument in the middle.
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D32 - Good Bye Minsk

JUL12 - Day32 - Minsk - Km2759

Ahir dimarts vaig tenir la primera "cita a cegues". Tania (Tatiana, 24), ens vam posar en contacte per internet i ahir a la nit ens vam coneixer en persona. Ella parla una mica d'espanyol, esta enamorada del sud d'Europa i te ganes de marxar del pais pero ja li han refusat dos visats. Treballa a l'Hotel Jubilenaya, curiosament el mateix on vaig estar a la meva visita l'Abril passat.
Avui dimecres es el darrer dia a Minsk, el tren surt a mitjanit, gracies a Jenya aconsegueixo que ens deixin quedar al pis fins les 9 del vespre pagant 20 dolars extra. Encara ens queda un munt de menjar i begudes. Decidim organitzar una festa a ultima hora, pero al final nomes Nasdja i Natasha venen (a la foto).
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Last evening I had the first "blind date" in Minsk, Tania (Tatiana, 24), we found each other in internet. She can speak some spanish and perfect english. Tania works in Jubilenaya Hotel, the place where I stayed for 4 days in April. As many other young people in Minsk she doesn't see her future in Belarus, she wants to emigrate but has been refused 2 visa applications so far.
My train is at midnight today Wednesday. I must check out from the appartment at midday. Thanks to Jenya's persuading skills I get until 9pm paying 20USD extra. Since we still have food and drinks from the previous days we decide to make a GoodBye party to finish off everything. Jenya calls many people but only 2 show up: Nasdja and Natasha (picture). We drink some juice and vodka while I pack everything.
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D30 - Lena

JUL10 - Day30 - Minsk - Km2759

Ahir vam anar Lena, Inna, Jenya i jo a veure la Final del Mundial de Futbol. El lloc on anem es ple i decidim anar a casa a veure'l tranquil.lament des del sofa. Vam coneixer Lena (Elena, 19) una nit a Max Show, aquesta nit ha vingut amb Inna, estudien juntes a l'insititut on es preparen per entrar a l'Universitat de Medicina. Despres del partit, que guanya Italia als penalties, anem a West World Club, uns discoteca al costat de l'Hotel Belarus. Es la nit the R'n'B, no es la nostra musica preferida pero ens hi estem un parell d'hores. Torno a quedar per sopar amb Lena avui. Parla prou angles per comunicar-nos pero despres d'unes quantes hores perd la concentracio i la comunicacio es fa mes dificil. Va estudiar-lo fa uns anys pero darrerament no ha tingut oportunitat de practicar-lo.
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We met Lena (Elena, 19) in Max Show. Last night we went together with her friend Inna and Jenya to watch the World Cup Final. Vienna was full of people, so we had to go to my place. Lena studies in college, next year she should enter the Medical University. Inna wants to become a doctor too. She likes dancing and is very good at that, she is currently learning belly-dancing. We all 4 go together to West World Club, a disco next to Hotel Belarus, tonight is R'n'B night... we don't really enjoy dancing this type of music for too long, 1 or 2 hours is enough. Today we meet again and go to Lido, in Yakuba Kolasa, a typical belarus food restaurant. Lena's english is acceptable, she studied in the past but didn't have much chance to practice it. She will spend 1 month this summer in Kiev learning natural medicine with her uncle.
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D30 - Change Plans

JUL10 - Day30 - Minsk - Km2759

La idea inicial d'aquest viatge era canviar de ciutat cada setmana. Viatjar en tren el dilluns a la nit per poder aclimatar-me a la nova ciutat a principis de setmana, disfrutar del cap de setmana i canviar de nou al seguent dilluns. Ja porto a Minsk 7 dies i encara no tinc clar cap on anar. M'ho estic passant be, tinc molts amics aqui, pero el viatge ha de seguir endavant. Decideixo comprar el bitllet a Kharkov pel dimecres mentre espero que Tania agafi les seves vacances i ens podem trobar a Moscow d'aqui a 7 dies.
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Originally I wanted to change cities every week, this means, 1 night on the train + 6 nights in the city. I have been in Minsk 7 nights already and I still don't have plans to leave. I try to talk to Tania in Sweden, she is my main contact for Moscow. I will plan according her holiday's schedule. She will be in Moscow starting 16th of July, so I have one more week before entering Russia. I decide to buy the ticket to Kharkov, back to Ukraine, for Wednesday night. It's fun to be in Minsk surrounded by good friends but I must move forward.
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30 days

D29 - Ira

JUL09 - Day29 - Minsk - Km2759

Ira (Irina,20), es potser una de les noies mes atractives que he conegut a Minsk. 175cm, ulls verds, cabells rossos, somriure amable, parla espanyol i italia. Quedem per sopar avui perque dema marxa cap a Roses (Alt Emporda) on hi passara 3 mesos vivint amb la seva tia i intentant trobar feina. Diu que si troba una feina bona potser s'hi queda i no torna a Minsk. Parlem de la vida i dels preus alla, intento avisar-la que una noia com ella sera el centre d'atencio vagi on vagi, pero com que ha viatjat per Italia ja sap del que estic parlant, no es res nou per ella. Ira s'ha passat l'hivern treballant i estudiant per poder estalviar diners per aquest viatge, els ultims mesos tenia 2 feines i examens a la Universitat, ho ha aprovat tot. Li dic que es SuperWoman i es posa a riure. Quedem que ens trucarem quan torni a casa despres d'aquest viatge.
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Today I plan dinner with Ira (Irina, 20), we go to the spanish restaurant in Nemiga. Early in the afternoon because she doesn't want to miss her favourite team, Italy, in the WorldCup final. I met Ira and her friend Nika (19) in April, they are both friends of Jenya. This time we meet alone because she wants to talk about her trip to Spain. Tomorrow she will take to train to Poland and then the plane from Warsaw to Barcelona. She goes with her sister and mother to visit her aunt in Roses, north of Barcelona, 50km from my hometown. It's funny to meet somebody in Minsk that will be next week and for the next 3 months very close to my hometown. She speaks spanish, not perfect but all the conversation is in spanish during the dinner. She studies economy at the University in Minsk, she travelled to Italy in the past and now wants to discover Spain and probably find a job there. We decide to meet in Spain if I come back before she leaves. I told her that a tall, blonde, green-eyes girl like her won't be alone when I come back :-)
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D27 - Afternoon Party

JUL07 - Day27 - Minsk - Km2759

Truco Kat per quedar, proposa dinar junts prop de casa, esta estressada per la feina, intento animarla pero no es facil. Despres de dinar passegem una estona pel parc i decidim visitar una amiga seva. Lena, viu a Nova York pero ara esta de vacances a Bielorussia visitant la familia. Va coniexer el seu xicot america a Bulgaria en unes vacances d'estiu i van decidir anar a viure a NY fa una mica mes d'un any. Ella es enginyera pero treballa de dissenyadora. Comprem un parell d'ampolles de vi i convidem Jenya al meu pis, Natasha tambe ve. Parlem de moltes coses, sobretot de la situacio politica i dels familiars que han estat expulsats de la Universitat per raons estupides. La realitat es que eren a les manifestacions en contra de Lukashenka, just despres de les eleccions. La policia els va filmar, els va fer fotos, inclus un d'ells va estar a la preso 15 dies per disturbis al carrer. Ara els han fet la vida impossible, els han fet fora de la Universitat o han perdut la seva feina. Alguns han emigrat a Polonia, on han rebut el visat de "refugiats politics" i una placa a la Universitat o facilitats per trobar feina. Lukashenka, al qui anomenen "el darrer dictador d'Europa" continua mantenint el poder amb l'us de la por als seus ciutadans.
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Today I have lunch with Kat, she is upset due to some work special situation that she won't explain to me. We go to meet Lena, she is one of her best friends. Currently Lena lives in New York with his boyfriend, they met in Bulgaria during holidays. She studied Structure Engineering in Minsk and works as Designer in NY. She came to Belarus for holidays to visit her family and friends. I call Jenya, Natasha will join too, we all go to my flat with a couple of bottle of white wine, some cheese and bread. We talk about politics, about their relatives fired from the University for no reason after taking part of the rallies against Lukashenka back in April... They are now studying in Warsaw (Poland) with the status of Political Refugees. This is the situation of many students right now. After the "elections" in Belarus in March, people went to demonstrate to the streets, specially young people, police was filming everything and taking pictures of the participants. Now some of them lost their jobs or don't get scholarships to study at the University... this is the way Lukashenka keeps the power, with fear among the population. The international community knows it but is difficult to prove and/or intervene.
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D25 - Registration

JUL05 - Day25 - Minsk - Km2759

El proces de registrar-se es obligatori tan a Bielorussia com a la Federacio Rusa i s'ha de fer abans de tres dies despres d'entrar al pais. Per fer-ho necessitem el passaport de la mare de Jenya, que es qui m'ha convidat oficialment al pais. Amb el passaport ens dirigim a l'oficina del registre que esta en un dels suburbis de la ciutat. Per registrar-nos hem d'omplir uns formularis, anar al banc a pagar i fer una fotocopia de l'asseguranca. Omplir els formularis no es gens facil ni pels que parlen rus, per descomptat no hi ha res escrit en angles. Per sort les parets estan plenes d'exemples que ajuden a la gent a omplir els formularis. Anem al banc mes proper, com que estem als afores, aixo son uns 20 minuts caminant. En el banc, per fer un ingres tambe s'han d'omplir papers no gens facils. Ens equivoquem dues vegades, tardem 20 minuts en fer l'ingres pero al final ho aconseguim, son 8 Euro pel registre mes 1 Euro per entrar les dades a l'ordinador. Ara hem de buscar una fotocopiadora, preguntem a la gent, el lloc mes proper esta a 15 minuts caminant. Veiem la mateixa gent fent fotocopies que a l'oficina del registre... seria bona idea que compressin una fotocopiadora a l'oficina mateix. Pero a Bielorrussia el temps no importa pel que sembla, la burocracia es llarga i dificil. Quan ho tenim tot tornem a l'oficina del registre i em posen un segell en un paper escrit a ma, he de tenir-lo dins el passaport fins que surti del pais. Ha costat un mati sencer registrar-se, en un hotel m'ho haguessin fet en 30 segons. La millor opcio es passar una nit en un hotel i despres marxar un cop t'han registrat. Per celebrar l'exit anem a dinar Jenya i jo al costat del llac.
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Once entered Belarus is mandatory to register your visa and address within the next three days, this is the same procedure in Russia, already abolished in Ukraine and in Moldova. If the visitor stays in a hotel, they will do it untomatically at check-in. In my case, since I am in the country formally invited by Jenya's mother, we have to do all the bureaucracy ourselves. We take a taxi in the morning to collect Jenya's mother passport and then to the registration office in the outskirts of the city. We got the forms to fill up and the bank account to put money, a photocopy of my insurance is also required. there is no photocopy machine in this office, and the nearest post office with photocopy machine is 20 minutes walk. First we go to the bank to pay the money, this requires also lots of forms to be filled, 20 minutes to understand and put the information. We see the same people in the bank as in the registration office, everybody is going throught he same process. After the bank we need to find the post office to make a photocopy, we ask 3 times until we get there, in between the laberynth of buildings. Known faces here too making photocopies. Now with all the papers we go back to the registration office. the guy complains because we didn't write my name in cyrillic, we make the correction. He gives me a small paper with s stamp. This si all, it took the whole morning. Is time to celebrate, let's go to the lake to have lunch and beer.
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D25 - Natasha

JUL05 - Day25 - Minsk - Km2759

Avui he quedat amb Natasha (22). Ens vam coneixer un dia de festa i des de llavors hem mantingut el contacte per email i per sms. Ella just ha acabat els examens i unes practiques de 2 setmanes a la universitat. Estudia Dret a la Universitat Russa de Minsk. Aquest cap de setmana anira a casa a passar l'estiu i ajudar a la seva mare que ha estat hospitalitzada dues setmanes. La familia viu al sud del pais, la zona mes afectada pel desastre de la central nuclear de Txernobil ara fa 20 anys. Natasha va passar 1 mes a Alemanya en el programa dels "nens de Txernobil" i per aixo sap algunes paraules d'alemany. Ens comuniquem en angles que ha estudiat a la universitat i classes particulars. Anem a sopar a un restaurant del barri vell de la ciutat i a la nit quedem amb Marina, una amiga seva de la universitat i Jenya per anar a la discoteca
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I meet Natasha (22) in the afternoon and later we go for dinner to the old town. Natasha studies law at the Russian University of Minsk. She is from the south of Belarus, the most affected part of the country during the Chernobyl disaster 20 years ago. She speaks some german because she spent 1 month near Bremen as part of the Chernobyl Children Exchange programs. She also learned english at the university and taking private lessons, we can communicate correctly. I met her in a party my last night in April, we kept contact by email and SMS. Her mother is in hospital these days, she is worried, she will go home the weekend to help her with domestic duties. Natasha finished the exams recently, now has free time until September, she wanted to find a job but the market is not easy in Minsk for a 2-months job. At night we meet Marina, her friend and I call Jenya. We all 4 meet in my flat and then go to MaxShow to dance until late.
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D24 - Kat

JUL04 - Day24 - Minsk - Km2759

Ahir vaig estar parlant amb Kat (Ekaterina, 28) per telefon, ens vam acabar discutint i li vaig penjar el telefon sense dir adeu. Ens vam coneixer, igual que Jenya. ara fa tres mesos. Eren els dos unics contactes que tenia Minsk quan vaig arribar la primera vegada. Kat es una noia intel.ligent, potser massa pel lloc i epoca en que li ha tocat viure, de vegades te un caracter dificil que es suavitza quan ha begut alguna cervesa. M'agrada parlar amb ella, te un punt de vista cru i fred de la realitat, critic amb la situacio a Bielorussia i dura amb ella mateixa. El seu avi era un cientific famos de Ucraina i el van trasl.ladar a Minsk per raons de feina. Ara ella viu amb el seu xicot en un petit pis prop del meu i treballa freelance des de casa. Diu que, degut al seu caracter, no podria treballar en una oficina amb altra gent. Tot i la discussio de la nit anterior decidim quedar per tornar-nos a veure despres de tres mesos, em passa a recollir al pis i anem a beure Kvas, una beguda refrescant feta de blat sense alcohol. Despres de passejar pel parc anem als afores de la ciutat a visitar Sasha, una de les poques amigues de Kat que queden a Minsk.
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I call Kat in the morning, we had an argument on the phone. In the afternoon we meet for Kvas around the corner. Kvas is a soft drink made of wheat very popular in summer in Belarus. I know Kat (Ekaterina, 28) since 3 months ago. She and Jenya were my 2 main contacts when I came to Minsk first time. Kat works freelance from home as a webmaster and writing text for internet advertisement. Her roots are ukrainian, her grandfather, a famous scientist, moved to Minsk for work reasons. She is a smart girl always interesting to talk to. Kat spent some time in the US when she was 16, her english is perfect, always using the right words with the correct meaning to express herself. We go to the suburbs of the city to meet Sasha, one of the few friends of Kat still living in Minsk, if not the only one. Sasha has a 5yo son, lives with her husband and nowadays, with a smelly guest that she wants to quick out soon.
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D23 - Minsk

JUL03 - Day23 - Minsk - Km2759

El tren arriba a Minsk a les 6 del mati, no he dormit i estic cansat, pero l'excitacio de tornar a ser aqui m'anima i em sento be. Jenya (Evgeny) arriba puntual. Ens coneixem del meu viatge a Minsk fa tres mesos, ell treballava a l'agencia de viatges que em va tramitar el visat i ens vam fer bons amics durant els 10 dies que vaig passar a Bielorussia. M'ha trobat un pis centric pero no ens donaran les claus fins las 9 del mati, anem a casa seva a esmorzar per fer temps, el seu germa dorm al menjador, la seva mare es desperta i ens prepara un cafe mentre ell m'ensenya fotografies a l'ordinador.
A les 9 agafem un taxi i anem al que sera el meu pis durant els propers 6 dies. Conec la zona, es molt a prop del mercat i vei de Kat, un altre contacte de la meva darrera visita a Minsk, pero d'aixo ja en parlare mes endavant.
Avui es el Dia de la Independencia de Bielorussia, hi ha festa per tot arreu a la ciutat pero tant Jenya com jo estem cansats i decidim dormir una estona i quedar pel vespre.
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I arrive at Minsk early in the morning. Jenya (Evgeny) is waiting at the train station. I met him in my last trip to Misnk, he used to work in the travel agency that helped me with the visa and paperwork. He lived in Sweden for 4 years, now is back to Minsk to develop an art project related to TV. He knows everything about Belarus history, Minsk nightlife and speaks perfect english, he is the perfect partner to discover all sides of the city and the country.
At 9am we go to my new appartment 45USD/night located in a part of Minsk already familiar to me, not far from a food market. We buy new local SIM card for my phone not without difficulties. Foreigners cannot buy SIM cards, only holders of Belarus passports, so we have to buy my card with Jenya's passport. If I want to fill up the card with money I have to give his name all the time.
Today the 3rd of July is the Independece Day in Belarus, is free day, everybody is in the street watching the Parade or eating shashlik in the parks. I am tired because I didn't sleep much in the train, Jenya is tired of last night open air party in the lake near Minsk, so we go to sleep for a few hours and decide to meet later for the night.
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D23 - Belarus

JUL03 - D23 - Minsk - Km2759

Entro Bielorussia en tren per Gomel, es mitjanit i el meu visat ja es valid, no tinc cap problema tot i que l'agent d'aduanes es queda mirant amb una lupa especial el meu passaport durant uns quinze minuts pagina rere pagina.
Bielorussia, igual que vaig dir amb Moldavia, es un dels paisos mes desconeguts d'Europa. Dirigit per Alexander Lukashenka, del que diuen que es el darrer dictador que queda a Europa i que va guanyar les darreres eleccion del Marc passat amb un 91% dels vots despres de fer empresonar liders de l'oposicio per disturbis als carrers. Tant ell com alguns dels seus ministres tenen prohibida l'entrada a la EU. Tenen carrecs per atentar contra els drets humans. Amb 10 milions d'habitants i amb una economia debil sustentada gracies als baixos preus de l'energia procedent de Russia, Bielorussia te una renda per capita un mica superior a Ucraina i just per sota de Turquia o Iran. Minsk es la capital del pais amb mes de 2 milions d'habitants, una arquitectura totalment sovietica amb avingudes amples i pisos grans i grisos.
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I enter Belarus at midnight for second time in my life, first time by train. Belarus is again one the most unknown countries in Europe, ruled by the so-called "last dictator or Europe" Alexander Lukashenka, who won the "democratic" elections last March with 91% of the votes, eventhough nobody believes the figures. He and many of his ministers are banned to enter the EU, the US and many other countries. Belarus with its 10 million inhabitants has a GDP af around 7500USD, slightly higher than Ukraine and lower than Iran or Turkey. Energy heavily dependant on Russia. The capital, Minsk, with over 2million people, is also the capital of the CIS, the Commonwealth of Independent States, formed by the new states of the former Soviet Union. MInsk is one of the cleanest cities I have seen in my life, soviet-like buildings everywhere, not many tourists around.
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D22 - Good Bye Kiev

JUL02 - Day22 - Kiev - Km2139

Al final em decideixo a anar a la discoteca de l'illa del riu Dnipro, aquesta nit hi ha festa especial. Sento dues noies parlant espanyol darrera meu, son Esther (Madrid) i Maria (Valencia) que treballen a l'ambaixada espanyola i han vingut convidades per l'organitzacio, xerrem una estona de la vida a Kiev. Mes tard les busco per quedar per dema abans d'agafar el tren, pero ja no les trobo.
A les dotze del migdia arriben Nasdja i despres Sveta a recollir les claus. Nasdja parla perfecte l'angles perque va passar uns mesos als Estats Units. Proposo d'anar a esmorzar tots tres. Gracies a les traduccions de Nasdja, descobreixo que Sveta es professora d'aerobic i s'hi dedica professionalment, i va sovint a competicions internacionals. Va viure un any al la Republica Checa i ara es una de les directores de l'empresa que m'ha llogat el pis, en tenen mes de 100 per tota la ciutat.
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Last night I finally went to Hydropark, there was a posh party held by the ex-pat newspaper of Kiev called "What's On". Entrance to Sun City was 100UAH (15EUR). It's an open air disco near the river Dnipro, with swimming pool and private beach. There were fashion shows going on when I arrive. By chance I met Esther and Maria from Spain, they work in the spanish embassy in Kiev. I don't really like meeting spanish people when I travel abroad, I prefer to get to know locals but this time I decide to ask their phone to meet next day... I don't see them anymore, so opportunity lost.
Nadja comes to the appartment at 12 to collect the keys, she speaks good english, after 5 minutes Sveta comes too. I propose to have breakfast together. They explain me that the business of renting appartments is going down compared to last year, I think by myself that they should decrease the prices to compete with hotels but I don't say it. They are part of a group of young business people that hold over 100 appartments in the city of all level of comfort, from 30USD/night up to +200USD/night.
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D20 - Italy vs Ukraine

30JUN - Day20 - Kiev - Km2139

Dima em truca a mitja tarda, em passa a recollir i anem al seu poble, a uns 20 km al nord de Kiev, prop de la central hidroelectrica. Anem a banyar-nos en un llac perque el riu Dnipro es brut i a mes sembla que l'aigua es freda. Els seus amics ens truquen i ens intenten convencer d'anar en cotxe a Odessa a passar el cap de setmana, jo no puc o perdria el tren a Minsk. Finalment Dima decideix anar amb ells i a mi em deixen en una parada de metro per tornar a casa. A la nit truco a Sasha (Alexander), un altre contacte de Kiev, Treballa a Ericsson Kiev i parla angles perfecte. El partit el perd Ucraina i Italia passa a les semifinals. Era un somni que no s'ha pogut realitzar.
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Today is very hot in Kiev +33C. I plan to go swimming to HydroPark, island in the Dnipro river. When I walk out the door I receive a call from Dima, he will collect me by car to go together to his town in the north: Vyshgorod. First to swim and then watch the match Italy vs Ukraine. His friends try to convince us to go together to Odessa by car, they made me thinking about it, but if I go with them I will miss the train on Sunday. Dima is undecided. Finally he goes with them.
I decide to call Sasha (Alexander). Sasha used to work in the fashion industry, travelled around Europe in the past, actually he works at the marketing department of Ericsson Ukraine, he speaks perfect english. I join him and Kolia to watch the WorldCup match. When I arrive to the pub, Ukraine is already loosing 0-1, people is sad, they dreamt about the semi-finals but this year is not possible.
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D20 - Train Full

30JUN - Day20 - Kiev - Km2139

Comprar bitllets de tren a Ucraina es sempre una aventura que sovint et fa sentir impotent. Ho porto tot preparat, el dia i l'hora, el numero de tren i el desti. Despres de mitja hora de cua em diuen que el meu tren ja esta ple, en comptes de dilluns demano dimarts, la noia jove ja em mira amb mala cara, diu que nomes la classe mes baixa, demano diumenge i em diu el mateix. Ja no ho intento mes. Vaig a la finestreta del costat, mitja hora mes de cua, la dona em diu el mateix i comenca a posar mala cara, per sort dos nois joves darrera meu m'ajuden i al final aconsegueixo un bitllet pel diumenge. M'ha costat 90 minuts i un munt de cares enfadades, pero finalment tinc el meu ticket.
Intento contactar amb Yulia, sembla que no li va agradar el meu SMS a les 12 de la nit, aquesta vegada no ens veurem. Svetlana esta al Mar Negre de vacances despres dels examens, Inna tambe... gairebe no em queden mes contactes a Kiev.
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Last night I send SMS to Yulia, I met her in my last trip to Kiev, she works as interpreter, her english is perfect. She was not happy about receiving the SMS at midnight. We won't meet this time. I try to contact Svetlana, she is in the Black Sea on holidays, the same with Inna. I am running out of contacts.
Buying a train ticket in Ukraine can be a long and disappointing adventure. Many people move by train in this country, in fact you can go anywhere you want by train, you just need time. The selling process is slow and inefficient. I wait 30 minutes for my turn, the young lady tells me that the train for Monday is full and gives me back my passport, she is not even trying to find alternatives for me, I ask for Tuesday, only Platskar available (lower class with 6 people in each compartment), I ask for Sunday, she says is full too. No luck, I don't buy anything. I go to next window, 30 more minutes waiting. I ask the same questions, is full on monday, platskard for Tuesday, the old lady gets angry because I ask too many questions in my awful russian, she has to put some imagination to understand... Finally the two young guys behind help me and I get a ticket for Sunday night. I spent more than 90 minutes, lots of angry faces but I have what I wanted.
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20 Days

D19 - Belarus Embassy

29JUN - Day19 - Kiev - Km2139

Ahir era el dia de La Constitucio a Ucrania, aprovada l'any 1994, 3 anys despres del col.lapse de la Unio Sovietica. Fa bon temps i la gent passeja pel carrer, Kreschatik, el carrer principal esta tancat al transit rodat i la gent hi passeja. Com que tinc temps lliure aquest mati decidexio buscar on es l'ambaixada de Bielorusia, tinc 2 adreces diferents i un dels carrers esta repetit 3 vegades en el meu mapa, o sigui que tinc 4 possibles llocs per visitar. Encerto a la segona, l'ambaixada obre dema a la tarda per visats.
A la nit vaig a sopar a Rio, davant de l'ambaixada alemanya, hi ha jazz en directe pero el local esta gairebe buit. Despres de sopar agafo un taxi per anar a Shooters, una discoteca no gaire lluny del centre. Esta ple de gent jove, la majoria noies de 18-22 anys que han acabat els examens i surten a celebrar-ho. Parlo amb 3 d'elles, txetxenes, van emigrar a Kiev amb la familia al principi del conflicte. S'han passat tota la nit amb una beguda entre les tres. Les convido a un altre cocktail i ballem fins les 3.
Avui m'aixeco tard i vaig directament a l'ambaixada de Bielorusia a demanar el visat, ja som a dijous i dilluns voldria agafar el tren, no em queden gaire dies i no tinc ni visat ni bitllet de tren encara. Puc demanar el visat "express" per 115USD a l'instant o demanar-ne un de normal que tardara 4 dies, no tinc prou dies. He de demanar el car.
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Yesterday was the Constitution Day in Ukraine, the centre of the city was full of people enjoying the good weather. Knowing that the embassies are closed I decide to check where is the Belarus one. I have one address in my guide but a different one from internet. One of the street names is repeated 3 times in my map, so I have 4 possible locations for the Belarus Embassy in Kiev. I mark all 4 in my map and decide to walk first to the closest to my appartment. Wrong attempt, the second is also on a walking distance, this time is right, I see the red-and-green flag. I check the openning times for visa applications, tomorrow is from 14:30 until 17:00.
At night I go for dinner to Rio, opposite the german embassy, a jazz band is playing, very few people. At midnight I take a taxi to Shooters, a pub on the hill between Kreschatik and the river Dnipro, not far from the Rada (the ukrainian parliament). The place is full of young people, mainly women, the exams period is over, they are celebrating it. I talk to three chechen girls, they don't speak much english. They have been all night with one drink between all three, I invite them for another one, 3EUR, they are happy.
Today in the afternoon I have to go to the Belarus embassy, everything is very easy, I give the address of my friend's mother (giving a female name is more credible when a foreign man visits Belarus). I buy the mandatory insurance for 10EUR and get the "express" visa, more expensive but ready in 10 minutes, instead of 4 days waiting for a regular one.
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D17 - Kiev

27JUN - Day17 - Kiev - Km2139

Arribo a Kiev on Dima (Dmitry,23) i Yura (23) m'esperen a l'andana del tren. Conec Dima d'unes vacances anteriors a Kiev.
Kiev (Kyiv en ucrania), te a la vora de 3 milions d'habitants, la ciutat esta dividida pel riu Dnipro, el mateix que alimentaba la central nuclear de Chernobil. Actualment esta considerada la 21a ciutat mes cara per viure-hi d'una llista de 144 ciutats de toto el mon, al mateix nivell que Roma o Viena. La ciutat esta repleta de catedrals ortodoxes, places inmenses, parcs i avingudes amples... alguns dels meus amics em diuen que es com "una petita Moscu".
El pis on em porten es molt centric, Sveta ens espera per donar-me les claus, es una mica car, pero la situacio del pis em compensara els diners que m'estalviare en taxis. Conec la zona i no sera dificil orientarme els propers 6 dies que passare a la ciutat. Yura i Dima m'expliquen que la nit anterior es van quedar fins les 5 del mati celebrant la victoria de l'equip nacional al Mundial de Futbol, per primera vegada a la historia Ucrania arribava als quarts de final. Diuen que no s'havia vist la ciutat tan repleta de gent desde la Revolucio Taronja del Gener del 2004.
A la nit tornem a quedar, aquesta vegada venen amb Sergey (23) i Katja (17). Mirem el partir de futbol, Espanya-Franca i anem a passejar per Kreschatik, el carrer principal de Kyiv.
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Kiev (Kyiv in ukrainian), the capital of Ukraine, with over 3 million inhabitants, crossed by the river Dnipro. Beautiful golden cathedrals, big avenues and squares, lots of parks. My friends say that is like a small Moscow. In Kiev one can feel like in any other european capital, the same is not true for the other big cities of Ukraine. This year Kiev ranked the 21st most expensive city to live in, up from the 50th position last year. Prices are high due to the appreciation of the Hrivna against de US Dollar, energy is up since russia increased the fees early this year, the country is developing, properties rocketing...
Dima (23) waits for me at the platform, he is with Yura (23). They bring me to the appartment where I will stay the next 6 days, very close to the Independence Square, the heart of the city. The house is opposite to O'Briens one of the most famous irish pubs in the city, often visited by ex-pats. The place is acceptable, a bit expensive but I take it. I met Dima few months ago in PaTiPa, in my first holiday trip to Kiev, he finished university last year, now he is having a break in between jobs.
At night they want to meet to watch the World Cup match between Spain and France. They both come with Sergey (23) and Katja (17).
They explain the celebrations last night when Ukraine soccer team defeated Switzerland and reached the 1/4 finals for the first time in history. The city was crowded by people everywhere celebrating the victory, my friends stayed up until 5am, tonight they are all tired. It was the biggest celebration in the city since the Orange Revolution in January 2004.
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D16 - Moldovan Wine

26JUN - Day16 - Kishinev - Km1434

El tren 065 de Kishinev a Moscu surt a les 22:08 . Hi ha dos trens diaris en ambdues direccions que connecten la capital russa amb la moldava. Anem forca plens. El tren tarda 3 hores mes en arribar a Moscu comparat amb uns mesos enrere, degut als problemes amb la republica de Trabsnistria. La ruta es desvia cap al nord fins la frontera amb Ucraina i despres cap a l'Est direccio Kiev i Moscu. En el mateix compartiment arriben 2 nois moldaus, no parlen angles pero ens presentem en rus basic. En venen dos mes i tambe em volen coneixer. Em pregunten si m'agrada el vi i desapareixen rient. Al cap de mitja hora tornen mb 4 litres de vi moldau en botelles de plastic. Nomes tenim un got que ens anem passant un rere l'altre. Tots 4 van a Moscu a treballar, dos d'ells amb la familia sencera. Son gent humil, un no sap llegir ni escriure i quan parla sembla que crida, el amics li omplen els papers per quan arribem a la frontera. Passada la mitjanit, quan tothom ja dorm, em quedo pensatiu mirant les estrelles per la finestra. Em noto felic pero trist al mateix temps, es dificil descriure les sensacions. Deixo enrere Moldavia, un pais nou per mi, dues amigues que probablement ho seran per tota la vida. Dues vides completament diferents a la meva. Es com passar pagina, rememoro els instants viscuts a Moldavia pero he de mirar endavant, ara vaig cami de Kiev i mes gent i histories m'esperen a la capital Ucraniana.
A les 5 creuem la frontera, el policia de l'aduana em fa preguntes amables i encuriosides, amb els moldaus no son mes rigids, els fan pagar un visat de transit de dubtosa legalitat. En general, als ucranians no els agraden els moldaus.
A les 7 em desperten els companys de la nit anterior per saber si tinc ressaca, jo els dic que podriem prendre un te, que els convido, ells s'estimen mes una cervesa pel mal de cap. En compro 5 i les bebem en el nostre compartiment. Unes hores mes tard tornen a venir amb una botella de whisky, no paren... Aquest cop jo no col.laboro a la festa, d'aqui a dues hores serem a Kiev, ells encara tenen 15 hores mes per davant.
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The train 065 starts at 22:08 from Kishinev and arrives at Moscow at 4:36 day+2, stops in Kiev 13:26 day+1. I will spend the next 15h on the train. It's always a mistery what will happen inside the train when you start a journey like this... what type of people will be in your compartment, on the wagon... will I be alone or busy all the time? will I have any problems with customs when crossing the border? I get the lower bed, 2 more guys will sleep in my compartment, they don't speak english. I take the gift from Cara and show it to them, they seem to like it, specially when they find a foreigner saying words in moldovan. 2 more guys come to our compartment, they all go to Moscow to work, 2 of them with the family. We make the presentations and quick after that they ask me if I like wine. Half an hour later they come back with 2 bottles filled with 4 litres of moldovan wine. We drink with only one glass, one after the other, eat bread and sausages. The wine is not very much elaborated but is real wine, probably directly from the farmers. The 4 guys are very interested about me, they ask about Barcelona, my profession, etc... They are about the same age as me but they look older. Soon after midnight the bottles are empty, is time to go to bed. It's hot inside the train, I decide to stay near the window with fresh air, looking at the stars. I feel happy and sad at the same time. Happy because the trip is going well and full of adventures, sad because I leave behind 2 good friends in Moldova, Olesea and Cara. I think about the 4 guys with whom I was drinking wine, they are plain people, for a while I think that money makes people less human.
At 5 am we cross the border, this train used to cross Transnistria but due to the political problems now goes to the north of Moldova and then east to Kiev, taking 3 hours extra than in the past. The officer is surprised to see a spanish person, he asks me questions in russian that I am able to understand and answer. When he asks how much money I carry I try to say 500 but I say 105, he smiles and understands. He asks more questions, I guess is for curiosity rather than security. He is not that friendly with the moldovans, they go away and come back angry, they had to pay a bribe. Ukrainians don't like moldovans.
At 7am the guys ask me if I have headache, I don't. I try to invite them for tea but they prefer beer, I buy 5 beers for all of us. Later they will come with a boittle of whisky, this time is too much for me and I refuse. They have to travel 15 more hours, I wil be in Kiev in 2 hours.
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