The train to Kiev was surprise in multiple ways: it wasn't a "real train" (as it is considered in this region), because it did not have platskarts, but seats (like in europe usually ...). The other surprise was that it was going fast (100-120 km/h), and only had one stop on the Lviv/Kiev route, so it did the trip in 6 and a half hours (it's maybe between 400 and 500 kms, so it's good speed). The train was full of course (i was lucky to get ticket).

So at 13h i arrived to the huge Kiev train station, where it took 20 mins to find the metro station, but then i went straight to the hostel. The metro ticket was 2 UAH (20 euro cents), and the metro was extremely crowded, so with the big bag it was really uncomfy. And, as i have checked, the station is just 2kms away, so i guess i walk to the station today to avoid the big crowd.

Yesterday i did walking sightseeing, and the conculsions are: Kiev is much more developed then Lviv, but less friendly. The sights are mostly the huge churches, they are amazing. There are only orthodox ones.

There are some soviet monuments and buildings also, but not so many. The best is the "friendship" monument, on the bank of river Dnipro, on a hill (see picture).

Here the roads are all covered bz asphalt, but there is something else strange with them: the cars going on them. You don't have to see the traffic for long or be a car fanatic to notice: the composition of the cars in Kiev is very strange: approx. 40-50% of the cars is very old, lada samara or something similar. Also inculding police cars. Other 40-50% is very expensive, huge black car, mostly jeeps, Land Rovers, Chryslers, Audis and Mercedeses (see picture). And the "normal cars are almost totally missing: most of the very few normla cars are taxis.

Yesterday we went to a bar with other 7 people from the hostel (nationalities: dk, no, us, aus, ger, most of them on a huge, 1-2months trip), we had such fun. Taxi ride both ways with 3 beers costed 3 euros for me.

Today i went to chernobyl museum: it's impressive and interesting, it has to equally interesting parts: first is about the disaster, the second is about life after it.

Next to the hostel there is an underground shopping center called metrograd. It has 3 floors and its approx. 1km long under a main road in the center. (the metro is very deep so they don't interfere) I went there to eat today, national Ukrainian dish. I paid 2.20 euros, and got a lot of food but i don't say i would do it again. The drink, called "Kvas", is totally impossible to consume, it smells horribe and it's taste is even worse. I still feel in my mouth after consuming 5dl ice tea. The food was relatively ok, but not so delicious (see picture).

I am at the hostel and i go to the train station after writing this, in early morning i am in Moscow! I will have platskart so i expect to sleep well, i hope the border guards suffice my expectations (probably not, but let's see). Getting up at 6am (train arrives) will be awful anyway.