Next Stop, Lviv!!!

[Hammer2722]

More Pics!!!

[Hammer2722]

I was really interested in this tiny car. Never heard of the maker before. Lena says it was built in Ukraine.....

[Hammer2722]

More various pics...

[Hammer2722]

The first photo is at Neptune Square which is part of of area called the four Squares. Each square has a statue in which the square is named after.

The third photo is the Wonder train which is a guided tour of part of the city. each seat has headphones which describes the city in 7 different languages. Lena and I took the Wonder Bus tour which covers a larger area of the city but is basically the same as the train.

[Hammer2722]

First 2 photos are at the second square with a statue of the goddess Diana in the fountain.


3rd photo shows children learning to make pottery.


The last photo of the black building was very curious to me. Lena tells me it belonged to the city's executioner long ago and it is the reason it is painted all black....

[Hammer2722]

Children of all ages dressed up in traditional and modern outfits singing and dancing on stage.

[Hammer2722]

First 2 photos are at the third square with the statue of the goddess Amphitrite


The last photo shows part of a fortress in the background. Many of the fortresses have been absorbed into the city scape so sometimes you may not even notice it until you take a really good look around you.

[Hammer2722]

The first 3 photos were taken at the famous book bazarre. People come to this place to sell off any old, used books, videos, coins, and other sundry items.


The last photo was used as a military building but I forgot what it was for.

[Hammer2722]

First 2 photos are of a new clock decorated with flowers. Lena believes this is quite new to Lviv as she does not remember ever seeing it before.


The last 3 photos are of the Fortress walls, gatehouse and the galleries inside the fort.

[Hammer2722]

Here are the last photos taken for the day. I'll post more after I've posted for the next days events!!!!

[trapa]

Very nice trip report and photos from Lviv, a place that I have visited in the past and liked very much

Ask your friend to take you to see "The House of Scientists", an amazing building.

http://www.ukraine.ukgo.com/lviv/photogallery/pic07.html

Also ask to visit the townhall tower to see some splentid views of Lviv and the Cafe "Pid Klepsydroyu" which is  an art Gallery "Dzyga"

Look forward to see more of your photos.

[Rubicon]

Excellent photos Hammer, thank you for sharing!!

[Muzh]

Love the pics. Still, I haven't seen one of both of you together.
 
BTW, you are ugly, she's a cutie. 
 

[Hammer2722]

Trapa, we have been to the cafe you mentioned already with photos to come soon.


@Muzh, thanks for the kind words buddy. At least Lena and mom think I'm cute!!!! LOL We plan on getting lots of pics of us together and with her family when we get to Kovel.

[Muzh]

Trapa, we have been to the cafe you mentioned already with photos to come soon.


@Muzh, thanks for the kind words buddy. At least Lena and mom think I'm cute!!!! LOL We plan on getting lots of pics of us together and with her family when we get to Kovel.

Ugly and with a sense of humor.
 
I like you already. LOL

[Wayne]

You have a lot of nice photos, but you should always ask some stranger to take photos you you and Lena TOGETHER at every place you visit. If you decide to file for a k-1, you will need these. Also, keep any tickets to events, airplane and train tickets, receipts from stores, etc. Anything that will prove that you were together; especially photos with famous landmarks in the background.
 
I went through Lviv twice by car, but we did not stop there as we were on a long trip in Western Ukraine. In the West, there are more Ukrainians and less Russians.

[Rubicon]

Ugly and with a sense of humor.
 
I like you already. LOL

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and if the lady likes him that is what really counts!!  Hammer seems to have a pleasant personality and that is very important to most women.  I agree that you should take some photos with Lena so that if you guys ever want to get married you will have that evidence of a relationship available.

[Muzh]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and if the lady likes him that is what really counts!!  Hammer seems to have a pleasant personality and that is very important to most women.  I agree that you should take some photos with Lena so that if you guys ever want to get married you will have that evidence of a relationship available.

Do we have to be serious all the time? It was a joke. IMHO they pass the couple test. IOW, they are both good looking.
 
Jeez

[Faux Pas]

Do we have to be serious all the time? It was a joke. IMHO they pass the couple test. IOW, they are both good looking.
 
Jeez

Anal retentive seems to fit sometimes. I realize it can be sometimes difficult to recognize humor in a post and some are better at it than others but, some wouldn't get it  in person either FWIW

[Rubicon]

Do we have to be serious all the time? It was a joke. IMHO they pass the couple test. IOW, they are both good looking.
 
Jeez

Muzh, relax I know you were just joking!!  I thought it was funny as well!!  Hammer does also have a good sense of humor because he did not take offense!!  For what it's worth I think I am just about average looking, or maybe slightly above average.  But I make up for it with personality and charm with the ladies...LOL  And unlike some guys, I do NOT think that I look younger than I am!!

[Hammer2722]

9 May 2011


I woke up to another beautiful day in Lviv. A man couldn't ask for better weather I tell you!!!! Its even warmer today than yesterday with less wind.
Today, we're going to take the Wonderbus tour through Lviv. Lena arrives about 1 PM. Did I mention that she's not a morning person? lol. We decide to walk down to the city center and walk around a bit. We have decided to take the 1730 Wonderbus tour. She wants us to have coffee and dessert at the Bat Cave cafe just before we take the tour bus. First, Lena wants us to see this beautiful church very close to my flat. It's up on a hill and is called Saint Yuiri's Cathedral. It is one of the most beautiful and well maintained chruches I have ever seen. I'll let the pictures do the talking here!


After seeing St Yuri's we spend most of the afternoon walking and looking through all the vendor stands lining in front of the opera house. Lena decides she's going to buy me a button that says "ya Ukrainetz" which means "I'm Ukrainian" she also buys me a matching coffee mug with the same saying and has a cartoon cossack on it. I love it! I'll be drinking coffee at work out of this mug and enjoy all the questions from co-workers wanting to know what it says. LOL I decided to buy a few mashrutka doll keychains for my 4 lady co-workers as souvineers and a beautiful traditional Ukrainian shirt for my 2 yr old grandaughter. Its white with baby blue and pink embroidery and tassels.


Wow, time flies when your enjoying the city on a warm ,clear day with a beautiful Ukrainian lady on your arm. Lena says its time to head over to the cafe as its 1530 already so we start walking in the direction of the cafe. There is a stool on the steps going down into the cafe blocking entry. I thought maybe it was their way of saying the place was full. Lena goes down to ask and just as she does a whole slew of people are leaving so she comes back up and tells me to come in. The whole place is really dark inside just like a cave and decorated here and there with bats hanging from the ceilings and really nice metals engravings of Lviv's historic buildings on the walls. Very nice place.This place only serves many types of coffee and desserts so we decide to each have coffee, cake and ice cream. The gourmet coffee was well crafted and presented and the desserts looked and tasted amazing!!! All for the low price of 100 grivna. Lena keeps asking if the price is not too much since she very worried about spending too much of my money. I just tell her its fine and not too much at all.


We pay the bill and head towards the book bazarre where the Wonder Bus starts the tours from. The tour costs 60 grivna each I think and takes almost 2 hours. We decided on the bus instead of the train as it covers a larger area of the city. Needless to say, it was an amazing tour with so much detail about each historical building or landmark. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Lviv. Its well worth the money!!!




After the tour we decide to head back to the flat to made dinner, relax and watch a movie. Lena has decided to spend the night at my flat with me. We head back eat another great meal and having a nice romantic evening together......


The enclosed pics are of Saint Yuri's Cathedral.

[Hammer2722]

St Yuri's Cathedral

[Hammer2722]

St Yuri's Cathedral again. The fourth photo is the street heading down toward the city center and fifth photo is some building I found very interesting.

[Hammer2722]

First 2 photos are of Ivan Franko the famous Ukrainian writer, inventor and statesman. The statue is at the entry to Ivan Franko park and faces directly across the street to Ivan Franko University.


Third photo is Ivan Franko University. Lena tells me this is the university her parents attended when they first met.


Fourth photo I thought was a really cool looking street the way the buildings curved.


Last photo is a really cool looking statue.

[Hammer2722]

Photo one is at the center. big crowd there as well today.


photos 2 and 3 are at the Bat Cave Cafe


4 and 5 are from start of the Wonder Bus Tour. Most of my photos from the bus did not come out very good so I won't include them.