A short walk in the Carpathians

[BdHvA]

On my bucket list is to explore the Carpathians, so that is where I visited, the Ukraine Carpathians. Before some would often fly to Prague and than onto to Kiev, directly over the Carpathians, these peaks unlike the Alps were quite different. Here is some background from what I have learned, some long ago and some recently.

For the good order the Carpathians are the second largest mountain region entirely within Europe. Most likely it has the greatest diversity. But some geologists consider the region a continuation of the Alps. Also the terminus (southern) point is the source of disagreement. Some declaring Montenegro others the Iron Gate along the Danube in present day Serbia. In the grand scheme of things when one compares a bunch of men and women who study rocks to RWD it is reassuring that there is debate and disagreement in the former. Boomerang shaped it starts (or ends) in the Czech Republic on the border of Poland and into Slovakia. Here it runs more or less East West, into Ukraine, it takes a righty and is on a more or less North South axis there. Austria, The Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine all have real estate in what is generally considered the Carpathians.

Each of the countries are notable for a variety of reasons, in my opinion Austria; Sacher Tort and Freud, The Czech Republic; for real Budweiser and a Velvet Revolution, Hungary; paprika and Juhfark grape, Serbia; there underworld is a formidable counterpart to the Italian & Russian mafia, Slovakia; recently divorced from the Czech Republic & the home to the endangered species of Slovaks; Romania ~ Dracula & Gypsies, Ukraine, the home to numerous Western guys (wet) dreams for a nubile bride and corrupt public officials.

While in area the Alps are smaller than the Carpathians the Alps are substantially higher.  Often the Carpathians are divided into regions, the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia being the highest, G e r l a c h o v s k with an altitude of some 2,600 meters or about 8,500 feet is the topper compared to the height of Mt. Blanc in the French Alps with a height of over 15,000 feet, this gives an idea of the difference of the two regions. The highest mountain in Ukraine is Hoverla at just over 2,000 meters. Still there is a fair amount of both Alpine and Cross Country skiing in the Carpathian region. Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine all have active ski regions. Bukovel in Ukraine is the best know region in Ukraine and it is considered by many to being developing. In general the Carpathian peaks are more rounded than the Alps due to the effect of Ice Age glaciers and water erosion.

The Carpathians have often been divided into the Western and the Eastern Carpathians.  It is both historically and socially diverse as it is geologically. The region is extremely mixed, gold, silver and iron ore has been mined there for centuries. Though primarily formed from limestone and flysch there are areas of metamorphic as well as igneous material.

 While the Alps as well as Western Europe (thanks Limmies, Frogs and Cloggies) reduce the moisture reaching the Carpathians, what falls eventually enters the Danube, which through the delta in Ukraine ends in the Black Sea. The balance flows north to the Baltic Sea and some fatten grapes which become wine.

For the good order, Vlad the Impaler, came from the foot hills of the Carpathians in present day Romania. This region in Romania is referred to as Transylvania's, home to Dracula. Good old Vlad is the foundation of a novel written by Jules Verne. But it was Bram Stocker who took Vlad and created the Dracula of legend material and the source of a number of bad movies from Hollywood.  On a more positive side Pope John Paul II was from the Polish side, the parents of Andy Warhol were from the Romania region. There are many others of notoriety from this region. In what is present day Ukraine the region is considered the homeland to the Hutsuls and the Rusyns and the White Slavs crossed this region heading to what was Yugoslavia.

A number of cities of Ukraine are part of the Carpathian region; they include;  Uzghorod, Ivano ~ Frankivisk , Chernivtsi, and   Drohobych . The Carpathians are home to a number of wooden churches and windmills such as what one sees in Pyrohiv, just beyond Kivy. Some know all the windmills scattered across the landscape there. A number of prospective grooms have been marched around here by there potential brides.

There is (Wien) Vienna in Austria, Krakow in Poland and Bratislava in Slovakia  which are considered within the Carpathian region. Just about everyone has fought in or for the Carpathians. They include Muslims, Orthodox Christians, Catholics and Protestants. Both the Tartar’s (no not guys in skirts) and the Mongol hordes stopped thier Western expansion at the Carpathians. Substantial Jewish populations were present in the Carpathians until the German Holocaust of World War Two. While no choir boys the Ukraine resistance post 2nd World War to the Soviets continued in time the longest here.

*Juhfark is perhaps the next Malbec grape variety in future popularity, though in my opinion they need to work on the name.

[Betelgeuse]

It's really beautiful in Western part of Ukraine.
Hope you don't mind if I share some photos from my trip to Carpathian region?

This is the chairlift to mountain Gemba (or Gymba), the view is fascinating.



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Lake Synevyr



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Cosy Uzhgorod streets



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Miniature Jon Lord (Deep purple) on the hand-rail in Uzhgorod


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Mukachevo city.


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A bit of politics

[JayH]

Thankyou Av for the summary--& Betelguese for the photos and comments.( Betelguese- a welcome to the forum from me )

I have been almost everywhere in Ukraine including the Crimea-- but not to the western part.
Visiting the Carpathians is constantly recommended to me by people here-and I keep thinking soon! Reading now is another reminder

[Anotherkiwi]

There's a thread about Bukovel from two years ago - a very beautiful place from all the photos I've seen.

http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=16620

[Noch1]

I was there in the fall several years ago.
Only a day trip, but was very beautiful.
If you have the chance to do so, worth it.
I think I was on that chair lift

[BdHvA]

So after meeting with Julia at Boryispol we head back to her apartment.  I brought a number of items from America including Jelly Bellies (Jelly Beans with flavour) Nicolaas is addicted to them. Other items including a winter jacket from Columbia for Nicolaas and a small glittering item for Julia.

We had a simple dinner that evening and went over the planning. Kiev was grey, damp and cold. The plan was to repack my drag bag with both my clothing and that of Nicolas’s for the duration. The next day continued with the cold and Julia was afraid of freezing in the Carpathians, we went out for some simple things we needed. I took Nicolaas to one of his after school activities. While Julia who works as a real estate broker met with a difficult client. (It seems to me all of Julia’s clients are difficult.) We met up and had some mushroom soup and went to collect Nicolaas. Returning to a cold house, the street was dug up to the steam main before the front door. This seems to be a yearly occurrence. We sighed a breath of relief as the repair takes a number of days, but we would be away.

The next morning the apartment was simply cold.

No one wanted to venture from under their warm blankets. Julia in great detail discussed the train ride, making it sound like an unknown Russian torture. I was bemused and wondered how bad could this really be. Suddenly though there was a spring loaded boy wiggling between the covers. I got out of bed and made tea as I pondered my fate.

The day passed with me pointing out that high-heeled boots were not very good hiking gear for mountain paths. Julia saying she also had her Bristol white Nike running shoes. I decided experience is a better teacher than any other and moved on. In fact we packed everything and were ready to rock and roll. One backpack, 35 liter, and three soft bags.

That evening Julia prepared a simple dinner and she called for a taxi. After 20 minutes still no taxi was organized and I insisted that she call again, she did and offered more. Still no confirmation and I said offer even more because our train leaves within an hour. She did so and 10 minutes latter a beat up Mercedes arrives. I looked at Nicolaas and he smiled. I inwardly groaned realizing we would have about 15 minutes to spare.

Loaded we set off for the main train station of Kiev. After about 10 minutes of driving I knew that the car was running very poorly. On a round about it died completely. The driver coasted to a stop and Julia began to discuss with a waiting taxi the fee to the train station. She found it exorbitant and I told her in a very sweet voice (I think) get in, there is no discussion.

By the time we had arrived at the train station we had less than 5 minutes to spare. Gear out and it was time to move, I told Julia to lead and Nicolaas and I would move/carry bags, etc. Nicolaas is only 9 years old but he can rise to the moment. He carried one bag over his shoulder and helped me with the other bags. We found our train and no sooner than we were aboard did the train more or less lurch away from Kiev.

On the platforms going to our train I noticed (smelt) an odd thing, that of burning coal. But I thought these are electric trains. Coal no that does not happen anymore. But the smell of burning coal was omnipresent. Somewhere I stowed this info in a corner of my brain as we found our cabin.

We were very close to missing the train and I gave a half smile and evil eye to Julia on board. She started to explain the taxi fee was outrageous. I told her far more annoying would be to miss the train. I pointed out that taxis on a Friday night are always more in demand. Silence and she admitted that she forgot it was Friday.

So we had four berths two up/ two down. It was very basic. The train rocked and rolled through the night, it was cold in the cabin and it seemed there was no heat. The window showed nothing more than passing streetlights and lots of cold air entered as we rolled onwards. The cabin was indeed chilly and I wondered if there was thermostat. Julia found the woman in control of the cars and she admitted it was cold but within the government mandated temperature of 14 degrees. Julia went back out to search for a higher up and I realized if I could get the curtain down the draft from out side would be diminished.  No sooner than with help from Nicolaas did I get the screen down did a engineer come with a pair of pliers he adjusted some knobs, it had no effect, But with the window blind down it seemed the cabin was getting warmer. As he told in Russian this is what it was going to be, at this moment the blind rolled up letting in a new cold blast. He looked on, Nicolaas and I got the blind back down, I took the tea spoons and forced them into the channel of the blind so it would stay down he scowled for a moment but realized the window was the primary source of cold air. He walked away. Slowly primarily because of body heat the cabin warmed.

An overnighter and I realized this was going to be a very long ride. We played some simple games and eventually a tired Nicolaas was almost asleep, we got him tucked and had some more tea, the cabin was decidedly not warm but it was no longer in the frigid region. We talked and had even more tea. I found the bathroom and as I ‘flushed” the head realized never buy real estate near a Ukraine train line.

Well past midnight as we rolled and with a fair bit of rocking and bouncing over the beautiful Ukraine landscape I went to the compartment that dispenses tea, it was warm here. In fact it is also the boarding area and cabin of the woman who managed these two cars, She got up and opened up a panel. Exposing a fire burning under the kettle, it was fueled by coal and she stoked the embers with a fresh shovel full.  I wondered about the safety but decide that most likely since brother Josef this was the system that it worked and at least one part of the train was warm.  One mystery was solved. It realized that dawn was a long way away.

While the train seemed to have a general forward motion it also moved in other ways, including up and down, side to side and sometimes just in an abstract way simultaneously. I sort of doubted sleep in a berth two feet and six inches by five feet and ten inches was going to happen. Is there an equivalent of the mile high club for trains? I tried to wake a soundly sleeping Julia but she was not interested in any extra creative physical activities. I gave up on sleep and started to read in the aisle. It occurred to me that I have spent about the same time on open water in a Force 8 to 10 storm and had more sleep.

Train transportation is it seems the most common way to transit longer distances between cities. It certainly explains why some are local citizens are grumpy in the morning. At just before 7am we rolled in L’viv. I will say you can set your watch by Ukraine train arrivals and departures.

[cc3]

Two questions:

(1) Was this a recent trip?

(2) If it was, why didn't you take the modern, relatively comfortable, fast (five hours to Lviv from Kyiv) Hyundai train to Lviv?

[Slumba]

You mentioned the smell of coal, I am curious if they used coal to heat hot water for tea.  Seems to me I saw a contraption that did that on one of Mendy's posts.

[BdHvA]

To answer:

This was a trip from this month. There were no seats available on the day time trains. If you are good you can book tickets on line in English, but they sell out early.

Yes the water for tea was in a sort of pot above the burning coal. I was amazed

[SANDRO43]

Seems to me I saw a contraption that did that on one of Mendy's posts.

A samovar? It uses charcoal to heat water for tea:

[BdHvA]

Yes Sandro, I would assume the keetle was indeed a modified samovar.
 

[BdHvA]

So once we had shaken the lack of sleep off (OK my lack of sleep) we headed for the old town square, I need some coffee and looked forward to that at Centaur, we arrive at 8:30 and learn they only open at 9 am. This was going to be a long 30 minutes. OK wait we would, Julia wanted to get to the apartment she rented, but it was only available at 11 am.

Well that would be at least two cups of coffee I realized.

Eventually we got into Centaur and Julia wanted to sit in the back, I wanted the front where people were. Anyways tired, I conceded to the back cavern and had a decent cup of coffee, in fact three.

By noon as we wandered around L’viv, Nicolas stated he liked L’viv over Kivy, Julia smiled wryly. The agency kept pushing back the time for arrival. It became a battle to check in to the apartment and it was not before 3 p.m. that we were settled in to our apartment.  I made my displeasure known in no uncertain terms to the director of the rental agency.

The next day we wandered about looked at the Pinsels and even Nicolaas was surprised. In front of the Opera were numerous buskers. One group of more or or less college musicians played an eclectic form of jazz., it was good. Later Julia went on a special private mission and Nicolas and I went to the military museum, not bad at all I must admit. We ate well and relaxed.

Meeting up at this point Julia started to plan our trip to the resort that she had found in the mountains. It was to involve trains and marschuka’s. I started to groan. With a bit of work we had it down to one bus or marschuka. We would travel to the city of Truskavets. There we would be met by a vehicle of the resort and be brought up to the location. This concerned me but I kept the worries to myself.

The next morning boarding the bus I was able to sit in the jump seat and watched the very flat landscape pass. No longer in the region with black earth it was in fact boring.  We often stopped and I stepped outside too let passengers in and out.  It was very flat and I wondered if the Ukraine Mountains were something like the Dutch mountains. We traveled onwards for nearly three hours but it remained flat, entering a deep forest for about 30 minutes. Out we came and in the distance were a distinctive mountain range. I mean it was high. We drew closer and I could smile. MOUNTAINS well actually very big hills.

Coming to the terminus was nothing more than a dead end road and the bus stopped did a flip-flop and the remaining passengers departed. There was nothing, except parked a sh0rt distance away an olive green Jeep type vehicle.  It looked old, but maintained. Clearly from another time period, think Soviet big time. Indeed it was sent from the resort to bring us up. I could not understand why this resort did not have a decent SUV, the seats were bare and the windows permanetly up – I said nothing but the vehicle was maintained and it turned over with a decent belch of blue smoke as the engine rumbled to life.

I asked how old was the vehicle, via Julia I understood the motor was from 1985 and the frame was another 10 years older. The driver looked like he was another 30 years older. The eyes of Nicolas opened and I just wondered. He headed up and soon the road changed from tarmac to dirt and as we climbed to more of a path. If this were a road than perhaps pack mules would be more advisable and not any slower. The road in place was so gutted and strewn with boulders that perhaps a half-track would be better. Suddenly coming down hill was a half-track, with a drilling rig! Our driver casually drove into the brush and vehicles passed with the drivers giving a wave of sorts.

As we climbed further we passed oil rigs, it seemed oil pockets were scattered about and this is virtually the only commercial activity allowed in what I learned was more or less a national park. Without doubt it seemed we had moments of only three wheels in contact with the path. This “road” was appalling and any uni-body SUV would not survive. Think a Land Rover, Defender or Toyota, Land Cruiser as vehicle.  American and German mommy mall SUV’s would be scrap.

High up on a ridge we turned a sharp corner and traveled down a maintained dirt road. Before us a large building appeared and spread over the hillside bungalows. We had survived and arrived.

[BdHvA]

Here are some images in L'viv (Lvov) or Lemburg for others

[Slumba]

Av, great to see more of your trip report.

Could it have been a Lada Niva? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lada_Niva : "On trials during 1973 and 1974, it showed it could climb a 58° slope or ford 60 cm (24 in) of water or 100 cm (39 in) of snow."

[BdHvA]

Not a Niva, the vehicle we were in was four doors and with higher ground clearance.

[BdHvA]

We went to the building that was both the office and reception. The first order of business was what did we want for dinner. Well I guess they had priorities. We were offered two typical, I understand to the region meals. After finances were taken care of with the director who was from Kharkov. It turned out she spoke Ukraine and later I understood from Julia it was ‘high”.

Julia complained of a headache and the director explained it was from the altitude. Altitude just what a woman needs I thought.

We walked down to our bungalow, and it was a down like maybe 100 meters on a steep hillside. Nicolas managed to fall, I suspect intentionally and rolled down a considerable distance. I chuckled and Julia sighed. He tried to stand up but more or less collapsed. Julia wanted to rush down but I said lets get our bags inside and unpacked. Eventually a slightly dizzy Nicolas showed up.

Anyways downstairs was a large living room, with a ceramic stove, a blazing fire inside; indeed it was cool at this altitude. Both the down stairs and two bedrooms upstairs had that wonderful warmth that only a wood fire can provide. The ceramic wood stoves would burn a few pieces of wood but the warmth would last for hours. They are both efficient and relaxing. We were asked if at all possible to conserve energy as the complex had to generate its own electric power.

We unpacked and studied the surroundings; in the background we could see the point we started from. We were more or less East facing and darkness came quickly. By now dinner was almost ready to be served.  Up a steep path and we came to long almost cafeteria like dining hall. There were wooden tables and benches at each one. We were greeted by a chorus of hello’s in Ukraine.

The meal was quite good and simple. While I try to avoid starches such as pasta and potatoes, potatoes were the foundation.

The next day we awoke, I earlier than Julia and Nicolas and I watched the sun come up. It was peaceful and for a long time I realized that this was what life was about. We chilled for most of the morning but than Julia wanted to ride horses with Nicolas after lunch. OK not really my thing but a happy woman makes for a good relationship.

Two horses appeared and with some effort Julia was atop one and a worried Nicolas above the other. I decided to walk down the hill and in fact chopped/split wood. The guy from the center was surprised at how easily I did this. It meet with his approval except that I prefer smaller pieces of split wood.

In any event after about 90 minutes I went to find wife and kid, he sort of understood, and off I headed to the direction that I think Julia took. Another 15 minutes walking in the direction there was a smiling Julia atop a horse and a grumbling Nicolas walking behind ‘his’ horse. They had a guide from the complex who had a tether or lead in each hand walking between the horses. I moved the dejected Nicolas to the outside flank of the horse.

Once at the bungalow we washed up and I explained to Julia who translated to Nicolas never ever walk directly behind a horse.

The next day was occupied with lounging about, a long walk by this time Nicolas had made friends with another boy his age and they created 9 year old mischief.

The day passed and large new group arrived for dinner. Five or so men, one with a very pregnant wife. As well as one woman, they were all it turned out to be officers from the Eastern front. The woman had some sort of intelligence and interrogation job of prisoners. The woman who’s English was quite good was the most talkative. She expressed pity for her prisoners, they could not be exchanged or returned it seems.

One odd thing at every meal they always welcome everyone in the room in a booming greeting.

The third day Julia and I went for a horse ride, as a sailor I am not that much into horses. The ride turned out to be almost 2 hours, we traveled through beautiful areas. It seems most of the valleys have small hamlets/farms sprinkled about. This same day Nicolas went with a group including his new friend to visit some small village that had fortifications from the 15th century. His foto’s were interesting. On his return he had an archery lesson and latter at a forge started to craft a knife.

We returned and I wondered how I would feel the next morning.

[Wayne]

By ceramic stove, do you mean a masonry heater? Please explain in more detail.

[BdHvA]

Yes a masonry heater is correct. The 'stove' is baffeled so heat is stored and slowly released, it is both efficent and can be highly decorative. I thought, incorrectly, the they came from Bavaria and Tyrol but different versions have been created in China, Russia and the Nordic region over the centuries.

They never became popular in North America because of the ready availability of wood to burn.

[Wayne]

A manonry heater can be as high as 85% efficient, while a typical fireplace is about 10%. Masnory heaters do not pollute the air like a wood burning stove. You fire it up once a day and the heat is released out slowly all day.
 
Some of the best designs are by Russians. Check out the masonry heater association website.

[SANDRO43]

I think it's called печь (oven/furnace):

[Wayne]

Yes, this looks like a Russian design with a bake oven on the upper level. Some of the designs have heated benches. The core of the heater is made of firebricks to withstand the high heat. The door has ceramic glass that withstands 2500 degrees F. The photo shows a basic model.
 
The more expensive heaters have the outside facing made of soapstone slabs. This stone holds the heat for a long time.

[SANDRO43]

Here's a gallery of several models:

 http://www.google.it/search?q=печь&client=opera&hs=eDn&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjb4JHzos3JAhXrmHIKHeThBR8QsAQIPA&biw=1115&bih=639