Ukraine Again: Something Old, Something New...

[Simoni]

STRIKE!!!

Relax    The planes are still flying.   The word strike has multiple meanings, and I'm talking...

BOWLING!

Used to bowl all the time as a teenager in LA.  But that was a long time ago.

Yes, Marina and I went bowling with friends last night.  It was a new bowling alley with high tech score keeping and lighting and disco style music.

I won, BTW :-)    Three strikes and lots of spares 

Then duh...I remembered....the girl is suppose to win! 

[Mir]

You have my interest in Dniper thickening ...  mamas cooking, friendly gatherings, and more than a little booze.

Don't get your hopes up, I don't think Simoni's MIL will agree to feed you

[Simoni]

Don't get your hopes up, I don't think Simoni's MIL will agree to feed you

Actually, MIL likes to cook so much and loves people eating her food and saying good things about it, so I bet she would invite all of RWD for dinner!    LOL

[catzenmouse]

I take it the bottom picture was early in the evening and the top picture was after you had a few of those Baltika's? 

[Simoni]

I take it the bottom picture was early in the evening and the top picture was after you had a few of those Baltika's? 

Right :-)  We were having Baltikas :-)  But Marina took one pic and me the other.  You can likely guess who made the shaky one 

[Simoni]

Sim -
BTW ... next time you see that girl in the white pants and blue shirt ... could you please get me a lead ... BEAUTIFUL:)

You and Marina enjoy your vaca ... and keep the pics coming.

You mean this girl?   

[Simoni]

SOMETHING NEW

It's been 16 months since I was last in Dnepr.  Many things have changed, and for the better.  The old buildings and churches, hundreds of years old, remain.

But since I also called this strand Something New, I'll start sharing what's new now...

[Simoni]

AMERICAN CITIES

But first, the contrast.

American cities, in general, have been reduced to business centers, vibrant by day but deserted by night.

The causes for this are many.   Cities grow old and decay, and the affluent flee to bigger, newer homes in the suburbs, leaving the poor downtown.  And in the south, this was multiplied in the last half of the 20th century as the courts ordered desegregation of schools.  Racist parents took their students to the suburbs, leaving the inner city even poorer, and the contrast even greater.

Realizing the value of tourism, cities responded with urban renewal.  Examples are the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, the River Walk in San Antonio, etc.   Every big city now has such a zone, often in the area of a professional sports stadium, as with the Steelers in Pitt and Titans in Nash.

But these efforts are but a drop of water in the sea. True change will only occur when more upscale condos and apartments are offered in downtown areas, as we see in Chicago.   New York City you say?  That's a whole different definition of city 

The reality? One hundred years ago in American cities the streets were full at night.  Parks were used.  People socialized; it was too hot to go home.  AC did not exist.

This reality still exists in Ukraine.  I'll tell you about it next...

[Simoni]

BACON AND EGGS

But first, a sidenote...

After two weeks of pastries and cereal and cheese for breakfast, I decided to reclaim my manhood!

Went to the corner grocery store and bought some eggs and bacon.  The bacon was sliced right off the side of the pig, thickness cut to my specifications.

Now it 's morning here in Ukraine.  So while you guys in North America are sleeping, I'm having a big plate of scrambled eggs and a half dozen thick slices of bacon, fried golden brown by me.  With black american coffee.

 Marina declined my "american breakfast, BTW    LOL

[Simoni]

AFTER SUNSET

Like an American city of old, so is Dnerp today.

As the sun goes down, the people come out.

Last night, after supper, we went for a two hour stroll. (supper is the evening meal in Ukraine, btw.  Lunch is called dinner, as in old america)

The streets were filled with families and young people, all out of the houses to enjoy the evening. 

Benches were filled with people, simply drinking beer and talking to one another.

We found even more people in Globa's Park, which is just across the street from MILs flat...

The pictures in the next post will allow you to join us on our evening stroll...

[Thor]

Super TR Simoni. I just came home from 1 week in sunny Turkey with my wife . We had some great time there. The way you describe the life in Ukraine is just how it is en east Ukraine!!! Keep up the good work!!! PS: Tomorow will 1 fridn from US and 1 UK friend join me here in Kharkov .

[Simoni]

Hi Thor, and thanks for your kind words.

Got a date for that RWD BBQ in Kharkiv?  Marina and I might rent a car and drive over... Or maybe you will come to Dnepropetrovsk?

-Si

[Thor]

Hi Thor, and thanks for your kind words.

Got a date for that RWD BBQ in Kharkiv?  Marina and I might rent a car and drive over... Or maybe you will come to Dnepropetrovsk?

-Si

Privet Simoni,

It seems like the party will be on sunday, but I am not shure yet...Will now tomorow for shure. Acktualy I spoke with my wife yesterday about going to Dniper, but she saud NJET. She said that she had been there before and she had no interest of going there again

[Hub]

Acktualy I spoke with my wife yesterday about going to Dniper, but she saud NJET. She said that she had been there before and she had no interest of going there again

Bad choice Thor.  Dnipr beats Kharkov hands down.

[Simoni]

Thor, have you been to Dnerp? It's a beautiful city. And it's much changed over tje last 16 months...2 mile new embankment along Dnepr river; new shopping centers, and more.  I like Dnepr even more than Kiev.  Kharkov? Not as nice (and I know her well-had gf there for a year and made 5 trips there).

But we are all different and like different things... :-)

[BC]

Thor, have you been to Dnerp? It's a beautiful city. And it's much changed over tje last 16 months...2 mile new embankment along Dnepr river; new shopping centers, and more.  I like Dnepr even more than Kiev.  Karkiv? Not as nice (and I know her well-had gf there for a year and made 5 trips there).

But we are all different and like different things... :-)

I've heard of black holes in this universe but I think the pink ones are much more dangerous IMHO..  I wonder if Newton's apple was green or ripe.

Nothing derogatory intended.. just an oblique thought that crossed my mind at this moment.

Mod.. feel free to delete.

Think I gotta go sleep now.. my belly hurts.. 

[Simoni]

I wonder if Newton's apple was green or ripe?
 

BC-- everyone knows that green apples fall faster than red...more water content 

[TigerPaws]

AMERICAN CITIES
 Racist parents took their students to the suburbs, leaving the inner city even poorer, and the contrast even greater.

Simoni,

I would like to take exception with the above statement, white flight was the term that was in vogue 25 years ago but it really was not true. As the cities became more crowded the more affluent moved out, then the upper middle class until only those who could not escape were left. For those who moved it was for a larger nicer home, then the businesses followed and the suburbs became a nicer place to live so more middle and upper income people moved there.

This cities were left and fell into decay, the poorer of those in society took over, it was and is not racism although I am sure there is some element of that. People at least the majority of American people want the single family home not the apartment in the city, racism has little to nothing to do with that it is simple human nature.

TigerPaws   

[Dar]

Yes guys, I agree on the comparison between Dnepr and Kharkov.  I travel to Kharkov twice/year to study and can say that it quite a gray city, especially during the colder months.  People dress poorly compared to Dnepr; transportation (besides the Metro) is not as convenient; and the buildings look run-down.  It's interesting that this should be so because Kharkov used to be the capital of Ukraine during the Soviet era.  My husband Henry accompanied me on my last trip and he felt the same, particularly with respect to the lack of good quality cafes.  Of course having lived in Dnepr for several years, I am a bit partial! 

[Simoni]

Simoni,
I would like to take exception with the above statement, white flight was the term that was in vogue 25 years ago but it really was not true. As the cities became more crowded the more affluent moved out, then the upper middle class until only those who could not escape were left. For those who moved it was for a larger nicer home, then the businesses followed and the suburbs became a nicer place to live so more middle and upper income people moved there.

This cities were left and fell into decay, the poorer of those in society took over, it was and is not racism although I am sure there is some element of that. People at least the majority of American people want the single family home not the apartment in the city, racism has little to nothing to do with that it is simple human nature.

TigerPaws   

I agree with most of what you say.  It is true that American parents want a single family home when they have children.  But when I wrote about white flight from cities in the south in the 1960, I believe I was correct.  But what you say is also part of the equation.

It is also true that the sense of community we had in the cities of the early 1900s has been lost.  But in Dnerp, I see that sense of community.

And in the US, city after city is building downtown condos, as people see the value of losing the commute and living and working downtown, and enjoying parks and nightlife and community.

[TigerPaws]

Simoni,

Now if you had made it clear that you were talking about the 60's and white flight I would agree.

As for the loss of community, yes but it is much more complicated than a simple departure from the cities.

To a small extent people are moving back to very high end districts of the cities but really it is a drop in the bucket compared to the suburbs.

TigerPaws

[Simoni]

AFTER SUNSET

Like an American city of old, so is Dnerp today.

As the sun goes down, the people come out.

Last night, after supper, we went for a two hour stroll. (supper is the evening meal in Ukraine, btw.  Lunch is called dinner, as in old america)

The streets were filled with families and young people, all out of the houses to enjoy the evening. 

Benches were filled with people, simply drinking beer and talking to one another.

We found even more people in Globa's Park, which is just across the street from MILs flat...

The pictures in the next post will allow you to join us on our evening stroll...

And here they are...

[Simoni]

ADVERTISING V

Print ads really "catch" your eye here....

What's wrong with these pants? 

[macman]

AMERICAN CITIES
Racist parents took their students to the suburbs, leaving the inner city even poorer, and the contrast even greater.

If Racism is moving from away from Africanus Urbanus. . . the thugs and hoodlums, murder rate in the hundreds, drug sales on every corner, prostitution at the honk of a horn; then maybe so.  Who wouldn't want out of that - white or black?  And the Urban flight, a term coined and in vogue 25 years ago - it has hardly come to an end.  The Real Estate market is in the toilet, the Condo construction, while nice for the yuppie (X'ers now) has not stood the test of time.  The flight is still in "full" flight.  

IMHO a typical FSUW could survive in the city more than their AW counterparts.  I would think it may be more awkward at first to move from the FSU to one of our nice suburban homes with all the BS emenities we've become accustomed to.  I'd like to hear some stories of this kind of transition for the RW. . .

Print ads really "catch" your eye here....What's wrong with these pants?

BASS ACKWARDS or NOTHING AT ALL!

mm

[groovlstk]

I wish there was urban flight from Manhattan, it's just the opposite here