UA

Came back from Ukraine. At this moment only pics. Some words later on, now i'm going to take rest. Cheers, enjoy and cu all!


And now as I promised some words about the trip.
First was the beginning, and "nice" surprise. When our families saw the bus with which we had to pass to Ukraine, they wanted to cancel our journey ;) Some twelve hours in old ruined bus which windows where unable to open and in the morning fresh and shine we landed in Lvov. First impression was "shit, it's Russia" (basicly by the way women were dressed up). Than we had to rush to Stanislavov and with this journey bad quality journeys started. In general there were none normal buses, just small bus-vans with 200% people on board and sometimes animals. On the late evening we landed at polish family which decided to stay in their home when borders of Poland were moved north in past. People were more and more friendly when we were moving further from the city.

The good thing in every city and village was that when we were speaking polish very slow and clear, after third time people were able to understand us ;)

So after one day of rest after two days of travel, we moved to the first church. Every time we had some tactic to make good impression to be allowed to measure the church. So we aere painting and drawing, of course all the time behaving well, and when the keykeeper was appearing, we were showing our drawings and trying to make him let us inside. On 12 churches, twice we were not let in. So in a sum it's quite okay.
On the beginning measurements were taking 8h (elevations, plans, sections + interior plans and altar drawings) and the last one was made in 4,5h.

When we filled our plan to collect all churches, we moved into mountains. First plan was to reach border with Romania on the highest peak in this area, around 1850m, but when it occured that it's too dangerous because of political matters and border area, we changed way and finally we've made some 50km in two days with huge uphill on the beginning and downhill at the end. What's quite interesting to move into highest mountain region, we rented a truck, the one from picture with ducks and kids in red. We've been at the trunk for 8h of roads, offroad and rivers ;) Cool but tireing.

I've got to say that we met there lots of good and trusting people that gave us shelter for the night. Which was not so obvious to get, when you though about 12 strangers with huge backpacks speaking other language. And of course some people were very glad that we are polish, some of them not. Anyway, sometimes we HAD to drink a lot of homemade vodka to show that we are friends. Measuring church next day from same morning was not so easy then.

At the end we stopped for some longer time in Kolomyja and Lvov. I think I'll be back in Lvov, it's really nice town, I could say with polish spirit.

God bless shower, running water and toilets! I'm home!