Ukraine

Being born in Ukraine when it was still a member U.S.S.R, it was interesting for me to see what kind of changes it has undergone when I've finally visited the country after almost 20 year absence. Kiev The capital of Ukraine, Kiev, a thousand years ago was a capital of Kiev Rus - the first Slavic country. That was many centuries before the city of Moscow was built. It is considered to be more than 1500 years old. The city is a smogasbord of historical buildings and sites. There are a lot of beautiful churches and monasteries spread around the central area of Kiev and on the hills of Dnieper river. Some churches have roofs made of gold and those look fantastic in life and on photographs. The city, in general, looks more beautiful now then before. The government is trying to keep it clean realising the benefits it can provide for the economy due to the influx of tourists and businessmen. One of the first places to visit would be the Khreshchatyk Street. It is the main street in Kiev. It is long and wide. During the Communist era all of the demonstrations and military parades occurred on this street. It has buildings primarily built during the Soviet post-war years as this area has been partially destroyed during the WWII. As a minimum the other place worth visiting is Pechersk Lavra. It is an ancient monastery still in operation that has the famous caves - long underground tunnels were monks were buried in old times. The other architectural masterpieces include the Sofia Cathedral and Vladimirsky Cathedral. Those are great to photograph. There is enough room around them to find a good angle and fit them all in with a moderate wide-angle lens. The Mariyinskiy Palace is a famous palace that was build for the Russian royalty for their visits to Kiev in mid 18th century. It was designed in baroque style and it's rendered in a beautiful blue colour. It is surrounded by majestic gardens. A must see! The Opera House, located only a short walk from Khreshchatyk, is the 3rd oldest Opera House in Ukraine according to Wikipedia. It was built in 1867 and then rebuilt in early 20th century. It faces the direction towards Khreshchatyk and it has a grand feel about it as it is separated by streets from the other surrounding buildings. The Andreevski Spusk street is the arts and crafts area of Kiev, where various artists, sculptors and artisans present their work. This area is full of fantastic photographic opportunities showing people and their work. Trying to capture its atmosphere is the task that certainly interests me. There is of course more to Ukraine then Kiev, but if you are limited with the time, spending a few days in this gorgeous city will be a great experience.