Since we still can't go to the orphanage, this is a good chance to cover some of the interesting notes about the city of Kiev and Ukrainian culture in general.
This building is directly across from our building. It looks a lot like ours. You can see the balcony of ours in the foreground (the blue color is clothesline). The ceilings in our apartment are 12 feet high with 10 feet high windows. We have newly tiled bathroom, a kitchen (with no oven - aw, too bad), a living room with a sofa bed and bedroom with a double bed. The location of our apartment is practically in the middle of Kiev.
Housing - With a popluation of 3 million and virtually no suburbs - most people live apartments. In the newer part of the city (the East side of the river) the buildings are high rise or sky scrapers each one gleaming white, pristine and redundant looking except they make landscape striking in appearance. Almost like cities in Asia. On the West side of the river - where most people live - buildings have the european charm and most are older than their counterparts in the U.S.
Cars - A high majority of cars are brand new. Many luxury models and not one truck or SUV. The city 'buses' are basically extended vans.
Fashion - Clothing: Black, light black, dark black, medium black. A few bright colors in a scarf or sweater and absolutely no brown. Coats: leather all of the time and most have fur trim for men and women. Almost zero layering like the 'boho' look in the states. A few jeans - loose on men, skin tight on women. Short skirts for women, suits with no ties for men. Footwear: boots, booties and more boots mostly with towering or platform heels. Mens shoes are pointy and long. No white tennis shoes anywhere. Hair: straight, straight, straight - short or long.
Food - Russian is prominent and favored. McDonald's is next in popularity. Too poplular as in long lines day and night . It is a hangout for the 20 somethings - every table packed, a meeting place after work. I am guessing it's the only fast food place in Kiev. No Starbucks - Tea is the drink of choice here. Chinese and Italian restaurants are prevelant too but most natives say they don't like either food.
People - Quiet, rarely smiling, very reserved, more passive, rarely laughing. When annoyed or frustrated they will talk faster but not louder. Even with our windows open we do not hear people on the street or even next door. At the orphanage even when the kids play it only gets to be a quiet rowdy.
History - monuments, statues, buildings - too numerous to name - some remembering WWII, others independence from the Soviet Union and still others commemorating its 1400 (6th century) years of existence.
