Kiev

Waking Up

Touring Chernobyl was really exhausting, so I slept late late...until about 11am. I had no set agenda for the day, but there were plenty of ideas of things to do.

Getting Food

After leaving the hotel we walked around the city center looking for a place to eat. We passed by a Soviet Diner and decided to eat there. Surprisingly, the menu was in English. The place offered free WiFi, so we were both able to search for ideas on how to spend the day. We had a list of ideas: Chernobyl Museum, World War II Museum, Aquatic Museum, etc. We settled on the Chernobyl Museum. The Ukrainian also suggested a 3d gallery that was wrapping up today.

The meal was pretty good and not very expensive. We both got full entrees, deserts, and fruit smoothie drinks and the total was under $19 USD. The chicken fillet I had was shaped like a steak, but tasted pretty good. The desert was traditional Ukrainian and also tasty. 

 

Diner

 

They charged me for the gum!

.01 UAH = less than 1 cent

City Center

After leaving the diner we walked around a tip. I turned to TripAdvisor for advice on what was close and worth checking out. One of the suggestions was the Oprah house, so off we went. Apparently the Oprah only runs a couple of times a month. The ballet on the other hand runs very frequently. I could tell the Ukrainian really wanted to go, so I suggested seeing if tickets were available. Tickets were only available the next day, so we up some tickets (around $20 each) and made our way to the Chernobyl Museum.

Chernobyl Museum

The Chernobyl Museum was not close, so we took a cab transportation to the other side of town. We made it to the museum before closing time, but what we didn't know was that they stop admitting people in 1 hour before close. D'oh! We ventured all that way over here for nothing. We stopped by a pizza & coffee place that had WiFi and went back to the drawing board for ideas. In the end we decided to head to the 3d exhibit.

Shopping Mall

The shopping mall the 3d exhibit was at was on the other side of town. Since we had a lot of time and the weather was very nice, we opted to take public transporation. Unlike Chicago, the bus and metro trains use two different currencies. Tickets are 1.50 UAH, or about 18 cents. I believe the metro was 3 UAH, or about 25 cents. You can purchase a ticket on the bus. I found it odd the driver didn't sell tickets, a separate person on the bus did. We got tickets and at the next stop an inspector boarded and verified we had tickets. I gather he boards random buses and checks to make sure people have validated tickets. The Berlin and Munich metro trains in Germany worked similarly. No turnstiles, just random verification. If you get caught without a validated ticket the fine is steep. 

Since the exhibit ran late we walked around the mall a bit.  The mall had many of the shops I've come to see just about everywhere in the world (e.g., H&M) except Starbucks. There was an independent game shop with many classics I've seen back home. I couldn't find a copy of Pandemic though!

 

Game Shop! They have Settlers of Catan in Ukraine!

 

Theme throughout the multi-level shopping center. Pretty well done.

 

Apple Store...NOT

 

Return of McFoxy

3D Photo Gallery

I didn't know what to expect with the 3D gallery. Going was entirely the Ukrainian's suggestion, but ti sounded cool. All I really knew going into it was that the gallery was the largest exhibit of 3d type pictures in the world. What I didn't know was that I we'd be posing and taking pictures. The Ukrainian really isn't into photography, so I'm not sure why she suggested it. It was a fantastic idea though. The exhibit was at the top floor of the mall. There were about 20-30 different scenes. Each scene was comprised of three photos. If you think of a three dimensional cube, the subject (model) was placed in the middle. Each photo was the same. One photo was on the floor and two others formed the incomplete cube. The three pictures create an optical illusion, putting the subject in the picture.  It's a creative idea I hadn't seen before. Aside from the different angles the three pictures are directed, everything is flat. I was impressed with how everything came out. I was more impressed with how helpful the staff was. From time to time the staff member showing us around would take the camera and snap pics for us. She was good with the camera, too. She'd also offer advice on how to stage the scene and hold the camera. At the end I tried to tip her, but she gave me the money back. The staff member told the Ukrainian tipping was allowed, but she wasn't comfortable taking the money. In any case I was very impressed with both the exhibit and service.

 

Putting out the fire

 

Marilyn!

 

Hide Ukrainian, Hide!

 

Back in Chicago

 

River is wild!

 

In fairness to the Ukrainian, I made her pose for this one. 

 

1, 2, 3, jump!

Dinner

By the time we finished the exhibit it was pretty late, almost 10pm. The mall had a food court, but I didn't want fast food. In addition to the food court there were several stand alone restaurants. We found an Italian place and we both got pizza. Ukrainian pizza isn't bad!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow would be the last full day in the Ukraine, so we had a lot to do still. The ballet was at 7pm, but I still wanted to visit the Chernobyl and the World War II Museum. Both museums were on separate parts of town. The Ukrainian wanted to visit the Aquatic Museum, but that was closed on Wednesdays.

Lost in a Radioactiveland

Waking Up

Although the room wasn’t very comfortable, I did manage to get decent sleep. While the bathroom had a tub, there was no place to mount the shower nozzle. I had to bath as if I was washing myself with a hose. I can't complain. I knew the lodging would be straight of out of 1960 so my expectations were met.

Breakfast

Yuri sat at a different table, but for some reason I ended up sitting near the driver again. This time he was a bit more vocal about how he felt about me.  I sat towards the back of the bus and can't recall saying a single word to him, so I'm surprised he took such offense to my existence. Through the Ukrainian, he asked if I had served in the military. He went on to say that women in the Soviet Union are attracted to men in service because they are brave. I think he was suggesting I was a coward for not having served. Noting he was considerably older than me, I held back my thoughts about what his military service actually enabled. 

Breakfast wasn't much different than other Ukrainian meals we were served. Each table shared a 1.5 bottle liter of water and juice. The meal was served in courses. One of the courses involved an egg, another involved a tasty cinnamon pancake. All in all, not bad.  Before we left, other tourists filled the room. This would be the first time I'd see other 'regular' people. Our crew was consisted mostly of people volunteering for the pripyat organization, so the people within do not really represent the typical visitor. As I looked around to the other tour groups filing in,  I realized how lucky I was I didn't join an ordinary tour. Many of the people who were part of the other tour groups were dressed extremely Gothic or in military fatigues. I got the feeling (partially from listening) those dressed in military fatigues were hard core gamers who wanted to see what a post apocalyptic town would look like.  Some of the guys appeared to be enjoying themselves a bit to much, which I found to be a tad disrespectful. 

 

Checking Out

After breakfast we checked out of the hotel. Checkout was fairly simple and straightforward. We than boarded the bus to continue the tour.

Getting to Town

The places we visited were very spread out, so most of the time we drove from site to site. Throughout the tour is was clear the animals owned the land. We saw so much wildlife. Even wild horses!

Chernobyl Map. Orange boxes identify where photos were taken.

 

Wild horses

Church

En route to an abandoned Church, we crossed an old train line. The train was significant because it connected Chernobyl to either Moscow or Kiev.  I was surprised to see a stop sign in English. At first the guide suggested all stop signs are in English worldwide. I know this isn't true though. In Mexico, the octagon shaped stop signs display 'alto'.

 

American Stop Sign 

 

I have no idea who hung up the mushrooms

 The Church

Our first stop was to one of 2 churches in one of the towns surrounding Chernobyl.  The church is supposed to be vacant, but it's clear people still visit and pay respects to the church. Apparently some active worship was done during the 25th anniversary back in 2011. It's clear people have been here much, much more recently than that though. As I approached the alter Chrome stopped me. He mentioned that for religious purposes, they still respect the rule that no one aside from a priest or church staff go behind the alter curtain. I asked about bug spray before leaving and bus and was told we were out of it. Since it had rained over night I guessed the mosquitoes would be horrible. I was right. After about 5 minutes of being outside there were about 15 mosquito on my arms. Although it was getting pretty hot out, I went back in the bus and put on my jacket. Technically we were supposed to have our arms covered at all times, but the rules of the group aren't very strict. Since I left my luggage at the Kiev luggage locker, all I had was a short sleeve shirt and coat. Many of the others had similar clothing though and put on the coat at the checkpoints. Thankfully, sometime later bug spray was found.

 

Exterior of Church

 

Exterior

 

Alter

 

Entryway

 

Dome 

 

We found bug spray!

Lost in Pripyat!

At the beginning of the tour the tour guides asked if there was any part of the city we had wanted to see. I was clear I wanted to see the amusement park. When we didn't go the day before, I was worried I'd miss it. We hit it on the second day. I'm glad I opted for an overnight trip, because there was a lot to see throughout Chernobyl and Pripyat. Both days were full day hikes, over 12 hours each. So I'm not sure how much would be omitted if I did only a one day tour. 

We spent about 10 minutes walking around the old theme park. There's some argument on line as to if it ever opened. The opening day is widely reported to be a day or two after the disaster, so it's widely reported the rides were never used.  The guides argue that is not the case - the park was open for at least a couple of days prior.  The park was about the size of a carnival you'd find in a large parking lot. While I was getting a picture of the bumper cars, Chrome asked me tapped on my shoulder and said to come with him. I told him just a moment and he politely said 'uh...now'. He let me know the area near the bumper cars is still quite toxic. 

Since the amusement park was the main area I wanted to see I opted to spend a few extra minutes taking some photos. Big mistake. For the next 15-20 minutes I'd literally be lost in the park. I had though the group simply moved on to the next area, so I followed the trail. There were a number of buildings though past the woods surrounding the theme park. I called out for Chrome, only to realize no one could hear me. Looking around at the buildings surrounding me and being along was very eerie and surreal. I knew they'd find me eventually, but the experience was still surreal. A theme park was on one side, a mid rise hotel and numerous other buildings on the other. All were vacant. Creepy.

I though about looking for them in some of the buildings that were past the clearing I had last seen the group at, but I knew that was dangerous. Even taking away the threat of radiation (like the bumper cars, some areas are still very hot), the area is full of danger. Manhole covers aren't always in place, so I could fall 15 feet into the ground. Throughout many of the buildings the floor had caved in. What might appear as a door could be an open elevator with a huge drop, etc., etc. , etc. So wandering around alone is definitely not safe for anyone. I figured going back to where I came was an option, but as I traversed back I realized the way back wasn't as straightforward as I thought. So I opted to stay put at the last place the group saw me, which was the amusement park. For a while I wondered if this was a setup. Let's leave an American in the park and see what happens! Hahaha, the joke is one me!

It took about 20 minutes for the stupid Ukrainian to come looking for me. She said the two girls  said I was with the group much further.

 

World famous Ferris wheel

 

Bumper Cars

 

Fields

After visiting the amusement park we toured some open fields where various vehicles, trains, and other objects had been discarded.  We also visited a couple of the smaller villages that were deserted, just to get an idea of what they were like. I didn't venture far because of what happened in the amusement park. We were told at all times to avoid the stepping in the moss (general rule). The moss and mushrooms can still be toxic. When either is disturbed it can let off dust or the like which can be a problem if inhaled. It's difficult to avoid the stuff, because it's everywhere. 

 

Radioactive moss. Sometimes walking felt like a game of hopscotch!

 

House

Me peeping out of the far right bus window

 

One of the village houses in better shape

Woman Drivers

Throughout the two days we were together the driver allowed others to drive the van. From what I could gather it was difficult to operate, even for those who could drive a manual transmission automobile. I did not get a turn, probably because the driver was an ignorant pig. He'll let a woman drive but not me? What kind of country is this? Just kidding....well, except about the ignorant pig part.

 

If you were curious, they do let woman drive in the Ukraine

Disaster Memorial

Near the hotel was a memorial that stretched through a large park. Signs lined the left and right side of the walkway. Some signs had flowers on top of them, as if someone was trying to keep the memory of whatever it represented alive. I asked Chrome, one of the tour guides I befriended, about the memorial. Each sign represents a colony, town or village that was effectively destroyed by the accident. Realizing the signs represent actual villages and not people struck me hard.

These sorts of signs are common throughout the EU. They indicate when you are entering a town and an indication of a change in the speed limit.  

Saying Goodbye

Having spent the last 36 hours with the group, saying goodbye wasn't easy. The ride back to Kiev would take 2 hours and be as bumpy as the ride was going. Ukrainian roads aren't awful, but they are a far stretch from what I've become accustomed to in America. The bus made two stops, one to an apartment complex where most of the guides and Yuri were staying and another to the bus station in Kiev. Everyone got off except the Ukrainian, me, and the girls I'm pretty certain were lesbians.

The group, outside the Chernobyl Hotel

 

  

(left) Me & Chrome, (right) The Russian (Yuri) and the American (me)

Back to Kiev 

Since I hadn't heard back from the Ukrainian for a couple of days prior to arriving in Kiev I hadn't booked lodging or a return ticket. We had been communicating through Skype and email and my messages indicating the flight time was sent through Skype. She didn't get the information until long after I arrived. Although she didn't say anything at the airport, she had been frustrated that I had not passed my plans on to her earlier. I was a bit skeptical to pass on too many details since I wasn't certain she was part of a scam involving either kidnap & random or organ theft. It seems every friend of mine knows someone who has been scammed by a Russian or Ukrainian woman. We got back to the bus station around 8pm. There was still sunlight - the days are very long out here.

The first thing we had to do was find lodging for our remaining time in Kiev. The Ukrainian was up for spending time in Kiev for a few nights, so my time in the Ukraine was far from over.  She'd be able to spend 2 more nights in Kiev, so I had to find a place for the next 3 days. I also needed to book airfare on to my next country and she needed a train ticket.

We went to the train station to see what tickets were available for her return journey. It appears no one purchases tickets in advance. The line was extremely long. After hopping a couple of lines and mistakenly ending up in the refunds line, we decided it'd be best to purchase tickets online. The mobile site wasn't working though, so our phones were useless. We searched for a coffee shop with WiFi. After some searching at the station I realized my only hope would be McDonald's across the street. McDonald's really has yet to let me down on this trip. I've always been able to get a decent WiFi connection there. We a snack and realized her return options via train were expensive and not very flexible. A flight to a nearby city to her home (2 hours away from where she lived) worked best. It also meant she could spend a third night in Kiev since the flight wasn't a 17 hour affair like the train was.  I found a place for the first two nights figuring I'd extend the reservation for a 3rd if it was nice. When booking I opted for the more expensive junior suite, just to have a couch and extra space.

Shortly thereafter the Ukrainian used her telephone cab system to order a cab. Roughly $8 for a cab ride to the hotel, what a deal. The driver was a bit younger than me and nice, until he saw I was with a Ukrainian woman. I think that ticked him off.

 

Checking In 

He couldn't find the hotel and we were directed in circles. Eventually we were dropped off outside a restaurant. I knew something wasn't right, but Google maps said we were close so I figured we could find it on foot. We walked up and around a long hill and eventually found the entrance behind a much larger hotel. The hotel reception was simply two large office desks against a wall. It looked like it was a temporary setup, but the clocks fixed on the wall displaying the time throughout the world suggested otherwise. I asked about water and was told the small bar had bottles for sale. They were tiny Evian bottles. At this point I had not realized the water in the Ukraine is not safe to drink, so I opted not to purchase the water. While we waited for our room to be ready, I noticed a water cooler and filled up our bottles. Score! After about 5 minutes our room was ready. Since we had just gotten back from hiking around the most radioactive place on Earth, I insisted we clean up and change. I took our cloths and put them in a laundry bag - regardless the price, I know they had to be cleaned. I thoroughly washed our shoes, too. At this point I was very glad we left our stuff at the luggage locker in Kiev.

The shower sucked. Like the Chernobyl hotel, the shower was a nozzle attached to the main faucet. This bathroom did offer a mount to put the nozzle into (for a hands free shower) but it wouldn't hold the nozzle. Plus, the mount was only about 3 1/2 feet off the ground. I was left thinking the shower was designed for very short people. It made bathing incredibly difficult. The shower, along with the tiny room, was not a good way to create a first impression.

 

Outside hotel

 

Tiny junior suite

 

Bathroom

Dinner

We walked around town a while eventually finding a bar/restaurant that was open with an outdoor seating area. The menu had English translations, which was a first. Some of the translations were funny. The restaurant had house made sausages, which is what the Ukrainian ordered. The Ukrainian noticed a funny translation in the menu. The menu advertises sausages made using 'the chef's very own technology'. I was surprised she got the humor behind the poor translation.

Tomorrow

It was late after dinner so we head back to the hotel. We had a lot to see in Kiev so the plan was to get up early in the morning to start the day.

Chernobyl

Note:

I added two more sections. One detailing the visit to the power

Waking Up

We needed to be at the train station by 8:30. The plan was to take public transportation to the station. Very little is in English throughout the Ukraine. Everything is in either Russian or Ukrainian. One thing I didn't realize was that more than half the people in Ukraine spoke Russian.

Public Transportation in Ukraine

Public transportation in the Ukraine is very efficient and timely. Trains were running frequently and on schedule! The trains were very, very old, but little different than what we have in Chicago. If what I'm told is true, the underground subways doubled as bomb shelters. The escalator going down to the platform was like nothing I've ever seen before. The escalator must have gone up at least 200 feet. If you fell down this thing your life was over. It moved fast, too. Another thing I noticed was that the underground pedestrian passages doubled as shopping malls. At the stations we visited there were large metallic structures. The Ukrainian told me they were used to dispose of pipe bombs and the like.

 

Station

 

Train!

 

Inside train - everyone loves the Capitalist!

 

Underground Pedestrian Crossing

 

Lockers for storing bags were straight out of the Cold War

Getting to Chernobyl

Kiev really isn't that far from the town of Chernobyl, less than 60 miles. The drive though took over 2 hours. We made a single stop at a gas station. I picked up some snickers bars, a hot dog, and water. The rest of the guys got Vodka. I had hoped for a hot dog with nothing on it, but only succeeded in getting it without ketchup. I'm not sure what the white creamy stuff on the hot dog was, but I was able to ignore it. The hot dog tasted very different, more like pepperoni than anything else.

Sometime before entering the exclusion zone we were pulled over by law enforcement. I didn't realize what was going on because I couldn't see in back of the van. The rear windows were covered by strong curtains. At first I thought the stop was routine, than the Ukrainian told me it was something more. I'm not sure what happened, but it was suggested a bribe was paid and 20 minutes later we were on our way. The roads were filled with pot holes and very, very bumpy. At one point, one of the girls in the back hit her head pretty hard on the ceiling. The driver was more cautious afterwards. We stopped and cleared the 30km zone. Everyone's passports were examined and compared against the rooster. We were warned not to take photographs - seriously warned. I listened.

Following the accident, two zones were created. One is the 30km zone and the other is at the 10km zone. The zones are not simple circles and have a lot to do with how radioactivity spread after the accident. The hotel was within the 30km zone, but not within the 10km. Entering/exiting the 30km zone is a much more formal than entering/exiting the 10km zone. Leaving the 30km zone requires a radiation, passport, and vehicle check. This is not done at the 10km zone.

 

30km Checkpoint

(not my photo - photography is not allowed and they are serious about it)

Checking in to Chernobyl Hotel

We were given about an hour to check in at the hotel and relax before regrouping. Yuri, me, and the Ukrainian shared a room. It was pretty clear the room hadn't been updated since it was built. I had downloaded the movie Borat because I felt the Ukrainian had to see it. I wasn't sure how Yuri would take it. The first 30 minutes was nothing but continuous laughter.

 

The hotel isn't so bad from the outside

 

3 beds to a room

 

Bathroom

 Chernobyl Bus Stop

There wasn't much to see at the Chernobyl Bus Stop. This was the first of the many building I would see that looked abandoned. The bus stop though is still used, buses run for workers daily to and from the plant. There are also two convenience shops inside the bus station.

 

Interior of Bus Station

 

Inside Bus Station

 

Chairs outside Bus Station

 

Shop inside Bus Station

Men in military fatigues are workers. 

Note 80% of shelf space is consumed by Vodka

 

Pipes are mostly all above ground. 

Since the ground is radioactive, digging is avoided at all costs throughout the exclusion zone.

Pripyat Elementary School

Pripyat is an abandoned city near the town of Chernobyl. The town gets it's name from the river that runs through the town. The town was founded in 1970 to house the workers of the Chernobyl plant. It was probably the largest city impacted by the disaster with a population of around 50,000 people. The elementary school was used to educate the children of the employees who worked at the plant. The school would be one of the most disturbing places I would visit on the tour. The disaster happened in 1986, over 25 years ago. Much of what was being done that day remains in the school. Writing remains on the walls, tests are on a teachers desk, dolls and toys are all around the property...abandoned. Many objects like furniture were removed after the accident as part of the cleanup.

 

Exterior of school

 

Dolls and toys left from 1986

 

Playground

 

Fence outside playground of school

 

Tests, papers

 

Chernobyl Jail 

It took us a few minutes to figure out what the structure was, but after entering it was clear we were at the jail. Much of the structure was in disrepair. I'm not sure if the room was ever finished, but the ceiling rebar remains.

 

Incomplete building attached to police station or jail

 

Cell block

Pripyat Hospital

The hospital was very creepy. This was the place the first responders to the Chernobyl accident were taken. Some of the equipment the first responders wore or used is still at the site and very dirty. The guys were measuring either a hood or mask from one of the firemen who was a first responder and it still read extremely high. The poor guy never had a chance.

 

Pediatrics Floor

 

Waiting Room

 

Operating Room

 

Hallway

 

Wheelchair

 

Waiting Room

Pripyat Recreation Center

The recreational center was actually used for a good amount of time after the accident. I was told that the facility was abandoned in the 90s. Apparently it was kept open for the staff who continued to work at the facility. People who work at the facility present day work 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. When 'on' they stay at hostiles within the 30km zone.

 

Basketball Court

 

Remnants of the cleanup

 

Swimming Pool

Chernobyl Fields 

 

Crane used as part of cleanup effort

 

Wouldn't go near the thing...too hot.

 

Yuri is absolutely insane. The Geiger counter read 34.08
Walking away just 10 feet reduces the count by more than 10

 

.12 is what reads outside the exclusion zone

Soil is naturally radioactive, so '0' is not the baseline

Factory

We toured a vacant factory that was also used after the disaster as a visitors center of sorts.  What the factory did was secret, so no one knows for sure what went on.

 

Yuri displaying Soviet pride. He claims it was a good country while it lasted.

 

(left) Modern Day Ukrainian Storage

(right) Ukrainian solution to the iPhone

Sports Stadium

There wasn’t much to see at the stadium. A forest stands where the open field once did. Immediately after the accident the area outside the Sports Stadium became a landing zone for the helicopters attempting to control the accident. These guys were heros. If they were smart enough to fly a helicopter, than they had to know what they were doing would likely kill them. These guys were heroes.  One pilot was killed when his helicopter collided with a power line. Others would die of radiation poisoning months and years later. 

Immediately after the accident the ground was paved to accommodate the helicopters. I imagine the last thing they wanted to do was kick up radioactive dust every time a helicopter came near. I thought the pavement was a parking lot but the guys confirmed that it was added after the disaster. The paved area was far too large to be a parking lot for a town the size of Pripyat , not to mention that most people would walk to the stadium.  Lines that run 10-12 feet, similar to rivets, can be seen and felt in the pavement. These marks were left by either the helicopters, or the equipment attached to them, to absorb the radioactivity. Over 25 years later the pavement still reads multiples higher (over 10 times) than the area surrounding it. 

Chernobyl Power Plant

Before crossing over to the power plant we crossed what is known as the bridge of death. The bridge earned its name because it's the place where people went to witness the explosion. The explosion created unique rainbow colored flames. Unfortunately, it also exposed the people viewing from the bridge to a lethal does of radiation. 

Before arriving we were told numerous times to only point our cameras in the direction of the plant. Because waste is stored on the ground and because multiple tiers of security exist, photography outside of the plant is forbidden. We were advised to keep our cameras pointed to the ground at all other times. They guys were serious and insisted snipers were in the distance.

 

Chernobyl Power Plant, Present Day

 

Me in front of monument and reactor

The Roof

Yuri and would disappear for time to time as we moved from location to location. He had mentioned earlier that he had constructed some devices that he was planting  around the town to catch vandals. He build a device that contained a motion detector, radio receiver,  GLONAS (Russian equivalent of GPS), and a cell radio. The radio receiver received a signal from a remote control – it simply worked as an on/off switch so a false alarm wouldn’t trigger when Yuri went near. The devices would send SMS messages to law enforcement to arrest the trespassers. One of the times the Ukrainian joined him – they had climbed to the roof of one of the abandoned apartment buildings. I was curious and expressed interest in joining. Yuri got excited and welcomed me along. His exuberance made me a bit worried. Was this some sort of trap? My imagination began to create some very strange scenarios - maybe they were planting explosives and the stupid American was going to be their fall guy.  A bomb going off in this town would be no different than a tree falling in a forest with no one around to hear it. So I went with on the last adventure. Yuri was content putting his contraption on the 5^th floor this time, but the Ukrainian went with me to see the skyline. It was worth the hike. You could see everything from the rooftop. From one end of the building you could see the Amusement Park, notably the Ferris wheel. From another view you could see the entire power plant. From here I was able to take a few pictures of the entire plant.   

 

View from the top

 

The Chernobyl Plant -  new shelter visible on the far right

 

Ferris wheel from the roof

Dinner

Around 7pm we head to dinner. The driver sat at our table. He doesn't speak English well, but was curious how I felt about Syria. He's convinced the US is preparing for war against the country. He's not Syrian, so I'm not sure what his concern was all about. 

 

Ukrainian Dinner

Night 

A curfew is in effect throughout the exclusion zone. We were told we could not leave the hotel after 9pm. One of the guides ignored the rules and we left with him for the shop. They got Vodka, the Ukrainian and I got ice cream. Attached to the shop was a bar. I wanted to take a picture of the interior but figured it would be a bad idea since a couple of people were drinking and were glaring at me. 

 

I can't complain because I wasn't expecting much, but the hotel was pretty miserable. Screens appear to be very uncommon. Not just throughout Ukraine, but most of Europe. The temperature did cool things down, but there were flies and mosquitoes that came into the room from outside. It wasn't the worst night of sleep I've had on the trip, but it was fairly uncomfortable. We just had one night here so it was bearable. Yuri mentioned there were 2 hotels throughout Chernobyl and one hostel. The other hotel was on par with this one.

For a few hours the group sat around a table and chatted. Since they were talking in Russian there was little I could interaction I could have. I did sit with them though for a good hour and joined the conversation here and there.

 

Chernobyl Bar

Note that is not Santa Clause, rather Ded Moroz

 

Bath with this? Whaaaat?

Tomorrow

We'd need to be up tomorrow by 8:30. I turned in a little earlier than the rest.