Bloody visa run-around
Trip Start
Apr 08, 2007
1
109
144
Trip End
Oct 01, 2007
Kyiv,
Ukraine
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Thanks to that - and the much earlier night train than originally planned - I had a grand total of one afternoon to take in Odessa. The good news was that the weather was relatively fine. The bad was that, since I started so late, I couldn't for the life of me get a good shot of the city's premier sight - the Potemkin Steps - thanks to the sun being almost straight behind them. Everything else was done on a rather hurried pace, so while I can say I've seen Odessa, I don't really feel I got to appreciate and enjoy it. And, of course, Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky was right out. I guess it'll require a return trip in the future . . . if and/or when that ever happens.
I'm now in big, busy, but quite beautiful Kyiv, after a comfortable, if restless night train. I had the good fortune of being in a compartment with AC, so that meant I could stay cool throughout. And, fortunately, I shared the compartment with a quiet, 40-year old Russian woman, rather than a fat, half-drunk middle-aged man who snores. Even still, I had a hell of a time trying to get to sleep on board, then an equally difficult time trying to stay asleep due to all the jolting stops.
When I arrived in Kyiv this morning, it was pouring down rain, which was pretty poorly timed. For some stupid reason, I printed out an inadequate map to my hostel, but didn't bother to write down the address, directions or phone number to the place. Thus I had the great fun of wandering aimlessly in the general area of where it supposedly was, while trying (and failing) to stay covered by my small umbrella. Once it became clear that I was quickly getting nowhere, not to mention sweating through my clothes, I decided to stop in a nearby hotel and ask directions. They had no idea where the place was, but they did let me store my luggage for free and use the internet connection at their business center. Not surprisingly, the hostel ended up being right in a spot I'd previously walked by, but off in a rather obscure corner. I arrived to a packed-out entry room, as the place had been overbooked the previous night and the overflow of three people had been put in the common room. After the luxury of Odessa's hostel, I seemed to have gotten myself into someplace more similar to migrant workers' housing.
I was quite happy to receive my invitation and tourist voucher for the Belarusian visa in my mailbox today though. With that in hand, I made a visit to the embassy the first priority of the day. Then, what do you know? The embassy isn't open for new visa applications on Wednesday. I have to go back again in the morning. This after I'd already been hunting around (unsuccessfully) for a place to get photos done for the application. Well, at least I would have more time to find something (in fact, I found a booth at the TsUM department store this afternoon). Still, that was yet another morning blown - I wasn't able to finally get out and explore Kyiv proper until almost 1:00!
That said, it's been a pretty crappy day weather-wise. The rain ceased later in the morning, but it stayed grey until late in the afternoon. So I didn't really get up to much other than just look around town and get a feel for the place. It's an impressive city though, with a lot of history about and some incredible Orthodox monastic complexes and cathedrals. There's a fair bit of Stalinist pomp along the main drag of Khreshchatyk and even a number of more ambitious, modern architecture, so there's something here from each era. It should be a interesting place to get to know over the next couple days. Hopefully I'll have the time to enjoy it properly!
