Welcome to Kyiv

So you decided to visit after all… excellent !

Chances are, you will be landing at Kyiv Boryspil Airport (KBP) and if you are coming from somewhere other than Europe, it is almost guaranteed. Boryspil is the largest and most active airport in Ukraine and the only one that handles intercontinental flights. It is located approximately 30 km outside the city.  You can check it out here .. Kyiv Boryspil .. The cheapest way to get from Boryspil to the city is the Skybus. 40 UAH and a comfortable, although not always quick, ride and you will find yourself at the main train station and the Bokzalna metro stop. 

Metro stop at main train station in Kyiv.

Metro stop at main train station in Kyiv.

This is also where you will arrive if you come by train.   After your arrival here, you will be able to go almost anywhere in the city, by metro. The subway system here is convenient, efficient, and inexpensive.  It can be a crowded, especially at peak times, but the trains run every 2 to 5 minutes and only cost 2 uah.  There are also marshrutkas (mini-buses), trams and trolleys for transportation around town.. also efficient and inexpensive.  You can find an interactive map at this site … Transportation Map . A good map for the metro system in Kyiv can be found here … Kyiv Metro Map . This map may very well become your best friend for your adventure in Kyiv.

Some of you will land at International Airport Kyiv, commonly referred to as Zhulyany Airport.  It is located in Kyiv and only a short marshrutka ride from Bokzalna as well. Their site is located here —>  Zhulyany Airport .  I would give instructions about getting to and from this airport, but honestly, the website does a much better job with timetables and routes.

There are also 3 major bus stations in Kyiv.  They offer routes that include all of Ukraine, as well as international destinations. They are also located close to metro stops. The main station at Moskovska Square is a 3 minute walk from Demiivska metro station and the other 2, Pivdenna Bus Station (southwestern routes) and Vydubychi Bus Station (southern routes) are at the Ipodrom metro station.  I am including the Wikipedia link here because the bus station websites are all written in the Russian and Ukrainian languages. Bus Station has alot of useful information.

As I mentioned before, the main train station is located at Bokzalna metro station. Traveling by train in Ukraine is an interesting experience that will definitely be remembered. Unless you are coming from Poland or one of the other neighboring countries, this is not the easiest way to get here but for traveling around the country, it can be interesting and inexpensive.  I use the “night trains” frequently and would recommend it for at least one trip.  You can find more information here … Kyiv Train Station .

Now that you are here … get settled in, rest a bit.. and then, we’ll take a walk and explore what this wonderful city has to offer.Apartment complex

Andrew's Descent

First Steps – A little scary

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Ok.. here we go.. First of all, my name is Steven Liveoak. feel free to call me Steve. It’s what my friends do… Except my Ukrainian and Russian friends. For some reason that I have yet to fathom, it is always Steven. But for the purposes of this (my 1st ever blog post) that is neither here nor there..

I have been an electrician for over 30 years.. In all that time, I have worked in alot of places and done alot of different things but my dream has always been to travel and be a photographer. I have been taking pictures since my first Kodak Instamatic camera when I was 7 or 8 and it has always given me a thrill to see what I shoot printed. To be able to look back at that one split-second moment in time and recall it in every detail is an amazing thing. Even though I have long since “graduated” to SLR’s and, now, DSLR’s the thrill remains the same.

In essence, that is what this will be about.. my travels, my journeys (and occasionally references to others and how they helped me along the path) and the never-ending discoveries along the way.

Essentially, I look for the extraordinary and beautiful in things you can see everyday in every country, in every city, in every culture that I visit. The symmetry and patterns found in the world around us from the iconic (yes, I take those as well) to the hidden or just overlooked.

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So .. with any luck, I will learn and practice and get better at this. I appreciate and comments, both good and bad. Now it is time to get the daily adventure started.