It has been a very snowy Holiday Season!

We went for a walk on Orthodox Christmas Eve, and there was high pressure in the air. It was cold and crisp, and we enjoyed the briskness of it all.

And, smokestacks in the distance, which are actually pretty close!

Unfortunately, not all of the creatures like the cold so much.

Hungry Buggers!

On our walk from the Metro we caught some varmints finding refuge on the ground over some heated pipes (below the surface). Obviously the heat was significant, as it melted all of the snow in a 2-3 meter patch. Actually, there are lots of these spots around apartment buildings — It’s fairly common to see a group of 4 manholes oriented in a square. I guess there’s a room down there, with valves and stuff, to regulate the flow of water, etc… Anyway, we could see the steam spewing from the crack around a manhole cover. The pooches actually seemed pretty happy there – as they should – because there are many dogs (and other animals) out in the cold (especially outside of the city) that aren’t as lucky, and don’t make it through the winter. They first barked. But their defensiveness quickly turned to curiosity when we stopped walking. They were obviously just hoping we’d give them something to eat. No luck, and no love, as we had nothing to offer, and didn’t want to touch their [potentially] nappy fur.

We were on our way to pay our buddy for storing my Dnepr 11 (motorcycle) for the winter. As we walked through the park adjacent to the Metro, we snapped a couple of wintery pictures. Here’s a great view of Kiev’s “TV” tower – although everything has gone the way of digital cable now.

The TALLEST lattice steel structure in the WORLD.

I also became a treehugger for about 10 seconds.

Yep, I put myself on the world wide web.

Incidentally, I think I represent the 1% of the Kiev population that wears a colorful jacket. Everyone else — BLACK, GREY, DARK, DRAB, or Big-Cat patterns.

On our way to pay, we also caught a presumed grandfather playing with his grandson on a sleigh in the snow. There were small hills all over this park – where people sled and play in the winter. Actually, and very sadly, it’s a Jewish Memorial) – read the Wikipedia page and you’ll learn why there are hills here.

It’s a bit fuzzy (sorry), but you get the idea.

woooooo-hoooooooo!

Immediately ahead, we saw the “grown-up” version, and you didn’t need your own vehicle. Frozen tires were awaiting anyone stupid enough to attempt a ride down the icy luge. The main issue was the waviness of the descent. It’s hard to see, but by midway down the hill, you were going to be catching air for sure. Helen said it’s a common way for kids to lose teeth and break collar bones (clavicles) in the winter, when they go head-first. Which is what you do, when you TOUGH!

Be very, very careful...

We chose not to test fate. I like my smile the way it is, and a good dentist is extremely hard to find here in Kiev

After paying the dude, we walked on sidewalks covered in ice for most of the way back home. Kinda sketchy, but you do what ya gotta do. Helen still doesn’t have satisfactory winter boots, and they’ve stopped re-stocking the shelves with winter apparel. Go figure.

We passed by the front side of the Dnepr Motorcycle factory. This is fairly close to what my motorcycle looks like, though mine is (somewhat) warmly tucked away in the back of a garage at the moment.

I don't think this one ever gets off the pole

As we walked, we saw a sign with the time and temperature. Yep it was cold, at only 4:30 in the afternoon:

Just a bit chilly...

But as the night passed, the pressure dropped. Consequently, the clouds returned, along with their associated moisture, and we woke up to a beautiful white Orthodox Christmas (Jan 7).

snowy

Russian New Year is this coming Wednesday (Jan 14). Just one more reason to celebrate in Soviet Style