What 1st come to your mind when you think of Ukraine?

[Admin]

I thought this could be entertaining. When you think of Ukraine whats the first few things - names, images or thoughts that pop into your head?

[Claus]

The vast stutue of the motherland - perhaps because that was the very first thing I saw through the frost-mists when I for the first time arrived to Kyiv - in 1989.

[ecocks]

Before I came and looked around I always thought of Fiddler on the Roof.  AHHHHNATEVKA...AHNATEVKA.....

After I had been here a week, I confess it...the women.

Ed

[BrianPBG]

Having spent half my teenage years there, first thing that pops into my mind is the people, unique and caring.  Other than that, farms, dachas and eggs always comes to mind.  Women can be grouped into people  :wink:

[matlockk]

The vast stutue of the motherland - perhaps because that was the very first thing I saw through the frost-mists when I for the first time arrived to Kyiv - in 1989.

Me too. 1997 when I first saw it

[Admin]

So Iron Lady works as Big Ben then :-)

[marktristan]

A yellow field with a blue sky!

This is a result of watching Everything Is Illuminated.  It was one my first impressions of Ukraine (apart from news reports on Chernobyl and Orange Revolution). 

OK, I know the movie was mostly filmed around Prague rather than in Ukraine, but the scene with the lady's cottage in the field chock-full of sunflowers was really striking.   And then I found out it's just like the colours of the flag:).

Just to reinforce the image...in April, visiting Odessa, my friend insisted we stop and take pictures as we passed by this field:

[Packman]

For me it was "bread baskets" !

[rayjazz21]

Ok, I've just arrived, and here is my first impression -

Hundreds of foreigners standing around the immigration form desk asking each other for pens in various languages, all wondering why there wouldn't be pens there in the first place.   

I love it already!! 

Oh, and then after getting through customs, I saw a small desk that had a sign saying "Check-in for Domestic Flights."  I stood there, and I saw a man watching me.  There was no one at the desk, though.  And he kept watching me.  And then, only after 30-45 minutes, he approaches me and says, "Кстати, никого не будет.  Вам надо пойти в терминал А."   

Добро пожаловать в Украину!! 

[ecocks]

Welcome Ray!  Great to have you on board.

[Vera]

Narrow-minded maybe but to me Ukraine is mostly Kiev (Andreevsliy spusk, Maidan, Botanical garden, Lavra), food (borch with salo & vareniki, vodka & beer (yuck!!!)
People (some of them of course, not all ).
Oh and the Crimea with its unique mix of cultures and delicious fruit.

Welcome, Ray!!

[rjm]

In no particular order, my first day in Ukraine in 2002 the following things struck me....

The centre of Kiev and how geen it is

The Dnipro

Babushki

Pirate CDs and DVDs and Software on evey street (even Kreshatyk)

Borsch

The girls and their short skirts and their flattering dress sense

Fake Adidas track suits worn by the men

Rodina Mat

The sheer chaos of Vokzalna in Kiev

The metro and the miserable faces in the carriages

Complete lack of foreigners even in the central areas

Watching the English Premiership in an empty O Brians

How cheap everything was (it was 6 years ago remember) in comparison with anywhere else in Europe.

Troeshna Market

Crazy taxi drivers and being able to get someone to take me from Levoberezhna to Nivky for 10gr

The sheer amount of military and police everywhere

Verka Serduchka

Waitresses who dont want to give me my change

Eating shashlik in some forest

[Lt. Campers]

Ok, I've just arrived, and here is my first impression -
Hundreds of foreigners standing around the immigration form desk asking each other for pens in various languages, all wondering why there wouldn't be pens there in the first place.   

I love it already!! 
Oh, and then after getting through customs, I saw a small desk that had a sign saying "Check-in for Domestic Flights."  I stood there, and I saw a man watching me.  There was no one at the desk, though.  And he kept watching me.  And then, only after 30-45 minutes, he approaches me and says, "Кстати, никого не будет.  Вам надо пойти в терминал А."   

Добро пожаловать в Украину!! 

Welcome to Odessa Ray,
I assume what you describe are your first impressions of Odessa airport. I've arrived their many times and
no doubt after collecting your bags - you put it through the scanner before being waylayed by customs 'with
their anything to declare' questions. You probably had to fend off the hoards of taxi drivers offering to take
you into Odessa - before leaving the terminal building. Yes, I know it well. 

 

[JonathanCampion]

My first impression of Ukraine (before I arrived) was a fitting one for today - Andrei Kanchelskis!

[P-N]

My first impression of Ukraine was - It's far friendlier and cleaner than Moscow............I did get off the Moscow train in Odessa though 

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