Day of Kiev Fireworks

• HDR Photo

May 28th was the "Day of Kiev," the birthday celebration of Kiev. The celebration started on the 27th and ran until the 29th. Most cities here seem to have their own days, although not all have the budget to have a real celebration. It's generally another reason to get out in the often short summers, but is not an extended weekend with days off. Oh well. With 3 of the last 5 weekends being long weekends, I guess they didn't think we needed another long weekend. (Says who)?

Happy 1,149th birthday Kiev!

Soviet Era Streetcar

The Saturday Archive Series:

As streetcars in Kiev go, this may be a more recent vintage. I’ve seen some that look much older than this one. My understanding is that a large number of the streetcars in Kiev date from before the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. And since a good part of the 1980′s were an era of fiscal decline in the USSR, many may date from earlier than 1991.

UPDATE:

One of my Flickr contacts, OLLENA has informed me that this is streetcar was definitely made sometime in the 1960′s. Thanks, OLLENA.

Another contact, vostok71, believes these are Czech made streetcars from the 1980′s Thanks vostok71.

Momma Don't Cry

The Saturday Archive Series

мама, не плачь, or “Momma, Don’t Cry” pub, Kiev, 2008. A victim of the financial crisis, maybe, it disappeared in September 2008, to be replaced by “Porter Pub”.

River near Lamanai, Belize

I had an extra day to spend in the Belize City region of Belize before my main adventure trip was scheduled to begin, so what else to do but to explore some of the local Mayan ruins.  Lamanai fit that bill just fine.

This is a photo with painting effects applied.

Zebra Fountain

• HDR Photo ~ Photo Series – Whimsical Wednesdays

Another sculpture found at Kiev's Landscape Alley, by the same person who created the statue seen last week, sculptor Constantine Skritutskogo.

At the Botanic Gardens

•  HDR Photo

Rock garden at the Kiev Botanic Gardens.

Into the Woods

The Saturday Archive Series.

A forest path in West Ukraine, in the Carpathian mountains.

This started out as a photograph, but through the wonders of modern technology, it became a painting!

View from Rodina Mat

•  HDR Photo

If it wasn't for that cluster of buildings on the right side of the photo, you'd be hard-pressed to believe a city was anywhere nearby.  But in this case, not only is a city nearby, this photo was taken in the heart of Kiev.  Of course, most of Kiev is more densely built-up than what you see here, but Kiev is a very liveable city, with many parks and open spaces (though I'm sure there a many people who would like to change that, for a piece of the action, that is).

This is the view from the base of Rodina Mat, the "Mother Motherland" statue in Kiev.  The gold-domed buildings are part of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra complex, and in the bottom right are sculptures on the grounds of the Museum of the Great Patriotic War.

Doll on Pillows

•  HDR Photo ~ Photo Series - Whimsical Wednesdays

This is one of numerous statues and sculptures found in an area of Kiev referred to as "Landscape Alley."

View from the Botanic Gardens

•  HDR Photo

While I have shown a photo of Vydubichi Monastery before, that was a view not seen too often. Few people seem to venture down to the monastery. People who have pictures of this monastery have this picture, Vydubichi as seen from the Botanic Garden.

Wall Mural, Kiev

The Saturday Archive Series continues...

Soviet Era mural? Nyet.

Soviet Inspired? Uhh…nyet.

Religious? Nyet again.

(Although there does seem to be some disagreement here. My wife thinks probably none of the above, but one of my Flickr contacts thinks this a genre called Soviet Realistic Art).

This is a mural on the wall of a brick and tile outlet in Kiev. Presumably, they’re just showing off what they can do. Although, if you ask me, it does have a bit of a religious theme going.

Soviet Era Locomotive

• HDR Photo

Soviet Era Locomotive, seen at Kiev Polytechnic Institute. As Locomotives go, this is a small one.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Scene from an Old Roman Town

Myra is an ancient town in Lycia, where the small town of Kale (Demre) is situated today in present day Antalya Province of Turkey. It was located on the river Myros (Demre Çay), in the fertile alluvial plain between Alaca Dağ, the Massikytos range and the Aegean Sea.

Myra, from Wikipedia

The Day of a Million Flowers

Today is Victory Day in Ukraine and many of the countries of the former Soviet Union.

The Soviet Victory Day or 9 May marks the capitulation of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in the Second World War (also known as the Great Patriotic War in the Soviet Union and some post-Soviet states). It was first inaugurated in the fifteen republics of the Soviet Union, following the signing of the surrender document late in the evening on 8 May 1945 (9 May by Moscow Time). It happened after the original capitulation that Germany earlier agreed to the joint Allied forces of the Western Front. The Soviet government announced the victory early on 9 May after the signing ceremony in Berlin. Though the official inauguration happened in 1945 (which means it has been celebrated since 1946), the holiday became a non-labour day only in 1965 and only in some of the countries.

This year is likely to be smaller than last year's 65th anniversary of Victory Day, the celebration day of the end of World War 2 in Eastern Europe. But it will still be big enough.

The Battle of the Dnieper Statue

New Section: Contact RLTP!

I'm no doubt late getting around to this, but this website has a new page, "Contact RLTP." You can find it at the very top of the website. It was actually so simple to implement that I'm kicking myself for not doing it earlier. Comments on photos are definitely welcome and should still go in the "Leave a comment" section under each photo. But if you desire to contact me directly, there's a proper contact form now.

The Saturday Archive Series

Ah, monuments, Soviet Style.  Especially if memorializing World War II.  They are just so much bigger than life!  Big!  Bold!  Heroic!

The Battle of the Dnieper Statue is located at the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Kiev.  It commemorates a pivotal battle that liberated Kiev from Nazi Germany.  This is just one of the, well, monumental monuments found on the grounds.

This is a modified version of the photo Battle of the Dnieper statue, posted earlier.

War Memorial, Chernigov

As war memorials go in Ukraine and throughout this part of the world, this is a small one.  But the purpose remains the same as always.  Remember the sacrifices defeating Nazi Germany, and never ever forget this war so you can avoid this fate yourself.  May 9th 2011 will be the 66th anniversary of the end of World War 2, known locally as the Great Patriotic War.  This year's anniversary will be smaller than last years, but May 9th, Victory Day, remains the major civic celebration of the year, even though there are many around here that would rather forget, because Victory Day is a "Soviet holiday," not a Ukrainian one.

What you see here is one of a series of five or six similar memorials at this location.

Turkish Countryside

•  HDR Photo

Seen in the Turkish countryside south of Kemer.  Late September 2010.

Palm and Dogtails

• HDR Photo

Seen at the Simena Sun Club, Kemer, Turkey.