Life in Kyiv, Ukraine

Holodomor in Ukraine

in 1932 - 1933 communists killed around 10 mln people in Ukraine. I don't think killers survived till nowadays. I don't care much about them.
But I do care about the memory of millions killed. One minute of silence per year. We remember.

                            One area where President Yusgchenko has  my full support...

Competative advantages of Ukraine

Just came back from the lecture of the IMF's representative in Ukraine.

It is always a pleasure to listen to smart people. H

Here is the question I asked him:

What could be the major Ukraine's competitive advantages in the world economy ?

His answer was very relevant and quite close to my view, so I want to describe it:

1 Agriculture. It's true that agriculture is subsidized all over the Europe, but if use rich soil of Ukraine in right way it pay back. And agriculture may produce the fuels of the future, like ethanol, which is great hidden potential for Ukraine.

2 Skilled workforce. System of education was competitive enough to teach many talented people in different spheres. They might be as smart as there counterparts in other parts of the world, but they certainly have fairly low level of salaries now. When capital flows in and combines with skilled inexpensive labor it will produce outstanding results.

Ukrainian wedding (Lviv)

Weeding in Lviv. I don't have time to write all impressions, so
Things that were interesting beside good looking happy couple:

1 "Zamok Pototskyh" - it is like most popular Lviv ZAGS. Amazing thing about it: live orchestra in the room which creates incredible atmosphere. Much deeper feeling of ceremonial mood.

2 After the church ceremony the bride was standing at stairs and  throwing chocolate sweets to guests. I am not sure what was that about, but I catch and ate one just in case.

3 Before the "First table" people prayed "Otche Nash". Not a fan pf religion, I would not like it happen at my wedding.

4 Mid-aged people were dancing polka and waltz really actively. Even better than youngsters.

5 The wedding  celebration slowed down after 3 p.m !!!  Respect.

6 It closed with "Mnogaya lita" to everydoby. Again, I personally don't understand religious staff.

7 Entertainers, wishes, tosts, singing, dancing are present at every wedding, but this time they were spectacular !

Rhythm of the dance

Rhythm of the dance is an Irish dancing show
The ad says:
Feel The Beat Of The Bodhran,
Tap Your Feet, Dance In The Aisles,
This Is A Truly Spectacular Irish Dance Show

I must admit the ad is quite close to reality.
Step,step, step. The rhythm is present is in each dance. In violin play. In songs.

It is lively show because of its energy and because it was filled with loved Celtic music. I associate such type of music with life.

Download 10._The_Life_Of_Sleeping_Joe_-_Kahol.mp3
Personally, the best impression of the show for me is that when  you look at it and
you do not think about anything else. 

The expectation that did not happen:   Lord of dance is like dancing story with plot, like a play . Rythm of dance has no story, it is all in dance and music. Now I am excited to see what is Todes like.

Video is at the YouTube

Zucchero

I watch the video at YouTube, 1987 original “Senca una donna” and 1 hour later I see Zuccero live. It feels like you watch movie at TV, then step out of the building and understand that movie is a reality.

No doubts, he is an outstanding singer. Maybe it is because most of his songs are in Italian, world most beautiful language to listen. Possibly, it is because of sorrowful, enthusiastic, romantic, aggressive, melancholic, energetic voice, which changes along music accords and leads them. Or the simple reason for wonderful performance is his soul, that exists in every song. Well, all of those are possible. But he is truly a unique one.

It was very different experience from Okean Elzy. When you listen to Vakarchuk, you understand the words and sing with him. The lyrics create some feelings to enjoy. While listening to Zuccero, you don’t understand a single word. Nothing else, except music to create your experience. The mind starts to imagine dreams. It’s what I call “to feel the music”

I also liked the concert o another reason, which was not particularly related to Zuccero.

But I hope, even described above is enough not to miss next one in Kyiv. Superior chance to enjoy the famous “Baila Morena”

It blows my mind now that I found you
Deep in the night of tequila boom boom
Slide by me, sexy thing, sexy and fine
I got my eyes on you all of the time.....yeah

Youve got to have chaos burnin in you
To make you open like a flower in bloom
Hell lives inside you next to paradise
The moon and sun have come to watch your shine

Baby, the night is on fire
Yea, were flames in the sky
Flashin through the night.....what you say?

Baila, baila morena
Sotto questa luna piena
Under the moonlight
Under the moonlight

Go chica, go cocca keep it all shakin
You know tonight somethins up for the takin
My heart is gold, heart of a saint
With you beside me girl, oh, then I aint

Baby, the night is on fire
Yea, were flames in the sky
A scandal in the night.....what you say?

Baila, baila morena
Sotto questa luna piena
Under the moonlight

Baila, under the moonlight
Sotto questa luna piena
Baila morena.....yeah yeah yeah

You got me hurtin so bad, so bad
I got to have it, so bad

Baila, baila morena
Sotto questa luna piena
Under the moonlight

Baila, under the moonlight
Sotto questa luna piena
Baila morena

Sotto questa luna piena
Sotto questa luna piena
Sotto questa luna piena

Under the moonlight.

Close firends' wedding

Investment banker from Foyil, auditors from PWC, advanced staff from Ernst&Young, consultant from Deloitte and journalist from Strategy magazine  dance energetic  rock&roll”. EXCITING !  That is not the corporate Sziget by the way. It is the  restaurant “Chervona Kalyna.

What is really special about good friends wedding, beside two happiest people on the planet, is an opportunity to see a lot of other happy faces. Happy and Dancing but not Drunk ! Amazing as for Ukrainian party, isn’t it ? Honestly, I really liked that fact.

Beside  guests’ high cultural level it was an traditional three parts wedding ceremony:

1    ZAGS (it is translated somehow ?). State registration of marriage. Numerous pictures. Ceremonial tone. Lots of pictures.  Flowers. Followed by photo session in the scenic Kyiv park located at Dnipro banks. Lots of pictures again.
2    Church ceremony. Always it is the most boring part as for me, but I behave myself.
3    Party in the restaurant. A place where most fun is, starting from gift ceremony and continuing into the cheering,eating, talking, drinking, dancing evening.

Till this wedding I have always thought about own weeding as the romantic runaway, somewhere to tropical island like Hawaii and ceremony at the beach. Howeve it seems there are a lot of good things about traditional wedding as well.  Now might consider both 
Well will have discuss that with future wife, ZAGS and church might be obligatory, but Hawaii  still  sounds like a really sexy idea.

P.S  No pictures or videos are  posted  to the blog  as they are copyright. Once a couple comes back from the honeymoon expect to see some happy faces :)