As Ukraine ramps up for its upcoming March, 2019 presidential election, what’s the political mood in Kyiv? In the midst of escalating tensions with Russia in the Azov Sea, which has even prompted president Petro Poroshenko to declare martial law, what are the chances that the West has Ukraine’s back? […]
Can Berlin’s “rebel culture” survive in the midst of an inexorable march toward gentrification? It may be a tough order, though anarchists and others are basking in victory after internet giant Google abandoned efforts to open a company “campus” in the trendy neighborhood of Kreuzberg. The corporation would not say […]
One of the highlights of my trip to Uzhgorod was a visit to the old Moorish-style synagogue, which now serves as a local concert hall. I climbed up on a hill of gravel, and beyond it looked like there was some type of construction or restoration going on. Returning several […]
Walking around Kyiv, I came upon a rather incongruous site: Czarist-era military fortifications designed to keep outsiders from intruding upon the town. In light of the fact that Ukraine now finds itself in a war with Russian-backed separatists, such fortifications take on a somewhat ironic twist. Ukrainian soldiers, who are […]
In a big political shakeup, the local Ukrainian Orthodox Church has been granted independence from Russia. Such developments will undoubtedly encourage a renewed sense of nationalism in Ukraine and a greater sense of self-identity. Perhaps, given the new political climate, old medieval religious centers such as Chernihiv, located two hours […]
Uzhgorod, which is now part of Ukraine, used to be known as Ungvar and was a Hungarian settlement. Underneath the museum, visitors may visit a subterranean dungeon which once formed part of the city’s fortifications. An old medallion honoring Franz Joseph and the old Austro-Hungarian Empire. To this day, Uzhgorod […]
Around Uzhgorod in the Carpathian Mountains, one may encounter the Rusyn people. One of the Rusyn clans, the Hutsuls, have their own traditional clothing. In Kyiv’s National Historical Museum, one display showcased a folkloric Hutsul vest. In Uzhgorod, I went to the ethnographic museum for a peek into rural life. […]
Uzhgorod, a small town lying twelve hours from Kyiv by train, has an offbeat history. At one point, the city formed part of the old Austro-Hungarian empire as evidenced by the statue to Maria Theresa. After World War I, Uzhgorod was incorporated into Czechoslovakia and near the town center there’s […]
From a cultural perspective, Lviv is considered to be one of the strongest centers of Ukrainian nationalism. To the outside observer, such local expressions of nationalism seem to range from the benign and folksy to the somewhat jarring. Embroidered dresses can be found for sale in the tourist center of […]
The western Ukrainian city of Lviv, which was formerly known as Lemberg when it formed part of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire, feels more akin visually to central Europe. Lviv prides itself on its cosmopolitan coffee shops and chocolate. Art deco or art nouveau buildings peek out here and there.
