Spotlight

Happy December

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1150772661

I've done a study

Our street name is "Tereschenkovskaya".

I know, I know. It's terrible. There's probably 40 different ways of pronouncing that.

But I found out that you can influence taxi prices by changing where you put stress on the word. For example:

1. te[re]schenkovskaya will cost you $5
2. where tereschen[kov]skaya will cost $7
3. a cab ride will cost you $10 if you are foolish enough to say tere[schen]kovskaya

If you are looking at a map and using option 3 you'll be walking home.

The locals, of course, just say tereszzkay = they pay $3 (sometimes $2)

Pregnancy side effect

My wife is 6 months pregnant and is now asking to borrow my jeans... thanks woman!

Snowman with a purpose

Thanks to Linda and Mary Anne for setting this up :-)

Tivoli

You have NO idea how crazy that ride was!!!

Happy toes

International schools are very ambitious

My daughter is 3, and she's attending an international kindergarten.

I just had a look at her schedule for this week. Check out Monday's activity, and then Tuesday's.


I can't stop laughing :-) School is cool!

Our very first piece of art

We bought this painting from a women who specializes in making custom paintings of Kiev. You just tell her which parts of Kiev you like, and she fits it into a beautiful, colorful and one-of-a-kind image of your home city.

Now can I open them?

It's a BOY

Last nights scanning left no doubt; we are having a boy (seriously you didn't need a doctors degree to see that on the ultrasound).

He's scheduled for arrival during February.

WTF!?!

My 3kg birthday cake

Isn't she lovely?

4 months pregnant and GLOWING!!!

Guess what :-)

George michael live from Kiev

The mums

Preparing for the big event...

This is the stadium hosting the 2012 European Championship final. It's estimated that €20b (€20.000.000.000) are needed in investments over the next 5 years in order to host this event. And that's Ukraine alone.
Infrastructure such as roads, airports, public transportation, hotels etc. needs an update. I heard that 20 new hotels are needed in Kiev alone. I think Hyatt spend about 5 years constructing their new 5-starred hotel, and the building was already there... Someone needs to get busy!

But I think this is Ukraines BIG chance to show its potential. This can't be pulled off based on individuals. Everybody has to work together this time despite differences in "interests". Government, local government, businessmen, police force, fire department, hospitals etc. ALL of them has to look at this as a future opertunity for turning things around. It's NOT just another happening for making some quick cash!

Cheap cigarettes

YES, cheapest pack is about $0,15. They are probably made out of recycled pizza boxes. But it makes me wonder how profitable this business really is back west?

Side effect from Elton John concert

Ukrainian summerland

Had the sky been blue that day you would know what the Ukrainian flag symbolizes.

Japanese tv tetris game

?????? I'm speechless.

Credit card status Ukraine

Hey, i'm included in the 96%. Maybe the boom in e-commerce is a bit further away than I thought.

Paparazzi

Crystal, Calum. You made it to Kyiv Post this week :-)

Elton John

Live from independence square in Kiev

Cool

Shopping mall with ice skating

Balloon hair

Sunday brunch with IWCK

Good news come in series

Yesterday Ukraine was chosen to host the UEFA European Championship 2012. And now a 3rd place in watermelon production...

I know, it's silly

clipped from www.lol.org.ua Ukraine achieved the third place in Europe as for volumes of watermelon production in 2006 To trust the data of the official statistics, Ukraine was able to occupy the third place as watermelon producer in Europe because the country built up more than twice the watermelon production in 2006. According to the data of the official statistics, watermelon production in Ukraine constituted 687 thousands of tons in 2006. Despite of the excessive supply of watermelon on Ukrainian market in 2006, many professional producers plan to extend watermelon cultivation areas in 2007. This crop is attractive because of the low production cost and unpretentious nature. At the same time, if there are channels to export the produce to EU countries, watermelon production can become a very profitable business.

They are back, but outnumbered

Ukraine hosts European Championship 2012

Ukraine and Poland are co-hosting the European Championship in 2012.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Well, I guess a lot of construction and renovation is going to take place then... new stadiums, 25 new hotels, airport modernization in the regions etc. etc.

This is GREAT news for Ukraine.

Could be my last post...

According to a new survey from IATA, Russia and the other former Soviet countries are now the most dangerous places to fly from. Twice as dangerous compared to the African countries

clipped from www.iata.org Regional Results: The Safety Report shows that not all regions of the world saw the same level of safety.  For example, Russia and other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) had the highest accident rate of all the regions in 2006, with 8.6 Western-built hull losses per million flights—13 times the global average. IATA is actively working with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), States and operators to improve the situation.

Everybody will look like idiots in the future

:-)

Supermarket playroom

Our local supermarkets entertainment offer for Freja.

And since she's under 3... I GET TO GO IN THERE TOO :-)

Baby Bar

Baby Bar is the name of a concept restaurant we found in Kiev yesterday. This restaurant is a great example of something you CAN'T find in the West, but it is SO COOL.

Here's the concept:

• half of the square meters are used as a playroom for the kids
• the playroom has EVERYTHING! Toys, slides, swings, playhouse, cars, dolls etc.
• two nanny's are watching the kids
• the restaurant serves pretty healthy food and has a good selection
• prices are the same as in any other restaurant

If somebody decided to build this in Denmark, a ham'n'cheese sandwich would cost $100+

Cool

Still room for growth

What I miss

OK, we've been living in Kiev for more than a year now so it's about time to list what I miss the most (besides family and friends):

• A really good Sunday brunch
• Respect for pedestrians
• Direct flight connection between Kiev and Copenhagen

Mind you, things are moving FAST in this country. A year ago, I couldn't get a decent cafe latte 2 go, and good pizza was non existing. That's in the past. Cool new places are popping up every week.

I'm getting sick

Nothing serious, just a February cold. Problem is, there is no time for staying in bed next week. I have to get up in the morning and get on that plane.

Very responsible! By the end of next week all passengers on the airplane, all hotel guests eating continental breakfast AND the customer I'm visiting will be in bed because I decided to take the chance.

Why do we do that???

Whoops

I feel like a bad parent. Funny thing is, she's still sleeping like a baby.

Whoops

I feel like a bad parent. Funny thing is, she's still sleeping like a baby.