I Reconnoiter

Last night I returned to the Kyiv apartment near 11:00 p.m. It was odd to return here in the dark--I had not yet seen the apartment or the city in the light. After doing some wash, I went to sleep.

This morning is a new day. It is bright and fairly warm outside, and I scouted out the neighborhood. First item of business was to find some groceries and water. A call to my faithful friend and handler, Olga, led me to a nice little market located in the basement of my apartment building. I got eggs, bread, milk and a huge container of spring water--at least two gallons in size. I had breakfast while listening to a Mozart string quartet and then went out again to reconnoiter the neighborhood. I walked across the street to the Baptizer statue, down the ravine to the National Philharmonic house, then along the crest of the bluff overlooking the river to the great arch monument on a high hill above the river. This arch is called the "Friendship Arch," and supposedly symbolizes the friendship between Russians and Ukrainians. I understand from one source that in Kyiv it is sometimes called "the Yoke," as the relationship historically has been less friendship and more servitude on the part of the Ukrainians. Underneath the arch are two great statues--one a Soviet bronze of two workers--Ukrainian and Russian--holding the seal of the U.S.S.R.--the other one a statue of priests and other participants in the Pereyaslavska Rada of 1654.

Most impressive is the grand viewpoint next to the Yoke Arch overlooking the river, which was blazing with light and vitality in the sunlight of this wonderful day.