Dniepopetrovsk

Dniepopetrovsk also is on the Dniepr, the main Ukrainian river. By the past the city was closed to foreigners and curious people as it was the base of a missile-building centre for the Soviet State.

At the railway station, Nataliya's father, Paul, picked us up and brought us to a hotel, very close to their flat. After a quick shower and breakfast, we visited the city museum and with Anne, we ran to shops to find stg well-enough to wear for the wedding... D-1!! To see the shops in Ukrainian is incredible. In Dniepopetrovsk there are so many very expensive ones... the ultra liberalist part of Ukraine.

In the evening, we came back to Natliya's parents' flat. Her mother had prepared a wonderful dinner, with plenty of Ukrainian specialities. It was delicious. And contrary to Poland where i think it is missing :-), Ukraine produces wine (excellent ones), in Crimee. We ended the night, singing and having good fun.

On Sunday was the so-awaited event: the wedding!! Being sure that Ukrainian women would be very elegantly dressed (for sure more than us), Anne and me also decided to go to the hair-dresser,.. at least to look different from everyday. She was luckly: her hairdresser made a good work. Mine... grrr!! During the time the hairdresser wa working on my hair, Anne was obsering me and my face was becoming more and more worried, as I was becoming aware of the look of my hair... I was awful... We were alreday late.. We had 20th to go back to the hostel and get dressed. I did not want to go with this hairdressing. I changed stg in my hair and finally joined the others in the bus.

At the cerkiew the ceremony went on. It was so different from weddings in catholic churches. At the same time in, there was a baptism and people praying for themselves. There areno seats in cerkiews so everyody stands up. The best woman and the best man were respectively Brasilian and Argentinian, so like us, they didn't get a single word of what the priests told and they didn't know how the ceremony may go on. It was very funny, full of surprises!!

After the ceremony, we went by bus from places to places, to take pictures, but, esp girls with dresses, we were frezzing.. I was so cold with my summer dress. Anf finally we headed to Natliya's parents village where will be the meal and the party!!! Food was wonderfull, drinks were wonderfull, vodka-toasts were wonderfull, music was wonderful (and kitsch!!), people were wonderful!! Everything unforgettable for everybody.

The day after, the parents led us in the countryside where we, again, ate, and drank.. But the French guests were too brave during the wedding and the day after they wre not brave at all... I was still not fed up with vodka and wine :-), We also played "ballon-prisonnier", so much fun!!

Most of the French guests left by train in the evening. With Anne, we left the night after, travelling with two "psychopath-looking" guys :-(. We spent one day in Kiev again, visiting The Lavra, a gorgeous monastery site.. But we were some kond of kick out form the catacombs as we didn't have skirts as it was required from women, added to stg on the head! And finally the rain was back! Juliya hosted us and we left the train.

Personally I had some problems to get back to Poland.. problems to buy my return tickets, problems with the language, but finally I managed and I was in Krakow the day after at 3.30pm, whereas I had an appointment there at 4pm. Gooooood!!

Promised, I will come back to Ukraine! I wish to visit Crimee and some other places and know more the people and the history and traditions of this country!! But before, i will learn the cyrilic alphabet :-)