Jm
Good point. My Lena is 38, has features you would expect and accept with other 38 year old women. I have fallen for her because she is the most special women I have ever know. My 1st wife (only wife I had at this stage) was a good-in, but I f—ked that up with booze many years ago. This women (Lena) is a cracker. She is totally devoted and along with her 17 year old daughter they both want our relationship to succeed.
I know (especially what I experienced out and about by myself 1st few days here in Kiev) that I could score a women more beautiful in looks and much younger than Lena.But I know I am not the correct natured person to succeed in such a relationship. I am very set in my ways and old fashioned with morals and attitudes etc. It would be great bonking and showing off to the boys back home with a pretty lady in her mid 20’s on my arm, but I know 100% it would not last.
Do not misunderstand me, I am talking about ME and not other men that can probably adapt and relate to the younger generation.
Anyway I must off for a walk, weather crap here today but warm. I will post more about happenings and the way things work or not work in this beautiful country that is run by greedy and manipulative people.
Actually Spirit, Kiev is a very romantic place to take your lady. If your lady happens to be from Ukraine, they really enjoy showing you their history and culture. Larissa was an exceptional tour guide and she was impressed of what I knew about her countrys history and culture.
Went to Lena’s friends “Natasha” for her 47th birthday. They had an apartment in a very good locality in Kiev Central. This apartment was left to her and her husband by his parents. It been in family 35 years. We bought 3 Pink roses for Natasha birthday. Most flowers are from Holland and the price was 9grv ($2.25NZ) each rose. The food that was put on table for dinner was unbelievable. You would think they were celebrating her 100th birthday. The kitchen that all this food was cooked in was smaller than the average bathroom (2x2.5m max) There was Natasha and husband, a 16 year age daughter and a son 22, who lived in this apartment. Parents and daughter slept on fold out sofa’s in lounge / dinning room. There was 1 other room the son used for sleeping and it was ironing, computer and utility room. This apartment would be worth approximately $150,000US. How it is worth this -- I do not know. The apartment Lena and I live in is located in a newer zone of Kiev. It does not have Metro and is on the extreme edge of Kiev across the Dnepr River. This apartment is 53m2 and would be worth approx $45 - $55,000US.
Now work this out – no one borrows money (mortgages) they supposedly get monthly salary of $100 - $300US per month. How are these apartments worth this price. You don’t need Rocket science intelligence too work out that if a person saved all their salary (did not eat or cloth themselves) they would need to save for 20 years to buy a home ?????????
The price of motor vehicles is a complete mystery to. Cars we would sell for 200 - $1000NZ are worth $2,000 - $3,500US here. It appears the importing of all cars is controlled by a tight necked group. Late model vehicles are better value for money, but few would be able to afford them.
I see many things and learn more every day that does not add up.
Perhaps this is why I keep coming back for more – or is it something else ???
first of all the vehicles you're used to are dirt-cheap, especially the second-hand one's. Used surplus from the East you get, young, hardly used and virtually new, at a bargain price which I did find unbelievable, and it goes to show that Japan indeed is a rich country. So please don't compare these prices, you're spoilt and should know it.
But also, same like your local situation, it's a matter of supply and demand - NZ gets the vehicles because they are close by i.e. the ferrying cost are reasonable. They (Kiev) get the rejects of other European areas due to higher standards, and keep in mind that environmental issues hardly play a role here.
Secondly, bonds are more common than you realize. Of course new developments are built, and of course these are financed by loans. Often the price is in $, the repayments also, however the interest % is not - surprise eh? ;-)
I was comparing what vehicles and apartments are worth in relation to wages earned. From what the people I am mixing with are saying, they don’t borrow a cent to finance their way into these apartments!! Yes - the price for these two items are in US$$, I know this.
What do you mean by Bonds ???
These people are paying $1500US for something we would have to pay $150 to the local council to dump. But the point of the query is, that $1500US equates to nearly 1 years salary of the average worker ???
Thought I would chuck this in because of “vanechka” rise to fame !!! And to put a True perspective on what the bulk of these people here HAVE to put up with. Yes, the wealth is increasing very quickly for SOME Ukraine people. But do not panic men, there will be a few more years of Ukraine women looking for a better way of life for themselves and their children.
On Wednesday in Kiev, the government or local body, lifted the price on public transport. Out here in the Apartment Zones, most people need to get a bus or Tram to the Metro. The Metro only comes part of the way. So as from today the price to ride on, what they call “Taxi Bus” (a 30 – 35 seat van) rose by 100%. The price went from 1grv (20cUS) too 2grv. People pay the same amount no matter how far they are travelling on the bus. Some people require to change onto another Taxi Bus to enable them to get to their work in another part of town. The average commuting worker will be out of pocket at least 50grv ($10US) per month. This is a big cost to a lot of people here. They will need to cut back on another expenditure to make the budget balance.
Since the start of the new government (the one we all thought would be good for the people and Ukraine) there has been many cost increases. The government is blaming fuel prices. Russia has increased fuel charges to the Ukraine, but not to the extent this government is insinuating. It is the Mafia contaminated Government, keeping a lid on the bulk of the people who work. If they allow to many people to get to the top run of the ladder with them, then their whole system will start to collapse, or should I say, be exposed and controlled.
It is a very clever and corrupt system here. I have learnt a lot from Lena about the way things work here. The mafia is literally everywhere. Most markets (we call them flee markets, many small stalls that pack up every day) that sell everything from potatoes too building products are run and controlled by Mafia.
When the Soviet Union finished, and there was a mad scramble to get a piece of the industry pie and everything else that had been totally controlled by Government, there were 1000’s of killings. It must have been like a feeding frenzy. In the last 5 years things have found a reasonably stable level. So now all the “Powers to Be” need to do is keep the 70% of its community under a tight rein by manipulating and controlling the money flow to that large sector of people.
Today, Lena and I took a Taxi Bus into town. A lady hoped on the bus and obviously did not realize the price hike of the fare. She started complaining and voicing her opinion and disapproval to the increase. I said to Lena, this women is doing the correct thing by voicing her disapproval. Lena, disagreed, and said that you just accept it and adjust. When I tried to explain a little more of my reason for saying I supported this women’s views, Lena could not understand my views. She said, NZ is different, we all have cars so we do not need to use public transport. She was comparing Ukraine to NZ and said it was very different here. I tried to explain that is why it is different here, if the people will not unite and make a stand, they will forever be in this same rut and be manipulated by a greedy few. I don’t think she understood, and missed my point. But then, I can understand why, she does not know a democratic system.
Maxi,
You are right . It appears that alot of westerners think that the ukraine is enjoying a better economy and this hype that in a real close time and even now that people are starting to live large and the women wont want to leave anymore . People see a few luxary cars in the city and feels everyone is prospering . Far from it . Take a ride in the bush over there and you will see the real story. I did. My former girlfriend in Kyiv bought her own apartment for 29,000 dollars only a short 6 months ago . She makes about 6 to 7 hundred dollars a month which is good over there . She said the price of food and everything else is going through the roof and she cannot afford to live there anymore with the mortgage so she has to rent it out and her and her son have moved in with her mother. I have seen her scrape and save to make ends meet. Their economy as of now absolutely stinks.
Been in Western Ukraine for 9 days. Lovely places with many lovely women. Have stayed in 4 towns and heading back too Kiev on 13th. The same everyone of them (towns that is) with beautiful women - alone most of them. Cheap accomadation compared too Kiev. Have a day to day dairy written if anyone ineterested in reading - will post. Might get a few laughs from it !!! Had a few mishaps !!
Thanx OKM
Back in Kiev arrived on overnight train at 7am Kiev time. Feeling 100% again.
Will catch up on all the news from the forum now I have internet on tap again.
Kiev is a rather expensive city, and to live there, people have to move fast and work very hard. My cousin lives there, and I have many friends there. For example, a friend of mine, she got married with an Englishman, lived there, and she was earning 800$ per month. Her firm gave her a room to live in the appartment which belonged to it, and she lived there free of charge, only needed to buy food, and take care about the room, also she had to look accordingly as she was communicating with people + transportation + she was sending money to her parents, as the result at the end of the month she had about 50$ left...if she was renting an appartment or a room, she would have no money left and wouldn't be able to send anything to her parents.
If she would have the same salary here in Lugansk, she would be able to have a very comfortable life, even if renting an appartment.
Arrived Moscow early this morning.
Not to impressed with the local talent I must say. I was here last August, and I am sure these ladies are now considerably rounder in the rear end dept !!!!
Also after Kiev – Western Ukraine – they look very plain here in Moscow. But – it only been a few hours and the sun isn’t out today, and we know what the sun brings out with it.
Small town Ukraine would be 1st choice for me – if I was back on the prowl that is !!
Train trip overnight from Kiev was excellent apart from getting woken at 12:30am by a burley Russian Customs officer. Our Passports were checked at 9pm as we departed Ukraine and then got our Passports and my Entry Visa checked by the Russians 3 hours later when inside Russia.
All honesty chaps – I would give Moscow a wide berth !!!
Yes there are some stunningly beautiful ladies here BUT they know it. It written all over their face and cloths they wear.
This place has jumped ahead even in the 10 months since I was last here. I just got in from a walk down “Old Arbat Street. I couldn’t believe all the additional café and restaurants that have appeared since last year. This place is oozing in $$$$. The Percentage of good looking women to not so good is way - way lower than Ukraine.
We have travelled every day out of central Moscow to outer apartment complexe zones visiting Lena’s relations, and you see very few women that would make you do the double take (not that I do that of course)
I am glad that my impression of Moscow was right. Anyway I have had problems with every woman from there. So I gave up. There are so many women elsewhere why fight it?