You sound so bitter stevc. Its not my fault you failed so much. Ukraine is only what you make of it. If you look for failure you will find it like you did.
I love Ukraine even if things are not always perfect. Its NOT America and doesnt pretend to be. It does, however have great traditions, customs and has more values than alot of western countries. cess pool? try Greece or England. Many countries do worse than Ukraine, heard of Belarus, Moldova, Romania, Greece, Spain? You can actually buy yourself a girl in Greece or Spain for a few hundred bucks or rent one for 5 bucks an hour....perhaps that might work for you!
Oh, yeah, grabbed a Kyiv map. Lets see, some restaurants, some hotels, a couple car rental places, a couple clubs....oh damn, do you mean the 3 marriage agency ads out of the 32 total ads on it?????
My advice works for people who actually have common sense and more than a rudimentary government education. If you are too stupid to understand thats NOT my fault. I didnt start the rude and obnoxious, YOU did. Once you made the comment about the highway from Kyiv to Odessa I knew you were full of sh*t anf didnt know what the f**k you were talking about.
Rick your confused again You could not make it in real world Rick. What did you do major in Russian at university and find no demand for your education, so now you interpret for these agencies. Oh ya Rick am looking at a couple of these maps I picked up in Hotels you can't count either. Is like I said would not take your advise. and would advise others don't either. Rick I just get annoyed at people that try to sell garbage. Me I found better class of people in the other former soviet countrys, people that dont depend on agencies to peddle there women as a national product. Sorry Rick you are just confused on all accounts.
hello kiwinorth last I heard you were making wheat beer and your lady was staying with you how goes the life. Just got back from Grizzly hunt am going to visit my lady at Christmas from there next trip for her will be accross the pond to see how life works for her here. Have Good feeling things will work well
Ops Sorry Rick your right is only a couple of marriage agencies on map border the rest is exotic massage and good old fashioned escort services at least these women are straight forward and honest which you so carefully forgot to mention. Advertising makes up for over 3/4 of border Funny thing Rich these maps came out of random family hotels. Ya Rich you seem to be a real expert at something. Hmm giving bad advise. ah Rich You have seemed to pick up the local honesty traits real well
stevc, I'm still in two minds about utilising car rental hire in Ukraine ...one thing that puzzles me about your contribution on the subject is that on the one hand you highlight the impaired roads and venal traffic officers, but on the other you continued to traverse the "whole" country by car? Your driving behaviour would appear to confirm the experience of others who state car rentals is more favourable to public transport....can you reconcile your statements with your behaviour?
Again, Im having to read the words of a LOSER who has no real world experience (and needs guides and interpreters) trying to tell a person who grew up in the USSR that he is wrong??? As for massage and escorts, have looked at craigslist lately? seems the USA leads in that market. Unlike you, I
had to make a special trip to get a map as I dont NEED THEM.
Ive made it in the real world. Ive started and then sold more businesses than you can afford to patronize. Im not selling anything. YOU are the one trying to denigrate an entire country because you FAILED in it. I didnt cause you to FAIL, YOU did that all on your own. Stop blaming me for YOUR FAILURES.
There are more marriage agencies in Russia and the majority of girls on the scam lists come from Russia. Of course I like Russia. I dont need a guide or interpreter there either. I spent more time there before I was 10 than you have your whole life so Im sure you cant tell me anything.
Regarding roads in Ukraine - I have seen a remarkable improvement in recent years, especially following the Euro 2012 championship and especially on roads between the principal cities of Kharkov, Poltava, Dontesk and Kiev.
I hired a driver to take me between Poltava and Kiev in 2010 - who hit a pothole as big as a bathtub, and bent his axle. And it wasn't for inattentiveness. This guy was doing everything possible to avoid such things.
Took the same road in September and I would compare it to the nicest similar highway in the US. Absolutely great.
I don't drive in Ukraine but I am told that its actually an advantage if you don't speak the language - at least if you don't let on that you don't speak the language, are not a resident and if you have the guts not to be intimidated.
If you don't speak the language the police are required to get you a translator (I am told) and they will often let you go without fine, as its way too much trouble to go into town, find translator, and to give you a hard time. THAT eats into the time they have to take demand bribes from othe drivers - so its not worth the bother.
It might seem incredible - but I know a Portugese guy who got away with this pretty well. He was married to a Ukrainian woman and living in Poltava.
Rick couldn't care less what you think. You have a serious case of tunnel vision you live there you are used to what Ukraine offers. Not a clue about how others see your Country. I have been in 3 of former soviet countrys now. I see what is offered Ukraine by far, sits lowest on the list. Dishonesty is the normal for Ukraine. Rick you been there to long you don't even see it anymore do you. It is just as easy to apply for visa and go somewhere where you don't have to watch your wallet all day. Rick acording to locals and your news media at least 90% of population would leave if given the chance. why is that Rick? You know best Rick. Lets see if you can give a answer without name calling Rick, or is that the only way you can get point accross
Its far from perfect, I admit. Things can go wrong that you could never have imagined in the US. I've even had a few very negative experiences. But you have to learn to roll with the punches and smile knowing that you will have one hell of an interesting or funny story to tell later.
hi ya Steve, yeah still making them beers(Belgian ales) its addictive and a lot more tasty then the usual commercial stuff one buys,, if you like "La Trappe" style beers then you will know what i mean..
yes busy at the moment sorting bee hives for the coming summer and a bit of fishing.
i am hoping one day some bear skin will have my name on it(saying that i am fussy on the condition of the animal skin) but) you are making me a little jealous actually of just been there.
my hunting at the moment is rather serious,,, shooting sparrows off all my vehicle door rear-vision mirrors, they are shagging themselves stupid on them the dirty little bastards.
unluckily for them i luv the sound of a good Italian auto-loader but the serious part is not covering any of my vehicles will bird shot..
but yes the bear thing,, i am a little over traveling and airports for the time been.
i'm lucky that girl of mine likes traveling to NZ instead,, roads in her region are seriously shit for my ass thats already been on a plane for far to long for such a visits(this ass wasn't made for sitting)
i guess to i have tortured her long enough now and will be looking at her staying for good on her next trip.
actually her garden she made around my house needs her support, shes gone a little bee crazy so if there was ever a reason shes has made herself needed..
i'm sure yours will enjoy Canada,, has she ever been out of the FSU?
all russians i have come across here just dont want to go home after giving this country a little time.
doesn't surprise me tho, once they get used to that change of life style they really are not interested in going back.
actually neither would i, if they had no bears..
90% is a stretch and its far from that. Id bet half the ladies would prefer to stay than leave if they could find a reliable man. 2 years ago I brought a lady to USA and after 3 months she decided to return. didnt matter that I had her enrolled in med school to get her license to practice medicine in the US as she had been a trauma surgeon in Ukraine and would be able to make 150k per year after 2 years.
Of course there are problems in Ukraine but its hardly the cesspool you describe. Most people are normal folks just trying to make a living and raise a family just like anywhere else. We have corruption for sure but its no different than Russia and not much more corrupt than many places in the west. Its certainly safer than chicago or detroit. Ukraine is better to live than Moldova, Romania, Belarus or the "stans" and I prefer it to France or the UK which are now overrun with extremists and will be the first places to succumb to the Islamic caliphate.
Ukraine has different customs and traditions than you are used to but I would add its no less moral than anyplace in the west and even more moral than others.
Based on EXPERIENCE, Its easier to do business in Ukraine than Russia
Kiwi,,, I wouldn’t say something like that with danny around!!? Not good!
Getting back to game animals,,, Russia has moose deer and bear,, but the bears look a little funny compared to ours. I was surprised to find out, that Ukraine also has them. I would not have thought moose to be so far south,,,,, however,,, I have yet to see a single game animal!!
While riding in a car,,, especially if I’m not driving,, I’m looking at the scenery and looking for game,,, I can’t seem to turn it off. When we get to the cities,,,, I just select different game.
The country side, seems to be completely devoid of wildlife! The hunters must really need to get into the deep backwoods.
One of my taxi drivers was originally from Vladivostok, but hunted moose in Murmansk! And I thought I had a long drive.
I had never had Hoegaarden - a Belgian wheat beer, on tap until a trip to Ukraine (maybe I live a very sheltered life) in April. Of course Bengian beers have to be served in a particular glass and the one for Hoegaarden is like a big glass flower pot.
REALLY like it.
I was able to find it in bottles where I live - but its NOT the same as on tap.
yes jet, ukraine gave me wheat beer, kiev square it was on tap.
and some surrounding cafes.
never forget it, i hope one day to sit there again and have that mouth-full..
i have also tried to clone hogaarden many times, i'm close but me been very fussy i just cannot get it right.
or is it that russian girl of mine, its her favorite drink to,, she keeps telling me,, its not hogaarden "not enough citrus in the taste,,,,, fussy women is more like it!!
i'm wondering now maybe kegging is the answer.
summer is around the corner so will be trying again..
actually ukraine produces some of the best wheat beers today.
germans are very very upset to have ukraine exporting wheat beers back into their country)
white beer originated in Germany, Belgium once upon a time it seems..
cloudy beers!! everything is wrong about such but its certianly something special
lonely,, i thought the same(not about the rears)
that country seemed to be animal vacant,, i to cannot help myself looking..
also to me it seemed very hard going for food and such,, minimal grasses and trees to graze and then theres winter.
i checked out some of the forest mountains on the black sea, it was lacking everything i thought animals need, just nothing under the trees other then the odd young lucky to grow saplings??
then theres the wild pig size you see on there bar walls(stuffed boars) they seriously out match ours here yet i dont understand what they eat or where they are able to live?
the russian boar is a very very serious creature, they look like a bloody bear.
its seems theres a lot of traveling to do, to do the hunting thing..
duck-shooting seemed the easiest and no hassle hunting ukraine had to offer..
i always check out gun shops and stores to, they tell a lot by what they hold, they are seriously lacking good gear, right across the country(ukraine and russia)
seems its easier to get my ak mags in nz(banana and drum)just for fun stuff???? their laws are very strange(land of seven shot pieces).
it funny looking at a nasty looking Kalashnikov with its almighty seven shot mag realdy to go')
the best shop i came across was in Khabarovsk(far eastern russia) they had a good normal range of stuff, which shows the hunting must be very passable in this region.
that shop also wouldnt sell me certain knives either without police permit, i like my Damascus blades.
they wouldnt take my credit card either from the- what a could buy range of blades?
they did say they are very restricted by the govt now, seems to more on the ridicules side..
shopping for supplys over there is seriously shit if you do hunt,,, the bullet collections are very seriously bad news unless you like army stock..
"no wasn't impressed"
then to take it to another extreme level theirs "Switzerland",,,, their racks seem to be for the millionairess club??
Once upon a time I lived and worked in Oostende, Belgium ... I didn't like the Belgian beer then and I certainly don't like it any better all these years later. :)
On my 2hrs 50mins trip in Hong Kong airport last week I'd been looking forward to a Guinness for nigh on a year ... the darn Hong Kong airport restaurant that serves it was closed for renovation when I was there, I ended up drinking some Japanese cr@p. :)
We're in Cebu City during the first week of December, hopefully I can source some Guinness there!
Gotta admit I always wanted to try Guinness - and I happened to find it in a can at the same place in my town that sells Hoegaarden, and as much as I wanted to like it (because so many people are crazy about it), I really didn't. It seemed to be too heavy and syrupy.
They have this plastic ball in the cans. And I can't recall exactly what the purpose of the ball is. But I actually found that more interesting than the beer.
To me it seems to be an acquired taste, that I haven't acquired.
That plastic ball is a 'widget', Guinness spent millions developing it, and, as the can is opened, it releases gas giving a significantly creamier beer. In the old days such beers as British bitter, Irish stout etc. in bottles and cans just couldn't match the quality of pub/bar beer, now all these bitters and stouts come with widgets and have improved immensely as a result.
I've been precisely one year and one day without a Guinness now and it's getting to me :)