Romania, Moldova, Transnistria, Ukraine. June 2019

          Romania
Bucharest: Biggest park in Europe, so many really big fountains, Greek restaurant next to one with Kokopeli as the logo. Had a blood test, all good.
  Tulcea: Cruise on the Danube Delta! Finally. Olympic rowers sourced from here as they grow up rowing heavy wooden boats. Then they are fast as the wind in the competition boats. Someone was clever.  Settled by Orthodox running from Peter The Great. How great was he if his people ran away?
         Moldova: 
  Comrat: Capital of Gagauzia least visited area of least visited country. Lunch in a village-so much meat.
  Chisinau: More meat and lots of wine. Have I mentioned the cigarettes? Lots..  not really small shops to get water etc. 
Polenta served at every meal. I like polenta, its lost in all the meat dishes. Too bad, just polenta and butter would make me happy.  Wine? Toured Milestii Mici wine cellar, 200 kilometers of passages, holding 2 million bottles. Internationale people have a locked cubby for private stash. They have to get  there to open with their key.
   Transnistria:
 "Independent" country from Moldova. Wants Soviet back, Lenin statue stands, Soviet tanks, big fort, hour boat ride on Dniester river. Sidewalks in better shape than neighbor countries. No graffiti, all ship shape.
  Odessa: Opera house contender of La Scala. Jaw dropping and the performance was excellent. Good vibe.
  Overnight train: Old Soviet style. 
  Kiev:  Shinny gold topped churches. More opera, second part of performance was a full  ballet  company dancing to Bolero. Imagine, symphony orchestra and that music! Fantastic.
  Chernobyl and Pripyat: Amazing.  Didn't imagine we could go inside the buildings in Pripyat. Surreal. 50,000 people evacuated in a day.  Wore a counter and was tested upon leaving,  twice. Actually get more radiation flying, I do lots of that. 
    Having rest days in a suburban area of Kiev. Its a huge complex, difference from Soviet and Chinas dense living buildings is that they are painted pastels. Addresses same as Soviet. Feel like I'm in prison, screaming kids, barking dogs, workmen drilling. 
That's all folks.
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