2nd impressions.... expanded

here i go again. remember i'm writing this in hind sight. i'll try to be fair to what i was thinking at the time...

"aren't those skirts short!" -not a question, just a statement of fact.
"aren't those tops tight!" -see above
"aren't those heels high!" -above again.
"is absolutely everyone smoking?" -maybe a question
"is that alcoholic?" -finally a question. kiev, and perhaps all of ukraine, has the charming opportunity to buy a drink from these mini-tankers that sit on the footpaths dispensing a mildly alcoholic beverage into plastic cups. i'll try to take a photo of one and post it soon. come to think of it, that's probably why people can bear to live here; they're all mildly tanked all of the time. but i get ahead of myself.

being ex-soviet no-one appears to own the outside spaces. consequently they are quite unmanaged. the exterior of the soviet era buildings are falling apart. quite literally, a large portion of tile has fallen off the exterior of our building. must get a photo of this too. from my experience the tile is cosmetic only so no worry as to the structure of the building. which brings me to an odd juxtaposition. if no-one owns the outsides and no-one cares why have some buildings been clad in tiles or fake marble or had fake concrete columns attached to the doorways? perhaps someone does care after all.
the spaces between apartment buildings are public space. there are no fences restricting access. this is a little different for houses that have private open space about them, but there are so few houses it hardly counts. if a road has not been constructed between the buildings an informal path will have been formed by people walking across the desire lines they choose. because of the low incomes people generally get about by metro (train), trolley bus (a sort of tram) and walking. because of the high density living, there's a lot of people choosing the same paths. i found this quite egalitarian. to enter the metro costs 50 kopeks, equal to 12 cents aussie. for this you can ride all day to any destination. once you leave you have to buy another 50 kopek token to re-enter. apparently since independance approximately ten years ago, the cost has risen from 5 kopeks. so in percentage terms it's a huge increase but can you imagine cityrail giving relatively unlimited travel for 12 cents?!
the public spaces are covered in greenery, whether it be the ever present chestnut, or as paul remembers from his childhood, conker trees to berry bushes and plain weeds. which presents the city as very green and pretty. which is useful in hiding the butt ugly buildings! these spaces are also generously provided with benches and children's play equipment. which makes sense if everyone is living in a tiny apartment like us (or worse) the public space is vitally important as socialising, entertaining, learning and interactive space. go read jane jacobs.
we are fortunate in the level our apartment is on. first floor. meaning the view out our windows is directly into the foilage of the trees. one floor down and street level is dismal, too many floors too high and you're above the trees and have to look at the buildings. of course, rob and phil pointed out when they were visiting that the trees will lose their foilage come autumn and we'll be stuck with bare branches and reality. thanx guys!
reality is also the sexual politics of the population. and my incredulity at the fashions of the women. something akin to 50s attitudes are prevalent. women are ornaments that serve a purpose in the home. okay, anyone alive in the 50s is allowed to correct me, with examples and scientific argument. otherwise my generalisation stands!
the short skirts, plunging necklines, tight, tight clothes and stilleto heels are worn by just about every woman between the ages of 16 and 40. i did a mental run thru of the clothes i had brought- breast feeding tops, loose fit jeans and pants, volleys, hiking boots, flat sandals... i just wasn't going to fit in. having said that, i don't want to. you've all heard of russian mail order brides. well a good portion of them are ukrainian. the style of dressing is to attract a wealthy mate who will take you out of the country, or at least out of the poverty you live in. you can hardly blame the girls. who wants to live with your parents in a one room apartment, going to a crap job, with crap pay for your entire life?
it's just unfortunate that the women can't work their way out of their situation on their own merit. as far as i can tell there is limited opportunity for women in their career choices and certainly if they do marry and in particular have children they are consigned to home and hearth. which is perfectly fine if you choose that option. if no other options are available you haven't really made a choice, have you? i'm convinced that all the males at paul's work and most of the women, find it very baffling that he wants to come home in the evening as early as he can to play with his daughter, to bath her, to spell me and to be involved in her life. after all that's my job, his is solely to provide the sperm and then the income. it's hard to describe how infuriating this attitude is until you experience it. when we want to go home at 8 or 9 or 10 in the evening because percy has cracked the shits and we are exhausted it is my fault for bringing the baby in the first place- haven't i heard of nannies? and doubly my bad child rearing because i should be able to do this alone and not have to involve my husband. perhaps this attitude exists in australia too, i've never encountered it.

after visiting the down town area and some of the local tourist attractions i decided it is quite a nice city with interesting architecture and an involved and twisting history. let's make the most of it and have a good time. we're going to try to get around a bit of eastern europe too so that makes it worthwhile. i want to go to st petersburg and see the winter palace and the hermitage. odessa and potemkins steps, my family's long, long ago home country capital city- vilnius, lithuania and the hagia sophia in istanbul. we also intend to get to paris and visit robyn and phillip in the netherlands. it probably doesn't sound like a big list to intrepid travellers but i challenge you to add a baby into the mix and paul's work obligations and still get around to it all.

so it's challenging but far from impossible. it'll be fun- you'll see!