Life’s Little Pleasures

By Walter Kish

2006 was a difficult year for both Ukraine and me personally, and this being the first column of 2007 I was tempted to do a recap of last year’s events. However, I would like to start the year on a high note, so rather than dwell on all the tribulations the past year wrought, I decided to focus instead on 10 things that in the course of the past 12 months brought a smile to my lips and joy to my heart and soul.  They are as follows, in no particular order:

1. Coming around the corner of an old cobblestone street in Kamianets-Podilskiy and seeing the town’s magnificent castle for the first time. The view was stunningly spectacular and left me literally speechless.  It was a scene that I thought would be hard to match, until next day, that is, when I saw Khotyn castle with its own unique and dramatic presence overlooking the Dniester River.

2. Having dinner at the Sim Poroshiat (Seven Piglets) restaurant in Lviv. Aside from the colourful wooden Hutsul decor, I had the best melt-in-your-mouth salo I’ve had the pleasure to experience in Ukraine, as well as a delightful version of my favourite Hutsul dish called banosh, cornmeal cooked in rich cream to a porridge consistency and served with grated brindza cheese and bacon bits on top.

3. Visiting Krakow in Poland for the first time. This is one of the finest and best-preserved medieval cities in Europe and still relatively uncorrupted by hordes of tourists such as are prevalent in places like Prague or Budapest.  Aside from enjoying the gorgeous historical scenery and great prices compared to the rest of Europe, I had it confirmed (and I am somewhat reluctant to admit this) that the Poles do make the best kobassa in the world.

4. Sitting on a beach in Hidropark on an island on the Dnipro River in the middle of Kyiv on a marvelously warm and sunny summer’s day, cracking open and eating cooked crayfish I had bought from a babushka at the exit of the island’s metro station. The crayfish were, of course, washed down with a cold bottle of one of Ukraine’s excellent beers.

5. Seeing  Bohdan Stupka, Ukraine’s leading actor, in a live performance of his signature role of Tevya the milkman from Sholom Aleichem’s famous story better known to the world as Fiddler on the Roof.  Even though I have seen this play five times, it never ceases to move me immensely. And although I have also seen the movie many times, I don’t think it can compare to Kyiv’s Ivan Franko Theatre’s version of this Jewish-Ukrainian classic.

6. Eating Khachapuri at the Alaverdi Georgian restaurant in Kyiv.  The name refers to one of the tastiest forms of bread I have ever savoured, a freshly baked treat similar to a thick lavash that is stuffed with a distinctive type of Georgian cheese.  The combination is so incredibly tasty that one is tempted to make it a main meal rather than a side accompaniment.

7. Sitting in the garden of a bed and breakfast in the old Crimean Tatar capital of Bakhchiserai and watching the sun go down behind the escarpment on the other side of the valley while sipping on some fine Crimean champagne.  Both Bakhchiserai and Crimean champagne are two of my all-time favourite discoveries in Ukraine.

8. Standing at the top of Ai Petri, Crimea’s highest peak and looking down below on Yalta, nestled along the coast of the Black Sea.  When one is standing above the clouds, the view is breathtaking, particularly when it is enjoyed while sipping some fine homemade Muscat wine which local Tatars sell from little stands near the lookout point.

9. Sitting in the back yard of a house in my mother’s ancestral village around a roaring fire, with a large old iron pot simmering its delectable contents of potatoes, onions, salo, and numerous herbs plucked from the nearby garden. It is as hearty and tasty a peasant dish as you can come up with.

10. Cruising slowly down the Dnipro River on a beautiful summer’s day with the sun shimmering off the water and watching Kyiv’s magnificent skyline.  Particularly sunning are the golden domes of the Pecherska Lavra monastery complex peeking out from vast expanses of green.  It doesn’t get any better than this!

My experiences in Ukraine may have been difficult and frustrating at times, but I truly feel blessed that I have been able to enjoy some of the most pleasant and memorable moments in my life here.  Those of you who haven’t been to Ukraine should give it a try.