Ukraine As You Have Never Seen Before!

Hello everyone!
 Today I'm feeling sick, so I've got no plans (only hot tea, honey, TV and watching Friends it is :) ), that's why I've got plenty of time to look through my pictures and think what I wanted to blog about :) And my choice is - my native country, my home and Motherland, absolutely beautiful, Ukraine :)
Most of you probably know it because Euro 2012 is going to be held here this year, but I would like you to know a little bit more about this country before you come ;)
As any other country (and people too :D ok, let's face it!), it looks best in Spring and Fall, so for people who would like to visit - do it then! ;)
Whatever they say about our country in the news doesn't show even a tiny bit of what it looks like for real, because there are two completely different sides of it. And I'm going to be talking about its nature, its beauty!

Ukraine is a country in Central and Eastern Europe. At 603,700 km2 and with a coastline of 2,782 km2, it is the world's 44th largest country. It is the largest wholly European country and the second largest country in Europe Ukraine borders the Russian Federation, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova, also there are the Black Sea and Sea of Azov on South.
Ukraine proclaimed its Independence from the Soviet Union on August 24, 1991. It is an unitary state composed of 24 oblasts (provinces), one autonomous republic (Crimea), and two cities with special status: Kiev, its capital and the largest city (on the picture -->), and Sevastopol.
Ukraine's various regions have diverse geographic features ranging from the highlands to the lowlands. The country's mountains are the Carpathian Mountains in the west, of which the highest is Hoverla at 2,061m, and the Crimean Mountains, in the extreme south along the coast.
























Ukraine has a mostly temperate continental climate, although a more Mediterranean climate is found on the southern Crimean coast.

Ukrainian customs are heavily influenced by Christianity, which is the dominant religion in the country. Gender roles also tend to be more traditional, and grandparents play a greater role in raising children than in the West. The culture of Ukraine has been also influenced by its Eastern and Western neighbours, which is reflected in its architecture, music and art.
As for Ukrainian cuisine, it includes chicken, pork, beef, fish and vegetables. Ukrainians tend to eat a lot of potatoes, grains, fresh and pickled vegetables.

Popular traditional dishes include varenyky (boiled dumplings with potatoes, sauerkraut, cottage cheese or cherries), borscht (soup made of beets, cabbage, beans and meat - who remembers Kylie saying we all look healthy probably because of eating it ;) ) and holubtsy (stuffed cabbage rolls filled with rice, carrots and meat). Ukrainian specialties also include Kiev Cake. Ukrainians drink stewed fruit, juices, milk, buttermilk (they make cottage cheese from this), mineral water, tea and coffee, beer, wine and horilka (vodka).
Ukraine greatly benefited from the Soviet emphasis on physical education. Such policies left Ukraine with hundreds of stadiums, swimming pools, fields, and many other athletic facilities. The most popular sport is football. Some of the world's greatest athletes were Ukrainians such as the legend Sergey Bubka whose holding the record in the Pole vault and with a great strength, speed and gymnastic abilities, he is repeatedly voted the world's best athlete; Andriy Shevchenko, the current captain of the Ukrainian national football team (the national team made its debut in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and reached the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champions, Italy); in boxing, the brothers Vitaliy Klychko and Volodymyr Klychko who have held world heavyweight championships; in swimming, Yana Klochkova who has won five Olympic medals in her career, with four of them being gold.

A road to Ukrainian villages

Crimea (Black Sea Sunset)

On the way to Chernigiv City

Village on the West of Ukraine

Crimean Mountains from the boat

So, are you interested in coming yet? ;) Then come in May, or, come this summer to be a part of Euro 2012! :D

(for more info go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine)
P.S. All pictures belong to me.

xo K