ukraine: kyiv: winter walking

I love snow. I love winter. I grew up in a place that gets snow a few times every winter but doesn't stay really cold the whole time. I remember when I was a kid, wishing we lived in a place with a 'real' winter. I remember being slightly jealous of people who lived farther north, as I would see news reports of blizzards and the like, I wanted to be there. I still feel that way. Yes, I know plenty of people think that's crazy.

Now I live in Ukraine. Winter is real here. Very very real. My first winter here it didn't go under freezing until mid January, but then it got really cold, really fast, an stayed there. We were under freezing for more than two months, a month of which was at -25C or so. Trust me, that's cold. (And yes, I know there are plenty of people who are regularly in colder weather.)

Every family has a sled, or something on which people can slide on the snow. Everyone has proper winter boots, usually several pairs. (And quite often Ukrainian women wear stiletto winter boots.) when the snow starts there are heaps of people out on the hills of the city, sliding everywhere. I think it's awesome.

Last winter was remarkable only in that it wasn't remarkable. It didn't go below -10C very much, most everyone I know commented on how mild the entire season was.

This year we've already gotten to -10C, we went under freezing for two weeks starting toward the end of November. As I write, temperatures are back above freezing, so ice and snow has melted. Given the current gas/heating situation, (no one is reading this blog to read what I say about the situation with Russia) it's better to have another mild winter. That being said, I'm hoping for another cold winter. I love snow, I like ice (except for when I fall and end up with massive bruises that take weeks to heal.) I hope to see the river freeze over :)

The photos in this post have been taken over the entire time I've lived here.

I think winter is beautiful. I like blue skies a whole lot more than grey skies, but even grey winter skies have their own beauty. My second year here we had a massive snowstorm at the end of march. Everyone remembers, as it dumped 50cm (~20in) in 36 hours. That happened on Friday/Saturday, the city was still shut down the following Monday. That sort of snow isn't shocking here, but no one was ready for it so late in the season.

Winter weather doesn't stop life here. It's just another season, with appropriate activities. People are always outside in the snow, quite often with kids. That first year my flat mate and I thought Ukrainians were crazy, as they would be hanging out outside drinking and being social, when the temperatures were below freezing. Crazy.