Memories from wandering in Ukraine

Ronald Mason, Contributor

TODAY, THE Eastern European country of Ukraine is dominating the international news. The government has a major challenge from the big bear in its neighbour, Russia. It is, I am sure, a tense time for the people, and it brings back strong memories of one of my visits to Ukraine and Russia.

The old USSR had been torn apart by glasnost and perestroika, led by the unpredictable Mikhail Gorbachev. Remember him, with the wine-stain birthmark at the top of his forehead. He who would constantly surprise the Western-influenced world with radical change. He ushered in the increase in freedoms, more open discussion, and movement.

For me, it was the dawn of the 21st century. The world was to witness the clock strike to signal the year 2000, a time of dire prediction that computers and electronic gadgets could not automatically process the change from 1999 to 2000. It was thought that there would be chaos and great dislocation. On December 31, 1999, I was having a serious bout of influenza. All my new year plans had been put on hold. I was resigned to stay at home, in bed, and watch the world struggle to cope with the malfunction of its systems and procedures. That is if I were going to be even able to watch television. The transition, however, was uneventful, and the world as I knew it remained intact.

My friends had other thoughts. They came to my home determined that we would all go and watch the calamity dislocate the world. I got dressed and we all went on the town. There was no dislocation. All was well that ended well.

The dawning of January 2000 saw a period of introspection and excitement. This was to be my century, and travel was going to be a major part of it. This was my resolution. Go forth and greet the world.

Then came the year 2001 and it was time to visit Ukraine, Russia and Turkey. I planned the trip for September to coincide with my birthday. I set off on September 7, 2001 for Turkey, on to Ukraine, and then on to Russia. On September 11, 2001, the New York City World Trade Center towers were destroyed and I was on the streets of Istanbul, Turkey, a country with the high rate of inflation of more than 100 per cent. Prices were changing by the hour. There was social unrest, stark divisions between the Muslim and the secular world, lots of apple tea, cruising the Bosphorus strait, visiting the supposed birth home of the Virgin Mary, and straddling Europe and Asia. Lots of people chattering at me and making reference to the person known as Ahmed.

'COUNTRY BUS' FLIGHT

Time to leave. Next available flight to the tourist region of Antalya. The flight reminded me of the old days of 'country buses', laden with vendors, animals and colourful garments. We had chickens and dogs in the aisle and a blend of sounds rarely heard. Antalya had hotels across the street from the 'beach'. Black sand, stones, a totally uninviting scene for someone who knows Negril's white sand. Time to leave again.

Air travel to the west disrupted. Flights grounded and the airlines charging exorbitant fares for those who sought to buy a ticket, for example, US$4,000 from Istanbul to London. Thanks, but no thanks. Off to Kiev. Seats available, visa to be had at the airport on landing, and the welcome prospect of leaving the Middle Eastern country in a time of tension with the USA.

Ukraine is a big country, with nearly 50 million people. It is bordered by Poland in the west and Russia to the east. It was formerly an important part of the USSR. Ukraine is an emerging country. University education was first made available in 1066. The cobblestones of the streets in Kiev, the capital, are a sight to behold. The square of government buildings is all Soviet. Dark, boxlike architecture, built for function, with no style around a parade square. The shops were all divided along the lines of the market they wished to serve.

Fashionable brand names for the upmarket and dour. Shoddy for the rest. The poor in Kiev and Ukraine, in general, add gold to their teeth, wear scarves on the head, and do not walk, but trod, the men almost in jackboot style. The fashionable visited the cafes and bought Jamaican coffee in 2001 at US$5 per cup. Never tasted like the Blue Mountain coffee from Jamaica. The large navigable Dnieper river flows through Kiev, which provides ferry service and is quite an economic and fishing hub.

Ukraine was known as the farm that fed the USSR: wheat, potato, pigs and cattle. The preferred place to have your residence is next to a factory, as most of the factories had stores for the workers, stocked with foodstuff produced by Ukraine. Flat, rich, dark soil, with horse-drawn ploughs dotted the route from Kiev to Cherkasy, on to Donetsk in the east. These exist in the coal-mining heavy-industrial section of the country.

The best mango is to be found in Ukraine, made from fruits imported from India, processed in Crimea. They are now in the news, but with such sadness. I hope for the best.

Ronald Mason is an immigration attorney, mediator and talk-show host. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and nationsagenda@gmail.com.