The word is a very exciting place

Opishnya is a short bus ride away from Poltava, and it's a great little day out. So the bus drops you off in the little bus station there, and there's quite a walk to the National Pottery Museum, but it is well worth it. You could probably grab a taxi, but I didn't see any there. The pottery museum is amazing. You name it, it has been recreated in a ceramic form! All kinds of animals, scenes from daily life, people, the whole museum just oozes charm. And, as a Brucie bonus, you get a free ceramic chicken whistle with your entrance ticket. I blew it once when I came home, and it was swiftly confiscated!                                                        And yes, I did try to pet the kitties! There were even people there explaining and showing you how to make ceramics there, but most of it was lost in translation, which w...

Poltava is a city that exudes a very exclusive vibe. Its clean, beautiful, and you almost feel like you are rubbing shoulders with Ukrainian celebrities there. I didn't meet any I recognised though!  The Varenyky statue. There are delicious Ukrainian dumplings, similar to Pierogi, and they are absolutely delicious. You have to try them while you are visiting!  These are all just some shots from around the rotunda area looking out over the city. The sky was a perfect blue, and the land so green, it was just wonderful. My only advice is to get to the rotunda earlier, as it can get very very busy there.  You cant really see from the pictures, but this building has loads of beautiful tiles and coats of arms on it. And it houses the local lore museum. Its got loads of great exhibits about the history of Poltava, as well as some general history from the surrounding areas. Most of Ukrainian cities have these local museums. They are always worth a v...

Zhytomyr is a fun little place. There's not a huge amount of things to do there, but what there is, its brilliant. By far, the Space Centre was the best thing in Zhytomyr, and one of the best in Ukraine. A large and slightly hidden away museum, that not many people seemed to visit. I arrived to find it half closed, and the security guard let me and have a look around. There are many different models and exhibits inside, as well as one of the original Soyuz capsules! Do not miss it! It's a fantastic museum, and a great place to visit. Although the security guard only spoke a little English, he was friendly and chatty, and even gave me an old Soviet coin! There's also quite a few places around town that are worth visiting, there are several large memorials and beautiful artwork and green spaces across the city, Just keep your eyes peeled for them!                           ...

Vinnitsya is another good little stop over, but there's not much to do there, bar the Roshen multimedia fountain. As you have probably guessed by now (especially if you have read my posts from Yerevan) I love water fountains, I love water fountains that sing and dance. Although not as good as the fountains in Yerevan, which sort of form a benchmark for me when I visit places, the Roshen fountain in Vinnitsya is still worth a visit. There's a great atmosphere there, with people selling sweets and light up toys, and when it starts to get dark, thats when the show begins. Get there a little early and grab yourself a good seat.                                                         Make sure you grab a snack too! The other main sight of Vinnitsya is the Pirogov National Estate Museum. Now there is very little English translatio...

Okay, so confess to any Ukrainian that you've visited either Ternopil or Zyhtomyr (that post is coming a bit later) and they will be confused. Many people I spoke to were quite surprised that I went to such places, as they are not seen as tourist destinations, or destinations in general. However, Ternopil had few sights to see, but the sights it did have were amazing. You are best hanging around by the Riviera, its such a beautiful place there. Topilche park has a mini zoo, with a few animals to say hello to. There was also a festival in the Taras Shevchenko park, with lots of Ukrainian folk music and dancing. I had no idea what was going on, but it was enjoyable none the less. Spend a day in Ternopil or maybe just an afternoon, its a good place to break up a long journey with. Next up, Vinnitsya!