Kyiv - June 2024

Kyiv... How often do we begin to value something only after losing it... so Kyiv became more valuable for me when the opportunity to be there is lost (or at least to visit Kyiv often is lost).

Beresteysky Avenue (in the past, Victory Avenue) was passed by in one breath. Even the memories do not have time to appear. I turn to Starovokzalna, then Zhylyanska, then to Simon Petlyury to drop off my comrade near the railway station.

There are only a few hours left in Kyiv.

Although it is only 10 in the morning, the summer terrace of Amsterdamster is starting to fill up with people. Just because it is Saturday, there is a place to park there, near the Zankovetska park.

The roads are still free at such a time, so you can skip Saksaganskoho Street in one breath. Only at Kiltseva (Ring) road, there are small traffic jams due to the road repairs.

The last point of the visit is the Hit Mall on Zhytomyrska Street. As if not so long ago, there were only a couple of cars on the roof (where you can drive by car), and you could enjoy the space and the panoramic view of the avenue and the exit to the Zhytomyr highway. Now most of the parking lot is occupied. New charging stations for electric cars have appeared, and the concentration of expensive cars has increased.

The queue at "Puzatu Hata" is another proof that the economic front is on the rise and well-fed. Hit Mall is like the western gate of the city... From the roof, a view of Svyatoshynsky district, where I once visited almost every yard, and the Ekran cinema, will it ever be restored?...

At this time, I understand that it is good not to be jealous in life, otherwise I would be jealous of each of the hundreds, thousands of Kyiv taxi drivers who drive for hours and have the opportunity to observe these Streets of the Eternal City, which are especially beautiful in rainy weather...