Ukraine the culture

I just thought that while I have a minute that I would jot down a few of my impressions of Ukraine and its people.

That big old monster Capitalism has surely got its grips into the popular culture of this country if the TV ads are anything to go by. In the most part they seem to be for cigarettes and alcohol. Generally most of the adverts feature semi naked women so clearly sex still sells. That these adverts are paying off is evident by the numbers of people smoking. It is remarkable, that after coming from what is nearly a smoke free country, how irritating it is to be in resturants, bars, the street! where people are smoking in quite substantial numbers.

Alcohol seems to be a problem here too and no wonder when you see kids of 13 and 14 (and younger) walking along swigging from bottles of beer in between puffing on their fags, in the internet cafe where I am now, its just gone 9:30 in the morning and some of the kids are on their first bottle, and some seem terribly bleary eyed! (But Hurrah theres no smoking here)Adult drunkeness is much more familiar on the streets.

Thhis all seems a bit negative, but its not as negative as it sounds, these are the things that catch you eye, 99% of the time Ukraine and Crimea is a great place, the people are friendly and helpful. I have no problems shopping on my own and getting what I want despite my russian not being so great. There are lots of myths and untruths about Ukraine about 'Men in Black' and the Mafia, but in the 6 times I have been here I have never been worried or scared about my safety.

I saw a great TV ad last night.

A woman was at home, all dressed in white, she had her little white pet mouse with her. She goes off to do something and the little mouse climbs up a flower vase and falls in - O you god you think the poor mouse will drown...the woman runs over but can't get her hand down the thin neck of the vase( Got the picture yet?) the mousey is treaing water for its life. Then the woman has a bright idea, she runs for her handbag and out she takes a tampon. Which she drops into the vase and said mouse is lifted safely out of the water.

Great hey, so women for those days of the month when you need to save a mouses life always carry a tampon with you, at least its better than having to cycle everywhere or rollerblade your life away going between stores to buy even more white trousers!

PS I am having a great holiday another 3 days here in Sevastopol and then the overnight train back to Vinnitsa until the 15th August but Im not thinking about that.

Bye bye the beach is calling...