From Chișinău to Kiev: Rooftops, Revelry, and the Remembrance of Times Past

Greeted by Dawn and an Elf

It is April the 30th, ten days in, when we arrive from Moldova in Kiev. It was a brisk morning when we set foot in Kiev, the city awakening with a gentle crispness that only early spring can bestow. As Philipp and I navigated our way to the Airbnb, anticipation bubbled between us—heightened by the pristine beauty of the weather and the charming streets of this historic city.

Our host, Kolja—a self-proclaimed Airbnb host slash elf—was already there to greet us. The description alone piqued our curiosity, but meeting him was another story. He welcomed us in front of the quaint Soviet-era building, where we faced our first quirky challenge: the world’s smallest elevator. With half our luggage squeezed in alongside us, and Kolja opting for the stairs, we couldn’t help but chuckle over our snug ascent to the sixth floor. This, we figured, was just the beginning of our Ukrainian escapade.

A Leap Over the Edge

Kolja’s next surprise was something out of an urban explorer’s diary. “Let’s check out the rooftop,” he suggested, which sounded harmless enough until we discovered that by “rooftop,” Kolja meant the literal top of a twelve-story building—no rails, no safety features, just the open sky and the cityscape of Kiev. Climbing through a small hatch and up a ladder, we emerged onto the rooftop to find Kolja not just walking, but leaping between buildings. The sight was both terrifying and exhilarating, a stark contrast to our more cautious exploration of the precarious perch.

As we stood, hearts in throats, watching our host dance along the skyline, the city unfolded beneath us in a breathtaking panorama. This was Kiev from a vantage point few could boast of seeing, and despite the adrenaline and fear, it was undeniably magnificent.

Dining and Daring

Later, taking up Kolja’s recommendation, we found ourselves at Pervak, a restaurant that was as much a feast for the eyes as for the palate. The waitresses, dressed in an intriguing blend of nurse outfits and traditional dirndls, added an unexpected layer of local flavor—or confusion—to our meal. The food, served on a wooden platter accompanied by shots and fiery chili, was a mix of traditional Ukrainian flavors that delighted our taste buds even as we puzzled over the establishment’s thematic choices. When ordering the homemade ginger lemonade, our waiter advises against and recommends the regular lemonade. He is wrong. While the regular tastes like liquid gummi bears, the ginger one is actually quite likable. Tired we go to bed.

Cultural Immersions and Reflections

Our breakfast we have at The Blue Cup Coffee Shop. I have some kind of eggs benedict, Philipp has pancakes. It is very good.

During the day we do a lot of sightseeing. There is the Saint Sophia’s Cathedral, which is stunning, a huge park, a left outdoor theater, a cable car, the Kiev Monastery of the Caves, which is a must – local people kiss the coffins for luck – and finally there is, like in every city, a burger place we try. On our way back we walk along a big magnificent street, with markets and really a lot of people. It is the European Song Contest, apparently.

A Farewell and a Journey

Back at our place – we only stayed for two days – when we pick up our luggage, we meet two young girls. One of them asks us in very perfect but also very unusual German:

“If you would excuse me please, I wish a pleasant morning, gentlemen. May I humbly ask for your names, Sir?”

“Ahm … hi, I’m Julian?”

“Oh, I am delighted to make your acquaintance, Sir!”

“Ok … ah … thank you. Same here. Why do you speak German so well?”

“We have performed traditional dances in Bremen, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart. We are natives of Minsk. It is in Belarus.”

“Ok, cool. Sadly we have to leave now, it was nice meeting you. Enjoy your time and take care!

“We are most blessed to have met you, Sires, good bye!”

Wasn’t that a weird but nice incident.

We take an Uber to the train station. It costs almost nothing. A corpulent Russian lady we ask for the way practically tears our tickets from my hands and walks away very quickly. We follow very quickly. She only stops at a – to us – random track and commands us to a – to us – very random section. There are no markings whatsoever, but it is precisely where our door is after the train arrives. It is a very full train and we have to sleep in the top bunks. But we are so tired that we quickly fall asleep on our way to Moscow.