Lvov… almost live !

Usually, I am not doing live blogging. I tried to do it while visiting Georgia in 2010, but I realized I lose too much time in front of the computer rather than discovering the place I am visiting. However, I discovered lots of readers where interested in what I am doing “right now”, so I decided to make a compromise when I am traveling… So, I decided to have these type of posts – “almost live”, a kind of photo-report of what I saw and did in the last few days. Right now, I am in Lvov (Lviv, Lwow, Lemberg), Ukraine, so, let me show you this wonderful city !

From Bucharest to Lvov via Timisoara

First of all… how did I get to Lvov ? By plane. The regional Romanian airline Carpatair offered me a ticket to anywhere they fly to. So, I chose Lvov

I changed the plane in their hub, in Timisoara. As I had 6 hours transit time, I went to see Timisoara again… it is a wonderful city I visit each time I have the opportunity

Where did I sleep ? Ekotel Lvov. For less than 25 euro, I had my room with private bathroom (same price if I would have been with another person !), wonderfully placed on the bus route from the airport (ride costs only 2 hrivna – 0.20 euro !). Hotel is quite nice with Ikea-style furniture, at 20 minutes walk from the Old City

So, from that evening, I had to go straight to town… a town where even the police is sexy

In the Old City, it was a folkloric festival – here are the Turkish performers

When I entered this church, I could not stop shouting a loud WOW. It looks like the Sistine Chapel of Ukraine !

Next day, Independance Day of Ukraine. I loved that almost everyone wear clothes with national symbols… even if archaic, local designers made some cool clothes out of them

Even the statues wear them

Even when you are wet

or when you sing

I was inspired to join the free walking tours. Their site is here, but it does not say too many

But what you need to know is to go at 12 o’clock in front of the theater and you will have a great and informative time !

You will see the first version of Liberty statue, even before Paris and New York (or at least, this is what Irina, our guide told us)

You will enter a 80s-type of room

From where you will jump into the most expensive restaurant of Lvov … some rice costs 180 hryvna (18 euro). However, if you go to the ground floor restaurant, you can get a discount card which grants you 90% discount !

Here, in the Old Jewish Quarter, you will find Gold Rose Restaurant. The prices are not in the menu and when the bill comes at the end, you will need to bargain it. If you don’t have enough money, the waiter will inspect what you have with you and choose something. Or you just need to stay longer and wash dishes !

So everyone can have an angel in Lvov

Urban cool art

There is a mania with young girls to make photo-shoots around the city and not only. Have no clue what they are for… preparing for some artistic career ?

The face of the young Ukraine