altiva Posted March 15, 2013 #576 Share Posted March 15, 2013 All about borsch today... Foreigners often call borsch a "beet root based soup". I could never understand why. If any, it should be a "tomato soup" or something. In fact, there are many kinds of borsch. Hot and cold. Among hot, there is a red borsch, green borsch, borsch with mushrooms, borsch with Crucians (Crucian carps, a species of fish). Green borsch is made always in spring. It's main ingredient is sorrel. If you are in Ukraine in spring, it's a must to try it. Gourmands describe green borsch as a "spring freshness which came to your table". It also contains eggs. On this photo, they used boiled eggs to add to the green borsch. Frankly, raw eggs, beaten with the fork while the borsch is still cooking is much more tasty. But, boiled eggs are more photogenic. Here is a photo of a green borsch with beaten eggs in a bread. You are supposed to eat your plate, also. The plate is a home-cooked bread, with the soft core removed. Home made green borsch. You eat it with sour cream, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altiva Posted March 15, 2013 #577 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Ordinary borsch: Borsch with mushrooms: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silkismom Posted March 15, 2013 #578 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Gee, now I'm hungry again--really wish you wouldn't print those yummy photos--I really hate drooling on my computer. Come on Sept!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altiva Posted March 15, 2013 #579 Share Posted March 15, 2013 How borshch grows: Map of Ukraine in Ukrainian dishes: Kyiv, a restaurant, called "An inn on it's side" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Peregrina651 Posted March 15, 2013 Author #580 Share Posted March 15, 2013 (edited) Website for St. Sophia of Kiev. Gorgeous pictures of the interior. Lost of information about the interior and helpful to read before you go. Just a sample: Edited March 15, 2013 by Peregrina651 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Peregrina651 Posted March 16, 2013 Author #581 Share Posted March 16, 2013 -I really hate drooling on my computer. ! To dry out your keyboard, stick it in uncooked rice for a week.:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silkismom Posted March 16, 2013 #582 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Ya sure, like I could go w/o my computer for a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocean999 Posted March 16, 2013 #583 Share Posted March 16, 2013 As always, thanks Peregrina for the info! It helps with the packing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocean999 Posted March 16, 2013 #584 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Peregrina, looks like a great site! I will read up on it this week! Thanks! Gorgeous! Altiva, hope we get some red cabbage borscht and fresh bread on the cruise! Thank you both for the beautiful pix! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Peregrina651 Posted March 21, 2013 Author #585 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Someone asked about delivery of travel docs. Viking sends them out so that they arrive three weeks before the trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silkismom Posted March 21, 2013 #586 Share Posted March 21, 2013 We paid extra and got our flt ticketed, they had said 60 days out, but we got it Tues, now I could get my economy plus seats taken care of--it's not business class, but I should be able to cross my legs. Hopefully no cramps like the last time I flew long distance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Peregrina651 Posted March 21, 2013 Author #587 Share Posted March 21, 2013 We paid extra and got our flt ticketed, they had said 60 days out, but we got it Tues, now I could get my economy plus seats taken care of--it's not business class, but I should be able to cross my legs. Hopefully no cramps like the last time I flew long distance. My SIL uses the pressure stockings when she flies. I'm so short my problem is that my feet don't reach the floor so I end up using my carry-on as a footrest so that I can get some circulation. The big question is whether you have been issued a ticket that is upgradeable. From following these boards I have learned that one of the reasons that Viking is able to offer such good prices on flights is because they offer seats that may not be eligible to earn miles (rules differ from class to class and from airline to airline) and may not be upgradeable (even with cash). This comment might be too late for silkismom, but for those who haven't booked yet, these are questions to ask as part of your planning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silkismom Posted March 21, 2013 #588 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I just paid for econ+, $109 pp on UA from ORD-MUC. I had wanted to use my UA FF to upgrade to Business, but they would have to use a different booking code and it was several thousand more. I guess this will do. I'll save my FF for flying to Asia in Feb. Can hardly wait to hear from the people who are on the cruise in Apr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Peregrina651 Posted March 21, 2013 Author #589 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Can hardly wait to hear from the people who are on the cruise in Apr. First cruise departs on April 21--just a month away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altiva Posted March 22, 2013 #590 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Today is a holiday in Ukraine. It's called "Forty sainted martyrs". It's dedicated to the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebastia. Forty saint martyrs were forty Christian warriors. They served in the army under Roman emperor Licinius. They were killed because they refused to perform Roman pagan rituals. But, in fact, it's a very old Ukrainian holiday, which comes from the pre-Christian times. When Ukraine was christened,the church tried to incorporate the old pagan holidays into Christian rituals. This day, people asked the spring to come, and to come quickly. They sang special songs, and danced. They also made buns or cookies, shaped like birds. They took the pastry outside, and paraded it throughout. People believed, back then, that the spring came on the wings of the birds. So, they reasoned: if we showed the baked birds outside, the real birds would see it and they would bring the spring quicker. After the ritual, children were given these cookies to play with, and eventually, to eat. "Forty" is pronounced "sorok" in Ukrainian language. It sounds similar to the word "magpie". So, the holiday is called also "magpies". Also, "larks", "birds", "little storks". It's a holiday about the birds, after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocean999 Posted March 23, 2013 #591 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Altiva, Thx for the story, going to read it all to my DH on the way to the shore today. The pix look yummy! Wish we were there for t his! Silkismom, we are going on the trip April 20th, 28 days!!! I will write about the trip when we return.If you want to ask questions or get info while I'm on the ship, please send me a private message with your email, and I will email you what you wish. Ocean999 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altiva Posted March 24, 2013 #592 Share Posted March 24, 2013 In Ukraine, traditionally, there was three types of footwear: 1. Barefoot (if you were very poor, or tried to save your shoes). 2. Postoly (everyday wear). 3. A holiday wear, red boots, made from the softest goatskin (sapyan). They had to be red, all the time. Here are postoly, a traditional every day wear. They are made from leather, and afterwards, embroidered. Postoly came in different sizes. These below are made by a master called Taras Dzvinchuk. He lives in a Ukrainian town, called Kosmach in Carpathian mountains. His father taught him how to make postoly. After his father's death in 1977, Taras started on as an independent postoly-maker. Since then, his postoly were worn by local population, a children folk group, and even travelled abroad, as far as Australia. Taras also makes belts. The narrow belts are for everyday wear, the wide belts are for weekends and holidays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altiva Posted March 24, 2013 #593 Share Posted March 24, 2013 (edited) These are Ukrainian lizhnyky. The word "lizhnyky" derives from the word "lizhko" - bed. These are blankets, or bed covers, however you chose to use them. They are hand-made in Carpathian mountains, from sheep wool. 100 per cent pure wool! In Carpathian mountains, people keep sheep. They cut their wool, and then they made threads and fabrics out of it, bu hand, using looms. This woman is a renown maker and designer of lizhnyky. She lives in Carpathian mountains, in her house. She has 9 children! To get to her house, you have to walk up the mountain for 2 hours by foot (like the girls on the photo). Her family uses horses to ride up and down to the town. There is no road, because it's not possible to build one there. So, you can tell that these covers are really echo-friendly. If you go to Carpathian, you can buy such a cover for about 100 euros (sometimes more, sometimes less, it depends on the colour, the design, the designer). On souvenir stalls and markets they sell them for 150-200 euros. Edited March 24, 2013 by altiva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silkismom Posted March 24, 2013 #594 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Altiva, you have such an interesting and rich culture. Thank you for sharing it with us.!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altiva Posted March 24, 2013 #595 Share Posted March 24, 2013 It's my pleasure to open Ukraine to anyone genuinely interested. And here is the wooly sheep that contributes to the bed covers. Carpathian mountains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silkismom Posted March 25, 2013 #596 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Aren't they cute, would love to cuddle one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altiva Posted March 26, 2013 #597 Share Posted March 26, 2013 I already told you about the last week before the Lent, eating pancakes and celebrations. There is a museum-culture centre in Kyiv, called "Mystetsky arsenal" (Arsenal of Arts). It used to be an arsenal, a place to keep arms, explosives and such. It was built in 1784, on the place of a nunnery. At first, they just kept arms there, but later, used it to repair cannons and such as well. In 2006 it was decided to open a museum-culture complex there. During the restoration, they found many graves on nuns. It's called "a window to Ukraine". It's situated not far from Kyiv Lavra, and you can get to there by metro. They have a museum, exhibitions of arts and antiques and much more. During the celebrations before the Lent, they had an art week, with music, dancing, Ukrainian arts exhibitions, master classes, pancakes tastings. Here are some photos. Also, don't be upset that you missed this event. There will be plenty more. What: Mustetsky arsenal (Arsenal of Arts) Where: 28-30 Ivan Mazepa street. The nearest metro station: Arsenalna. Not far from Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. When: every day from 10.00 to 19.00. Day off - Tuesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altiva Posted March 26, 2013 #598 Share Posted March 26, 2013 That was called "funky textile". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altiva Posted March 26, 2013 #599 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altiva Posted March 26, 2013 #600 Share Posted March 26, 2013 More photos here: http://odessainterpreters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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