Fourth Entry: Trip to Ukraine

While in Krakow, we stayed at Hotel Polonia. Located in a charming old building, across from the main train station, and within walking distance of many places, I would recommend it. It's good that we stayed near the train station as it took a few tries to get all the ticket info straight for our trip to Lviv, Ukraine.

Since we were to arrive in Lviv at :02 o'clock and meet our guide, we didn't see the need of getting a sleeping car. One clerk happily printed out our schedule with fifteen stops (most for only a minute) for our ten hour six minute ride....that included the time change for the different time zone. Another clerk, speaking very sketchy English, assured us that the train included a dining car.

Admiring the scenery, visiting, and napping all the way to the Ukrainian border, the conductor told us to get out and go to the terminal. When he left, a lady said if we were going to Lviv to get back on the train! So we did, and it was the sleeper compartments. Standing in the narrow hallway and looking out the windows, we watched workmen doing something to the train. They were lifting it two or three feet off the tracks! Our thoughts:  must be some repairs going on.

About that time, another conductor came in, pointed to a compartment, and spoke emphatically , "Get in there!" So we did. Speaking our finest English, we showed him our tickets and said we did not have reservations for a sleeper. He said, "Twenty Euro...ten and ten. Stay here." Although we didn't even pull down the covers, we had a sleeper. Not sure if he really wanted to look after us or just make a bit of extra money. And, we were comfortable.

Once the train was back on track, the border officials -including dog-came in to check passports. One also walked along the hallway pushing up the ceiling panels and examining the dark with a flashlight.

At :02, the train arrived in Lviv, and there we met one of the dearest tour guides and people ever! Andryi of Green Ukraine! I had seen his picture posted on his website and had described us to him. When we got off that train, no Ukrainian would have had any problem figuring out the USA/aunt/nephew combo!

Exiting the station was like being in a movie. All these little old people, the little ladies bundled up and wearing black headscarves, the weathered old men. I trust they weren't homeless, but were waiting for a train. Then in the parking lot, a man was helping his drunken friend into a car.  Andryi said that we were being introduced to a national pasttime. Tomorrow evening the roles of the men would be reversed.

Andryi took us for food (no dining car or food cart was to be found on that train)....a fast food kind of place where we waited, but their computer was down so no service. It may have been here that we learned that the track size changes at the borders of the former soviet states; therefore, the reason for the lengthy stop and raising the train. We ate pierogi at another place before he took us to the lovely Lion's Castle Hotel. Just wish that night could have been longer!