We arrived to Lvov, Ukraine at 6am tired and exhausted after an overnight bus ride in order to save money and time. Although, money was saved, the ordeal was not worth it and after stepping in a spilled beer (yes on a bus) and having a seat reclined by our neighbour up to the point of complete discomfort, we will stick to trains in the future! We arrived in a different world, a form of soviet existance in a city that is trying to reclaim its reputation and standard of living. Lvov was the only city that was able to survive WWII without any damage and the buildings, although not all up kept, reflect architectural genuis. The city is beautiful but there is an underlining sense of poverty and a people who are just trying to get by. There was not a tourist in sight, which I hoped had something to do with the low season and then there was the fact that no one spoke any english. When we found our hostel, it was aparent we needed to find other accomodation- and quick! It was in a rundown alley and up a winding staircase right out of the movie hostel, no thank you! We left our bags claiming to be in search of 'a bank' and opened up the Lonely Planet guidebook for any other options. We managed to find Hotel George, located in an old historic building with character but in a much safer location. You need to realize this is the first time I have stayed in a hotel the entire trip and we felt quite posh. Nonetheless, when you do the conversion to the Canadian dollar, the price was about $15 each per night **in a hotel!!
However, the language barrier did not end throughout our experience in Lvov. At the train station on our way out we had the same problem trying to get anyone to helps us to buy a train ticket OUT of the Ukraine.
I often feel ignorant for only speaking English and try my best in each new country to speak the native tongue, but in an information center, let alone a major and only train station in the city, the absence of other languages was very frustrating. Thankfully and wonderful young man helped us out, when he asked us where we were from and we replied, 'Canadian' he was ecstatic! I don't think we would have survived or left the Ukraine without him! *thank you!* When we asked him where he was from, he replied in a strong Ukrainian accent, "I'm a Ukrainian guy!" and laughed. He told us how jobs are hard to come by and his mother works in Italy in order to send the family over Euros. For twenty euros sent by his mother, he can "live like a king." He told us of his dream to live and work in Canada after he finishes his studies, a masters in Electrical Engineering. He went on to say that there is no bad news on television about Canada. To quote him, "In the USA you always see somebody killed another (insert the N bomb here)". Me in Nick stared at each other in disbelief! Did he just drop the N bomb? Nonetheless, with his help we left the Ukraine and took the overnight train to Budapest, Hungary. Phew!
However, the language barrier did not end throughout our experience in Lvov. At the train station on our way out we had the same problem trying to get anyone to helps us to buy a train ticket OUT of the Ukraine.
I often feel ignorant for only speaking English and try my best in each new country to speak the native tongue, but in an information center, let alone a major and only train station in the city, the absence of other languages was very frustrating. Thankfully and wonderful young man helped us out, when he asked us where we were from and we replied, 'Canadian' he was ecstatic! I don't think we would have survived or left the Ukraine without him! *thank you!* When we asked him where he was from, he replied in a strong Ukrainian accent, "I'm a Ukrainian guy!" and laughed. He told us how jobs are hard to come by and his mother works in Italy in order to send the family over Euros. For twenty euros sent by his mother, he can "live like a king." He told us of his dream to live and work in Canada after he finishes his studies, a masters in Electrical Engineering. He went on to say that there is no bad news on television about Canada. To quote him, "In the USA you always see somebody killed another (insert the N bomb here)". Me in Nick stared at each other in disbelief! Did he just drop the N bomb? Nonetheless, with his help we left the Ukraine and took the overnight train to Budapest, Hungary. Phew!
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