Journals

I’m back in the USSR, you don’t know how lucky you are boy Back in US, back in the US, back in the USSR   Well the Ukraine girls really knock me out They leave the west behind And Moscow girls make me sing and shout They Georgia’s always on my my my my my my my my my mind   Playing too much of the newly released Beatle’s Rock Band is responsible for the theme of this week’s blog post. It has been over 40 years since Paul McCartney first sang about the girls of the Soviet Union, and although the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics may no longer exist,  Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia still do and are garnering more attention than ever before from the travel community. Not only are they known for having some of the world’s most beautiful women, but many are also intrigued by their rich cultural histories, striking natural beauty, and colorful capital cities.   Kiev, Ukraine With a Ukrainian-speaking west and a Russian-speaking east, center and south, Ukraine holds true to its name which means ‘borderland’. The Kiev that exists now is a much better place economically and socially than the Kiev that existed pre- Orange Revolution ; however, they are still struggling to find their place in the world, as the country remains divided on the issue of EU membership, but let’s not talk politics. Let’s talk travel. Want a reason to visit Kiev? Just check out these photos on Stuck in Customs . I can’t stop looking at them. They are absolutely gorgeous! Traditional Kievan Rus churches topped with domes more golden than Mr. T’s Starter Kit, turn-of-the-20th-century architecture mixed with Soviet monumentalism, and modern capitalist flash–Kiev reminds me a lot of Russia, except you don’t need a tourist visa to enter. Moscow, Russia Moscow is like a kaleidoscope—a very flashy, cosmopolitan kaleidoscope. I’m lucky to have visited on several different occasions. Each time I arrive, I’m greeted by a Mockba that is just a little bit different than the one I remember from the time before. Moscow is a city of contrasts; a mix of the new, the old, the forgotten and the rediscovered. As the country with the most billionaires in the world, the disparity that exists in Russia between the rich and the poor can at times be too much to take — picture disheveled babushkas begging for rubles on the street, in hopes to supplement their meager monthly pensions, while “new rich” pass by in their airbrushed and armored Mercedes Benz — but this is happening around the world and not limited to only Russia. Regardless of such injustice, one cannot deny the abundance of culture and history that the country has to offer, especially in the capital. With world-class art museums, vibrant Orthodox churches, monuments drenched in history, and a penchant for all things luxury, this fast-paced, overpriced city will definitely keep you busy for days, even weeks. On par with New York and Tokyo , Moscow is another city that never sleeps and one that any traveler should not miss in their lifetime. Tbilisi, Georgia Scenes of Tbilisi from just over a year ago depict the dark side of independence from the Soviet Union, but luckily the situation in the capital city has improved. Travel warnings to Georgia are still in effect but mostly advise against travel to the breakaway region of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in the north. Lonely Planet touts Tbilisi as the prettiest city in the Caucasus and an age-old Eurasian melting pot with a 21st-century attitude. With an enchanting Old Town, European-style nightclubs, and nestled on the hillsides of the Mtkvari River with the Caucasus Mountains as a backdrop—this capital city is just bursting with potential! Unfortunately, all of this comes at a price and one that Georgia is not willing to pay; architectural treasures and historical monuments are being torn down left and right in order to pave the way for new development. That’s my cue to run, not walk, to Tbilisi while its original charm still remains.