Overblog
Editer l'article Suivre ce blog Administration + Créer mon blog
03 Jun

13 - Unforgettable week in the Carpathian mountains

Publié par Robin  - Catégories :  #Travel, #Hitchhiking, #Music, #Visiting, #Europe, #Partner

01/05/2014

 

I'm travelling for the very first time with a companion. I convinced Ilya to try hitchhiking, because that's the best way of travelling, you already know it ;) it's his first hitchhiking experience, I hope he will like it. Let it be... awesome !!

Now we are in the deeeep countryside

Now we are in the deeeep countryside

Juliette helps us catching our 1st car (and still shy to be on the picture :D)

Juliette helps us catching our 1st car (and still shy to be on the picture :D)

Yaremche, reconnecting with the elements

Thursday. We reach our first destination very quickly, even I am surprised that hitchhiking works so well ! Is it Ilya's bright blond hair? Drivers might see him from far and think that he's a girl ;) And it's very good that he speaks ukrainian because most of our drivers here don't speak English at all ! He tells about him, me, and our different and crazy stories. People are very amused to meet us, how a guy from France and a guy from Kyrgyzstan ended up in these small villages in ukrainian mountains? ;)

 

Yaremche. We still don't have a place to stay tonight but fortunately Ilya has 3G Internet which allow us to search for a host on couchsurfing (welcome myself to modern travelling!). Well, there are only 7 people registered in this small town. That's very few ! We send them requests anyway, maybe we'll be lucky. Waiting for anv answer, we start to visit the place with our luggage on, and in the meantime we have a lot of time to discuss, get to know each other. But I make a huge mistake when I show him how to play the kazoo (he felt in love with this instrument, good for him but bad for the other people wishing for a quiet and peaceful walk in the forest :)

Little game : 2 kazoo players are hidden in the pictures. Can you find them?
Little game : 2 kazoo players are hidden in the pictures. Can you find them?
Little game : 2 kazoo players are hidden in the pictures. Can you find them?
Little game : 2 kazoo players are hidden in the pictures. Can you find them?
Little game : 2 kazoo players are hidden in the pictures. Can you find them?
Little game : 2 kazoo players are hidden in the pictures. Can you find them?
Little game : 2 kazoo players are hidden in the pictures. Can you find them?
Little game : 2 kazoo players are hidden in the pictures. Can you find them?
Little game : 2 kazoo players are hidden in the pictures. Can you find them?
Little game : 2 kazoo players are hidden in the pictures. Can you find them?

Little game : 2 kazoo players are hidden in the pictures. Can you find them?

This place is marvellous ! But after 4h of hiking up and down we are a bit tired. Hopefully we received an answer from a host,  we have a home for tonight ! Lidia is a very interesting canadian-ukrainian woman with a huge and clean house, speaking English, Ukrainian and French. And her friend Anya is a great cook, could we wish a better host? :)

Welcome home !

Welcome home !

In the evening we go with Ilya in the "center" of the town to play music. There are not many people but few groups stop to listen a bit, it's for sure very uncommon to find a cowboy playing here... Ilya is not playing but he is in charge of extra relationships ;) he starts to speak with a couple who sat there to listen to the music. They quickly get friends and we end up having a ball playing and singing songs in a café ! It's so easy to make relations some times, you just need an open mind and a pure spirit. Oh, and a guitar, don't forget the guitar ;)

Sasha and Alisa are from Kiev, visiting Yaremche for a relaxing yoga week end in the nature. Ilya also lives in Kiev, good for them they will have the opportunity to see again each other. Me, I didn't plan to go to Kiev it's quite far east but between them who ask me to visit them and Ilya who says me "man, you cannot come to Ukraine and not see Kiev !"...

I mmmmmaybe will think about it.

 

Friday is a 1 day round-trip to Rakhiv, another nice town. We take a local train which allow us to see  beautiful sights in the deep Carpathes. Nice tour, but loooooong, almost 3h ! Hopefully I'm not alone, and I can enjoy nice talks with Ilya and people sitting around.

They could clean the windows sometimes
They could clean the windows sometimesThey could clean the windows sometimes

They could clean the windows sometimes

We arrive in Rakhiv, sweet town surround by mountains. The perfect place to enjoy a nice meal with a wonderful view, then climb up a hill to admire the amazing landscape around us and a bottle of local wine. It's so peaceful there, we decide it's the perfect place to shoot some clips ;)

I'm green, but sing the bluesI'm green, but sing the bluesI'm green, but sing the blues
I'm green, but sing the bluesI'm green, but sing the bluesI'm green, but sing the blues

I'm green, but sing the blues

Another Country Roads Cover

The nature here is wonderful but the people don't give a shit and there's trash everywhere. They prefer secretly throw their trash in remote places than pay the trash tax... For me it's a pity to destroy such a beautiful place like this but it's a matter of education, Ukrainian people should do something about it. Guys, if you read me...

 

Beyond that the visit was nice but short, we have to take the train back to Yaremche. There, Alisa calls us and says that they are in a restaurant and arranged with the owner so that I can play there for free meal ! Ok, let's go. It's quite small, we are maybe 20 people there, but the mood is good. When I begin to play, people are happy, clapping, everyone starts to discuss together, the groups mix each other...  I decide it's time to dance ! Please stand up, come here... Aaaaand Waaa-pa-be-doo-da, wem-pem-pem Tutti frutti, Oh rudy !

 

We're dancing, singing and the mood is awesome ! One group invite us to join them in the local club. Yes, there is a club in this small village !! And they put Ukrainian and Russian club music, that's very funny :) Da da daaaaaaa

Rock this Cheremosh festival, rock it inside out !

Saturday, it's time to go to this Cheremosh festival. It's not so far but it's in a very very (I mean very) small village, it's a bit rainy and it will probably be a pain to get there by hitchhiking... But hopefully Lidia and Anya decided to go there today, so they can take us, the timing is perfect ! But that's the only perfect thing here. Don't you guess what I'm talking about? Road. Roads. ROADS !

Country roads, don't take me home !Country roads, don't take me home !
Country roads, don't take me home !Country roads, don't take me home !

Country roads, don't take me home !

 

 

The road is slaloming in the mountains and we are slaloming on the road, it's like we drive 4 times the normal distance ! But the view is nice and we are now deep into ukrainian culture and mountain lifestyle. That's very interesting ! Everywhere you can see small tables with vegetables on the side of the road, people sell this way their local crops, homemade products for very cheap price. Also it is very common to see people taking out their pet...

As you take out your dog, you take out your cow :)As you take out your dog, you take out your cow :)As you take out your dog, you take out your cow :)
As you take out your dog, you take out your cow :)

As you take out your dog, you take out your cow :)

We take some time to stop in a little museum which presents traditional carpathian musical instruments. I couldn't resist the temptation to try this !

This is one big Vuvuzela !!This is one big Vuvuzela !!
This is one big Vuvuzela !!

This is one big Vuvuzela !!

Here we are, Cheremosh festival. It's middle afternoon and there's no great music yet. It's relaxing time, preparing for the crazy night upcoming... But for now our main mission with Ilya is to find a place to 1) put down our backpacks 2) sleep tonight. Now it's very helpful that Ilya speaks ukrainian because most of the people here don't speak English at all ! So he speaks for us and translates to me.

 

There are few tents that we could rent but it's a bit expensive and cold in the night time, maybe we can find something better. And what better plan when you have a problem than to deal with the big guy? So we find the major of the village and ask if he has a solution for us... For sure ! Follow me !

 

He takes us to a small museum and they discuss with the lady at the entrance. Ilya turns to me :

"Ok so we can put our backpacks here today, then tonight we can sleep in a house over there but it's a place without bathroom and it will cost us 50 Grivnas (3.1€)"

It's not the best option but still better than nothing... ok, maybe... then we go with the lady to put our backpacks in a private room. In the same time, Ilya starts to speak with her, and they become more and more excited as they talk together. Of course I didn't understand anything, but it was something like this :

 

"I'm Ilya, I'm from Kyrgyzstan. I was in Lviv for 3 weeks"

- Oh, you're from Kyrgyzstan? Do you know a girl named Marichka there?

"Marichka? Yes, she rented me a room there for few days. Do you know her too?

- Of course, I'm her mother ! She told me about you and that you're a nice guy. And by the way, she is here in family's house now. You are both invited to stay at our home tonight !

 

How can such amazing coincidences happen??! Sometimes I wonder if some spirit is not watching my journey from above, although I don't believe in holy stuff :D maybe I'm just lucky. Extraordinary lucky. We're now hosted in a typical carpathian house, with courtyard for animals, huge heaters in the rooms, toilets in a wooden house outside next to the grass storage... Just amazing ! We're also invited to try 100% natural and homemade borsh (traditional soup) and kompote (super tasty fruit juice) and meet there Marichka and her friends who are very surprised to see us here.

Sweet home, Kryvorivnia
Sweet home, KryvorivniaSweet home, Kryvorivnia

Sweet home, Kryvorivnia

Now we've got a safe place, let's enjoy the festival ! Ukrainian music on !

I hope I won't need to go to toilets :)I hope I won't need to go to toilets :)I hope I won't need to go to toilets :)
I hope I won't need to go to toilets :)I hope I won't need to go to toilets :)

I hope I won't need to go to toilets :)

The particularity of this festival is that it takes place in a time of big trouble for Ukraine. Basically, they are in war. Last day about 40 people died in Odessa, we made a moment of silence in their memory. Everywhere I could see ukrainian flags, hundreds of people shouting "Slava Ukraina !" "Heroem slava !" (glory to Ukraine, glory to heros). It was a strong moment,  I don't remember having such a partiotic feeling running in my body since, since... No, never ever actually.

 

 

Sunday, in the early afternoon there is a small open mic session. I just woke up and I don't like to play that early :/ and it's very cold outside ! But it's a unique chance to play on this stage. We go to the organiser and ask :

-  Can I play?

"Sure !"

- When?

"Now, go ! They're already presenting you"

 

Wait, what, now? Eeee... Ok let me take out my guitar...

 

The girl singing before me was very smooth, relaxing, and people were still waking up just like me. You know, this chilly sleepy mood in morning time in festivals... Let's change that !

Did you notice the colour association beween me and the logo? :)

They ask me to play more songs, and after the show some people come to me to take pictures with me (as usual ;) and a guy offers to create a profile for me on his website. It's a platform where artistic people can upload and monetize their content. I don't have any yet but when I'll have time this might be very useful :)

Back to Rakhiv

It's now time to leave the festival. Our last destination for the Carpathes is Tiatchiv, small town at the romanian border. Not so far but we're hitchhiking, the road is as you know awful and it's cold and rainy ! The cars passing by don't go very far so we have to change often, go few km forward, wait again in the cold weather... But the good thing with this road is, the cars are going very slow so they can easily stop for us :)

 

The other good thing is... The magic of hitchhiking is still in the air ! We're now in a small van with  4 other hitchhikers, and start to discuss. Roman and Vika are also going to Tiatchiv, they live there and are pleasant and interesting. At the end they offer to host us if we need ! Of course we cannot refuse ! The best meetings are when it's so spontaneous and unexpected like this. But they're finishing their way back in bus, they tell us it's still far and quite late already, we will probably have difficulties to reach Tiatchiv before the night. But we still want to hitchhike with Ilya to enjoy the magic, so see you in Tiatchiv !

 

And we were absolutely right because next driver taking us is Mykhailo, a smart and interesting architect living in Rakhiv. Unfortunately for me, he doesn't speak English but Ilya has a long and passionate talk with him. While approaching Rakhiv he calls his wife and they both agree to invite us to stay with them tonight ! Definitely, I love hitchhiking. And I guess Ilya starts to love it too ;) Tiatchiv can wait 1 more day, we gladly accept the proposal and spend the evening with this couple, eating 100% natural carpathian specialities, learning about their experiences on walking on fire or healthy frozen baths in wintertime. We don't have much to offer to thank them, except our stories, bottles of wine and maybe few songs :)

Ukrainian national anthem, country version

Monday. In the morning they give us a big breakfast, extra food and a bottle of kompote to get started for another day of aventures. We thank them again and it's time to go. Ilya has to go back to Kiev because of recent events and the political situation in Ukraine. It was a pleasure to travel with you, see you in Kiev ! Me, I have to go to Tiatchiv. But before that I should play somewhere because I have only 17 Grivnas left (1.05€) and I don't feel comfortable hitting the road with so little money ;) it's lunch time, I enter a restaurant and ask to play. Mykhailo knew the owner and he called him yesterday to allow me to play there. This time I have to go with my hat to collect the money, I don't like to do this by myself but I have no other choice as I am alone now. Business is done, I can hitchhike to my next and last destination.

Tiatchiv, the end of the road

I'm very lucky to find in less than 1 minute a car going straight to Tiatchiv ! The road is a bit better here than in the Cheremosh festival area, and the views are simply amazing ! I have to come back in this area one day to explore this mountains. But now it's Tiatchiv time ! The town is smaller than I expected, but big enough to have a center with people passing by. Roman (remember I met him in a van while hitchhiking) will come to me so in the meantime I can try to play there. Some people stop, come to discuss, they are very astonished to see me here, "how did you get there? how did you hear about this town?" Well, just random people showed me the way :)

 

 

Roman comes to me and leads me to his flat where Vika is waiting for us. They are very kind, relaxed and hospitable people. And so nature ! I think I had with them and in the Carpathes in general the healthiest food of my trip.

Aren't they so cute? :)

Aren't they so cute? :)

When I sort my bills from the busking session I have the surprise to find a little piece of paper with a phone number and something written in ukrainian... I ask Vika what it means : "maybe meet?" oh, that's so cute ! Is that a date?  ;) Of course we can meet, please join us tonight to play Russian billiard, weird billard actually, where you can strike any ball you want, so it seems easier... But the table is big and the holes small, so that's not that easy !

France vs Ukraine, wine vs vodka...

France vs Ukraine, wine vs vodka...

Julia joins us. She's the girl who gave me this little message :) we settle a meeting for the next day, she will show me the city.

 

Tuesday. My last day in Ukraine. It's relaxing time after all this adventures. Julia shows me around, in the city I'm surprised to meet a lot of people who already know me ! It's very fast to become a rockstar in small towns :) Julia jokes : "I'll become famous because of you! "

We have nice talks, go for a walk at the river which is also the border with Romania, my next destination. Be prepared, I'm coming ! And I'm huuuuuungryyyyy for new aventures !

13 - Unforgettable week in the Carpathian mountains
13 - Unforgettable week in the Carpathian mountains
13 - Unforgettable week in the Carpathian mountains
13 - Unforgettable week in the Carpathian mountains
13 - Unforgettable week in the Carpathian mountains
13 - Unforgettable week in the Carpathian mountains
No horse chariot allowed here !

No horse chariot allowed here !

Little gift from Julia, FREEDOM !

Little gift from Julia, FREEDOM !

Commenter cet article

À propos

Robin on tour all over the world