1 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:21,319 When I was a little girl, I often watched Russian children's films. 2 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:24,999 The Stars in these films always seemed to go on exciting adventures 3 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:27,719 during their summer vacations. 4 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:31,999 These memories from my youth are the reason that I feel 5 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,399 enormously attracted to countries from the former Soviet Union. 6 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:23,719 This summer we'll visit Ukraine 7 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,399 a country about which we actually know very little. 8 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,479 In elementary school, I learned that Ukraine 9 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,519 has been the breadbasket or Europe for many decades 10 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,439 Then there was the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl. 11 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:40,679 The European football UEFA 2012 12 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,239 recently attracted a lot of media attention. 13 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:49,679 Journalists spoke about corruption and political abuse. 14 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:53,719 We'll leave these problems to the journalists. 15 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:56,159 Instead, we're going on a quest to find the beautiful sides of Ukraine. 16 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,599 We'll go on an adventure like the stars of the children's films. 17 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,159 For one balmy summer, we'll cycle past castles, 18 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:05,799 colourful little houses 19 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,719 and yes... even a candy factory! 20 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:29,079 Ukrainian cyclists help me to prepare the trip. 21 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:34,638 Dasha, Igor and SIavik e-mail me great tips, 22 00:02:34,838 --> 00:02:37,738 not to be found in any guidebooks. 23 00:02:37,838 --> 00:02:40,738 We'll visit them when we're in Ukraine. 24 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:05,759 Where we going? 25 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:07,479 Bila Serkva. 26 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:19,439 I don't speak Ukrainian 27 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:21,559 No Ukrainian? Are you speak English? 28 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:22,919 No I don't speak Russian. 29 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,239 The official language is Ukrainian 30 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:27,639 but a lot of Ukrainian also speak Russian 31 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:30,399 and some regions use it daily. 32 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:33,479 Other foreign languages are rarely spoken 33 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:36,879 Writing and reading is in the Cyrillic alphabet. 34 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:41,159 Everyday things like ordering food is therefore sometimes quite complicated 35 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:43,959 but food is very important for cyclists 36 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:46,439 so we quickly learned the names of delicious things. 37 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:50,119 Besides learning a new language, we also learned many new dishes. 38 00:06:17,539 --> 00:06:21,639 ukr. печеня (pechenya)* rus.* жаркое (zharkoe)* surzhyk* жарке (zharke) - hotpot, roast meat 39 00:06:20,639 --> 00:06:25,139 борщ зі сметаною borshch - red beet soup with meat and sour cream 40 00:06:26,939 --> 00:06:30,139 Банош Banosh - Polenta, cornmeal porridge 41 00:06:30,539 --> 00:06:33,439 Гречана каша Hrechana kasha - buckwheat porridge 42 00:06:34,539 --> 00:06:37,539 Салат Salat 43 00:06:37,639 --> 00:06:40,639 Вареники Varenyky - Dumpling 44 00:06:40,739 --> 00:06:43,639 Сало Salo - Pig fat bar food 45 00:06:44,739 --> 00:06:47,739 Таранка Taranka - Dried fish bar food 46 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:50,919 The Ukrainians rarely refuse vodka or beer. 47 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,119 Fortunately there is also a popular soda. 48 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:58,999 Kvas is a sweet-sour fermented drink 49 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,519 made from rye bread and dried fruits 50 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:05,719 We simply love it - we drink at least one liter every day. 51 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:10,879 We also eat ice cream - every day! 52 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:12,799 The Ukrainians are crazy for ice cream 53 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,399 and even in the smallest villages you can find at least five types. 54 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,599 One of the nicest things about travelling by bike 55 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:41,559 is the chance to meet people along the roadside 56 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:45,879 Ukrainians are very nice, if a bit reserved to begin with. 57 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:47,519 That changes quickly. 58 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:50,479 In reality they love to chat. 59 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,039 The first question is mostly whether you are from Poland 60 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,119 It doesn't matter that we hardly speak Ukrainian or Russian, 61 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:59,799 a deluge of words and stories always follows. 62 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,279 Bakota Monastry 63 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:24,919 The bicycle is an important means of transport. 64 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:27,519 Despite this, we see few bike tourists. 65 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,439 We only meet a few Polish and Ukrainian bikers in the Carpathians 66 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,079 the mountain region f Ukraine. 67 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:37,319 The roads are mostly quiet 68 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:39,999 The quality of the road surface is often mediocre 69 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,199 but this road beats all the others 70 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:45,799 through a river.... upstream! 71 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:52,399 This morning we thought the road was very beautiful 72 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:58,479 but not anymore; not on a bicycle. 73 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,558 We have to carry our luggage separately, back and forth. 74 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:04,999 But hey, this is bike touring. Isn't it? 75 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:07,919 Is this bike touring? 76 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,039 I think it's more like dragging the bike behind you, 77 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:45,199 If you're travelling by bike, you never know where you'll sleep at night. 78 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:51,919 Tonight we arrived 24:00 at Kolomya 79 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:55,799 We didn't feel like searching for a hotel in the pitch dark. 80 00:10:55,920 --> 00:11:00,678 But luckily Ukraine has train stations with rooms. 81 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,599 Campsites don't exist, except occasionally in the Carpathians. 82 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:08,919 This means that we often camp wild, 83 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,599 in the most beautiful spots. 84 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:14,479 Fortunately even the smallest villages have shops 85 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:17,599 and even plenty of water for a take-away shower. 86 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,759 In 2007 there is a national survey 87 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,959 to choose the Seven Wonders of Ukraine 88 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:41,719 They choose places like the Sofiyivsky park in Uman 89 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:44,039 the castle of Kamayanets-Podilsky 90 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:45,479 and the Kotyn fortress. 91 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:48,279 Ukrainians love to be photographed in these spots, 92 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:49,879 on their wedding day, for example. 93 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:52,719 These Ukrainian wonders are very nice but for us 94 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:58,119 the everyday things along the road are the real highlights of Ukraine. 95 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:14,639 This summer we discovered Ukraine, 96 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,079 a country which we knew very little about. 97 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:19,319 Like a child that discovers the world, 98 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:20,839 we are surprised about the things we discover. 99 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:22,159 What we discover is beautiful. 100 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,919 Small colourful houses, naive Soviet art 101 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:27,639 and ice cream - every day! 102 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:30,558 Endless corn and sunflower-fields. 103 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:32,039 Dense forests. 104 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:34,359 Nice people and good food. 105 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:37,279 Ukraine is a good cycling country! 106 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:46,399 But didn't you also go to a candy factory? 107 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:48,359 Yeah what about the candy factory? 108 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:50,919 Oh yes, I nearly forgot. 109 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:55,079 Vinnytsia is the town with the biggest candy factory 110 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:56,719 in all of the former Soviet Union. 111 00:12:57,679 --> 00:12:59,399 Roshen treats visitors not only to sweets 112 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:02,919 but also to one of the largest water ballets In the world.