Pripyat Ukraine Hot Spots

Here are some more of my favorite Chernobyl Exclusion Zone spots (pre-war).  By the way, I’m still sad about what’s happening there.

Pripyat riverside Cafe

Office

Hospital utility room

Elementary School stairs case

Ukraine Temples

I visited several different religious churches and temples during our visit to Ukraine (pre-war).  Some of them abandoned inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, some in small villages and a some in Kyiv.

Here are a few photos from those locations with more in the photo gallery.

Slavutych Ukraine

Church ceiling inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

St. Sophia's Cathedral in Sophia’s Square (Kyiv)

Chernobyl Basketball Courts

I’m shocked and happy that the Ukrainian people (civilians and military) are holding the Russian military back.  Surprisingly, the Russian military doesn’t seem very competent, despite their advantage in equipment, size and training.

Here are some photos I took inside to abandoned basketball courts within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

Chernobyl Vehicles

There are a bunch of abandoned vehicles within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.  Even though the rules prohibit removing anything from the Zone due to radioactivity, everything has been picked over including the vehicles.  It’s hard to find any vehicle that hasn’t had numerous parts salvaged by scrappers.  Note…these photos are pre-war. 

Pripyat Hospital

I’ll keep the Ukraine photo theme going.  I don’t know about you, but I keep watching and reading everything I can find about the war in Ukraine.  I’m so sad about what’s happening and mad at the Russian government for doing it. 

I took these photos (pre-war) inside the abandoned hospital in the city of Pripyat, Ukraine.  This city is inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and a few miles from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

Surgical Room

Hospital supply room

Optical Exam Room

I don’t know what this hospital bed was for

Baby nursery

Another nursery room in the OB department

Chernobyl

I don’t know what to say about the war in Ukraine.  It is so frustrating to know people, historical sites, houses, etc.. are getting injured, damaged or worse because of one person’s greed and evil intent.

These are photos from Chernobyl (pre-war).

Chernobyl Reactor #4 with the containment dome over the nuclear disaster

Chernobyl Reactor #5 which was under construction when #4 melted down

Engineering office at the Jupiter Factory

Inside the Jupiter Factory

Old Soviet Facilities in Ukraine

Here are a few more photos from my Ukraine trip (pre-war).  All of these were taken near the Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor and within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. 

I hope the Ukraine military and people can keep on giving the Russian military a good fight and that they stay safe.

Abandoned Pripyat Apartment building with the Soviet logo on top

Abandoned buildings in Pripyat

DUGA - abandoned Russia military radar station to detect NATO Nuclear missile launches

Soviet Propaganda

Chernobyl Abandoned Boats

It’s great to see and hear about the Ukraine people fighting back and not letting the Russian military run right over them.  But I can only imagine the toll they are paying in blood to make that happen.  I stand with Ukraine!!

Here are some photos I took (pre-war) of abandoned ships in the Chernobyl River (technically this is near Pripyat which is the city next to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plants.

Abandoned ship

Abandoned boat leaning to port

Same boat as the 2nd photo above.

Lifeguard station at a kids summer camp on the river

My Thoughts Are With Ukraine

I am very sad for the citizens of Ukraine.  The Russian attack is unnecessary, unprovoked, and dangerous to Ukrainians and Russians.  Unfortunately, Russian’s leader is just another evil dictator who doesn’t care. 

Here are a few photos from my trip to Ukraine a few years ago.  I’ll post more from this trip over the next few days.

World War II Memorial park with Kyiv in the background

World War II monument

Church in Kyiv

Husavik

I’ve been going through a bunch of my Iceland photos from our pandemic trip and I’m sorry if you’re getting tired of them. 

Here is another one.  This is the harbor in the village of Husavik Iceland.  I loved the looks of these ships with the mountains in the background. 

Interesting fun fact:  This is the village that is featured in the “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga” movie.  During our time in this town, we visited a number of locations featured in the movie.

Vestrahorn Mountain

During our first trip to Iceland, MJ and I didn’t go to this site.  Honestly, I didn’t even know about it at that time.  In preparation for the 2nd trip, I discovered it online and put it on our itinerary and I am so glad I did. 

It was about 30 minutes off the main road to the end of this peninsula.  It cost us about $7 each to get access to the black sand beach and dunes, plus we got a chance to visit the Viking Café.  They also have a recreated Viking Village, that we didn’t visit since we spent all our time out hiking around the black sand dunes and capturing photos of the Vestrahorn Mountain in the background.  Like most amazing geographic locations, photos don’t do them justice, which is true of the mountains this photo as well. 

This is a must-see Iceland spot.  As a bonus, when MJ and I were leaving the location, we came upon a wild herd of reindeer.  That was a “first” for me. 

Cloud Covered Pittsburgh

How was your week?  I’m glad the work week is over…. Happy thoughts the rest of the weekend is my only goal.  This photo represents a past happy moment when Blair and I were hanging out at the Point State Park taking photos and just talking.  If you look close, we’re the two people in front of the fountain.

Hofskirkja Turf Church

This beautiful little turf church is in the southeast coast of Iceland near the village of Hof.  There are only six turf churches left in the country and we got a chance to see two of them on our last trip to Iceland.  As you might have noticed, there are graves all around the church courtyard which are the small mounds in the foreground of this photo.  None of them have grave headstones or markers, but I assume they have records of who is buried where around the church.

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

I’m sure on Super Bowl Sunday my post should be football related.  But I’ve been thinking a bunch about our 2021 Iceland trip.  So, you’re getting this photo from the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon on the southeastern side of the country.   Great spot!!