olechko

We visited three different monasteries in Volyn region today.

The roads leading to the places are bad, lack signs and general depressive ruin of the countryside surrounds everything. Preferred means of transport there are horse-driven carriages. During the summer nature hides all this in much more attractive greenery.

Derman’ dates back XV-XVII century and hosts a lovely woman’s monastery, two churches, a holy well, with ancient row and mot around it. Besides the monastery, an old school, that produced Ulas Samchuk- renowned writer and journalist.

Horodok outside of Rivne sits on an island, old Ukrainian baroque church dates back 1740. The new monastery cathedral has fantastic new wooden decor inside and the warm” church” has a great private feel to it.

Biliv is the youngest women’s monastery of the three, from 1972, owns a fantastic wooden church, and is the hardest to get to.

On the way back we ate at an established inn called Sophia, outside of Rivne. The kinds of place where the local newlyweds come for their photo shoots complete with pretty exotic garden, tennis courts, hotel, solid restaurant and even a recently added live music venue.

Since I am spending so much time in Lutsk, we went checking out the local pub scene. Incidentally, I came across Noven’s pictures that perfectly show the decor of Obolon pub, the locals lovingly call it “Korablik”. Btw, the photographer has much more nice stuff on his site here. If fact I like it so much, I may have to put out his illustrated profile later here.

The pub offers sumptuous interior, styled to look like a pirate hide out. A band of an accordion, a guitar and a contrabass either wanders around the pub or performs at the stage the typical local favorites. The kitchen serves typical Ukrainian hearty meaty fare. The address is Voli prospekt ? (ask the driver for further directions :0)

Maidain is the well-established older brother pub of Korablic. Its decor is equally exiting, done more in ethnic Ukranian colyba kind of style. All major indie musical acts that come to town perform in the pub’s 2nd hall.