It's War Jim, But Not As We Know It

KIEV: We arrived in Kiev yesterday then visited the Chornobyl Museum which was kind of crap until we stumped up the extra cash, which wasn't much, for a guide who then enriched our experience no end.

Today we visited the caves monastery where various Orthodox saints lie mummified, and wrapped in cloth, in a network of narrow passages carved into a hillside. The caves are filled with pilgrims and people trying to harnessed the alleged healing powers of the dead saints. The whole complex is filled with beautiful churches crowned with some of the most stunning golden cupolas I have ever seen.

Afterwards we walked down to a museum dedicated to, at a guess, communist wars fought through the twentieth century. It wasn't exactly clear though there were exhibits, all in Russian and Ukrainian, on the Cuban War, Angola, Mozambique, Spain, Vietnam and China. You can see the common link. The highlight was walking amongst the tanks parked outside and even getting to sit in a Hind Gun Ship. For the uninitiated, that's the helicopter in Rambo 3, the ones used by the Soviets in Afghanistan. Afterwards we visited another vehicle collection full of various Migs, tanks, amphibious craft, artillery and scud missiles.

Then it was into the Second World War Museum where we understood very little. Again in Russian and Ukrainian. But there is a massive statue of Mother Russia, colloquially Tin Tits, on the roof, a huge sculpture outside and some painted hippy tanks.