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Ukraine: Road Trip Day 5 - From Київ / Kiev to Ка́м'яне́ць-Поді́льський / Kamianets-Podilskyi

In the morning we quickly visited a few attractions in Kiev, Ivan Franko square and The Motherland Monument, which is part of the Museum of The History of Ukraine in World War II. Soon we moved on and the party on Ukrainian roads began. The so called road towards Kamianets-Podilskyi was a true stress test for our van and I must say that Peugeots aren't as soft as they used to be decades ago. In the evening we arrived to our destination and we made a quick tour in the city, passing Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle.

Our previous days of Ukraine Road Trip: Day 4, Day 3, Day 2 and Day 1.

 

Ivan Franko square - Ivan Yakovych Franko was a Ukrainian poet, writer, social and literary critic, journalist, interpreter, economist, political activist, doctor of philosophy, ethnographer, and the author of the first detective novels and modern poetry in the Ukrainian language. 

View over Dnieper, the fourth-longest river in Europe.

 

The Motherland Monument and the van trip gang: Aleš, Tuši, Nada, Rok, Neža, Aleš2, Miha and Katja. The stainless steel statue stands 62 m tall upon the main building with the overall structure measuring 102 m including its base and weighing 560 tons. The sword in the statue's right hand is 16 m long weighing 9 tons, with the left hand holding up a 13 by 8 m shield with the State Emblem of the Soviet Union.

Crossing of the Dnieper - This sculpture honors the Soviet soldiers who managed to cross the Dnieper in 1943.

 

New buildings in Kiev

 

Another look around the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War

 

Towards the exhibition of military techniques and weapons, that includes 65 samples of military techniques and weapons of the 20th century. The exhibition exhibits: armored vehicles, guns and jet units, naval weapons, armored personnel carriers and aviation techniques.

Back on the road

 

Pimped

 

Katja and Nada

 

Another portion of delicious grill food was perfect with the beer

Quick stop for beer in local market in Шатава / Shatava

 

Last intructions

Arrived to Kamianets-Podilskyi, a city on the Smotrych River. The first part of the city's dual name originates from kamin' (Ukrainian: камiнь) or kamen, meaning "stone" in Old East Slavic. The second part of the name relates to the historic region of Podolia of which Kamianets-Podilskyi is considered to be the historic capital.

Devilish Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle, a former Ruthenian-Lithuanian castle and a later three-part Polish fortress.

Local mini-bus

Snack for dinner

Historical accounts date Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle to the early 14th century, although recent archaeological evidence has proved human existence in the area back to the 12th or 13th century. Initially built to protect the bridge connecting the city with the mainland, the castle sits on top of a peninsula carved out by the winding Smotrych River, forming a natural defense system for Kamianets-Podilskyi's historic Old Town neighborhood.

GeoCaches found (all received a visit by trackable item "Show me Las Vegas", TB43NY8):
- Sit or Stand with a Statue (Kyiv Metro Series), GC37X74
- Great Patriotic War Museum Letterbox Hybrid, GC3888C