Ukraine

Brian painted a fantastic mural at the Aratta community centre in Chernihiv, Ukraine. It's based on a horse from the antique Carousel on Brighton seafront. After we'd finished and gone home, a local art teacher encouraged children to continue the theme around the other three walls of the room. The result blends perfectly and has made a grey room into an incredibly colourful, fun place. We support the centre, which runs many projects to help the victims of Chernobyl, in Ukraine. Find out about it, and support us at www.aidconvoy.net Taken with a Pentax ME-Super on Agfa 200 without flash — probably (film type from memory.)

Sasha, Tanya, Sergei at home in Chernigov. Pentax ME-Super, 50mm, no flash.

This is one of a few late additions to the pics from the Sen'kovka festival at the border of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. They recently arrived from Ukraine so I thought I'd upload them. Note the appropriately positioned flags! Funny thing, timing. I can look at my eyes in this picture and remember that this trip to Ukraine wasn't "work", although I am with Tonia and some of the gang who I often work with under the auspices of www.aidconvoy.net . But this trip was wonderful because instead of being work it was in fact more about me saying to them, "this time I need you, my friends", coming as it did right after a break-up which had left me with lots of questions. A time when I really needed to be me again, doing my stuff, instead of wishing I was half of something else. Best viewed bigger: static.flickr.com/38/96612988_bcad38f67d_o.jpg

The official closing ceremony (with a rememberance of WW2 element) at the tri-border (just outside the forest) was very Soviet. "Officials" only were allowed in the seats. All the many little old ladies, children, and general public were left standing outside. Note the soldiers enforcing it all. www.aidconvoy.net Photo by Tonia

In a small village in central Ukraine. Ya think the cart on the left has pulled off the road to make room for the other one? ;) www.aidconvoy.net Tenuous link : New York traffic -> old world traffic!

In a small village in central Ukraine.

Just uploading some oldies that I noticed could do with, er, uploading somewhere.

Between Chernihiv and Nizhin, Ukraine. Advertising a garage where hopefully they fix them, rather than just mounting them for display :) It's a Zap . What's the Landie up to? It's on a humanitarian aid mission to the Chornobyl area of Ukraine. Check out www.aidconvoy.net . Incidentally, the Landie has since been stolen — if you happen to see a discovery which looks as though " www.aidconvoy.net " has been removed from its doors, do please let me know...

This is the statue where I met Ewan McGregor! ;) It's stunningly impressive, two riders on horseback stretching out right across the road (some way after Lvov, heading east for Kiev.) You gape in wonderment that the Soviet bolts (connected only at the rearmost hooves) are still holding. Then gape again when you see the detail of the panel-beating. [I travel to Ukraine as part of a humanitarian aid project working with the victims of Chernobyl - www.aidconvoy.net ]