tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11245672432682721792021-12-14T04:20:29.863-04:00Discover the best tourist attractions of western Ukraine with Maria Zawaski! Maria is a freelance journalist, born on the West of Ukraine, got married to Canada. "Now, when I live abroad, I recommend to all my foreign friends to visit western part of my home country Ukraine. Why the western one - it is because I used to live there, so I am more familiar with that part of the country and I can tell lots of stories about the culture, lifestyle and traditions of Ukrainian West," Maria saysUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger189125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-73315509608809018692015-08-24T19:27:00.003-03:002015-08-24T19:38:09.316-03:00

Today is August 24, 2015, which is an Independence Day in Ukraine. Happy Independence Day to all Ukrainians, in Ukraine and abroad! In honor of this day, here are few videos of Ukrainian dances for you guys. I took the videos during my numerous trips to Ukraine, especially to its western part, where I am originally from.  Halychyna dancers from the city of Lviv, western Ukraine, perform the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-17352910404663029762015-06-17T17:36:00.002-03:002015-06-17T17:57:24.653-03:00

Looking through the pictures of my travels to Ukraine, I found lots of them that I can create a special album, called "Beaded Art from Ukraine" (and also made by Ukrainian people, who lives abroad now). So, on the pictures below you can see beaded Easter eggs, handmade by Ukrainian artists from Lviv, the biggest city on the West of Ukraine. I brought many beaded eggs from Lviv. Some of them

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-46621349400253389782015-06-16T21:08:00.000-03:002015-08-24T19:26:54.562-03:00

In one of our travels to Ukraine, my husband Ron and I were so lucky to attend the archaeological excavation of the medieval castle in Skalat, a nice little city on the West of Ukraine, located in Ternopil oblast. First mention of the Skalat castle dated by 1379; in 1684 it was rebuilt. The castle was destroyed a lot during the First and Second World Wars. After the Second World War, the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-890091968535101262015-05-11T14:54:00.000-03:002015-05-11T15:02:24.794-03:00

Traveling to Carpathian Mountains, western Ukraine, has many pleasant surprises, like, bumping into Ukrainian celebrity just accidentally, on a street of a picturesque city of Verkhovyna. The celebrity was a very popular Ukrainian musician and singer Oleh Skrypka. We just walked on a street, as I said, and all of sudden I have noticed a horse and buggy with the local Hutsuls band from

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-38158262222997387032015-05-05T14:37:00.003-03:002015-05-11T14:55:56.655-03:00

Singing at the parties, like weddings, family dinners, meeting friends is very typical for Ukrainians. They love to do it, they enjoy to do it and it is really create nice and warm atmosphere at the dinner table! This video we took in one of our family trips to western Ukraine. We are singing Ukrainian folk song Shabelyna (Sabre) with my Goddaughter and her parents - my good friends. Sorry, we

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-12233732827216858652015-05-04T13:13:00.004-03:002015-05-05T14:47:07.669-03:00

I would like to share with you few videos of an amazing fire show at the wedding in Ternopil, western Ukraine, which our family have attended in summer 2014. The performance was presented by local fire show theatre Nikalex. Enjoy!

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-84041039697185193862015-05-01T21:26:00.001-03:002015-05-01T22:07:57.756-03:00

Spring on the West of Ukraine, especially in its rural part - it is, first of all, a potato planting time! A big time! Potato it is one of the main staples of Ukrainian cuisine; it is vital for almost every Ukrainian to have a little (or a big, depend on a size of family) plot of potatoes and other vegetables and take care of it from the planting to the harvest - in case, if something is

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-59503385615439921422014-03-16T16:34:00.000-03:002015-04-13T22:12:44.049-03:00

Ukrainian National Anthem has been translated into English!

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-29614908793928284412014-01-14T15:17:00.000-04:002015-04-13T22:14:19.582-03:00

Old New Year, or New Year by Julian calendar, is widely celebrating on January 14 in some Eastern European countries, including Ukraine. Speaking about western Ukraine, where I am originally from (I live in Canada now), Julian Calendar New Year is very common festivity to this part of the country. Although January 14 is not an official day off, in western Ukraine they have services in

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-35848776134527783032014-01-03T16:42:00.001-04:002014-01-05T23:06:49.316-04:00

Kutia (on the picture above) is a signature dish of Ukrainian Christmas. Being served as a very first entry at 12-dishes Christmas Eve dinner, which is January 6 (Ukrainian Christmas is January 7). Kutia is a sweet dish, made out of boiled wheat grains (wheatberries), poppy seeds, honey or sugar and walnuts or pecans. Kutia can be also used for dessert, in the end of Christmas dinner. The

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-51725634830782121692013-12-24T12:45:00.001-04:002013-12-24T12:47:38.391-04:00

This amazing beaded Christmas ornament made in colours of Ukrainian and European Union flags. Upper part of the ornament, with little yellow stars on it, is symbolizing the flag of Europe. Middle part, which is Ukrainian flag, has a Tryzub on it. Tryzub is Ukrainian coats of arm. The author of this wonderful ornament is my good friend Daria Iwasko. Daria is Ukrainian-American artist and she is

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-67355920705593658572013-12-20T17:10:00.002-04:002013-12-20T17:11:54.827-04:00

Andrew Evans, the Digital Nomad from National Geographic Travel, just published his top 12 Winning Winter Destinations. Wow, it is sooo nice to see in this list the city of Lviv, the jewel of western Ukraine! Andrew has described why this travel destination – Lviv – is so beautiful in the winter and why it is worth to go there: “When it’s snowing, the architecturally-impressive city of Lviv

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-32437826524879452882013-10-20T16:54:00.002-03:002015-05-05T14:43:32.549-03:00

This is my precious Goddaugter Katya from Ukraine. The picture was taken in 2007, at my wedding: Here is Katya is singing at my wedding. This traditional Ukrainian song was a special gift from Katya to me, her Godmother: And here is Katya is singing again – at the video from her wedding, in 2013. She is singing only on beginning of the video; rest of the video was a cameraman’s job.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-58459296475674177482013-10-04T20:38:00.006-03:002013-10-12T14:01:14.008-03:00

Visit to Mykhailo Tafiychyk, 75 years old musician and musical instrument maker (on the picture above), was one of highlights of our family trip to Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine. Mykhailo is known in Ukraine and Ukrainian communities outside of Ukraine – he is making musical instruments for many Ukrainian musicians and bands, also for musicians abroad. Mykhailo lives in the town of

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-73507656731706070722013-10-02T13:30:00.001-03:002013-10-02T13:37:00.946-03:00

Traveling in West Ukrainian countryside, you can find things which are available only in museums somewhere in Canada or USA. In Ukraine, however, many of those things are still every day’s reality. Like this one, for example, on the video below. The device (or tool, whatever) calls a manual chaff cutter. Good for cutting hay, straw or fresh greens for the poultry and cattle’s feed. On the video

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-82519025104396678542013-10-01T14:06:00.000-03:002014-05-21T13:30:59.195-03:00

If you have never been to Lviv and Ternopil (both are amazing Eastern European/West Ukrainian cities), these time-lapse videos will help you to get an idea how the cities look like and what exactly would you like to see over there when you decide to visit them. So, here is Lviv: And here is Ternopil: Hope you enjoyed the views and the photography! As for me personally, both views

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-1458048060499695832013-09-29T13:48:00.000-03:002013-10-20T16:17:55.470-03:00

Euronews reporter about tourist attractions of the city of Lviv, West Ukraine (video):

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-17529252312941979132013-05-05T00:00:00.000-03:002013-05-05T01:37:09.338-03:00

Today, May 5, 2013 Ukrainians are celebrating an Easter. Happy Easter everyone in Ukraine and Ukrainians abroad! I am Ukrainian too, and this Easter is very special for me, because I got a special gift from a very special lady, Daria Iwasko from New York. Daria is originally from Lviv, West Ukraine, and she does an amazing art of beading (my favorite art, by the way). Earlier I told you a

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-69702792722327126342013-04-29T00:19:00.001-03:002014-05-21T13:32:47.045-03:00

If you read this story, you know about Ukrainian Easter food; you know about a blessing of food baskets in Ukraine for an Easter; you know about Ukrainian Easter breakfast/brunch traditions; and finally, you know what food has to be in Ukrainian Easter basket – Paska which is egg bread, a sweet one, with raisins Hard boiled eggs; decorated Meat items – sausage, preferably a garlic one; ham;

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-55547163764028790732013-04-24T21:41:00.000-03:002014-05-22T11:57:53.736-03:00

Easter for Ukrainians it is a second big celebration, after Christmas. I would say, Easter has much wider meaning for every Ukrainian than just a religion meaning – it is a celebration of a spring spirit and a celebration of good food. It is a perfect reason for families and friends to get together. 40 days before the Easter Ukrainians have to keep a tradition of the Great Lent – meat free,

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-56889522056524466752013-04-23T13:26:00.003-03:002013-04-23T13:41:31.463-03:00

Ukrainian Easter is just around the corner (in 2013 we are, Ukrainians, will celebrate it on May 5), and getting ready for this Great Day (which sounds as Velykden’ in Ukrainian), I just happened to find something very Easter-related and really, really beautiful, something I've never seen before. An Easter Egg shaped handbags! Exclusive and exquisite, made by designer Tanya Klyova from the city

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-67271790294014605932013-04-05T16:14:00.002-03:002014-05-22T11:59:20.644-03:00

If you are a cat person, like I am, and you are happened to travel to the western part of Ukraine (where I am originally from, by the way), you will be impressed how many cat-themed arts and crafts you can find at local markets and craft stores. It’s all mostly contemporary art and craft, with traditional touch, locally made (not imported!) and… Oh so cute!! Whole bunch of cat-related souvenirs

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-39679289522519660282013-03-29T15:04:00.002-03:002013-03-29T15:13:23.433-03:00

As my blog-site is about travels, in particular, travels to the western part of Ukraine, where I am originally from (I live in Canada now), I was more than amazed to share this wonderful stuff with you, especially in Easter time – right before the Easter 2013. Because, what is popping up in your mind first, when you or somebody else says “Easter”? Right! Easter Eggs! So, we are going to see some

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-19239694865359369152013-03-22T23:08:00.001-03:002013-03-30T18:40:26.447-03:00

Easter is all about Easter Eggs. In Ukrainian meaning, Easter is about Pysanky, which are hand painted Ukrainian Easter Eggs. I know, I know, the ethnographers will correct me: traditional Ukrainian Easter Eggs are not painted – they are written, because they are called Pysanky (plural) in Ukrainian, which created from a word pysaty – to write. Typical Ukrainian Pysanky are decorated with a wax

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124567243268272179.post-28052488973681223932013-03-11T16:56:00.003-03:002013-03-11T17:00:05.091-03:00

Looking for Ukrainian arts and crafts for the Easter, I have found few interesting ones – a glass painting ones. First one I own – this is a glass painting of the Angel on an Easter Egg, by Yaroslav Adamovych, an artist from Lviv, western Ukraine. I got this painting in my travel to Ukraine and I love it sooo much! Here is my Easter Angel: Second one I found is a glass painting Easter Egg

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com