Miles in Ukraine.

The new year 2023 has begun. It started difficult, two nights in a row the sky over Kyiv was red from explosions. It is a dark night, and in the sky you can see rockets flying one after another, then a drone is hit and the whole sky is bright red.

This is how the Russian occupiers greeted us, they hit Kiev with drones, which our defenders successfully repelled with machine guns and rockets. But it was not without casualties.

But what is happening in the south of the country is a real apocalypse, the Russians are throwing a large number of mobilized people, like meat, at the Ukrainian positions. They shoot guns anywhere, even at their own, destroy cities, leaving nothing alive.

Therefore, I was very happy when my friend invited me to go on a short trip for three days, as far as possible from the city, into the forest and into nature, where it is calm and safe.

I did not hesitate for a moment, packed my things and drove away from the city.

The weather seemed special for this time of year, warmer than ever. Sometimes the temperature was up to +14 C. The sun was shining, the sky was cloudless and there was almost no wind. Only a few military planes in the sky reminded us that we are at war.

After getting on the first bus from Kyiv in the morning, I tried to sleep on the way, I hardly slept for two nights, it was too dangerous in the city, and apparently the anxiety has not yet subsided, so I could not sleep, although I slept no more than 5 hours in two days .

I am not completely brave, maybe sometimes reckless, but not brave. It was necessary to go to the subway, where the explosions could not be heard or seen, and to sleep. But we stayed in our apartment with my wife, my house is my fortress, that's what they say in our country, but I understand that even four walls of concrete will not save from a rocket hit, what makes you stay at home and watch the battles of the heavenly bodies? Curiosity, risk, faith in fate, or does war simply dull the instinct of self-preservation? And also, it's beautiful, yes, terribly beautiful...

Having driven half the way, a friend got into my bus, and we drove on, to the planned route, not very long. We were no more than 100 kilometers away from Kyiv. It is not very far, but the terrain there changes dramatically.

Arriving at the place of our start, we immediately undressed, took off our winter jackets, because it became unexpectedly very warm, the weather amused us with its warmth. Looking at the weather forecast in advance, we expected it to be very warm, but it is warm only during the day, and without the sun, winter is coming again.

After leaving the track, we immediately got to the field road, there was no snow anymore, but it melted and mud formed on the dirt road. We were counting on this, so we walked briskly, trying to choose drier parts of the road.

Immediately behind the hill, we were greeted by an old, broken mill, built after the war, around the 50s of the last century.

Such mills are typical for wartime, propeller blades from airplanes were used instead of sails. Of which there were plenty after the war.

Such mills have not been used for a long time, but unfortunately they are not preserved for posterity, it is good that some mills have found good owners and now they, as historical monuments, return us to the ancient past of our ancestors.

And this mill was falling apart, he is like an old grandfather who worked for many years, feeding people, and now no one needs him, he is living out his last days and enjoying the warm days that warm his old sides.

After passing a large garbage dump, on which huge crows were cawing solemnly, we turned onto a forest road, the bright sun was shining through the trees, which gave warmth, but steam was coming from the mouth, and there was still ice on the paths.

When the forest ended, we went to the hills, like the humps of giant camels, they appeared on the horizon. I am in awe of the eternal creation of nature, these hills have been here for thousands of years and will be here for another thousand years. And we will not be there, human life is like a spark compared to the eternal. Maybe dinosaurs used to walk here, and now I'm standing here.

Then the road was complicated by constant ups and downs.

But my friend and I had a lot to talk about, we chatted about the war and the blockchain, for three days we constantly talked about something, then I talk, my friend, and I listen. It's more fun to die with a friend.

Having covered about 11 km, through forests and streams, mud and fields, we reached one of the fabulous places.

There was a magical well here. Far from people, in a roadless forest, an ancient legend hid.

Even the paths are covered with large trees, as if forbidding people to enter the mystery.

There was a magical well here. Far from people, in a roadless forest, an ancient legend hid. Even the paths are covered with large trees, as if forbidding people to enter the mystery.

Old people say that the name "Ruzhena Krynytsia" went back to the time of the Cossacks, because a witch doctor lived here, who had supernatural powers and healed the wounded in the battle with the Tatars, the Cossacks.

But one day the Tatars found Ruzhena, and forced her to treat wounded foreign invaders, and when she refused, they buried her alive.

The Cossacks did not have time to save her, they did not find her alive when they arrived. But at the place where Ruzhena was buried, a stream appeared and the water was healing.

To this day, people believe that these are Ruzhena's tears, they believe that the water is healing, and they travel many kilometers to get to the "Ruzhena Krynytsia".

If your desire is pure, you can spell it and ask Ruzhena for help. So say the legends.

I asked for the war to end, so that Ukrainians would not die.

The sun was already setting, and it gets dark even earlier in the forest, so we hurried on. And finally, we reached the Dnipro. The Dnipro is completely quiet, and the water is so transparent and clean that I forgot about winter, I wanted to stay here by the water and swim.

But after stopping for a few minutes, it became noticeably cool, while walking it was warm and I did not notice that the evening was coming.

But soon it became very hot, even sweat flowed like a river. Then the road continued uphill. We began a conversation about Everest and the unusual desire of people to conquer it, despite the high number of tragic, fatal cases of climbers.

When we got to the top of the mountain, the scenery took my breath away again, and that spiritual elation renewed the strength to go on.

The magical sunset was mesmerizing, the lines of the coast and the combination of the water and the hills did not allow you to take your eyes off it, as if in front of you was something most beautiful that you had seen in your life. Ukraine, Land of Kaniv region, cherished side of T.G. Shevchenko. It was not for nothing that the poet ordered to bury him here.

When I die, bury me

Me on the grave

Among the wide steppe

Dear Ukraine,

So that the roes are wide-field,

And the Dnipro, and steep

It was visible, it was heard

How roaring roars.

As it will carry from Ukraine

In the blue sea

Blood of the enemy... go away

And meadows and mountains -

I will leave everything, and I will go away

To God himself

To pray... and besides

I don't know God.

Bury and rise

Break the shackles

And with an amazing evil blood

Sprinkle the will.

And I'm in a big family,

Free, new in the family,

Do not forget to mention

In a nice quiet word.

All photos of my handsome friend, traveler and admirer of his native land.

https://peakd.com/@rzity.nomad/posts

I will leave here a link to his fascinating blog.