Ukraine with Kolos Corporation

We learned about the archaeology of the Trypillian Bronze Age during our 11-day trip to Ukraine, June 27-July 7, ’02, but we also saw many interesting medieval and later sites and met many interesting people in this newly independent state.

Our tour with Kolos Corporation (5841 Colfax Ave., Alexandria, VA 22311-1013; phone 703/593-8522, e-mal kolos@kolos.com or visit www.kolos.com) cost $1,100, land. (The 2004 “Tryptillian Tour,” taking place June 28-July 8, will cost $1,650 land only.) A few non-included meals and extras added up to less than $100.

We also gave substantial tips to the guide, the driver and Dr. Mykhailo Videiko, who led the tour, because although there were only three of us and the tour price was based on a group of 10, Kolos kept to the advertised price.

A senior researcher at the Archeology Institute of the National Science Academy of Ukraine, Dr. Videiko’s specialty is the Neolithic age and the early Trypillian Bronze culture of 5,000 to 7,000 years ago. We saw a significant find being uncovered at one of the digs we visited.

In Kiev, beginning outside the door of the Andriyvskiy Hotel, were several blocks of art and craft stands that had wonderful items at amazingly low prices. I brought home a large covered walnut dish for $12 and painted Pysanky eggs for $2 each.

We also toured St. Sophia Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Caves Monastery. We wished we had more time at the museum of wooden architecture in Kiev; we were able to see only part of it in several hours and could have spent more time in the shops, which had fabulous artworks at very modest prices.

On this trip we did a lot of walking on uneven ground and cobblestone streets. The archaeological sites were mostly off the beaten path. On occasion we enjoyed box lunches, incredible feasts of several types of smoked fish, sausages, ham, turkey, cheeses, bread, tomatoes, wine, juice and several desserts.

Plumbing, outside the hotels, was often the hole-in-the-ground variety; however, except for a couple of times, they were properly maintained and didn’t smell.

We were only moderately interested in archaeology, but this tour had enough other interesting and unusual things to see and do that we considered it a bargain. We met many more Ukrainians not involved in tourism than we would have on a conventional tour. Would we do it again? Yes.

— HARRIET S. HUGHES, Alexandria, VA