Kherson in More Peaceful Times

The above is an image of St. Catherine's Cathedral in Kherson, Ukraine, a pleasant, non-touristy town just north of the Crimean peninsula where according to news reports, there was some kind of standoff between pro-Russian and Ukrainian forces yesterday. Today is the vote in Crimea on whether to join the Russian Federation or return to the status quo ante of 1992 when Crimea became an autonomous region of Ukraine.

I remember going to an Internet cafe in Kherson a few years ago, and finding it reasonably-priced and user-friendly. Unfortunately it looks as if it will be some time before Ukraine is again attracting regular travellers in large numbers.

Checking the blog www.8monthsinukraine.blogspot.com, written from Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine where there have been clashes between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian groups, I learned that citizens had been asked to donate food for the animals in the local zoo, and response had been overwhelming. Apparently the economic situation is so unsettled in that part of Ukraine that they are trouble keeping basic services going.

I'm hoping and praying for a quick and peaceful resolution of this situation, but it doesn't look good.