Ahhh, Ukraine in November… it doesn’t quite have the same je ne sais quoi as Paris in November, or heck, let’s go south of the equator to Fiji in November! Yet, the only reasonable flight returning to Tbilisi from visiting a friend in Cologne had me flying through Kiev. And being the eternal optimist I am, I decided to make a mini trip of it. I had never been to Ukraine and was fascinated by the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster, so I made a short stopover to meander around in the cold.

And meander we did. I was clever enough to convince a British friend to join in on the fun. So we braved the cold together, courageously slipping off our gloves to photograph the stunning gold-domed churches and colorful streets of the arts district. We sipped presidential brews and slurped piping hot dumplings. The funky design and vibe of the city had us imagining the spirit of Kiev in the heat of summer. Which is when I’ll return at some point. But, for now, don’t let the cold keep you away - Kiev offers plenty of local red wines, tasty foods, and warm locals to keep you toasty and satisfied in the Ukrainian winter.