“I would never go to Eastern Europe in winter.”

“You are going to freeze your butt off.”

“How stupid of you!”

These were some of the comments I received when I announced my plan to spend the winter in Ukraine.

And here I am, today, on 19 December, enjoying the sun at the Botanical Garden in Kyiv (outside, not in one of the greenhouses).

I am reading a wonderful road novel of young Polish guys exploring Ukraine, written by Ziemowit Szczerek. Thanks to Thomas Kuban for sending me this book! It’s so suitable for this trip, although I definitely won’t be drinking as much as the protagonists. Unfortunately, it’s not yet available in English, but if you read German or Polish, I highly recommend “Mordor kommt und frisst uns auf” or “Przyjdzie Mordor i nas zje, czyli tajna historia Słowian”.

Links:

• More from Ukraine.
• More about books, including my wishlist.
• More about climate change.
• The National Botanical Garden of Ukraine.
• Zur deutschen Fassung dieses Blogs.