After spending several hours walking through the park, Marina takes me to the Dneiper River. This very large river leads to the Black Sea. There is much industry in the town involved with the river - dredging sand for concrete, shipbuilding, and many other things. Perhaps the Dneiper River brings the most commerce to the city.
The Tennessee River is large, yes. But the Dneiper River is about 10 times larger - it is an awesome river-- to me, it was almost like a sea. It dominates the landscape. It is huge.
I told Marina I wanted to go on a boat. She talked with a sailor, and he agreed to take us on his skiff (We had to pay him about 2 dollars, but he wanted the money - everyone in Kherson tries to make extra money :-) I did not say anything - if a person hears that you speak English, then the price will go up about 4 or 5 times the usual amount :-)
So, Marina talks to the sailor and we get to ride on his skiff for about 2 dollars. American Money in Kherson is great! You turn in one dollar, and you get five "Grivneys" -- and a grivney buys you about 1 or 2 dollars worth of stuff. Cool! So, if I go to the bank and change 20 US dollars into Grivneys, then I get about 100 or 200 dollars worth of money! Just multiply your money by about 5 or 10 times. It's too cool! They love US dollars here! Imagine going to the best restaurant in town, having the finest food, and then you only pay a tiny amount! American Dollars are great!!!!!! I brought back 2 Grivneys (Ukraine dollars) as souvenirs.
When we rode in a taxi, Marina got angry when I gave the driver a 40 cent tip. She said "You tip far too much money - do not ever give so much again for a tip! No one ever pays so much for a tip!"
If you want $1,000 in buying
power, then just take $100 to Ukraine and change it to Grivneys, and
start buying! It's too cool!!!!!!!!!
Buy a bottle of fruit juice for 8 cents. Buy an entire ham, several
pounds (kilos) for 2 dollars - enough for many meals!
Enough about the money, now back to the river. The Dnieper.
Here's the sailor we got a ride with.
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He didn't care where we wanted to go, he liked the Gryvneys we gave him, and he was most polite. Everyone in Kherson was polite, the Soviet people seem to make an art of being polite. I think it is an important part of their lives, and they practice politeness in all matters. A very nice custom, I think.
Taking passengers on a river ride, this was not his normal job. He told us that he usually takes sailors to their boats, and often this takes many hours for each trip.
Hmm... He looks pretty tough --- Maybe I could take him out, maybe not. If I whacked his throat first then maybe he would go down, I don't know. So, I decide "This is vacation, lets have fun and not start a fight with the sailor".
But, I think I could beat the crap out of this Soviet Sailor - First, hit his throat three times (if he can't breathe, he can't fight), then pound his liver. Do you agree? How would you take him out?
The Concrete factory is a very good place to work, Marina tells me - good pay and such. Don't you wish you worked there? It's on the Dneiper river.
This is the concrete factory.
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Here is more of the river bank.
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This is a very industrialized
river.
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Here's me on the boat!
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Bye for now! More later
Steve