Ukraine in the middle of Europe
I have passed the locations both in Lithuania and Ukraine that claim to be the geographic centre of Europe. I think most people in the Western part of Euope would be surprised to know that, and for those that have started to say Europe, when they mean the European Union it may come as bad news.
Ukraine is huge, bigger than any other European country except for Russia. Yalta, is more or less on the same Latitude as Florence, and Kiev the same as Brussels, and it stretches out some 1000 km from East to West.
In Lithaunia you could not change money aywhere, in Poland in most places and in Ukraine you can do it in the middle of nowhere. I guess it is an indicator of a country that de facto has embraced three currencies, their own hrynia, the US dollar and the Euro. There are many Ukrainians living outside Ukraine (Canada and Israel have traditionally been popular, but lately you have Ukarainians more in the EU countries at least for temporary work) and they send money to relatives. Also the country has a short history of inflation so the locals don't trust the currency. There is a constant shortage of change (vaxel) so it has happened twice now that I got a match box instead of money in the small food shops. Sometimes they round off. But it is also a little silly that the keep the one kopeck coin - that is almost the same as a Swedish ore which was abolished in circulation very long time ago.
Two other things there seem to be an endless demand for are Notaries and Pharmacies. They are everywhere. I have no idea what all those Notaries are doing (there are also "advocates")? There are also plenty of halls with gambling machines.
