Lviv or Lvov

The classical, elegant Lviv Theatre, above; Ospan and the bandoora; some members of Women of Ukraine. I'm in a traditional Ukrainian vest. Below, Ivan Franko gravesite and street scenes; inside the Cathedral

In Ukrainian or Russian, in any language, this is a fantastic city. We didn't have a lot of time here, but the time we had was wonderful. We attended a meeting of a chapter of the Women of Ukraine, celebrating its 20th year of rebirth after being dissolved during Soviet times. The group, led informally by our energetic host Stefa, gathered reverently to reminisce and talk and to honor the Americanka in their midst.

After questions and answers and home-made food, we had a special appearance by noted Ukrainian folk singer and bandoora player Ostap Stakhiv. The bandoora is an ancient Ukrainian instrument, now with 64 strings, that sounds more like a piano or harpsichord than a guitar to me. It's a beautiful sound, haunting. Ostap's presence was an incredible gift, thoughtfully arranged by Olga and Stefa, and of course a total surprise and delight to me. Ostap travels the world to share his talent and love of his native folk music. He's been to America several times. He lived in Philadelphia for some ten years; his two daughters still live there with their families, one in Philly, the other in Chicago. It was not only fun to talk and share, but it was also profoundly moving to hear the music, to have Ostap with us. The pride of culture is everywhere in this part of Ukraine. Ostap and his music embody this pride.

After the meeting we had a whirlwind tour of the city with Yuraslava, a professor at one of the universities, of which there are many (and many are built in grand European style). She was a knowledgeable guide, with an encyclopedic mind. It was another one of the surprises that characterized this whole journey, all planned and directed by Olga, our fearless leader. I didn't have to think about any details or logistics at all, not a one! Just enjoyed it all, every minute, every place, every surprise.

A walk through the Lviv cemetary, where many famous Ukrainians are buried, encompasses a magical history tour. It's the resting place of heroes, like writer Ivan Franko, of political, cultural and military leaders, and of ordinary Ukrainians. Our walk through the old cemetary, full of green and gold trees, bushes and flowers, led to the Lwowska Cathedral. Unassuming on the outside, it is magnificent on the inside, like the many churches found throughout Europe and throughout the world. Its Polish roots reminded me of St. Mary's Cathedral in Krakow, both, not surprisingly, visited by pope John Paul in his time. I prayed for all those I love, wherever they may be, and for my brother, a few blessed moments of silence and reflection.

The walk from the Cathedral to our next destination, the Lviv theater, was also rich in architectural delights, history, and urban spirit. At the center stood the ubiquitous Taras Schevchenko, another great statue, anchoring the city square. The central city's built environment is beautiful, reflected in the stunning theater itself, a massive monument to culture for the ages. Inside and out, it reminded me of the Budapest Opera House, grand, magnificent, textured, art-filled, splendid in every detail.

And so was the performance, which happened to be Strauss' fun operetta "Die Fledermaus." The stage settings, lighting, costumes, classical ballet, orchestra, and the voices were spectacular, among the best we had ever seen and heard we agreed. Such a feast for the senses. We left the theater full to the brim with the beauty and majesty of an extraordinary performance in a majestic setting.

I was moved by the arias, which I remember my mom practicing and singing, especially the "Laughing Song," I think it's called. Oh how I thought of mom, and Loren, too. I could hear her voice, feel Loren's delight. Such pleasure, and such sadness. A tear rolled down my cheek, and Tonya touched my hand. I carried these mixed feelings back to Starobilsk. But above all, I feel blessed to have spent such a joyous holiday in western Ukraine, culminating in the fantastic city of Lviv/Lvov.

P.S. In honor of 10/10/10, the date on which I am writing this blog, I recall another conjunction: As we rushed from place to place in Lviv, from Vinnity to the central city, from our meeting to other rendevous, from cemetary to church, from theater to train, from here to there, I blindly but happily following along, we bumped into my PCV friend Mike Young, a volunteer at the university in Starobilsk, and the Lugansk contingent from his TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) group 35. How amazing! They had just attended their "Close of Service" conference and were going to dinner, then to take the 1:00 a.m. train to Lugansk. Such serendipity. I never expected to run into these great PCVs at that time, in that place, in that spot near the Taras Shvevchecnko statue in the center of Lviv in a rush to catch a marshruka. I attribute it all to the alignment of the earth, planets, stars, and moon that brought us to this fantastic part of Ukraine. Maybe it's like today, 10/10/10. It's all beyond words. "And it's ALL good," as my brother Loren would say.