Geoff Brock & Bruce Gamble
         
     

Dnieper River (Дніпpo)

 
 
 
 

We spent the whole day cruising. It was a day of more contrasting scenery, enormous bridges, locks and big industrial cities. In the afternoon, we relaxed on the sun deck and enjoyed a Ukrainian tea party. That evening, our chef pulled out all the stops to produce an excellent "Captain's Dinner".

   
   
Programme for 20th June 2008   
     
   
Going through the lock at Dneprodzerzhinsk

Dianne and Geoff
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Dnieper has been of great significance as a commercial artery between the Baltic and the Black Sea since the Middle Ages. The rapids at the river's lower reaches were, however, an obstacle for navigation. There the Dnieper Cossacks built their most important fort, Saporoshje. Only after the constuction of the dam at Zaporozhye in 1932, did the whole river become navigable.
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Another lock, this time at Kremenchuk, where there were about thirty or forty children waving at us
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
The Ukrainian Tea Party


Ken looking very relaxed indeed
 

Bill and Sandra

Left: Lucille looking especially good that evening. 
Between the main course and the dessert, we saw this beautiful sunset...
...and got a nice picture of Jeralyn too.
After dinner, the crew put on a show for the passengers. After such a lovely meal, we decided to listen to it instead on the top deck next to the Sky Bar, where it was taking place. It was a lovely warm night and as we sat there, we passed under the lowest bridge to span the river. It was an extremely long bridge and although it was dark, we could see its lights stretching way into the distance on both sides of the river. For a moment, we thought we weren't going to make it!
Alla, looking great here, hosted the crew show. We got this picture "backstage" between scenes. She was also an excellent guide, with a vast knowledge of Ukraine, past and present.
 
 
 
©Geoff Brock and Bruce Gamble