Zharka

This morning the lift had not worked. I heard some noise from the elevator shaft. Going down the stairs from the fifth floor is OK.

On the ground floor I met a Japanese lady from the 8th floor. Her Russian is fluent. She told me her husband is stuck in the elevator at the fourth floor. Since 20 min. The husband called his wife from his mobile as no one responded when he pushed the alarm bell.
Following a call from her husband the Japanese lady immediately took stairs to inform the security guard on the ground floor. The security guard was surprised by the incident. He had not heard the alarm bell from the elevator. As he received the news he went to inform another security guard who has contact numbers of “аварийна служба” (emergency service).
The japanese lady waited for security guard to return and tell her when the emergency service will arrive.
While I talked to the lady the security guard came back. My japanese neighbour asked him when will the emergency arrive.
His answer was “Zharka” (It’s hot.)
Seeing our shocked expressions the man expanded his answer: “Но есть жарка. Kто знает когда аварийна служба придёт? Им жарка”. (It’s hot. Who knows when will the emergency arrive? It’s hot for them).
My neighbour and I were stunned. As she seemed lost for words I asked the guard if he thinks the man stuck in the elevator does not find it hot.
Than a security guard from another building joined and he told us that the emergency will arrive in 15 min. Than it took another 15 min to get the elevator to the ground floor. The Japanese neighbour was about one hour in the hot elevator.
Before emergency guys left I asked them for the phone number. Just in case. The same "emergency service" is to be called in case of fire.

Radioactive Heat

Last week many papers reported about wildfires in Russia reaching nuclear disaster zone. This raised concern among people that radioactive material could be released into the air. NY Times article on the topic is at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/11/world/europe/11russia.html.

Meanwhile yesterday Ukraine officials denied Friday reports of wildfires in the Chernobyl zone that was heavily contaminated with radiation from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster.

“I’d like to assure you that there are no wildfires in the Chernobyl zone in the heat wave period,” Orest Tyrkevych, head of the Kiev regional department of the emergency situations ministry, said. Than he stated there was only a grass fire covering 500 square metres in the Chernobyl zone early Friday, August 13th, which was extinguished immediately.

I guess wildfire is different from grass fire but as no one goes near Chernobyl zone how are we to know? In April 1986 when disaster happened the whole world knew about it - except people in Ukraine.

While the "grass fire" was officially characterized as "just a minor incident which could not impact the situation in the zone” Ukrainian officials admitted the danger of fire in danger zone remained extremely high due to the ongoing heat wave.

The danger is the size of Chernobyl Exclusion Zone which is around thousand square miles. There's a whole abandoned city in there and a pine forest. As forest is radioactive no one's allowed to take lumber. For the past 24 years, no one has been managing this forest, thinning out the trees or cutting down diseased ones. Experts state the whole sections of the forest have died. Some estimate there is one million cubic meter of dry trees which make for a lot of easily inflammable wood these days.

The fear is once forest burns it might vaporize radioactive material on the forest floor and sending it downwind towards Kiev.

Few years ago some scientists suggested to Ukrainian officials a list with things to do to avoid big fire. But guess what - Ukrainian officials ignored it. Why to care about people living downwind and being exposed to some radiation and breath some particles of plutonium?

It's high time we get some rain. Preferably without plutonium, please.

Parasols for flower pots

Again - another first: umbrellas shading pots with flowers and a plastic stork. Perhaps plastic would melt if stork would not be in a shade. Impressive colour coordination of barbie umbrella and pink and white petunias in a pot.

Julia - still fighting

On Kiev streets there are many posters of either Yanukovich or Tigipko. However outside Kiev I was surprised to see a lot of billboards with Yulia. She does not give up.

Rain Action

Have not seen rain for weeks but on Thursday morning some movie crew was making it. It was fun to watch. Security in the building could not tell me much about the shoot which lasted the entire day.

Cool terrace

Still hot. The cafe "Opera" keeps its terrace cool by pouring liquid nitrogen. I do not think this is environmentally friendly so I have not sit at the terrace, but when passing by - it was refreshing. Never saw such a thing before.

Deserted Kiev

In the scorching heat usually jammed Kiev streets are empty. Instead of finding such solitude relaxing its eeriness upsets me.

Sweltering 44 degrees C

The car thermometer showed 44 degrees C yesterday. I have no idea where BBC weather website gets its 37 degrees C. Perhaps that the temprature of Dniepro river.

My weekend activities stretch from reading in the air conditioned room to soaking in the bath tub. Soaking depends on water availability. There was no water in my neighbourhood few times last week. No one knows why. Last time the tap was dry was on Friday. This makes bath-soaking even more enjoyable now.

Have no desire to spoil cool air of my flat with cooking. Current diet consists of cold watermelon and peaches. I do not need gaspacho after few watermelon daiquiris. The freezer is loaded with ice. Now main concern is continuous electricity supply. There is always something to worry in ex-soviet countries.

Plan for next year is to spend August close to Arctic circle. Unless it does not break off or melt in the meantime: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/aug/07/biggest-ice-island-greenland. And still some categoricaly state there is no global warming. Amazing.

Moscow and Kiev wrapped in smog

The smog in Moscow is so bad today and visibility so low that flight were canceled.

While Kiev is not as bad as Moscow, we also wrapped in smog.  

Hiding in Shade

Unable to locally purchase/order "body cooler" http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Ruff-Wear-Swamp-Cooler/221075.aspx or "cooler bed" http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Canine-Cooler-Dog-Bed/208000.aspx Igor hides in any shade whenever possible.
I wish I live in States where (I hope) nobody would laugh if I ordered such things. Here I have difficulties  getting Amazon shipments (of decent books) delivered. I can so easily visualise stupefied customs officers when they open the package (everything is opened here) and there is a "swamp cooler".  Wonder how much it will cost me in bribes...Better not to go there.

Squirrel Spotting

To avoid heat I start to walk Igor as early as possible. For me this is 6.30 am. On Friday morning I spotted a squirrel. There are few in a park but usually they are shy. This one was not. He was very inquisitive and playful.