|
From seu.ru
Vilkovo
City and the Danube Biosphere Reserve
(Дунайский Биосферный Заповедник)
"The Venice of Ukraine"
A
wonderful way to see what rural village life is like
is to visit the picturesque town of Vilkovo. A considerable
part of Vilkovo has picturesque water canals
along which scuttle narrow and sharp-bowled boats--the
main means of transportation in Vilkovo. The city
has many recently built Greek orthodox churches. The
Vilkovo villagers are incredible warm and friendly.
The
town was founded in 1746. The settlers were not so
much attracted to the location because of its beautiful
scenery but rather by the fact that the location could
easily be made into an impregnable fortress. Many
natural canals bug and small, crisscrossing the area,
enhanced the scenic beauty and the natural defenses.
Today, a considerable part of the town is taken by
picturesque water canals along which scuttle narrow
and sharp-bowed boats (in shape they resemble much
larger "chaykas" "seagulls" --Cossack
boats used in the 17th and 18th centuries for naval
operations against the Turks with devastating success).
From seu.ru
There
is a popular joke told in Vilkovo, a Vilkovite who
had to much of novak (young red wine, very popular
with the locals) sways when he walks, but only backwards
and forwards, but never to the sides. This is because
the walkways that pass for "sidewalks" are
so narrow that one- half step to the side and you
find yourself in the waters of the Danube.
In
the eighteenth century the town sat on the border
between the Russian and Ottoman Empires. Later Vilkovo
was incorporated into the Russian empire (one of the
Romanian kings was said to like the place and go there
to fish and have talks with the local wise men). After
the Second World War, the town was returned to Ukraine.
There
is a frontier post in Vilkovo because the border with
Romania passes almost through the town, but there
is not much for a handful of border guards to do there.
In summer time, the provincial quiet is somewhat disturbed
by droves of painters who come from all over Ukraine
to paint in the open air.
---Adapted from the article Vylkovo, from the Welcome
to Ukraine article
From seu.ru
|
