Last evening I touched down in Kiev, Ukraine. Once we landed they kept us on the plane waiting for what felt like forever. When we finally got off the plane I gathered my bags and went to find a taxi. As soon as we start driving towards Kiev the taxi driver takes his taxi meter off the dashboard and places it down where I can not see it. I ask him if he can please put it back and he pretends he does not understand my English.
So I’m going to be here for a week photographing the Eurovision Song Contest for Getty Images and this is my first impression. It’s my first time in the Ukraine and I really don’t know what to expect. After settling at the hotel I went out to eat, by the looks of it communicating is not going to be so easy.
This morning I woke up and noticed there was a ton of police and military outside my hotel. They had dogs sniffing cars and police using mirrors to look underneath and make sure there weren’t any bombs.
At this point I started to wonder what the heck I signed up for, but then I found out it was just in preparation for a Victory Day parade. A parade who’s route saw it pass right in front of my hotel. I thought what the heck, grabbed my camera and hit the door.
