Rail Travel news.

Today in Kiev the luxurious tour organized by the Center of “Dzherelo SSPK” for the group from Holland (the tourist firm OAD) has come to the end. The leader of the group Mr. Cor de Vos gave the high estimation of this wonderful tour.
The group passed almost through the whole Ukraine (the itinerary: Kiev-Dnepropetrovsk- Odessa- Lvov- Kolomyja- Rahov-Kiev) by a comfortable tourist train “Dzherelo”.  All the 23 tourists left  positive opinions, and 3-4 of them decided to take part in the next tour visiting the Crimea, which is going to take place  from the 16-th up to the 28-th of April 2005.
During the travelling the greatest part of estimation was devoted to the excursion program in Lvov, Kiev and Odessa, wildnatural barbecue picnics on the narrow-gauge railway in Gaivoron. The detailed report about this travelling and tourists’ opinions (estimations) will be published on our site ASAP.
The next tours for the Dutch company OAD with the program in the Crimea will take place in April 2005. Join us!!! Write us to the following address: dzherelo.spk@com.ua – and we shall send you the whole program.

The Ukraine's population is likely to reduce to 45 million people by the year 2015. According to Ukrainian Minister for Family, Children, and Youth Issues Valentyna Dovzhenko, this figure is envisioned in the Concept of the Demographic Development of Ukraine for 2005-2015, which was adopted by the government today.

She claimed that, taking into account the large number of aged people in the country, the Ukrainian population would reduce during the nearest ten years. According to her data, at present 47.047 million people are living in Ukraine.

V.Dovzhenko said Concept of the Demographic Development would include two stages: during 2005-2010, and during 2010-2015. The document states measures for supporting young families, improving population's health, etc. V.Dovzhenko reminded that in 2005 young families would receive some UAH 2 billion of state support, compared to UAH 1.7 million allocated last year.

"We'll try to increase the total birth rate in Ukraine through supporting families ", she said.

V.Dovzhenko added that the government would also work over reducing death coefficient and increasing average life interval. Thus, at the first stage of the program, they expect to increase the average life interval to 76 years for women, and to 67 years for men. As of today, the average lifetime of Ukrainian women is 74 years, and that of Ukrainian men - 62 years.

In the middle of 2004, AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines became the first air carrier in the history of independent Ukraine to appear among the top 200 airlines of the world rated by the number of passengers carried. Today, AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines operates flights to 25 countries of the world. It is also the only Ukrainian air carrier that performs flights on long-haul routes (including transatlantic routes) and is one of the largest air carriers in the Ukrainian domestic market.

"The past 10 years have been truly amazing," said Gregory Gurtovoy, AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines General Director and CEO. "We have been working very hard to make AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines the premiere airline not just by European standards, but by worldwide standards as well. Our growth in revenue, market share, and passenger traffic worldwide is only surpassed by our relentless commitment to quality, safety, and overall passenger satisfaction."

Indeed, the airline has had a number of significant accomplishments recently. As the largest airline employer in Ukraine with about 1,300 employees, AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines has more than doubled its market share over the past five year, from 16 to 34 percent, and modernized its entire fleet faster than any other Eastern European airline with the addition of Boeing 767 and 737 aircraft. As of September 2004, AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines has the largest route network out of all air carriers in Ukraine, comprised of 11 domestic and 45 international routes to 25 countries.

Most impressive is AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines' growth in North America. With two Boeing 767-300ER aircraft connecting the capital, Kyiv, with New York and Toronto, AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines is already planning daily transatlantic flights to New York next year. "We are seeing an incredible growth in passenger and cargo demand," stated Kostadin Botev, AeroSvit Ukrainian's regional manager for North America. "As North American airlines are tackling a number of operational and financial challenges, we are posting strong results in passenger and cargo traffic that require increased capacity." Indeed, the airline has already implemented a state-of-the-art eBooking and Purchasing systems available through www.aerosvit.com, and is planning to start the eTicketing system in 2005.

"Since the commencement of our North American operation, the traffic increase--to about 40,000 passengers per year--and our expansion plans demanded implementation of the online system and became a strong impetus for further growth," added Botev.

And grow it has. AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines' operating revenues in 2003 were US$106.0 million--an increase of 66 percent compared to 2002 results--and the company is predicting a 70 to 80 percent increase in yearly revenue for 2004. Predictable annual passenger traffic (2004) exceeded 1 million passengers, which represents about 60% growth comparing to 2003. And the company is profitable with some of these profits invested back. In addition to considerable investments into modern aircraft fleet and highly - qualified personnel, AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines has also decided to carry out the construction of a new international terminal in the major airport of Ukraine--Boryspil--that will cost over US$80 million. According to the plan that is already being carried out, the new terminal complex will be put into operation in March 2006.

About AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines:

As the largest Ukrainian airline carrier, AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines extends its network which comprises 45 international routes to 25 countries, as well as 11 domestic routes. The airline is one of the leading carriers of the Eastern Europe by all standards - modern western fleet, state of the art reservation systems, direct links to worldwide destinations reaching out to North America, China, India, and Far East. With about 1,300 employees and predictable revenues reaching $150 Million mark, AeroSvit Ukrainian is one of the fastest growing airlines connecting Eastern Europe, rapidly growing market, with the rest of the world.

advertisement Authorities in Greece are laying on bus trips to countries that might solve the plight of lovelorn farmers desperate for wives.

The startling shortage of available females in the country's remote rural areas has spurred the "love tours" by men who once mocked the likes of Shirley Valentine.

"We have got no women left, they have all gone off to be educated," a farmer grumbled to Greece's STAR television from a village near Zacharo in the western Peloponnese. "Once they do that, they never come back."

"Love buses" abroad have been organised by worried municipal officials.

The first coach, carrying 40 men, is expected to leave for Ukraine from Zacharo soon. All hope to find wives, says Spyros Bilionis, the deputy mayor, who had pledged to end the men's plight.

"There are many [Ukrainian] women who would like to live in Greece," Bilionis told the Greek daily newspaper Kathimerini.

"The standard of life there is not satisfactory, and they regard our country as a kind of paradise."

Loneliness has purportedly become a huge problem in Greece's depopulated countryside, where men far outnumber women.

"Women are not goats, they're not there to be bought," said another man in Zacharo.

He denounced the organised tours as upmarket sex tourism. "But the truth is we are really lonely. If we want families, some say this is what we have to do," he told Star TV.

In northern Greece, growing numbers of males have taken to relieving their frustration by finding wives in neighbouring Bulgaria.

"The border crossing is packed every night," a frontier guard said.

"And it's all men, not women, going in one direction, Greece to Bulgaria."

Bilionis did not reveal how the men would lure women to marry them in Ukraine.

But with the western Peloponnese among the most fertile regions of Greece, he insisted most were "well endowed".

"Many have real estate assets which, if fully exploited, will allow them to live comfortably," he added.

The farmers will have five days to find themselves a suitable bride. Greek television reported that hundreds of Ukrainians were already lining up for a preview of the visitors.

If lucky, the Greeks will exchange vows in on-the-spot civil ceremonies to shortcut visa regulations for their new wives.

If not, they can take comfort that Bilionis has already arranged other love buses for the future. - Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

Ukrainians celebrated their love of pork fat at the weekend by consuming a giant sandwich filled with 40 kilos of the "delicacy" called salo.

The big "eat-in", held in the Crimean capital Simferopol , was the centrepiece of a nationwide salo festival.

All major television channels covered the event because despite health warnings - Ukraine has one of the highest death rates from heart disease in Europe - salo remains popular, due to its low price and high calorific value.

The nine square metre sandwich had to be guarded by police to stop guests tucking in before time, TV reports said.

Traditionally, small slices of the white snack are eaten with black bread, garlic and vodka. And, more recently, there is even a chocolate-coated version.

And they write poems, or sing songs, about their favourite national dish.

Beaujolais

A TV chef famous in Russia and Ukraine, Boris Burda, said salo was a quality product comparable with fine wine.

"Salo is no less worthy of having its own festival than many other products which are pompously advertised at well-organised festivals," he said.
 
"Is salo worse than Beaujolais? And does it occupy a lesser place in the affections of our people?"

Mr Burda headed a panel of judges at the fair, where producers from across Ukraine displayed salted, spiced, baked and smoked varieties in different shapes - pig being the most popular.

The organisers now want to make the festival international, by inviting producers from neighbouring Russia, Poland and Hungary.

But in Ukraine itself, a poor grain harvest has sparked a "salo crisis", with the price doubling in 2004. This, coupled with an almost patriotic revival of its reputation, has led to salo moving upmarket.

"Salo is more an elite than a popular product now," Ukrainian 1+1 TV said in its report from the festival.