# Cafe Pripyat



## UrbanX (Jul 7, 2011)

Just a quick one from me this sunny Thursday evening:

Pripyat was a prosperous town. The average salary there was a lot higher than the rest of the Ukraine. Leisure activities we way more popular than most cities of that size. You just have to look at Pripyats 3 stadiums, multiple restaurants, hotels, car accessory shops to realise that. 

Here is the fantastic ‘Café Pripyat’ in the late 70’s: 






Here it is in 2011: 










The windows were beautiful stained glass, pretty opulent in 1970’s soviet Ukraine: 















The stained glass is actually coloured glass laid end on! They mustn’t have liked their fingers: 





Plans:





River side view: 





Not sure if anyone’s seen the documentary “Heavy Water” this is the view that opens and closes the film:





I love this houseboat, slowly sinking into the lake: 











One of the ladies had contaminated their shoes to dangerous levels in the surrounding woodland and had to discard their footware: 





Oh I forgot to mention previously that our driver (the Stig’s Ukrainian brother) always carried a couple of kitchen knives and a telescopic sight whenever we were outside of the vehicle. I found this hilarious, imagining him poking a violent looter with amazing accuracy. It turns out the sight was just a makeshift telescope, and he was watching our back for dangerous animals.


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## Priority 7 (Jul 7, 2011)

Jealousy is growing Urban... hope it re-opens if it hasn't already I really want to see this all first hand. Nice work


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## lost (Jul 7, 2011)

Don't think it's actually closed yet.

Superb effort as usual, it's great to see these lesser trodden bits of Pripyat.
Also enjoyed the sinking houseboat and the intact coloured glass.


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## UrbanX (Jul 7, 2011)

Priority 7 said:


> Jealousy is growing Urban... hope it re-opens if it hasn't already I really want to see this all first hand. Nice work





lost said:


> Don't think it's actually closed yet.



Cheers guys! 

Yeah the zone was closed to visitors suddenly on June 22nd. I have spoken to one Chernobyl tour company today, and they are hoping for it to re open at the end of July...


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## Acebikerchick (Jul 7, 2011)

Brilliant brilliant photos yet again....


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## Winch It In (Jul 8, 2011)

Quaility Photo's once again, especially the houseboat one.


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## nelly (Jul 8, 2011)

Superb again mate, How much longer are you there for, I could happily have a weekly helping of these reports for a long time. 

Don't want you starting to get a green glow though


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## night crawler (Jul 8, 2011)

I love the way you keep coming up with these gems from the place, and the way you hint there could be more


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## audi-adam (Jul 8, 2011)

awesome pics urbanx as usual mate , so dangerous animals ? we talking 3 eyed bears in a simpsons style or something


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## maximus (Jul 8, 2011)

Again....excellent report,the houseboat one is beautiful in its strange kinda way.

Keep them coming mate!!


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## Priority 7 (Jul 8, 2011)

nelly said:


> Superb again mate, How much longer are you there for, I could happily have a weekly helping of these reports for a long time.
> 
> Don't want you starting to get a green glow though



Maybe he is after the green glow so he doesnt have to carry a torch and flash gun on future explores


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## gingrove (Jul 8, 2011)

Nothing left to say but outstanding!:notworthy:


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## klempner69 (Jul 8, 2011)

Classy as per usual Li..keep em coming.


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## TranKmasT (Jul 8, 2011)

Spectacular. Enjoyed this.


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## Ramsgatonian (Jul 8, 2011)

Once again you have done a great report from Pripyat...


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## Em_Ux (Jul 22, 2011)

Fantastic report!

Got to love the glass & house boat


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## Foxylady (Jul 22, 2011)

Blimey, I missed this one. Another really interesting aspect of Pripyat. It's great seeing all these out of the usual bits. The stained glass is gorgeous. 
Cheers.


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## inceptionwave (Jul 22, 2011)

Wow, fantastic report, love the house boat and glass photos.


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## GhoulishGadgets (Jul 22, 2011)

Awesome as always - thanks

That walkway sunken into the water is my fave pic, it somehow seems so threatening - I suppose it's an inside fear of the water still being badly contaminated..
Do you have any idea if the water is at normal or higher radiation levels? I know some stuff is more contaminated than others.

Thanks
Si


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## UrbanX (Jul 22, 2011)

GhoulishGadgets said:


> Awesome as always - thanks
> 
> That walkway sunken into the water is my fave pic, it somehow seems so threatening - I suppose it's an inside fear of the water still being badly contaminated..
> Do you have any idea if the water is at normal or higher radiation levels? I know some stuff is more contaminated than others.
> ...



Cheers for the comments guys an gals. The shot of the stairs going into the water is used at the start and end of the documentary "Heavy Water"

I believe the water is pretty bad tbh, it's organic enough to absorb gamma radiation readily, and dense enough to retain the charge. Not somewhere i'd want to paddle!


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## imyimyimy (Jul 24, 2011)

truly amazing stuff!


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## nickso (Jul 25, 2011)

Nice pics, I didn't get long at the cafe and only got a couple of pics outside. Didn't realise the zone was closed, hope it opens again as I want to go back.

Someone was asking about dangerous animals. There are wild boar in Pripyat and they are supposed to be pretty grumpy and can do some damage due to their size. Our guides also had weapons with them. There are vipers everywhere too, we saw one at the cinema


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