# Pripyat Kindergarten



## UrbanX

So here it is my 1,000th post! Over 100 explores later and I find myself in one of Pripyats Kindergartens. 

Sit back, it’s an emotional one. 

Pripyats population was very young, with the average age being just 26. With so many young families it was necessary to build no fewer than 15 Kindergartens. 

Here is Kindergarten Cheb Urasaka being built in 1970 (Pic from pripyat.com)






I knew this one was going to be pretty tough on the emotions and I’d been building it up in my head for months. 






Since I’ve been staying in the zone I’ve been with 15 other travellers, all guys. So there was a fair amount of rowdiness, and bravado going on. Not here. 






…This was different. 











You all know what it’s like exploring in a group; when you see each other you’re normally like “You’ve gotta see in here” or “did you find the piano?” 

Not here. We were silent.






When we occasionally passed in corridors we were silent. Some guys acknowledged my presence with a subtle nod, most guys couldn’t even lift their eyes to make eye contact. 

I knew there’d be dolls around the place, I’d seen photos before. But when you actually see them, you see how many of them there are, their faces seared: 






You start to think back to your own experiences and memories. I know how hard it is for a child to leave a loved toy behind, sometimes it’s their best friend, their world. I cant imagine how those toddlers felt to be evacuated without being able to go back for their friend. 






Toys were still delicately stacked, their colourful fragility contrasting against 25 years of grime. 















Toddlers locker room:















It started to almost feel like a normal explore, the obligatory chairs etc. 

Then you realise the scale of everything your seeing, and realise it’s for people under five. 






Even the gas masks I found were in toddler size.
















I came to one room, with cots piled high. I forced myself to take a photograph and just leave. 











I came across a dormitory, juding by the size of the beds it was for 4-5 year olds. 






There were 25 beds in this one, each individually numbered.






There was a list on the wall with each of the childrens names, and which bed they were in. 






This really wrenched me inside. The beds were no longer anonymous, they were real. As individual and personal as your own bed that you will fall asleep in tonight. 






I began to think about how old the former occupants of these beds would be now. They’d be about my age. 

Then I realised that actually, very few, if any are even alive right now. 





















I found another doll which was different to any I’d seen here before. It was at least three times the size, the size of an actual toddler. Face down in the dust at my feet. I grabbed its arm to roll it over, and it was heavy, a dead weight. It seemed limp and lifeless, heavy, not hollow like a doll normally is. 

The mechanism which closes the dolls eyes when it’s laid horizontally must have been slightly dusty as when I rolled the doll over it looked me square in the eyes for two seconds, before closing them by herself. To this day it’s still the single image I remember from my time in Chernobyl before I sleep. 






I pass another dorm, with bunk beds. 





Video:
http://youtu.be/gxH-oZ8yNL4

Tiny shoes: 





I make my way to the staff / admin areas
School Nurse room:





Childrens clothing: 





Leading to the laundrette: 










Staff ID card:





I make my way out of the staff area, and realise I haven’t seen or heard anyone else in at 20 minutes. I’m not sure how many children attended this Kindergarten, but it was a similar size to my secondary school, which had 900 students. 






Short walkthrough:
http://youtu.be/Wu6-rTbpHqg 

I pass one last dormitory on my way out. I look through the door but decide I’ve seen enough.






The atmosphere on the bus after we visited here was completely different to any other time. 
No one shared photos or anecdotes, we all just sat, 16 guys, heads hung in complete silence.


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## klempner69

This really does bring home what happened that day and images like these will stay in your mind forever.As ever..very well shot indeed.


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## Priority 7

Superb as always Urban loving the photos..I am sure the feelings were similar to those I had on my WWI battlefields trip. Just complete loss as to how it must have been for those there at the time. Can you PM me the info on your trip I really fancy a visit and would prefer to go via a company that delivers


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## PaulPowers

*Wow*

These are possibly the most haunting pics I have seen from the Chernobyl area


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## Curious Dragon

Those brought a tear to my eye.

Thank you for going places a lot wouldn't and for sharing the images. It really does bring it home. I was a young child when this disaster happened and I had a pair of shoes very similar to the ones you photographed... too close to home? Maybe? But that means it won't be forgotten.


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## Jayman

*Very moving*

Very Moving,


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## karltrowitz

It definately makes you think, doesn't it? I've got two kids myself and this stuff really makes you think about what if it was your kids caught up in a disaster on this scale, only to die a horrible death from radiation poisoning later. If ever there's a reason to bin nuclear power plants, these pics must be it.


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## Ramsgatonian

Amazing, very poignant pictures, with an excellent write up. 

Why is it though, that a lot of the places in Pripyat get so trashed? It's not like vandals can just come and go what with the exclusion zone...


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## UrbanX

Flyboy said:


> Amazing, very poignant pictures, with an excellent write up.
> 
> Why is it though, that a lot of the places in Pripyat get so trashed? It's not like vandals can just come and go what with the exclusion zone...



It's a lot more trashed than you'd expect. Windows were deliberately smashed to avoid pockets of radiation building up. Others have shattered by themselves just from years of red hot summers and unforgiving winters. So the weather has got into most places. 

Vandals and looters DO get into the zone. Last year I even witnessed people stealing metal baths from a block of flats. As much as this annoyed and upset my guide there was nothing he could do. 

The border guards still aren't amazingly paid, and most would happily take a back hander / split the profit and turn a blind eye.


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## Ramsgatonian

UrbanX said:


> It's a lot more trashed than you'd expect. Windows were deliberately smashed to avoid pockets of radiation building up. Others have shattered by themselves just from years of red hot summers and unforgiving winters. So the weather has got into most places.
> 
> Vandals and looters DO get into the zone. Last year I even witnessed people stealing metal baths from a block of flats. As much as this annoyed and upset my guide there was nothing he could do.
> 
> The border guards still aren't amazingly paid, and most would happily take a back hander / split the profit and turn a blind eye.



Ah right, I was always under the impression you could be shot at for entering illegally.


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## UrbanX

Flyboy said:


> Ah right, I was always under the impression you could be shot at for entering illegally.



Yeah you could be. I expect the people that get in illigally are in kahoots and known to the guards. 
Money makes everything work in the Ukraine. I always give my guide a large 'tip' at the start of my visits which helps 'facilitate' getting to certain bits. I also ply them with lots of alcohol when discussing where we can and cant go  It's second nature in the Ukraine !


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## Curious Dragon

Surely any looted items are likely to cause ill health though  Common sense should even hit the hardest of looters but then again greed is a very addictive thing and can make a man ruthless beyond belief.

I am still horrified by how disinterested the rest of the worlds governments are with this area. We all know a lot of money needs investing to renew the sarcophagus around the reactor but no countries are stepping forward. Surely it is in all our interests to keep the radiation contained?? But no... it's not on our soil so why should we care? Funny... we cared a lot at the time.


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## Ramsgatonian

Curious Dragon said:


> Surely any looted items are likely to cause ill health though  Common sense should even hit the hardest of looters but then again greed is a very addictive thing and can make a man ruthless beyond belief.
> 
> I am still horrified by how disinterested the rest of the worlds governments are with this area. We are know a lot of money needs investing to renew the sarcophagus around the reactor but no countries are stepping forward. Surely it is in all our interests to keep the radiation contained?? But no... it's not on our soil so why should we care? Funny... we cared a lot at the time.



That was exactly what I was thinking - it is absolutely ridiculous. Apparently the amount of radiation that would be released if the sarcophagus collapses would be comparable to the disaster itself!


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## Janey68

*Unbelievable!*

It certainly does bring it home to you when you see the dolls, cots and shoes. Those poor little souls. It does make me so mad with the vandalism and looters..........it's almost like desecrating a grave yard!!!!

Thanks for sharing the pics tho, they are awesome..


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## Em_Ux

Fantastic report & very well shot UrbanX.

It does really make you think. I can't imagine what it must of felt like to walk around the kindergarten.

Well done.


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## tommo

great work fella, having 2 little ones myself brings it home to ya and if it happend over here and u where on your own its not so bad but this happening to familys, dad at work, mum at home and kids at school and the not knowing if they where all ok before u coul get to them


what number kindergarden was it buddy ?


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## krela

I wonder if people will be doing tours to fukushima in 20 years time?

Get saving UrbanX!


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## tommo

krela said:


> I wonder if people will be doing tours to fukushima in 20 years time?
> 
> Get saving UrbanX!





slightly off topic in terms of the thread but in the news recently all the old workers and the generation that helped build fukushima are creating a group to go in and help fix it up and clean it out, they feel they owe it to the country as it was there generation that built it and they should be the ones to fix it, and they dont want to risk young lives , so fair play to them

as for visiting it, yeah i can see tours of the place in 20 years time just about the time i have my mid life crisis and fly over for a week lol


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## kathyms

tommo said:


> slightly off topic in terms of the thread but in the news recently all the old workers and the generation that helped build fukushima are creating a group to go in and help fix it up and clean it out, they feel they owe it to the country as it was there generation that built it and they should be the ones to fix it, and they dont want to risk young lives , so fair play to them
> 
> as for visiting it, yeah i can see tours of the place in 20 years time just about the time i have my mid life crisis and fly over for a week lol



theres onething for certain ... in 20 years i wont be urbexing will i lol.


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## lizm73

Incredible photographs and a moving personal account.
Thanks for sharing.


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## UrbanX

Janey68 said:


> It certainly does bring it home to you when you see the dolls, cots and shoes. Those poor little souls. It does make me so mad with the vandalism and looters..........it's almost like desecrating a grave yard!!!!
> 
> Thanks for sharing the pics tho, they are awesome..



When we were travelling from Reactor 4, to the Kindergarten I asked one of my fellow travellers how he was feeling. 
He coldly replied "It's like visiting a serial killer, and now we're going to see the victims beds" 



Flyboy said:


> That was exactly what I was thinking - it is absolutely ridiculous. Apparently the amount of radiation that would be released if the sarcophagus collapses would be comparable to the disaster itself!



I think in the regeon of 5% of the fuel went up in the disaster. Leaving some 190 tonnes of fuel beneath that decaying, rotton sarcopahgus. Cracks are visible with the naked eye, you can even see water pouring out. Work Is actually well underway with the new one. The iconic chimney will be dismantled in under 2 years...



krela said:


> I wonder if people will be doing tours to fukushima in 20 years time?
> 
> Get saving UrbanX!



I'm watching it right now. It was a popular topic among our group, and we'll be there asap.


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## krela

UrbanX said:


> I'm watching it right now. It was a popular topic among our group, and we'll be there asap.



I don't think many people realise just how dire the situation is there. =/


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## Curious Dragon

krela said:


> I don't think many people realise just how dire the situation is there. =/



It is terrible, so many generations will be paying the price. Recovery will be slow and to be honest some families will never recover. 
As far as the nuclear side of things... the information released is very carefully worded and I do suspect it is worse than they let on. There are cattle which aren't fit for anything, crops which cannot be consumed and the water supply is still in question.

Japan is now having a turn around and are changing their direction for energy production, coming away from nuclear. You know it must be very bad for that decision to be made.
I have followed the crisis in Fukushima closely and it has been heartbreaking to see and I was dreading a second Chernobyl. I dearly wish I could go out there and help somehow. Whatever grievences we have in our lives, they simply do not compare. The Japanese are a proud and resourceful nation but it is hard to be resourceful when you have been stripped bare.


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## UrbanX

Curious Dragon said:


> It is terrible, so many generations will be paying the price. Recovery will be slow and to be honest some families will never recover.
> As far as the nuclear side of things... the information released is very carefully worded and I do suspect it is worse than they let on. There are cattle which aren't fit for anything, crops which cannot be consumed and the water supply is still in question..



I'm not sure if you even know how how true your words are. 

There is cattle in the highlands of Scotland, unfit for human consumption in 2011, because of radiation from Chernobyl. Here's the UNSCEAR report from 2008 saying petty much the same: http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/courses...sks/Advance_copy_Annex_D_Chernobyl_Report.pdf

Thyroid Cancer cases among newborns in Belarus are at an all time high NOW in 2011. in 2012 they'll be higher. 

It was the worlds biggest humanist disaster. I can only think my facination is partly, morbidly, fuelled by that. 

I don't want to stray from the point, so I'll say, anyone that wants to visit, do so now. IMO the radiation is a low risk, especially considering the stuff you'll do when you're there. I explored more her ein a week than 5 years of hardcore UK exploring! 

This wasn't my first time to visit Pripyat, and it definitely wont be my last.


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## Curious Dragon

It is so close to my heart so I make it my business to learn as much as I can.

I hadn't realised Scottish cattle were still effected... its quite scary (to say the least).

I long to go out there but funds do not allow right now so I shall have to bide my time and hope the opportunity doesn't pass me by. This means I appreciate your efforts all the more and I love digesting all your posts (I sound like I'm sucking up don't I lol)

Deep down in my heart I know that if I had the money I would up and go to Japan to chip in and lend my rather feeble muscles. Watching the new disaster unfold left me with more than a single tear in my eye and praying history was not going to repeat. I stayed up overnight watching the reports, feeling like it was my duty to bare witness.

Nuclear energy does have it's place in the world but I can't help but wish the potential for catastrophic disaster could be eliminated


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## King Al

Superb report UrbanX, great pics and detailed write up  really looks like you had the trip of a life time.


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## Sectionate

Most moving place we visited, top photos dude, was good to meet you!


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## GhoulishGadgets

I think the doll with the bright blue eyes is the most striking picture I've seen.

Hope you get to go back and gather more pictures when/if they start allowing visitors again.

Si


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## nelly

All of your other Pripyat reports have made me go "Wow!", this one made me go "Ah".

Fantastic photos as always mate.

Thankyou


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## nickso

Great pics.

The kindergarten we went to was one of the best bits of the trip for us. Very eerie.


Regarding looters, our guide said it was ridiculously easy to get round the Pripyat checkpoints, turn off the main road before or after the reactor and there are multiple backroads/tracks into the town. Probably partly the reason for a driving ban in Chernobyl City after a certain time. We were in the carpark of the motel drinking and a pickup went by with no lights on, the guides reckoned they were either drink driving home, off into the forest to shoot things or loot stuff in the area. It's also easy to get into Pripyat from the Belarus side even if it's a bit of a trek through the forest, our giude had found stashes from Belarussian hunters that hole up in the town between hunts.


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