# Pripyat - Dancing Hall



## UrbanX (May 8, 2012)

Bit of a light hearted, small explore, but something I've never seen before. 

Just on the outskirts is the ‘Dancing Hall’ which has always intrigued me on the map. So I decided to take a drive out for a visit. 

The first thing one notices, is that it’s not a hall at all, it’s outside! 

From witness accounts, I've since found out it was a popular place for the teenage population to come, hang out, and dance to a live band once a week. 

The outer ring is a continuous sheltered bench:











Then in the middle, one steps up onto the dance floor: 










Bandstand: 





Dancing Couple: 





That’s about it I’m afraid, there’s not much to see. Also my time here was very limited as it was very radioactive. It is the most Eastern point of Pripyat (Closest to the power plant) and being so surrounded by vegetation, is extremely contaminated. 

Bill and Vita deciding we should probably be going:


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## flyboys90 (May 8, 2012)

You ever coming back? great report thanks.


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## UrbanX (May 8, 2012)

flyboys90 said:


> You ever coming back? great report thanks.



Lol, I know I'm putting up some more obscure ones lately, but I'm just so bored of seeing HDR pics of the ferris wheel! I want to explore the whole of Pripyat! I've got one more smaller one lined up (a supermarket) which I'm surprised I've never seen pics of a single supermarket yet! Then I'll be back onto the bigger epic stuff!


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## flyboys90 (May 8, 2012)

UrbanX said:


> Lol, I know I'm putting up some more obscure ones lately, but I'm just so bored of seeing HDR pics of the ferris wheel! I want to explore the whole of Pripyat! I've got one more smaller one lined up (a supermarket) which I'm surprised I've never seen pics of a single supermarket yet! Then I'll be back onto the bigger epic stuff!



I didn,t mean obscure posts regardless of the subject/content/size they all really very interesting! I meant you ever coming back to the UK?


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## UEP-Wales (May 8, 2012)

Great pics as always mate! 

I have a question which was prompted by the last pic. I read on one of the tour websites that nothing could be placed on the ground - tripods etc. Is that actually true or is it just the case of it may have to be left behind?


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## King Al (May 8, 2012)

Great as always UX, cannot wait for your next report


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## UrbanX (May 8, 2012)

Urbex-SW said:


> Great pics as always mate!
> 
> I have a question which was prompted by the last pic. I read on one of the tour websites that nothing could be placed on the ground - tripods etc. Is that actually true or is it just the case of it may have to be left behind?




It's not _too_ bad... 

Tripods aren't too bad as the feet are small, and quite hard, they don't pick up much radiation. When you start off you're really paranoid about touching everything, but when you're on an exctended stay you get more complacent. If you see the vid of me walking to the stadium, it's all through soft forest. 

Moss is the worst. I tried to avoid it best I could, but essentially my current explore shoes have walked Pripyat for 100 hours, and they have tested clean every time. 

Someone sat on the floor inside in the Reactor 4 visitor centre this year and the staff went nuts, saying that his arse would be contaminated with radioactive dust. His arse was scanned and was clear of radiation, but the ribbing about his contaminated arse is still going on. 

I guess if you touched moss with your hand, then itched your eye / pick your nose / wipe your mouth, you'd be at a lot higher risk of getting ill. You do have to be concious of that. I've heard of people wearing latex gloves simply to remind them of their hands, and it stops them touching their face.


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## KingRat (May 8, 2012)

Nice images. 
I have to ask Lee, you said a few times in your reports that 'you took a drive' are you running round there on your tod in a rental car?


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## UrbanX (May 8, 2012)

Ha ha, no, actually our government official wouldn't even drive in the zone. 
We have a special driver. He's been loyally driving me around the zone for three years now and the government wouldn't trust anyone else, so nor would I, let alone myself. 

In the 3 years I've known him, eaten every meal with him, spent many a night sleeping in the same accomodation, I've never heard him say a word. 

Some say he has a tattoo of Pripyat covering his back, 
and that he clicks like a geiger counter in his sleep.... 

All we know is that's he's the Ukrainian stig! 





I believe the vehicle also has to be authorised in advance, so unless you had a rental for severall months first you couldn't just take it in. 

Oh, and this year there was a brand new Kia parked right in the centre of Pripyat. But we were assured we were the only people there, so the car has literally just been parked! Our guide was completely baffled by it too!


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## Derelict-UK (May 9, 2012)

always fascinating, more behind the scenes stuff please (preparations, stories, local people who help you).

Oh, and here is a random related (kind of) fact, by the start of next month, 26 years after the cloud of radioactive rain fell down on to the hills in England & Wales, the transport ban on sheep in the Mountains will be lifted as they no longer pose a threat of radioactive contamination.

YaY!


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## UEP-Wales (May 9, 2012)

UrbanX said:


> It's not _too_ bad...
> 
> Tripods aren't too bad as the feet are small, and quite hard, they don't pick up much radiation. When you start off you're really paranoid about touching everything, but when you're on an exctended stay you get more complacent. If you see the vid of me walking to the stadium, it's all through soft forest.
> 
> ...



It's something that I've been thinking about for a while because if it's not a bright sunny day or entry to buildings are re-allowed, the use of a tripod is important, obviously! 

Reading that though has made me laugh so much! The thought of loads of staff all staring and panicking over this blokes arse 

Like Derelict-UK says, behind the scenes stuff would be great! I think an online or even printed book would be amazing though!


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## Priority 7 (May 9, 2012)

As always a good read and great shots buddy


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## krela (May 9, 2012)

Superb as always. 

Presumably it's picking up a hot particle that's the risk?


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## UrbanX (May 9, 2012)

krela said:


> Superb as always.
> 
> Presumably it's picking up a hot particle that's the risk?



Exactly that. I mean paper, cotton, and skin can all deflect Alpha and Beta to a great extent. But if you inhaled a hot particle...expect to go the same painful way as Mr Litvinyenko inca couple of weeks...


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## Derelict-UK (May 9, 2012)

how do you know what is hot and what is.....errr.....cold?

Is it a game of chance? Bet the magic mushrooms are amazing out there!


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## night crawler (May 9, 2012)

Brilliant, so when do you start your new job as a guide?


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## krela (May 9, 2012)

Derelict-UK said:


> how do you know what is hot and what is.....errr.....cold?
> 
> Is it a game of chance?



You kinda don't, regular geiger counter checks of your stuff is the only real way to tell.

If you get one on something you simply leave whatever it's on behind. It's ingesting one that's the real issue which is why touching your face when out and about isn't a great idea. It is a game of chance really, albeit a relatively safe one. Calculated risks and all that.

In Fukushima they're scraping all the hot particles off the surface of the land so people can move back. Our understanding of radiation has come a long way since the Chernobyl incident happened, it's still a nuts thing to be doing though!


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## TeeJF (May 9, 2012)

Hey Lee, how many times can you go over there and still remain the safe side of a life time's exposure? 

We did Binkini Atoll in 2006 despite the fact that they won't allow the Bikinians to go back home even now. But that is 'cos the Bikinians won't get it into their heads that you can't consume anything grown on the island there yet (due to soil Caesium I think?) or caught that itself feeds upon the land. It's an absolute paradise now - 25 people in total were on the island including our party of 12 divers when we were there. And exposure to the highly irradiated steel hulls of the wrecks is safe so long as they remain underwater. So you have a paradox - relatively intact shipwrecks complete with loads of artifacts and equipment, a "spidge gatherer's" dream, and yet bringing any of it out of water would subject the diver to a massive zap!

You sign a form to say you have read the US Military scientist's assessment of the radiation levels and risks and are assured that you will gain many times more exposure on the flight across than during your stay. 

And yet... 7 full time dive staff, 12 guests... 25 people total, that must mean there's up to 6 scientists in residence at any given time... makes you wonder why doesn't it!


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## Stussy (May 10, 2012)

Another great find and report, always interesting to read to say the least!


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