Halfway Home

It was such a relief when Robert and I left the baking heat of the vast sun-drenched Ukrainian plains to enter the shady cobbled streets of Lviv. This felt like the Europe that I know and love!

Our horses would be stabled out of town for a day or so to allow us to rest our weary legs and enjoy the luxuries of running hot water and a bed each.

We were both walking rather like cowboys and our comfortable riding clothes now looked out of places in this oasis of urban sophistication. We felt (and looked) very much like country bumpkins entering this elegant city of Baroque and Renaissance facades. The bitter sweet smell of ground coffee and freshly cooked pastries danced enticingly around my nose.

Deferring the temptations of a cold lager in the market square, we checked into the Taurus hotel to spruce ourselves up for the town. The Taurus is a new luxury hotel and everything smelled of new plaster and new carpets. The rooms were spacious, quiet and, because of the exchange rates, unbelievably cheap!

Having spent an immodest amount of time wallowing in a hot bath, I met Robert in reception a little later, ready for an adventure. Robert was keen to go for a cocktail at the bar dedicated to Alexander von Masoch, but that would have to wait until we had explored some of Lvov's many other varied attractions.