Merchants of the under passage

Crossing a street in the UK normally involves traffic lights and a short wait while cars stop to let you go. Sometimes it involves a bridge and some steps. Very rarely, you can cross through a tunnel that goes under the street.
However, in Ukraine, as in other ex-Soviet states – the tunnel rules and a walk in the city almost always involves a trip to the underworld.
To cross a street or road you usually go downstairs, through a dark passage and then back up again. In doing so, you will walk through a dark, cool alley of trade and commerce.

Going down. Two girls try to hide their excitement as they descend into the underworld

Lets compare. In Oxford, if you wish to pass from the city centre to the train station, you must wait for two sets of traffic lights and walk across a bus station. It’s not very exciting.
In Kyiv. To get from my house on Konstatinovskaya street to the metro station, you will pass under Niznihy Val and in doing so you have the change to buy any of the following products:
  • Web cams, Keyboards and computer accessories
  • Watches
  • Souvenirs
  • Coffee and novelty teas Household supplies and toiletries
  • Pots and pans
  • Flowers
  • Knickers, tights and pants
  • Socks
  • Mobile phones + phone chargers and accessories
  • Bread and snacks
  • Hats
  • Fruit
  • Magazines
  • T-shirts
  • Sweets
  • …and I mean a LOT of sweets!

  • Make-up and cosmetics
  • Electronics (radios and batteries etc)
  • Novelty cutlery
  • Bras
  • …and I mean a LOT of bras!

  • Earrings and Jewellery
  • Wallets, belts, gloves and shoes
  • Stuff for cleaning leather shoes and belts etc
  • Pet food
  • Pens and stationary
  • Sunglasses and umbrellas
  • Hunting and fishing knives
  • National flags
  • Locks and keys
  • Kids toys
  • Hair dryers and beard trimmers
  • traditional costumes
  • wooden spoons and boxes
  • passport holders
  • Hair-dye
  • Handbags
  • Pizza and ice cream
  • Tupperware
  • greetings cards and wrapping paper
  • Tablecloths and bedsheets
  • Theatre tickets
  • Chopping boards
  • Novelty garden statues
  • Dresses
  • Novelty plastic bags
  • Towels and tea towels
  • Kids clothes
  • Cossack clubs
  • Sexy calendars
It is really quite amazing, and while its easy to pass these little shops without thinking, they are very much part of every day Kyiv life. They even have their own special sweet/damp smell which is unmistakable.
If you’re lucky, you’ll also find some musicians playing for money and a small group of Babushkas (old women) selling fruit, veg and (of course) flowers on the steps.
I was delighted to see that this has been going on since 1989. Look here

Look how happy he is! He probably brought that ridiculous shirt two minutes ago, there under the street. 

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14 Comments

  1. Alex

    stupid jokes

  2. Alex

    stupid jokes

  3. I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m commenting from a stereotypically western view, but I wondered whether the products available are subject to quality control? I have read elsewhere that some products in Ukraine can be shoddy (just as some are in Britain!). I’m visiting Ukraine in August and this is the kind of culture I’m hoping to soak up.

    • Unfortunately, most of the products are (I guess) from China. However, this generally means they are cheap even if they don’t last so long. Oh, unless you shop in ‘Metrograd’ which is the large underground shopping complex in the city center. Then the goods are bad quality AND expensive. Its better to buy stuff outside of Ukraine and use your money in Ukraine to enjoy what Ukraine makes best – the food and drinks ))

    • Unfortunately, most of the products are (I guess) from China. However, this generally means they are cheap even if they don’t last so long. Oh, unless you shop in ‘Metrograd’ which is the large underground shopping complex in the city centre. Then the goods are bad quality AND expensive. Its better to buy stuff outside of Ukraine and use your money in Ukraine to enjoy what Ukraine makes best – the food and drinks ))

  4. I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m commenting from a stereotypically western view, but I wondered whether the products available are subject to quality control? I have read elsewhere that some products in Ukraine can be shoddy (just as some are in Britain!). I’m visiting Ukraine in August and this is the kind of culture I’m hoping to soak up.

    • Unfortunately, most of the products are (I guess) from China. However, this generally means they are cheap even if they don’t last so long. Oh, unless you shop in ‘Metrograd’ which is the large underground shopping complex in the city center. Then the goods are bad quality AND expensive. Its better to buy stuff outside of Ukraine and use your money in Ukraine to enjoy what Ukraine makes best – the food and drinks ))

    • Unfortunately, most of the products are (I guess) from China. However, this generally means they are cheap even if they don’t last so long. Oh, unless you shop in ‘Metrograd’ which is the large underground shopping complex in the city centre. Then the goods are bad quality AND expensive. Its better to buy stuff outside of Ukraine and use your money in Ukraine to enjoy what Ukraine makes best – the food and drinks ))

  5. Alex

    Come on, we have decent shops here. Just not underground. It really depends on lots of things (type of product, etc.)

    • Hi Alex, I have a Bradt travel guide for Ukraine and it says that some goods are worth buying and that quality merchandise is available, and when I visit in August I would like to make some purchases. I’m not sure what I’d like to buy, maybe a nice watch for my daughter’s 18th birthday.
      To be fair, Britain is also full of discount shops (such as Poundland) which sell a range of goods, many of which are low quality. These retailers make a lot of money.
      And Britain’s manufacturing relies on factories in the Far East, and, sadly, producing quality goods seems to be secondary to making fat profits.

  6. Alex

    Come on, we have decent shops here. Just not underground. It really depends on lots of things (type of product, etc.)

    • Hi Alex, I have a Bradt travel guide for Ukraine and it says that some goods are worth buying and that quality merchandise is available, and when I visit in August I would like to make some purchases. I’m not sure what I’d like to buy, maybe a nice watch for my daughter’s 18th birthday.
      To be fair, Britain is also full of discount shops (such as Poundland) which sell a range of goods, many of which are low quality. These retailers make a lot of money.
      And Britain’s manufacturing relies on factories in the Far East, and, sadly, producing quality goods seems to be secondary to making fat profits.

  7. Mark

    I’ve been there several times. And I never saw anyone actually buy anything. What’s up with that? Is the whole underground shopping area a front for something?

  8. Mark

    I’ve been there several times. And I never saw anyone actually buy anything. What’s up with that? Is the whole underground shopping area a front for something?

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