⛰️ Going out on a high

High scores

Teacher Lesia, Nick, Roman and I played a game of Wingspan in our favorite Lvivian game-shop Octopus a few weeks ago. After playing that bird-themed game, we visited the restaurant we were at with Solomiia earlier. Lesia invited us for a second round of the game at a friend's place a week later. Integration with the locals: check!

Game-wise, my score was quite limited both times. Lesia's friend helped me out with the game the second time. His most common feedback about my moves was "So wasteful...". Perhaps birdkeeping is even more difficult for me than Ukrainian grammar.

High temperatures

Lviv's central market square has a coffee mine. I've been there last year with a friend but didn't get to try the special treat they offer: coffee or choco with live caramelisation. So, to compensate, this year, I went there twice with friends!

In the dark underground, the flame can be felt and seen through closed eyelids — quite intense! And as this happened during Lviv's hottest days this year, I had some momentary regrets. Luckily, I could wash away those regrets with a coffee with a caramelised top layer (like crème brûlée).

High mountains

When I went to the Carpathian mountains with Yuliia and her partner last year, it was quite a nice adventure. Unfortunately, I'm quite scared of heights (and particularly the steep inclines and declines that come with heights) — as I learned from the truck trip back then.

This year, Yuliia (with her friends) organised a trip for me and some students. With both my car and their car, we had some capacity to organise an unofficial Summer School trip this time!

Driving on the Ukrainian roads was, once again, a trial by itself. Naïvely, I tried to drive as I would in the Netherlands, mostly obeying the rules and speed limits. This led to my car being overtaken often, and arriving 10-15 minutes after the other car on a trip of 90 minutes. No matter — we arrived safe and sound.

Even though I'd like to have reached the top of a mountain, I was too anxious to repeat the uphill truck experience from last year. Daan, Zachary and I chose to hike uphill.

I indeed hoped to find a less steep path with some safety rails. Unfortunately, the hiking path turned out to be unavoidably steep too.

Halfway, I got dizzy from anxiety and decided I was done fighting myself — so I returned. I didn't achieve the height I was looking for, but I got some nice pictures and hike out of it.

Luckily, my classmates had a better time up the mountain!

Once everyone was down from the mountain again, we dropped off a fellow student at the train station. After some quick souvenir shopping, we went for dinner and wrapped up the day.

The only thing remaining would be the trip back to Lviv — and this time I'd be trying to stay close to the other car. I needed to do some audacious driving, but it was nothing as bad as the truck that overtook us and simply pushed an oncoming truck off the road! It worked out without accidents, but it was quite the scene.

High cuisine

Zachary wanted to have dinner with Daan and me before we'd leave Summer School (on Friday). We brainstormed and decided to organise a dinner with everyone — students, teachers, tutors.

There is a restaurant ("Вежа"/"Tower") in the park quite close to the university. Last year, I somehow never saw it, even though it is nine floors tall — taller than trees.

This year, we found it and booked the entire top floor for our dinner. The view and event were truly spectacular. Starting an evening at 19:00 and continuing until closing time (23:00) on our last night in Lviv was an absolute highlight. I reckon we would've continued even longer, if it weren't for closing time or curfew.

High time to wrap up

When I signed up for the summer school a second time, I thought there would be a lot of repeated experiences. Turns out it doesn't feel repetitive at all!

On my last Friday, I have to return from all these highs, back to reality in the low countries; more on this in my upcoming (last?) article.