Gydrapark

On one of the days we went to Gydrapark - one of many wooded islands dotted among Kiev's vast Dnieper river. It's a strange and wonderful place. A haven for most. Surrounded by sandy beaches, hip new bars and cafes have sprung up on the waterfront, though the old woodcutters with tanned backs don't stop for refreshment. A fun fair and all its jaded tack defies anyone drunk enough to spend some money to get spun around or shoot some cans. Babushkas sell crayfish, still poisoned by Chernobyl says Misha's mum, and starting to stink in the blazing sun. Familiar kiosks sell crisps, warm vodka, coffee, cold beer and something fried or other. Then the interior, snaked by sandy pathways for joggers and God knows what at night. Old men in speedos sunning themselves while they catch up with former colleagues, young boys fishing, students swimming, thicker forest and in the middle of which an outdoor gym, macho and free. Go on and there are sudden openings where meat grills peacefully and empty tables begin to fill up as people sit down under the trees, bits dropping in their beer, but they don't seem to mind. It's Sunday. They're a million miles away from the stress of the city, just over the water there.

We sheltered from the imminent rain and watched the woodcutter dragging a wheelbarrow of logs away.

Such a great place for the boys to run around, collect sticks, swap and discard them. Not a care in the world. Unless, of course, your stick looks more like a strimmer or a chainsaw than mine...

Bizarre, but true. A free gym.

In the middle of the forest. Stick that in your chain of expensive health clubs, Bannatyne! The Yukies do it their way.

Then the storm broke and we took shelter under a large kiosk umbrella. The guys at the gym just carried on.

Misha was quite a discerning customer when it came to our shashliks. We checked them all out before we opted for this one.

The boys just got more rustic and into the nature as the day went on.

This meat was beef, but you're just as likely to come across pork, very nicely seasoned.

They serve the shashlik with some raw onion and lavash bread and a spicy local ketchup. Really simple and really good.

Having eaten it was time for some play. Alastair always listens attentively when Gregor is preparing Alastair for a game.

This one was inspired by big brother Bulov, it seems. Gregor had seen a picture of him doing his army stuff and covered in camouflage so tried to emulate his hero.

Though got bogged down in the details in the leaves.

But insisted on wearing his new head gear home on the metro.