Happy New Year from Lviv


An air raid alert lasted most of this afternoon, during which Kyiv bore the brunt of Putin's latest attacks, as well as Mykolaiv, Odesa and Khmelnytskyi. The 
alert ended an hour before the start of our New Year's Eve treat - a Strauss Christmas gala in Lviv Opera House, a beautiful extravaganza, which began at 5pm and couldn't have felt stranger, coming just 3 days after being in a village that had been bombed almost to oblivion.

The orchestra began by playing the Ukrainian national anthem, which was very emotional: hands on hearts and some tears. The concert included the requisite Ukrainian quirkiness - the conductor with an umbrella throughout one piece and a percussionist with a hammer and anvil during another!
Overall, magical. And, although it might seem frivolous to some, the ability to enjoy music, dance and song, in the midst of death and destruction, feels like a finger up to Putin.
There is not supposed to be any partying after midnight as a curfew remains in place (unless you're locked into a bar or restaurant until curfew ends at 5am) - definitely no fireworks. Not sure if people will keep to this.

We did some shopping today, with donations from Trawden community and others: hot plates, thermal socks, children's exercise books, pens, pencils, etc. These will be amongst an aid load that we'll take to 2 communities: in Kyiv and Chernihiv. There is also an artist's canvas, and paints and paint brushes for a 13-year-old disabled girl, an artist, who painted the picture below that is in our kitchen.
A Happy New Year to our family and friends, and all those who follow our blog. May 2023 bring an end to this relentlessly cruel and unjust war.   

Addendum: it has just gone midnight and the new year has been let in, in complete silence, with the curfew seemingly adhered to - no fireworks or music, sombre.

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