What to See in Chernobyl

0 Comments

So you want to visit Chernobyl and go on a spooky tour? Chernobyl seems to be something that has spiked the interest in a lot of people. The fear of something going wrong combined with the eeriness of the abandoned buildings makes for one of the most intriguing visits while traveling. Like many, I have a fascination with the tragic incident and decided to see for myself. And it was worth it. However, there are some things you should know ahead of time. Chernobyl is only accessible by tour in order to keep people safe and to prevent any kind of sabotage to the work being done. Chernobyl is still radioactive so DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING. But if you can find a tour, and remember not to touch anything, you're safe and will have an interesting time. Here's what to look for when going on a tour of Chernobyl.

10. Chernobyl Town: what is interesting is that the town of Chernobyl is still in use today. Workers come in, sleep over night, eat, and work, all in Chernobyl. That is because the town is relatively safe as it was south of the blast and the winds carried the radiation north. However, there are quite a few restrictions for the workers; they can spend a maximum of fourteen days a month in Chernobyl and have to leave for fourteen more days in order to come back. They also have extensive medical check ups. But if you're there to visit for the day, it is interesting to see a half abandoned city come to life. 

9. Lenin Statue: the only surviving Lenin statue in the Ukraine is in Chernobyl. Maybe it is because they chose not to demolish the village. Maybe the people of Chernobyl were nostalgic about the past. Either way, if you want a taste of communism, what it was really like before its fall, Chernobyl is a great place since everything has been left untouched. 

8. The Dogs: the most shocking thing about Chernobyl was the amount of wild dogs running around the villages. Everywhere you stop, dogs come running up to greet you. At first I was hesitant to pet them, seeing that they've been rolling around on the radioactive floor, but the guides said they were safe. So of course I had to give them some good pets!

7. Cherevach Village: this abandoned village is exactly how you would imagine it. With overgrown trees and bushes and crumbling houses, this village is what you picture when you think of a radioactive ghost town. 

6. Memorial "To Those who Saved the World": this is important because it reminds us that people actually died in Chernobyl. We usually think of the families being evacuated, never to return again. But we forget about the firefighters, rushing in to stop the fire, and dying within days of exposure. This monument thanks them for their sacrifice and pays tribute to every role that people played in containing the radiation. 

5. Reactor # 4: today, the reactor is completely covered by a sarcophagus. But you can still get pretty close to it without any radiation poisoning. We were less than a football field away and could see the work that people were doing to make sure that the sarcophagus lasts. It was very interesting to be so close to something so deadly. 

4. Kopachi Village: for all those images that you have seen about abandoned schools, this is the village that they were taken in. Dolls with melted faces and scattered homework everywhere are the main attraction of this village. And it sure is eerie to see an abandoned kindergarten with radioactive hot spots. 

3. Pripyat Town: this was the largest town that was evacuated. With apartment buildings everywhere, tens of thousands of people lived in the town. That is why walking through it today is probably the eeriest part of the Chernobyl tour. The abandoned buildings tower over you as they crumble away. You can visit sports halls, the supermarket, parks, schools, and even some apartments. And it is really creepy to be there. 

2. Russian Woodpecker: visiting this was like being in some strange sci-fi movie. It is a radar that was meant to detect any missiles launched by the US. So it is huge! Huge! And visiting in the middle of the forest reminded me of Jurassic Park, when the boy climbs up the electric fence and gets fried when they turn it back on. So I kept a safe distance. 

1. Pripyat Ferris Wheel: the most famous part of Pripyat is the ferris wheel, probably because it symbolizes fun and the town isn't so fun anymore. But it is also oddly beautiful, with its bright yellow color, shinning in the trees and overgrown bushes.