The dating tourist in Ukraine

Snowy November evening in Kyiv. Ostannya barykada restaurant ("The Last barricade") is empty. This place used to be so crowded in the past so there were lines to go in... I remember this period, probably it was before Covid. But this day is not the weekend so the restaurant has few visitors.

In the first room, I see only 1 guy sitting at the first table and I understand that he's a foreigner. He is looking at us, but of course, why wouldn't he - apart from us there are no clients in this first room.

• Thank you, my friend. This was exactly what I wanted to have - he says to the waiter while asking for a bill.

So I understood correctly that he's a foreigner and most probably - American. That's no wonder as "Last barricade" is very popular among foreigners due to its branding and also to a central location, as it is just on Maidan. During this period of war in "Last barricade" they don't turn off the electricity and also because it's located underground - some people think it's more secure than other places, so even during air alarm, it's working.

The Last Barricade has a small museum of revolutions: the student revolution of 90s, the Orage revolution of 2004, and, of course, the Revolution of Dignity 2013-2014. This restaurant has some artifacts from these periods and a while back they did short excursions there and a short explanations of these 3 events in Ukrainian history. I remember when I was there with one foreign friend, he told me that's the best museum he visited.

Returning to our day, now the prices maybe only slightly increased in hryvnyas, but for the foreigners it's cheaper now - you can have a good meal for $10-20. And from Thursday - Sunday they have concerts of live music, as this place was created with appeal to art (like the "Last barricade" which existed many years ago)

The foreign gentleman is probably in his 60s, he has white hair and an accurate white beard, he is dressed in a suit so judging by his look, he might be some businessman, CEO or maybe a professor.

He already paid a bill, and then he points to the waitress, and I can hear some small part of the conversation. He gave her his card and invites her for a dinner. That's also a bit old-fashioned manner as nowadays people ask instagram or telegram from the girls. The blond waitress is beautiful, she is probably in her 30s, so a bit older than the usual image of waitresses - young girls, students. She smiled, of course, but I don't know if she accepted or denied this invitation.

I look in another direction - to the Globus mall - which is below the windows (in the photo) as even though there is a big distance and several tables between me and American, I don't want to make him uncomfortable. I even feel that maybe that's not so comfortable that I heard this part of the conversation. This wouldn't happen to be there more people, but there was nobody in this room.

He might be a journalist or NGO employee or one of those who come to Ukraine to show some support. Actually, he might as well be a politician or a member of some state delegation, as Maidan - is the center, and you can see many interesting and famous people there.

Or maybe he is just a tourist? Of course, now in Ukraine, we don't have many tourists. But some come. Because if you count the risks - it's a really small probability to die from a rocket. But some people like extreme tourism. Kyiv is no longer a frontline city, but you can feel in the atmosphere that the war is going and it makes Kyiv an interesting place to visit. And, of course, the girls are as beautiful as before. They are more patriotic and less demeaning now. One more reason why tourists can have some advantages compared to peaceful times.

So during the war - life goes on, people date, and people marry. Out of curiosity, I might come to the same restaurant in a few weeks or a few months, and maybe I will see this gentleman again. Or maybe I will see the waitress and out of curiosity will ask did they go for dinner or not? Should I ask her?