Thanks for your comments, guys
Wow, so many questions about the history & architecture, that I need some time before answer...
to Richard:
I can't compare my climate with the climate of Oregon. But I'll try to shortly describe my winters.
Usually winter lasts here from late November till late Feb/early Mar. with av.temperature -4C, max. ~+5C, min down to -20C (sometimes even lower) and a nice amount of snow (up to 30...50cm), which lays on the ground for more than 2 months.
But several recent winters (2003...2008) were very mild (maybe it is caused by global warming). Temperature dropped below zero in late December, and mild frosts lasted until mid-February. Av.temperature was close to zero (-2...0C), minimum below -15C were very rare. Also much less of snow, which often is unstable, or lays on the ground for less than 1-2 weeks, not higher than 20-30cm.
What I'm experiencing now is a great anomaly. Temperature rises up to +10...+13C while it must be near zero. Outside it looks more like October or April, but not like December.
P.S. Is your winter in Oregon much different from mine?
to John C.:
The river name is Vorskla, it is one of the 3 big rivers in Poltava region, which fall into Dnipro. In winter it usually get covered with ice for a month (sometimes only for a few weeks, sometimes almost during all winter).
You don't work for the tourist industry do you ? Lol...
No, but often I'm a customer of those
Nevertheless I know my city enough well to be a tourist guide.
