Foreign Guests Blown off Their Feet in Ukraine

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• Publié par: worldwide-news-ukraine
• Nombre de lectures: 18
• Langue: English

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Foreign Guests Blown off Their Feet in Ukraine PR Newswire KYIV, Ukraine, June 18, 2012

KYIV, Ukraine,June 18, 2012/PRNewswire/ -- European football championship EURO 2012 kicked off over a week ago and Ukraine has already hosted ten games. Despite the warnings of British newspapers, foreign football visitors coming to Ukraine have seen nothing but a holiday of football and friendly people. "This country, from the people point of view, is one of the nicest places I've ever been to,"Englandnational team supporter Peter Tolen toldThe Guardian. "People are friendlier than I thought they would be," said Robbin Falkenstrom fromSweden. Numerous fans fromthe Netherlandsflooded the Eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv where their national team played three matches at the renovated Metalist stadium. Some 20,000 Dutch fans participated in a march through Kharkiv's main streets and to the stadium. On the way the procession halted to singUkraine'snational anthem "Ukraine Has Not Perished Yet". One of the supporters accompanied the anthem with a trumpet. Notably, during the match betweenthe Netherlandsand GermanyonJune 13Kharkiv fan-zone was filled to its fullest capacity of over 50,000 visitors. While supporting their national team, Dutch fans also support theUkraineteam, according to Vinfred Viches, the representative of the Fan Association of the Kingdom ofNetherlands. "I want to tell the entire world that they have got to visit Kharkiv andUkraine," concluded Viches. On Khreshchatyk,Kyivmain street, Swedish supporters wearing yellow and blue blend in with Ukrainian fans draped in similar colors.French supporters also start filling Kyiv Maydan Nezalezhnosti (Independent Sq.) - the country's main fan- zone. "Independence Square ...is now a giant UEFA fan-zone, with big-screens, beer tents, table football and German sausages," reportsThe Guardian. OnJune 11, the match day betweenUkraineandSweden, over 100,000 fans visited the fan-zone. EURO host-cities adopted English signs and announcements in metro and other means of local transportation; downtown areas feature maps and English-speaking volunteers who offer help with directions. "Many people don't speak English, but they try so hard and that is really great," said James Dillon fromGreat Britain. A llhost cities provide free sightseeing tours. InKyivalone foreign visitors have a chance to enjoy the views of beautiful Saint Sophia and Saint Michael cathedrals, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, numerous green parks and other well-known tourist destinations.