I just finished a wonderful, four-day tour through parts of Ukraine and Moldova and a strange place called Transnistria. Transnistria is an unrecognized country within Moldava's borders, aligned with Russia. Many wonderful places were on the itinerary. The biggest attractions for me were the amazing fortresses and the churches. The fortresses were exceptionally well-preserved, giving a sense of what it was like to be there. Many of the beautiful churches, both Roman Catholic and Orthodox, were recreations of their former selves. The orginals were destroyed by the Communists when the Soviet Union flourished. It is real testament to the faith and dedication of the people to raise the funds to rebuild these churches. Because no one else signed up for this tour, I had a private one with my guide Dimitri. He was very knowledgeable about the areas visited, being both an historian and journalist. He had everything well-organized, and controlled our time without being controlling. He also introduced me to Ukranian food, which was delicious, and the wines, especially at the Cricova Winery in Moldova. The tour there was excellent. The hotels in which we stayed were satisfactory but not exceptional. Breakfast was included and provided a good variety of choices. The drives at times were quite long but necessary to see as much as possible of the countries visited. Kudos to Dimitri for his safe and expert driving. For those visiting Kiev and also want a chance to see other surrounding countries, I highly recommend this tour.