Dawid Bociek and Karol Dudyński spent almost a week in Ukraine. The most important point of the trip was Chernobyl and Pripyat, known as the “city of ghosts” or the “ghost town”. “Many people do not realise that Pripyat was the place that suffered most in the power plant disaster,” says Karol.
Forty people from all over Poland took part in the trip to Ukraine. They were all fascinated by the history of Chernobyl. “We wanted to see it with our own eyes,” Dawid explains.
How did their friends react when they heard that the two men were going to the site of the greatest disaster in the history of nuclear power plants? “Some warned us that we would glow green,” Dawid laughs. “That was one of the reasons we decided to go there. We wanted to confront the myth. Some people believe that the radiation is still very strong there.
The residents of Bolesławiec spent several hours in the almost completely abandoned Pripyat. Among other things, they saw a kindergarten and a disused amusement park. “One of the groups of visitors gave up. They could not bear the dead silence of the city,” Dawid says.
However, it turned out that people still live in Pripyat. “I met one of the residents,” Karol says. “He returned to his homeland shortly after the disaster. He said he had missed the city.
The sarcophagus concealing the remains of the destroyed nuclear reactor made the greatest impression on the residents of Bolesławiec. “This is the object that caused so many tragedies,” Karol says. “I did not even feel like photographing it.
Back to Chernobyl?
Although the zone around the site of the disaster is still closed (entry is possible only with a pass), there is no shortage of visitors. “Interest is growing,” Karol admits. “People return there five or six times. You must not stay in the area for too long, so there is a feeling of dissatisfaction that not everything could be seen. And it is a unique place,” he adds.
Both residents of Bolesławiec are planning another trip to Chernobyl next year.
(GA report)