A view over Maidan from below the Independence Column. The street is Khreshchatyk that splits Maidan in two is the grande boulevard in Kiev. Beyond that is the larger part of Maidan. On this day geared up for the festivities. This is end of the Day of the Ukrainian Flag (something I missed, as I arrived to Kiev this evening) and the day before Independence Day. The Soviet buildings with all their neon signs do not really create an atmosphere.