The NY Times has a bit on Chernobyl - making me realize that today is the 20th anniversary of the reactor explosion. I was only 10 at the time - I don't think that I was ever aware of it in that time period, but I'm nonetheless fascinated by it now.
Not too long ago I saw the National Geographic Channel's "Seconds from Disaster" about the Chernobyl explosion. It was absolutely riveting. I highly recommend checking it out if you have the opportunity. I think almost everyone is aware that Chernobyl exploded and released radiation into the air - but I think that most people's impression of this kind of disaster is that it was as violent and deadly as a nuclear bomb, which it really wasn't. That's not to say that people didn't die - and that they aren't still dying from the radioactivity released by the explosion - but it wasn't huge mushroom cloud explosion with many instantly being zapped dead in a flash (like in the BBC movie "Threads" or ABCs "The Day After").
I kind of have a sick curiosity to see Pripyat - the little town closest to Chernobyl that was evacuated. I mean, it would be a perfectly preserved slice of life under the late Soviet empire. A time capsule. Just incredible. There are tours that take you there, giving you personal dosimeters and Geiger counters to make sure that you don't absorb too much radiation. Fascinating.
Somehow I don't think that I would have many travel companions on this trip.
P.S. Here are links to the Washington Post's article about Chernobyl's observations of the anniversary and the Wikipedia article about the disaster.
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1 comment:
it might have to be a "running tour"
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