Uzhgorod tales from Oleksandr Hereshko (PHOTOS)

"Every year, at this time, the old Halahov reminds of itself with elegant pink spots among its strict buildings. And then, even gloomy people understand that in a serious life there are frivolous moments when the reason gives in to the heart. It will take several days and the Halahov will become haughty and formal again. But the memory of pink waves among grayness will remind: it will not always be like this! And we patiently wait for the next miracle that once again will fill life with special meaning," – with this atmospheric text under appropriate photo of Uzhgorod, one can easily immerse oneself in a fantastic atmosphere. This is how Transcarpathian Oleksandr Hereshko sees our city.

"I come here almost every morning. First of all, I check if this old chestnut is still there. We have known each other for more than fifty years.
In the early 60’s, I think I hardly noticed it. And when it was time to go to school, it became my friend. I was sitting at the desk of the old school, and then young chestnut was growing behind its window. Sometimes he was jealous of my attentions to the huge yew, that was tempting with red berries right between us, sometimes I was angry with the chestnut when they made us clean up piles of leaves underneath it. I would complain to him about bad teachers, about long minutes of uninteresting lesson. I shared my plans for conquering the heart of "my" girl from our form.
And when it was time to say goodbye to the school, the chestnut witnessed the oath of young romantics, who gathered under its mighty branches after the prom to promise each other to never forget the school, those years and events.

I realized that I would not see it every day anymore. It would have other friends. And it seemed that it would last forever. That this chestnut would always be standing there, that there was eternity ahead of us…
Years have passed. And life does not seem so everlasting now, it is already over for many of your kind. And the chestnut is not that resilient and depends on random will of heartless people. They haven’t been friends with it for many years. They haven’t shared secrets and haven’t complained to it. They have never taken shelter from the rain and haven’t shared their first kiss there. You’re nothing to them. You can stay, as long as you are not in the way.
And I am again looking at "my" chestnut out of the window. Today, the old friend is there. Together with me, it rejoices the warmth, that has finally come to town. It is preparing to give first leaves this year. Preparing to give its cozy shade to the samll garden opposite the old school. Waiting for secrets of new students.
I’ll come here tomorrow. To see if it is all right.
As long as the old chestnut is here, this city is mine…" – Oleksandr Hereshko wrote under another picture.