In the Exclusion Zone (2): Dining Out at the Chernobyl Reactor Site

In fact we very nearly didn’t get to eat at the Chernobyl plant, having spent so long dawdling at the Shelter Object and then at the newest building in the complex, presented by the European Union, the function of which is (or, to be more accurate, will be, as it won’t start actual operation until next year [maybe]), the processing of contaminated materials from the site. But it was formally opened in April so we were amongst its first visitors. We all immediately commented on the striking signing on the building, which was perhaps not entirely diplomatic in its effect. Inside was a nightmare of winding corridors and staircases taking us to the upper levels where people will be working. The materials – both elements of the closed reactors and other contaminated objects – are to be brought into the plant using systems which minimise human handling. They will then be placed by robots into concrete cylinders, which will themselves then be filled with concrete and stored in underground pits on the site which will then be topped up with further levels of concrete. By the time the 500-year half-life is over I imagine the European Union will no longer be around so that if the solution turns out to have brought with it more problems – as many of the ‘solutions’ to the Chernobyl disaster have done to date – there will be no one around to blame.

At least this facility has one useful button (pictured) which seems to have been lacking at reactor no. 4.

Our erratic progress brought about a crisis in logistics, and we were sternly informed by Iryna that we had time for lunch, or to see the Dead City, but not both. Emergency negotiations brought about the compromise that we could eat as long as we took no more than 25 minutes.

I must say that in many ways the Chernobyl Site Staff Canteen can be commended to the passing wayfarer, save that the reservation of tables by outsiders is exceedingly hard to obtain unless you have Iryna onside. Of course there is the drawback that, as elsewhere on the site, radiation levels are substantially higher than outside the exclusion zone; I don't know to exactly what extent, as the radiation control necklaces issued to us by Iryna when we arrived at the site were collected from us at the end of the visit without our being told how many roentgens we had absorbed.

But anyway, the taste of the food served up did not seem adversely affected. Indeed the meal – fresh salad accompanied by roulade of cream cheese and red pepper, borscht, chicken and roast potatoes, followed by a sort of sticky bun - was all extremely fresh, and was accompanied superbly by the only beverage on offer, bottled mineral water. The premises seem spotless. I read with interest the detailed sports fixtures of the Chernobyl site teams - for volleyball, soccer, swimming and chess – this necessitated me going down to the far end of the hall, away from the eating area; I couldn’t help noticing that Iryna got up to follow me to the noticeboard, in case I got lost, I suppose – very thoughtful of her. Service was very brisk – as my grandmother used to say, ‘like a yiddisher wedding’, with your plate swept up as you lifted the last forkful to your mouth. And the waitresses were remarkably good looking – a nice bonus for the regulars. An attractive feature of the canteen is the walk-in radiation monitor you can step into on your way out – when I tried it out (to Iryna's evident disapproval) the light flashed up 'chisto' (clean) which was reassuring.

(Next: The Dead City)