Chernobyl's Cafe

Thirty years after the famous nuclear reactor explosion, Chernobyl is once more showing signs of life. As the fears of older generations are replaced by the fascination of the new, Chernobyl is emerging as a popular tourist destination, and local industry is on the rise. But with radiation levels still dangerously high, questions remain over whether the region can ever truly recover. In the heart of the exclusion zone, the 'Cafe 10' serves up classical Ukrainian food to scores of clients every day: friendly and welcoming, it is very much a traditional cafe. Popularised in video games and horror movies, the site is now an attraction for travelers from all over the world, and tourism agencies are thriving. A younger generation of tourists, who do not remember the nuclear disaster, are behind this rise in 'morbid tourism'. As well as a hike in tourism, the construction of a huge metal enclosure for the damaged plant has brought in hundreds of workers to the long-deserted area. For many of these workers, the promise of regular work outweighs the threat of radiation: as one jokingly exclaims, "thankfully we have a job! And we're still alive...that's it!"