belarus: minsk

I've wanted to visit Belarus for a long time, but until just recently Americans needed a visa that was complicated to get. A few months ago a law was changed so now Americans (and a few others,) can fly to Belarus for five days or less without a visa. When that law was changed I was a whole lot more motivated to book the tickets, especially when I found good prices and a schedule that gave me as much time as possible in a new place. The change in the law is so new that the staff working the check in counter asked me for my visa, and initially did not believe me when I said I didn't need one. 

In Ukraine we get the Monday after Easter off from work/school, it's an official holiday. A three day weekend seemed like plenty of time, as I've never heard anyone say that Belarus is a country you have to visit. Flight times worked out so I got three full days in the country. 

Entering the airport in Minsk I thought I was good to go for my trip. The lines at passport control moved slowly, but they did move. When I got to the window the lady asked for my immigration card. I told her no one had given me one, so she did so and sent me to the back of the line. I filled it out and got back to the same window, at which time she asked me for my medical insurance. 

I gave her the card I have through my bank, and she said it is Ukrainian and wouldn't work. I told her it works everywhere but Ukraine and the US as it is travel insurance. I ended up having to buy a three day policy for $4. Ugh. (On the other hand, if I could find a year long policy that covered me for $365 I'd be really happy.)

When I got back to the lady she finally stamped me through, after thoroughly inspecting my passport. I've never seen anyone look that closely at a passport. I went through the rest of the airport and found the bus stop out front. There are two companies that have a bus to the city, so you generally only have to wait 30 minutes at most. 

I waited 20 minutes or so. The cost was cheap, only 3 rubles, which converts to about $1.60. The ride was easy, I got off at the stop near a metro station. 

I'd booked a place right next to another metro station, which was why I didn't ride the bus the whole way to the central bus station. I bought tokens for the metro, and was quickly approached by a security guard, who told me to follow him. He had me put my backpack through an X-ray machine, then said it was okay for me to go. 

The metro train itself was just like many of those I've ridden in Kyiv. Knowing how to read the Cyrillic alphabet was definitely a plus, though the Belarussian alphabet has a couple characters I didn't recognize. 

As soon as I got to 'my' metro station I called the contact number for my accommodation. The man came to meet me, then showed me to the flat. As my students say, easy peasy lemon squeezy. I relaxed for an hour, then went out for a walk.

'My' flat was on Independence Street, a major artery of Minsk. I walked down the street for a while, just to see what there was to see. 

Less than a block from my flat was a campus of the national technical university. As it was Friday evening, there weren't any people around. I took a photo of the main building and kept walking. 

I walked to the Victory Monument, in the middle of a memorial in the middle of a traffic circle. It's a simple monument, (an obelisk) with an eternal flame in front. Pretty. 

More walking brought me to a bridge, over water. I like water, and I liked the reflections I could see not too far away. I followed the water for a little bit, just because I could. 

I got back to the main road and walked another block or so. At the last intersection I saw the circus building, which was lit up with colour changing light. 

On the way back to my flat I stopped in a cafeteria for dinner. It was later than I should've been eating, but I knew I needed real food. Though I got there over an hour before it closed, much of the food had already been put away for the night. 

I got home and went to sleep fairly quickly. I noticed the heat was still on, Minsk is definitely colder than Kyiv. It was nice to sleep in a queen sized bed with good support.

The next morning I eventually got going, following the street as I had the night before. I found a grocery store and picked up snacks and drinks for the day. The products were similar to what I've seen in Ukraine. 

I kept walking and got back to the same monument I'd seen the night before. I decided I wanted to take a photo during daylight, so I used the tunnel under the street to get there, just as I'd done the night before. 

As I came up the stairs, I noticed soldiers standing in front of the monument, they hadn't been there the night before. 

As I took my photos I realized I was there as they were doing a changing of the guard. The ceremony wasn't complicated, just several soldiers walking in time and switching places. Their walk wasn't exactly a match, but not a walk either. Interesting to watch. 

After the ceremony I walked along the same water I'd walked the night before. I love the way things can look so different at night than they do during the day. In this case, I thought the night before had been much more interesting. 

I walked through a small bit of a park on the way to the national opera. When I got to the opera I almost interrupted a couple having wedding photos taken. They were moving around the front steps of the building, I waited with more patience than I usually have.

Just as I was finally taking my photos, a man rode through on his bicycle, with a child on the back of the bike. She was the perfect photo bomb, smiling and posing as she went through my frame. In front of the opera house is a long fountain, so I tried taking photos of the building in the background with reflections in the water.

They turned out well, except when ducks swam near, and messed up the surface of the water. 

My next stop was the so called Isle of Tears. It's tiny, and man made, in the river running through the area. To get there, you walk across a small pedestrian bridge.

Once on the island you can see two things, both of which are memorials. One was religious, a tower of sorts, and relatively small. There was an interior section but it was small, and the gates were locked. On the other end is another memorial, but I didn't know what this one represented. 

After leaving the island I walked along the river briefly, before crossing the river by walking over a bridge. 

At this point I could already tell it was a special weekend, just by the number of people heading toward the church. Before coming to Minsk, I didn't expect that Easter weekend would be different from any other weekend. In my head, former Soviet counties aren't actively religious, though I don't know why I have that impression, since many of these countries are actively religious. Anywho. 

Set up outside the church, near the front, were multiple long bench-like tables. Nearly everyone inside the church (and there were heaps of people,) and near the church was carrying a basket with Easter food inside; bread and eggs mostly. Inside the church was a queue, people slowly moving forward to kiss one of the icons at the front of the church. 

I found another church nearby, but it was closed. I don't know if it is ever open? A third church (also nearby,) turned out to be a former church, and is now a concert hall. 

By this point I was standing in front of what is called City Hall, except that it's not city hall. It's a building that was built to recreate what they think the old city hall looked like, a long time ago. There were no pictures of the old building, they had to use written descriptions. Nearby this 'city hall' were a few stands selling souvenirs, so I bought a coffee mug with the changing emblems of the flag/country, and a magnet. 

On the other side of city hall I found a Catholic Church. After reading the signs inside I found out it was the Roman Catholic Archcathedral of the area. Needless to say, the history of the building was long and complicated. 

As Orthodox and Western Easter were on the same day this year, this church was packed as well. And again, everyone was carrying a basket with eggs and/or bread to be blessed. 

I'm not positive, but I think I walked in just as one service was ending. I thought it would clear out, but it seemed as if more people were coming in, waiting for another service to begin soon. Did this go on all day? 

The ceiling and organ of this church were absolutely beautiful. Always look up. 

From there I walked through more of the city center area. I found my way to a large platz in front of the palace of culture building. The palace itself was really boring looking, I hope the inside had more to offer. 

On one side of the platz was the 0km mark, the point from which distances are measured in this city/country. Why this point was chosen, I don't know. 

On another side of the platz was a theater, with a lovely front facade. I wish I'd been able to go inside. Not too far from the front of the theater was a series of vertical flags of Belarus. 

I kept wandering, and while on a small street noticed a sign with what I thought was my name. Yahoo! My name was written in the Cyrillic alphabet, as was the business name, so I took a photo and made a mental note to send it to someone for translation. (When I got the info back, I was told it was Eva's womens' health clinic!)

I continued walking up the street, finding my way to Tsum department store. This name is what the major state run department store in all Soviet countries was called, so I've seen it in other countries as well. It was interesting to walk inside and see how this one was different. Some of the areas were old school, in that everything was behind a counter, and you had to ask a salesclerk to get it for you. No browsing on your own. 

Further down the street was the post office. It was quite grand, but not as grand as Kyiv. They had a section for postcards and such, making things easier for me. 

Continuing along the street I reached Independence Square, which is actually pretty big. That being said, there are fountains and such scattered around, so it isn't one large wide open platz.

One of the fountains had plaques all around with the names of different cities, all from Belarus I think? 

One corner of the platz had a giant building, with a statue of Lenin in front. Since all statues of Lenin have been removed in Ukraine in the past three years or so, (at least all in government controlled areas,) I'm fascinated when I get to see these statues still standing. I took a selfie, the nearby guard was watching me and I'm not sure he would've been keen on me using the tripod for a posed photo. I walked around the back of the statue and noticed stairs going up a little. 

The guard seemed to think I wanted to go up (I didn't,) and made it clear I wasn't to do so. Since I have no desire to get that close to another Lenin, this was not an issue for me. 

Also on the platz is one of the places mentioned on all tourist lists of the city. St Helen's is made of red brick, and like every other church in the city was decorated for the holiday. Also like every other church in the city, it was packed with people. I wasn't impressed by the interior or exterior, maybe I'm just a jaded traveler. 

On one corner of the church property was a monument to the disaster at Chornobyl. The disaster itself happened in Ukraine, but the winds blew more than half the radiation just over the border, into Belarus. Thankfully those areas weren't highly populated, but it was still a disaster that directly affected this country. 

I walked along more streets to get to the train station. I had two reasons to come here: one, I wanted to see about possibilities for a day trip the next day; and two, I wanted to see the so called 'gates of the city.' 

The train station itself was very modern, nothing at all like the classic, grand station I was somehow expecting. This was the main train station in the country's capital after all. Oh well. 

I figured out tickets that would allow me a day trip in Brest, though I realized I'd be spending a lot of time sitting. 

The gates of the city were gates exactly. It was actually a set of two 'towers,' on the ends of two buildings across the street from each other, across the street from the station. You can help but notice them when you exit the station. 

From there I started walking back in the direction of my flat. I knew the walk would take a while, and that I'd be stopping for dinner along the way. The place I chose wasn't great, but the bathrooms made me laugh. The picture on the mens' door was of Brad Pitt. The picture on the womens' door was Angelina Jolie. Hahahahahaha. 

My walk took me back near the first church I'd visited, which was even more crowded now. The long table like benches in front were packed with people. It seemed that as each table filled, a priest would come along, say a blessing, and sprinkle holy water at or near everyone and their baskets. Then everyone would leave, and more people would fill in the space. Amazing. 

I crossed under a main street, and ended up near yet another church. (I promise, I wasn't specifically heading to this one.) There were tables and people in front of this one as well, the blessing priest, and a queue inside to kiss an icon. 

From there I meandered my way home. I walked through a park with random statues throughout, and in front of the opera house again. I stopped in the supermarket again, and found donuts (which didn't end up being very good,) too. 

The next day was my day trip to Brest, read that post. 

Monday morning I woke up early as usual, and looked out the window. After the crazybweather I'd had in Brest, I wondered what I would experience this day. I saw snow on the ground!! Sometime in the night it had snowed enough to accumulate a little. I love snow, but I wasn't mentally ready for it, so I was a bit shocked. 

I cleaned up and packed, then checked out at 0930. Yay me for finally being productive a little sooner in the day! Before leaving, I laid out the monies I'd collected and took photos. The country changed the value of its money 18 months ago, I was a bit sad I didn't get to see the old stuff. 

I didn't have a full day to run around, so I used google maps to tell me how to get to a specific park area. The map gave me the name of the street on which I needed to turn, but I never saw that name. After walking too far, I realized the name had officially been changed, but the street signs had not. The old name was Lenin St. 

A little way off Lenin street I found the Holocaust memorial. There are statues of people crowded together, moving down a set of stairs, and an obelisk. The plaque on the obelisk was written in several languages, but I didn't understand any of them. 

I continued along Lenin Street, which was a looong street. Sometime during this part of my walk my camera stopped working, it wouldn't turn on. At first I thought it must've gotten cold, so I changed the battery and kept it inside my jacket for a bit. That didn't help, it did nothing at all. Argh. I'd loved the camera so far, I was totally disappointed. I tried several more times during the rest of the day to turn on the camera, but it never worked. 

Eventually I arrived at a museum. By this point I knew I didn't have enough time to go through the museum, but the outside of it was plenty noteworthy. A tall obelisk, and a whole lot of mirrored windows. 

Slightly downhill from there I found the entrance 'gate' to a park. I walked along the main path until I got to water, which had a sculpture on the bank. Interesting, I guess. 

Another part of this park was the Island of Birds. I didn't see any birds, nor hear them. Maybe I was there at the wrong time, or wasn't looking in the right place. I did see all the locks people had tied onto the small pedestrian bridge used to get to the island. 

I got back to Lenin street, which was still going straight, and was clearly a main road. I walked and walked, looking for a government type building. Eventually, I got there. Not only were the gates closed and locked, there were police cars in the driveway. Okay, so I didn't go there. At least I could see it in the distance. With that kind of security nearby, I didn't even risk a photo. Argh. 

Even further along I came to a modern looking museum. It looked kinda like a spaceship to me, which still strikes me as an odd description for a building. In front of the museum was a giant flagpole and Belarussian flag. I mean GIANT. 

At that point I looked at my watch and knew it was time to turn around. I walked fast the entire way back to the city center, which felt awfully long. The wind blew, snow was swirling around (the wind had been blowing hard all day, I wondered if I'd see any rain or snow,) and I was annoyed my camera was broken. 

Once I got to the city center I continued my fast walk, and made it to the bus station, just past the train station. Thank goodness it was easy enough to find a bus heading to the airport, leaving soon. 

The flight back was easy, and smooth. Leaving Belarus was much easier than entering. I'd like to see more of the country, but it's not at the top of my list right now.