Minsk
So as my brother pointed out when I felt I’d completed Europe was that this was missing...... so as it’s still cheapish flights (£100 return) I’m here!! I feel there’s a few new starts coming in my life and I want to complete other factors first!! I’d not been looking forward to this one following my experiences as an older female backpacker in Moldova and Ukraine of disapprove menu a travelling alone, plus my lack of language.
So the flight is overnight to Kvyv and a 4 hour stop over (delayed by 30 minutes) then onto here, Minsk.
It’s a wet morning leaving Kiev and cloudy most of the way but the last 15 minutes we’re below them and I’m surprised how flat the place is. There’s little colour yet as it’s early April and just coming out of winter.
I arrive just after 1030 and find it simple to get through passport, just show your travel insurance document, she didn’t even check the name, and the passport is stamped. I must have looked difficult as myself and 1 other were moved from the queue with everyone else to the ‘diplomatic’ one!! At least the girl spoke good english.
My stay is short lived, I fly back out tomorrow evening, so I don’t even have to register with the police for my stay (over 5 days requires this and 2 days requires accommodation registration I’ve read, while formal visa for over 30 days now and you can enter from the Lithuanian border in some cases, but I’m keeping it simple!!).
So the airport is getting a major refurb I think and the arrivals hall contains very little apart from a small duty free and a few vending machines. Much is blocked off. I use the only ATM I can find and get 100rubles (£30) out which will possibly do me as my hostel is only £6!
I head to the ‘tourist services’ booth / office but they’re not interested in giving me any information and tell me to go to first floor where departures are. After a walk around a couple of times as the open booth there appears to be for flight information I decide that I’m getting no where and need to bite the bullet and ask. The lady I ask looks worried and a younger one takes over. It’s a simple bus ride from downstairs, should cost 5 rubles and one leaves in 15 minutes. I have 5 20BYN notes so I get a coffee to break one, the worst coffee I’ve ever tasted, or not tasted actually, was just water and some milk (no small espresso option!). Think fluids!! I head out to find a bus full and just leaving. Actually there’s clear timetables displayed beside the stop in English too. My concerns of needing to focus the brain on Russian cyrillics is rested for now!!
So the flight is overnight to Kvyv and a 4 hour stop over (delayed by 30 minutes) then onto here, Minsk.
It’s a wet morning leaving Kiev and cloudy most of the way but the last 15 minutes we’re below them and I’m surprised how flat the place is. There’s little colour yet as it’s early April and just coming out of winter.
I arrive just after 1030 and find it simple to get through passport, just show your travel insurance document, she didn’t even check the name, and the passport is stamped. I must have looked difficult as myself and 1 other were moved from the queue with everyone else to the ‘diplomatic’ one!! At least the girl spoke good english.
My stay is short lived, I fly back out tomorrow evening, so I don’t even have to register with the police for my stay (over 5 days requires this and 2 days requires accommodation registration I’ve read, while formal visa for over 30 days now and you can enter from the Lithuanian border in some cases, but I’m keeping it simple!!).
So the airport is getting a major refurb I think and the arrivals hall contains very little apart from a small duty free and a few vending machines. Much is blocked off. I use the only ATM I can find and get 100rubles (£30) out which will possibly do me as my hostel is only £6!
I head to the ‘tourist services’ booth / office but they’re not interested in giving me any information and tell me to go to first floor where departures are. After a walk around a couple of times as the open booth there appears to be for flight information I decide that I’m getting no where and need to bite the bullet and ask. The lady I ask looks worried and a younger one takes over. It’s a simple bus ride from downstairs, should cost 5 rubles and one leaves in 15 minutes. I have 5 20BYN notes so I get a coffee to break one, the worst coffee I’ve ever tasted, or not tasted actually, was just water and some milk (no small espresso option!). Think fluids!! I head out to find a bus full and just leaving. Actually there’s clear timetables displayed beside the stop in English too. My concerns of needing to focus the brain on Russian cyrillics is rested for now!!
The minibus pulls up just as i finish my coffee and I jump in, with 2 other girls. By the time we leave 5 minutes later it’s full. The cost is 4BYN paid directly to the driver.
The drive is 45 minutes and WiFi is available on the bus when you enter your phone number and have a code sent to you (same as in airport)!
Arrival after couple of stops, at the station and gates of Minsk, host city to the 2nd European games later this year.
First to hit me is the vastness of the roads and streets, typical for former soviet cities but also its cleanliness and lack of odour. Of course the big names are here in both fashion and fast food. Quite a change from previous trip where I hardly saw them!! There’s a cool nip in the air but otherwise it’s a nice day for a wander. The sky’s are grey leaving the winter feel but the buds are breaking through on the trees.
The drive is 45 minutes and WiFi is available on the bus when you enter your phone number and have a code sent to you (same as in airport)!
Arrival after couple of stops, at the station and gates of Minsk, host city to the 2nd European games later this year.
First to hit me is the vastness of the roads and streets, typical for former soviet cities but also its cleanliness and lack of odour. Of course the big names are here in both fashion and fast food. Quite a change from previous trip where I hardly saw them!! There’s a cool nip in the air but otherwise it’s a nice day for a wander. The sky’s are grey leaving the winter feel but the buds are breaking through on the trees.
This city is full of statues. They are of famous relevant people and others just for fun. There’s almost one on every corner making the wander more pleasant
The buildings are clean and some being worked on currently, spruced up I assume all in preparation for the imminent games. It’s easy to get around and feels safe. Large cycle lanes forbid pedestrians to walk in them and the odd cyclist will shout at you if you veer towards them!!
I head up through the shopping centre and towards Lenin Square, a large space in the centre with a statue of Lenin taking up one end and the red bricked church of St Simon and St Helena at the other. There are glass skylights in the ground for the shopping centre below.
The buildings are clean and some being worked on currently, spruced up I assume all in preparation for the imminent games. It’s easy to get around and feels safe. Large cycle lanes forbid pedestrians to walk in them and the odd cyclist will shout at you if you veer towards them!!
I head up through the shopping centre and towards Lenin Square, a large space in the centre with a statue of Lenin taking up one end and the red bricked church of St Simon and St Helena at the other. There are glass skylights in the ground for the shopping centre below.
Behind this is Pishchalausk Castle, a national monument on the map seems to have impressive pictures but is well hidden behind huge boards, I assume its being renovated, however later read that its a prison housing the death row inmates! Its in the very heart of the city which I do find a little strange if it houses such “dangerous” people! Its such a nice part of town with a small lake and more statues!
Past this and on towards the old town, its positioned on a “hill” which is a very slight elevation from the rest of the landscape, but I guess the best they could find at the time!! I wander past a variety of food places, and find a Moldovian wine outlet, currently closed!
The old town is very clean and bright looking, with the city sculpture park based in it. Its not over crowded with small shop booths full of souvenirs dotted around. The statues have no particular theme to them, and are varied in their forms.
This area is also littered with bars and restaurants, vegan, thai etc.
I meet a guy on my walk along the riverside who is from Norway, he took a cheap flight, not appreciating that Minsk was cold!! So he’s got 3 days here in an apartment, but is not really enjoying it as struggled to find enough to do. We head for a coffee and I try to persuade him to head out of the city, but I feel like its falling on deaf ears!!! No worries.
Parting, I need to head to check in to my hostel. Its up at Victory Square and is in the apartment block that Lee Harvey Oswald stayed when he was seeking citizenship in the USSR.
I wander up the main road, passing theatres, museums etc. All impressive buildings!
I meet a guy on my walk along the riverside who is from Norway, he took a cheap flight, not appreciating that Minsk was cold!! So he’s got 3 days here in an apartment, but is not really enjoying it as struggled to find enough to do. We head for a coffee and I try to persuade him to head out of the city, but I feel like its falling on deaf ears!!! No worries.
Parting, I need to head to check in to my hostel. Its up at Victory Square and is in the apartment block that Lee Harvey Oswald stayed when he was seeking citizenship in the USSR.
I wander up the main road, passing theatres, museums etc. All impressive buildings!
My eye is caught by the National Circus which sadly has no performance tonight, but their figures on the front are stunning.
Over the bridge looking at Gorky Park I find Victory Square in the middle of the road. Theres a statue and an eternal flame, while the underpass is also lit as if inside the fire.
Getting into the hostel, (instructions basic on the app) is a bit of a challenge, but eventually after pushing a variety of buttons on what I think is the door access, I get a response and am directed up to the 4th floor.
Its very nice place, for £5 for the night, and I am in a room with 1 other girl from Germany, who is also a keen traveller and very chatty.
Fatigue setting in we sit and chat over more coffee! She’s covered most of the city this morning on a free walking tour, and when I spoke through where I’d seen this was about her experience too. She is heading to Mir tomorrow for the day, and leaves early Saturday.
She talks about a huge meal that she had in a local restaurant and shows me where it was, but I’m not sure I can face a big meal, so I may leave this until tomorrow!!! We decide to head to the supermarket next door, and I will try out the local coffee shop which looked like it had a few lighter food options.
I find some interesting crisps in the supermarket, and the coffee shop provides me with coffee and a local cake, honey based. The main food (savoury) is not available until after 1800hr.
We chill for a while and then decide to wander out to see the city at night, but lighting up the buildings with neon colour changing lights are not that exciting, I am still feeling the look of the Italian with basic white lighting of buildings.
Its very nice place, for £5 for the night, and I am in a room with 1 other girl from Germany, who is also a keen traveller and very chatty.
Fatigue setting in we sit and chat over more coffee! She’s covered most of the city this morning on a free walking tour, and when I spoke through where I’d seen this was about her experience too. She is heading to Mir tomorrow for the day, and leaves early Saturday.
She talks about a huge meal that she had in a local restaurant and shows me where it was, but I’m not sure I can face a big meal, so I may leave this until tomorrow!!! We decide to head to the supermarket next door, and I will try out the local coffee shop which looked like it had a few lighter food options.
I find some interesting crisps in the supermarket, and the coffee shop provides me with coffee and a local cake, honey based. The main food (savoury) is not available until after 1800hr.
We chill for a while and then decide to wander out to see the city at night, but lighting up the buildings with neon colour changing lights are not that exciting, I am still feeling the look of the Italian with basic white lighting of buildings.
Quick wander and back…….. I need sleep!!!
Day 2: Back to London!!
Up and out the next day, I will head to the Island of Tears with the memorial set up in 1988 to commemorate Belarusian soldiers who died in the USSR's disastrous, 9-year war in Afghanistan (1979-1988). The centrepiece of the memorial is the chapel, with haunting figures of grieving mothers, sisters and widows at its base. A nearby fountain features the boy-like figure of an angel, rigged up to cry teardrops.
Its a 2km walk through the park and down the river side, which is partly blocked off with the upgrading of the pathways.
The island is being cleaned and the grass is being swept! Theres one other group there, but its a lovely site for such a memorial
Its a 2km walk through the park and down the river side, which is partly blocked off with the upgrading of the pathways.
The island is being cleaned and the grass is being swept! Theres one other group there, but its a lovely site for such a memorial
Now its off to head towards the station and I need to send a couple of post cards, so thats the next challenge.
I find a small booth which sells souvenirs and post cards but I must head to the pots office to ge the stamps.
The post office is in the main train station on the map. I wander through the old town and some different street seeing again lots of work being done on buildings and stadiums.
The post office is on the second floor of the station, but the escalator takes me to the 3rd floor, and I struggle to find the post office signs, but eventually retracing my steps back to the ground floor i find it. I need to take a ticket, but the machine is all in Russian / Belarusian and with 3 options none I see say “post” so I press any old one and get a number hoping that the clerk can help. At least I can point at the stamp position!!! Its not a problem and when I am served she is helpful, not much English, but also glues the stamp on and takes it to the correct booth to post!
Job done!
Food and bits to take home and then off to the airport. I find a local restaurant in the shopping centre above the bus station and having established where to get my bus I head to eat. The restaurant is an open plan, and i didn’t realise that the seats area shared with a pizza place, so I am a little confused with the menu. I order a local “bean soup” and avoid pizza!!! Its a big enough portion for someone who is about to spend a length of time on a plane!!!
The bus is leaving at 1445 so I get my ticket and soon after, I am heading on my route back to Kiev with 2 hours there then onto Gatwick. Its been a surprisingly pleasant trip!
I find a small booth which sells souvenirs and post cards but I must head to the pots office to ge the stamps.
The post office is in the main train station on the map. I wander through the old town and some different street seeing again lots of work being done on buildings and stadiums.
The post office is on the second floor of the station, but the escalator takes me to the 3rd floor, and I struggle to find the post office signs, but eventually retracing my steps back to the ground floor i find it. I need to take a ticket, but the machine is all in Russian / Belarusian and with 3 options none I see say “post” so I press any old one and get a number hoping that the clerk can help. At least I can point at the stamp position!!! Its not a problem and when I am served she is helpful, not much English, but also glues the stamp on and takes it to the correct booth to post!
Job done!
Food and bits to take home and then off to the airport. I find a local restaurant in the shopping centre above the bus station and having established where to get my bus I head to eat. The restaurant is an open plan, and i didn’t realise that the seats area shared with a pizza place, so I am a little confused with the menu. I order a local “bean soup” and avoid pizza!!! Its a big enough portion for someone who is about to spend a length of time on a plane!!!
The bus is leaving at 1445 so I get my ticket and soon after, I am heading on my route back to Kiev with 2 hours there then onto Gatwick. Its been a surprisingly pleasant trip!
Reflection:
Would definitely return if had purpose to
Surprisingly clean and pretty city
People are not great in English, but very helpful
Prepare for large portions!!!
Returnability:
7/10
Would definitely return if had purpose to
Surprisingly clean and pretty city
People are not great in English, but very helpful
Prepare for large portions!!!
Returnability:
7/10