Belarus

Minsk!

Posted by on 31, Aug 2012 in 2012 - The Last Dictator Tour (Belarus & Russia), Belarus | 0 comments

Minsk!

Katyn There’s no queue jumping at this fun fair! Honest! Are you sure this is the right way? Nope! Minsk, even the name sounds exotic faraway and Russian, as though it needs a journey full of adventure just to arrive at its gates… Sadly the roads in Belarus are so good the only adventure you’re likely to have getting to Minsk is trying to read the signposts, well that’s what we thought…. We decided to take the back roads from Mir to Minsk and as our map lists all the tarmac roads we chose a tarmac B road that went through the beautiful countryside. The road was virtually deserted and wound...

Read More

Nyet!

Posted by on 27, Aug 2012 in 2012 - The Last Dictator Tour (Belarus & Russia), Belarus | 0 comments

Nyet!

Mir Nesvizh Complex “Nyet” was the stern answer from the manager at the Pizza restauarnt in Grodno when we asked for a table for 4. But there is a table there for 3 free there, we could bring another chair over said Mike, “1,2,3″ counted the manager pointing at the chairs and “1,2,3,4″ he counted pointing at us, “Nyet”. As the others turned around to leave what looked like the best restaurant in the town Jon threw dignity to the wind clamped his hands together in a passing resemblance of praying and said as his nose rapidly grew an inch or two “but we have come all the way from England to...

Read More

Welcome to The Last Dictatorship in Europe, comrade – Belarus

Posted by on 11, Aug 2012 in 2012 - The Last Dictator Tour (Belarus & Russia), Belarus | 0 comments

Welcome to The Last Dictatorship in Europe, comrade – Belarus

Jon’s in Poland and Mike’s in Belarus The Border Queue, 13 hours Brest Main Street They like their war memorials There is a little known cure for the frustration caused by BT and that is to cross the Poland Belarus border. If you’re frustrated at hanging on for 40 minutes to an Indian call centre, 9 and a half hours crossing a border and it will make it feel like an instant response! The bureaucracy here is astounding and a real throw back to communist days. Guards let you inch from one queue to another in your vehicle and eventually you arrive at the Belarus customs. They need half a Dozen...

Read More