Belarus - Minsk

All the red tape we had to hurdle to get our 12 day Visa was worthwhile, clearing immigration was surprisingly easy. We were massively delayed due to a 'drunk' women on-board our plane, it took ages for the Frankfurt airport police to take her away.

The lengthy delay put pay to a Saturday night out in Minsk. We just had to settle for a beer in our Soviet style hotel, Hotel Belarus. The hotel gym was also the location for the World Power-lifting Championships. Around a thousand 'athletes' competing in the various classes over 10 days. You could pay to enter the World Championships, I was tempted, be a good one to have on your CV even if you make a fool of yourself on TV.

Hotel Belarus

The hotel bar was packed each evening with often huge lifters from all corners of the world, competing over who could put the most weight on at breakfast, or how many kgs they could bench press.

Sunday morning we set about a city walking tour, and soon found out how massive this place is.

A short stroll over to Mary Magdalene Church with its impressive golden spire which glistened in the early Sunday morning sun with cloudless blue skies. Next up, what looked a short hop on the map to the Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War (World War II) with its impressive Soviet monument. This turned out to be a decent walk.

Belarusian State Museum

A short walk took in the Zaslavskaya Memorial (site of 5,000 Jews that were killed in 1942), then the long walk snaking alongside the river to the Island of Tears connected via a bridge. Here a site to commemorate the ill-fated Afghanistan war in the early 80's.

Zaslavskaya Memorial

Island of  Tears

Our first impression of Belarus was it was a vast city with plenty of park. Roads were well maintained and litter or graffiti was virtually non existent. The locals although many could not speak any English were happy to help out with the aid of Google translate. A very friendly bunch and several times we were warned about the dangerous beauty of the girls.

The walking tour continued in stifling heat, passing many churches, squares and cafes as we got deep into the old town.

Victory Square

We navigated through some very impressive squares catching some fine Soviet Architecture. Lenin Square (Nyezalyezhnastsi), Victory (Pobyedy) and Central (Oktyabrskaya) all been interesting.

One of Minsk many Squares

A fine sight in Minsk

I'd only had a single beer in this country and all this walking had built up quite a thirst. So off on a bar crawl we went. Some really good bars offering great people (female) watching opportunities.

On the beer

Beer was more expensive than I had predicted, but still very reasonable in all but the swishest of bars.

Action Shot

We had an organised trip to Khatyn and the Mound of Glory the next day. We arranged this with a guide called Juliana (julianamikolutskaya@gmail.com) before we left for the trip. It was well priced and we had use of a car and driver for as long as we wanted.

Khatyn is situated 80km north of the city and is a memorial to the Nazi barbarism that plagued many villages in the area. It was a very sombre visit. There is a flower bed within the pavement containing only red plants which looked like a river of blood.

The River of Blood (photo doesn't do it justice)

 

Khatyn 

The sculpture of The Unconquered Man at the foot of the flower bed which is six metre high showing a man carrying a small child. As you look at the statue, the bell eerily rang every minute or so, adding to the sombre mood.

The Unconquered Man

Back on the road again to the Mound of Glory, a 70m man-made hill with a Soviet monument on top. Very nice easy walk up the stairs (which for a modern statue feel a little unsafe) which snake around the hill. Views of the flat landscape covered in trees are great from the top.

Tanks at the bottom of the Mound of Glory

Mound of Glory

Up top of Mound of Glory

We requested to be dropped by the new National Library which looked less impressive in daylight than it did after dark. My mate strangely signed up for a library card which cost a pound or two. 

National Library

Over the road on the side of apartment had huge murals which were impressive. A 25p metro ride (very clean and a surprising amount of English helped navigate this easily) and we were back in the city, once again with a thirst on.

Murals on apartment blocks

Having sussed out where to go the night before we got straight on the Belarusian Beer. A tasty meal in a restaurant named Kuchmistr with the appitiser of a mega mix of assorted horseradish vodka. Once I'd done all six shots I was well on the way. The food as I recall was a tasty dish of pork, potato and mushrooms with yet more horseradish sauce, delicious.

Horseradish Vodka Mega-mix

Evening Meal

Having sussed the drinking zone in the heart of the old town we got stuck in. The end of the night was quite heavy. We met up with some top lads who could speak good English, we swapped contacts and were to meet up with them on the last day of the trip for an event they had called "Minsk Alco Rush".

Nightcap in the Beercap

Next stop we headed East to the Russian border towns of Vitebsk and Polotsk.