The New Year dinner was at the Back to the USSR restaurant. When we came in, the tables were laden with entree dishes – pancakes with red caviar, cold meat cuts, fresh salads, stewed vegetables, and a lot more, every was looked and tasted delicious. The drinks were champagne, Moldavian wine and cognacs. Besides ours, […]
31 Dec 2025 – 1 Jan 2026, Transnistria Read More »
Moldova – Transnistria The border with the unrecognized country of Transnistria looked real – the boom gate, armed security, and passport control. In Transnistria, they do not stamp passports. Instead, they issue a paper slip with passport and entry details. After crossing the border, we stopped at the shopping mall to exchange money. Transnistria has
Tiraspol, Transnistria, 31 Dec 2025 Read More »
Romania-Moldova I had time to explore Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, on my own before the group tour began. In the Military History museum, I learned that the tiny Moldova actively participated in the Soviet-Afghan war and that hundreds of its citizens got killed there. A separate exhibit in the museum is dedicated to another
Moldova – Transnistria, Dec 2025 Read More »
“Travel, which is nearly always seen as an attempt to escape from the ego, is in my opinion the opposite. Nothing induces concentration or inspires memory like an alien landscape of a foreign culture. It is simply not possible (as romantics think) to lose yourself in an exotic place. Much more likely is an experience
Romania-Moldova, Dec 2025 Read More »
Monaco My fourth and last day in France was in Antibes, a small town on the coast about 20- minute train ride from Nice. The main reason for going there was to see Fort Carre. I love forts, fortresses, castles and alike and I had an extra day to kill in France. Fort Carre was
Antibes, France, Oct 2024 Read More »
Nice Not going to Monaco while staying in Nice would have been a big mistake. So, I took the train to Monte Carlo, the capital city of this tiny state, and spent a day visiting the main attractions there. Next was the Oceanographic Museum founded by Price Albert I over 100 years ago. The two
Two weeks on the road during the Syria trip with not enough sleep took the toll on me. I spent 3 weeks in Bulgaria recovering and getting ready for my next destination, Algeria. It was possible to fly from Bulgaria to Algiers on one ticket but this meant a long journey and sleepless nights again.
Nice, France, Oct 2024 Read More »
I bought online a ticket to see the house where Nicolae Ceausescu lived with his family for a quarter of the century. There is no need to do that if you do not mind waiting 20-30 minutes. A guided tour takes 45 minutes, tours are available in Romanian and English. It says everywhere that “taking
Ceausescu Mansion, Bucharest, Romania, July 2024 Read More »
The trip to Bucharest was totally unplanned. I spend every summer in my favorite place, a small Bulgarian town of Byala, and use it as an opportunity to visit the Russian consulate in Varna to do some paperwork. This is a lot cheaper and less time consuming than to fly from Denver to Houston. Last
Bucharest, Romania, July 2024 Read More »
The last stopover of this trip was a ski resort, Razlog. The city must be packed in winter with skiers. In August, it was a quiet place with few visitors. The city center is a nice place to take a walk. Razlog has a viewing platform on top of one the mountains. The hike to
Razlog, Bulgaria, August 2022 Read More »
