Belarus

---

BELARUS;

On arriving in Minsk I was pleasantly surprised by the modern central station. It had all the facilities one could ask for. I sat with my backpack in the main concourse. It was 8:10 a.m. on a sunny August morning. Studying the map of the downtown area in my guidebook, marking places of importance. I would shack-up at the Hotel Jubileynaya. Reservations had been made. The station was busy, people on the move, others waiting patiently for their train. Arrival passengers been greeted by loved ones. I glanced at the vast timetable, destinations in Cyrillic: St. Petersburg, Brest, Moscow, Odessa, Kiev. I was in no hurry. An hour had passed, an automatic teller machine near-by did not get a single customer. I wondered how many locals had bank accounts. Unsure the value of the Belarus rubble. I withdrew one hundred thousand rubbles. Not wanting to depart with my U.S. dollars that I always carry for an emergency.
I watched carefully with my map as the taxi driver made his way to the hotel. Been a stranger, I'm wary of been ripped-off with a detour drive. Checking with the receptionist, 1,865 rubbles to one U.S. dollar. That's great, a huge bundle stuffed in my pocket worth damn all.

BELARUS//UKRAINE BORDER;

As we approached the border, the Byelorussia immigration authorities made themselves known. They had stern looks with Soviet style uniforms. Handing my passport for the appropriate exit stamp..........................

---

Photos

Minsk
Lenin still stands