Blogs from Moldova, Europe - page 13

Hi, this is Adrienne and my keyboard is worse than Wendy's. Not only does my ENTER key not work, but additional spaces are inserted as I type for no aparent reason. I hope to catch them all. Wendy pretty much summed up our time here so far. We were able to see the countryside today and it is really quite beautiful. Next to cars barrelling down the road at what seems like 70 MPH you have horse -drawn buggies. It is like being in a different time. On our monastery visit today, we experienced the worst bathroom in all of Europe. I had been warned about European bathrooms but nothing prepared me for this: 2 holes in the ground, no TP, and the worst smell ever. Think of the grossest thing you've ever smelled in your ... read more

Okay, Wendy here -- in case Adrienne's Mom is reading this -- this story turns out okay and with a happy ending. Remember the last blog when we said how dirty and tired we were from the picnic and all we could think of was getting clean? Well, we were locked out of our apartment! We walked up the five flights in the dark; couldn't fnd the light. My son gave me a key chain light two years ago, so we were able to see the keyhole, and get the key in. The key turned, but the door would not open. We were stunned, as I had tried they key that morning before we left. Luckily, one of the hosts gave us her phone number, and we knew she lived close by. So, we went to ... read more

hello, all -- wendy here -- we have just returned from a full day of visiting monasteries and a picnic with other volunteers. they are all pretty young -- in fact, i am the oldest of them all by quite a number of years. there was a lot of climbing today, so i'm sure adrienne and i both got our exercise. there is a footprint that is kept at the top of a steep mountain, a footprint of Mary, the mother of Jesus, they think. so we trooped up there and mostly slid down. then, more climbing around the monastery. then, we saw a portrait of Mary on which the face of Jesus suddenly appeared some time ago. I saw it, and it really looks like the face of Jesus on her cheek. There were also ... read more

Day 50, 20th July. Sângera - Benderi (TRANSDNIESTRA) - Tiraspol - Stepova (UKRAINE) Andrew swam across the lake early to wish us well on our way, and we carried on east along the road in hot weather again. The roads were different than we were used to. Virtually empty of people, no horses and carts, no workers in the fields. Just before Benderi the landscape became wild and completely unused; then, a checkpoint with a Russian tank guarding it, we were waved through. Then the border control of the self-proclaimed Trandniestran Moldovan Republic. It was a time-capsule of the Soviet Union, hammer and sickle emblems on the guards caps and also on the coins we found out later. There were a collection of little huts, and in one we were ‘sold’ transit visas for $5 each! ... read more

On the morning of 18th February I set off to Moldova full of hope and optimism. To get to Moldova from Manchester I have to fly from Heathrow airport. This is a real pain. Last time when I went I said overnight in London but this time I was trying something different. The plan was to get an early morning train to London and then take the tube to Paddington Station and then take the Heathrow Express to the Airport. Easy hey... I sat on the train feeling pleased myself but that soon changed when an announcement came though that the train was not going to arrive until 11.10am. My flight was at 12.45am. My Ticket said 10.40. So I was half and hour behind Schedule. As the train crawled its way out of Manchester a ... read more