Leading into The Pit

Minsk, Belarus: The Last Dictatorship in Europe

October 24th 2014
Arrival into Minsk The Air Baltic Fokker 50 landed like a World War II bomber and taxied past the usual assortment of old Soviet-era airliners that had been left in a huge field. MИHCK written in large Cyrillic lettering above the terminal confirmed I had indeed landed in Minsk. As I stepped onto Belarusian soil, or rather tarmac, and entered the passenger terminal, I wondered what the c ... read more

Europe » Belarus » Minsk Voblast » Minsk

After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a ... ... read more

Message Follow (22) Comment

Jason Smart

Cessna152

My aim was to visit at least 100 countries, and with Brazil, I finally did it. I'm now loitering at 104. Or is it 105, I lose count... Unlike a lot of fellow travellers, I tend to only dip my feet into a country, quite often only staying a day or two before heading off somewhere else. Country numbers 54 and 55 were my first trips alone - something I never thought I'd do. In 2013 I published an e-book entitled The Red Quest, detailing my mission to visit each and every country of the former Soviet Union. Along the way I sa... full info

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24th October 2014

taracloud
Tara Cloud

The Red Stork flies at midnight!
What an incredible adventure you've had! Minsk seems a perfect ending, containing some beautiful architecture as well as the usual soviet propaganda. The images and stories from the Pit and the Belarusian Great Patriotic War Museum were harrowing. And in true Soviet fashion, there was nothing of the horrors committed by the current regime, of which I'm sure there are thousands. Great travels, and congrats for turning them into a book--best wishes with that!

24th October 2014

Cessna152
Jason Smart

Thanks for stopping by to read it. I really enjoyed Minsk - a great place to visit if you can be bothered with getting a visa.

24th October 2014

taracloud
Tara Cloud

Belarus visa
I was traveling from Berlin to St Petersburg on an overnight bus, had my Russian visa (hassle), bought my bus ticket, arrived at the terminal and wasn't allowed on the bus because it traveled through Belarus and I had no visa. Had to sleep in the terminal and buy a new ticket the next day for an overnight bus that didn't pass through Belarus--what a hassle! So, no, I don't think I'll be getting their visa and going there, but I'm glad you did!

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