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Published: August 21st 2018
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Day 9:
The dawn arrives and welcomes a day filled with excitement of the possible debauched adult only fun for the next couple of days. At least that’s how I see it. I’ll have to persuade Yuliya about the debauched parts of it, and then probably avoid a swift flying slap. I’ll wait til after she’s had a couple of vodkas tonight. Yuliya sets off for her run with Dasha and I decide to go for a quick 10km prior to getting ready for our departure.
I set off on the same route that me and Yuliya did the previous night. The morning is another spectacular one . The heat hasn’t yet took hold and the grass glimmers with dew. Birds sit along overhead cables and sing my approach and give the chorus that becomes the soundtrack of these early morning walks. I walk towards the lake, crossing the field near the unmapped military base. What was a quiet installation yesterday is now a hive of activity. Radar dished spin and personnel are visible. I see two men on the watch tower and as I pass (maybe 1km from their position they point in my direction and look with
binoculars. Let me just say that last night after posting the blog I became increasingly paranoid about even mentioning this base and was half expecting a loud crash of the door and being dragged out in my underpants to be interrogated for spying. This was the reason that upon “looking” in my direction I quickened my pace slightly. Then one of the men climbed quickly down from the tower and jumped into a vehicle. The vehicle then left the base at pace. I ignored it as it passed out of my view but started to quickly jog toward the lake and the tree line. I heard a vehicle approaching behind me and before it rounded the corner I jumped in the bushes to the side of me hoping that I hadn’t been spotted in my escape. I breathed heavily and glimpsed out at the road awaiting my fate.. It was at this point an old woman passed by on her motor scooter oblivious to the skulking British man hidden a few feet away covered in dirt and twigs. The military man evidently wasn’t worried about my spying skills. I carried on walking. I covered 9.5kms before arriving back at the
farm.
Showered and packed we kissed the kids goodbye and Victor drove us to the train station. Buying some crisps and beer for the journey we boarded the train into our carriage. We had a private 4 bed cabin so I put some music on and we drank and chatted a little. About half way through the journey we headed to the buffet cart. British rail/ virgin trains could learn a lot from these. On the longer Brest to Moscow trains there are sit down meal cars which are restaurants, but in this shorter journeyed train (Brest to Minsk) there is the buffet car. Unlike British trains with its overpriced slice of bread with a thin slice of ham which they call sandwich, here they have an extensive menu of freshly cooked meals and really good they are too. We ordered beer and borscht (chicken and beetroot soup) which was presented in a proper bowl with a slice of black bread on the side. The three of us ate and drank and it only cost £10. You really can get a lot for your pound in this country. Less now due to this abortion that is Brexit destroying the
pound, but still it’s great. The three hours passed and before we knew it we were entering the outskirts of Minsk and soon at the main train station.
We said our goodbyes to Young Dasha who was spending a few days with her friends before returning to the farm with us. We then went off and found Tolik who was waiting for us with a warm smile and a hug. He drove us to his flat on the outskirts of Minsk and here we were reunited with Anya (Ginge). She had prepared several dishes to eat before we set out for our meal. Tolik produced some homemade Cognac and as we toasted our friendship I realised that this would be the first of many. Let the games begin.
By the time we left the flat 1 hour later I was well lubricated with alcohol and was already on my way to full blown drunk. Into Minsk we journeyed in an Uber and dropped off in a completely new district. The place had been transformed since I was here 2 years ago. The street we were in had bars and restaurants, live music in the street, people in love
holding hands and kissing, people laughing and drinking with their friends. When I had first come to Belarus this was not to be seen so openly in public. There wasn’t this cosmopolitan area of bars and cafes, people didn’t dress casually and relaxed (they always looked very formal and looked like they were walking off a fashion catwalk) now they were relaxing in jeans and t-shirts. The atmosphere was different as well. I swear I even saw people of the same sex holding hands. This would have been an arrest-able offence a few years ago. Yes the attitude of certain age brackets or unlearned people may not have changed but people didn’t seem to be afraid to express their sexuality or beliefs anymore. Christ even junior Eurovision was coming to Minsk in November and if that’s not got the biggest gay following then nothing else has. Fabulous darling!!
We met up with Dima and Ira and their kids. We had a beer and then taxied to my favourite Belarusian restaurant Druzya is a bar which does amazing Belarusian food, brews its own beer and has a live band on every night. I order a beer and Dima orders the
boys 2 litres of vodka and girls some champagne. Asked what I wanted to drink with the shots I said a coke. Dima said no and ordered me another beer. This was going to get messy. The food as always was amazing. We had a selection but it was the beef tartare I was most excited about. Chopped raw beef in cognac, raw egg yolk, mustard, onion and spices- served with a selection of bread. I could eat this all day it was amazing. The drinks flowed, the conversations got louder and more passionate, the band started and Tolik became increasingly determined to go and dance. I’m not a dancer, never have been and never will be. I have 2 styles the classic dad or the I am the Liberace of the dance floor. I have to be very careful especially in a city like Minsk not to get myself arrested. I quietened Tolik and his strictly intentions with another couple of shots of vodka. Dima and Ira left at 10.30 as the kids were tired and we stayed for a few more beers (the vodka having been consumed by the three boys). We are sat there and I hear
the band playing a Rolling Stones song and I state I know this one. Tolik jumping up excitedly said we have to dance. I gave in and we made our way towards the band. Now I know, after talking about the incident, that Tolik absolutely believed that he is a good dancer but as we made our way to the dance floor I believe the Vodka has done irreparable damage to his nerve endings.. What it looked like was I was a care worker and I was bringing my client with severe special needs to dance. His face contorted like the exorcist, his arms flailed and his legs were entirely disconnected from the rest of him and were going this way and that whilst his top half was clinging on for dear life.. People ran off the floor, the band looked on in bewilderment, staff ran off to alert security. I dad danced whilst trying not to cry laughing relieved that, for once, it wasn’t me. It was a special special moment and one that Anya videoed and would show him the next day.
We head back to the flat, not that I can remember any of the journey.
Then there is a bleary hour where we drank more alcohol before I followed Yuliya to bed. Yuliya was sleeping peacefully with a pretty smile on her face. I cuddled in next to her, moved close, wrapped my arms around her and clung on for dear life as the room fell away and got swallowed up in the nausea inducing whirlwind of alcohol fuelled dreams. Tomorrow was going to be very challenging.
Steve xx
(……Where’s Steve?)
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Christine Douglas
non-member comment
Where is the dancing video ?
Could we possibly see the video please ?