Moldova

Chrisinau

July 5-7th 2008

This Mosque is one of the prettiest buildings in the city, and the inside is as nice as the outside.

Day 1
I don’t know if it is just me or if bad luck follows everyone around? To be honest I can’t really complain because there was only one unlucky circumstance on my trip! My bad luck started and ended when my train from Rheine to Munster (where the airport is) was cancelled. The next train would arrive at the airport after the flight was supposed to take off. I was in a bind, I couldn’t take train, the best way to get to Munster, nor could I even think of taking a cab; it would have been 60 Euros, easy. I didn’t know what to do so I called Victoria and she asked her landlords if they could take me to Munster, thankfully they said yes. I got lucky again when I got a nice lady at the check in counter for Airberlin. My carryon luggage was a lot heavier then the allotted weight, but I had a really tight connection in Rome. I was so relieved when she said: I didn’t see the weight, you can take this as carry on!” It was a good thing too, because when I got to Rome I had to walk like 2 miles to get to the next gate, re-check in, and then board the plane. Anyway I made it to Moldova only 30mins later than expected. I found the “mini-bus” as they call them, and it took me to the bus station, which is just a little runoff where they all happen to stop; there is no formal sign or anything! I couldn’t find my connecting mini-bus so I just took a cab, for like 2 euros. I arrived at my hostel with much curiosity since it looked a bit run down! The inside was small but clean and not even close to being the worse I have ever stayed in. I dropped my stuff off, paid, and then went out for dinner. In Moldova they really don’t like it when you don’t order drinks (aka alcohol!). I ordered my pizza, and the waitress looked at me for a while, expecting me to get a drink. I did not budge! Even after she came over later with the menu and opened it, in front of me, to the drinks page; I simply closed it and resumed my people watching. After dinner I went back to the hostel, read for a little while and then went to bed!



Day 2
Today was a well different. I wasn’t really in the mood to do the “touristy stuff,” which is no surprise as that was a phase long since passed. I now consider my self, not as a tourist but as a wonderer. I take pictures like tourist do, but I do not seek out the most important sights to see, I simply wonder upon them. I roamed the streets, not in a hurry, yet not empathically. I people-watch, observe buildings, cars, noises and cultures. I often have a purpose, which is usually driven by hunger or thirst, but a purpose nonetheless! On this morning the purpose was food and thirst! I woke, changed quickly and went to fulfill my purpose. I found a supermarket, bought some bread, some bananas and apple juice! I ate as I walked. I walked to the city center. On my walk I passed a large church, which appear new, and park that was quite large. For most of the morning I simply walked and checked out the shops. I walked through all of “downtown” happening upon a mosque. I couldn’t go in because I was not dressed appropriately (it was rather warm and I was wearing a skirt). I ventured back in the direction I had hence come, when it started to train. I ducked into a Gallery full of shops and killed some time there. After the rain subsided I sat in the park and red my book. I ended up meeting this guy around 18, that was from Germany and staying at my hostel. We talked a little while we walked, then he showed me to the internet café. I was at the internet café for an hour, acquitting that I went back the hostel; where to my pleasure all the inhabitants were conversing! I joined in and we soon became fast friends; 7 in all. We all decided to go to dinner together. We went to a local place called Andy’s! They love their pizza in Moldova! I had chicken fingers to spice things up a little. After dinner we went to the supermarket to hangout and have drinks! Sounds weird but it was actually fun and there weren’t too many hobos hanging around! I went to be early because I had to catch a flight at 7am the next morning.

Day 3
I made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare. I happened to get lucky again and was able to split a cab on there way there with a kid from the hostel. I had a little money left over and decided to use it to get snacks for the day and water. The money went farther than I thought and I got a little breakfast too! I boarded the plan on time. It was a little propeller plan and It was the smallest I have even been in. It is the definition of a puddle jumper! But it got us there and efficiently too. Thus my time Moldova was over. See Romania for more of my 10 day trip.

Moldova is a 2. Cheap, small but developing nicely. It could one day be a tourist destiation.