Marvellous Moldova
Mostly when you go abroad and visit countries you have a good idea of what to expect. You’ve done your research. You’ve planned your visits. You know a little, or a lot, about the culture and history of the place that you are visiting. And then there are the other times when you depart for a destination without a notion of what the host country entails? Where exactly is it? What language do they speak? What money do they use? Where do we visit? What’s there to do there? Our most recent visited country falls into the latter category. That country being, Moldova.
Of late some of our destination choices have come down to one crucial deciding factor — their current or previous Eurovision entries (well this is true for my wife anyway). The first thing we noticed when we landed in Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, was the weather. It was seasonal, it was autumnal, brisk but not too cold, and like the autumnal-deprived humans that we are — we revelled in it.
The crisp air, the grey skies, the showers, the bursts of pleasant sunshine, the forgotten joy of fresh air. We hadn’t imagined we’d miss autumn, but we obviously did. Saudi Arabia has, in my opinion, two seasons – relentless humid-hot summers and a Mediterranean-like summer season that passes for winter in the Saudis opinion. All in all, it was a marvellous introduction to, and I hate to use this term, a "hidden gem" of a country.
Sandwiched between its bigger neighbours Romania and Ukraine, Moldova doesn’t exactly make a lot of headlines. Before our departure, some of our work colleagues questioned the very existence of the country, some even placed it in a different continent.
Arriving in Chișinău, we were immediately struck by the tumbledown assortment of buildings on display. Buildings which were a mix of traditional, modern, European, Eastern-Europe and Soviet. The Soviets really excelled a producing durable and functional-albeit-godawful hulking masses of concrete-weather-beaten-depressive-monolithic—buildings. Our hotel was in an ideal location right in the heart of Moldova capital. The hotel served as a perfect base for our various day trips throughout the country.
When you travel, you hope to gain a better insight, knowledge or appreciation for the country you visit. It's fair to say we ticked off all the aforementioned hopes during our time in Moldova. Apart from its glorious brandy—something neither of us had sampled before Moldova—its quaint countryside and its mixed bag capital. A capital city with trendy cafes (with even more stylish youths), modern buildings side by side with crumbling edifices, ashen-faced commuters and blabbering babushkas. We found that Moldova's storied history was fascinating and its history continues to impact on the country today.
From the Dacian tribes to Stephen the Great to the Ottomans to the communists and Russians to wanting to rejoin Romania and the EU, the country once known as Bessarabia has packed in quite a bit in its existence. Speaking to people there made us realise just how lucky we are having grown up in both Ireland and Australia (when we did). The Moldovans have had it tough, but they're a tough people that I'm sure will handle the uncertain future that we are all facing the world over. Whether the big brother/bear comes to plunder from the East or they get swallowed by the fat-cat bureaucrats from the West — Moldovans will go about their business as they always have with a steely determination, a wry sense of humour, and vast reserves of delicious wines. We loved our time there, and it is well worth a visit.
(Pointless) Observations from Moldova:
- The wearing of short skirts even in the face of cold temperatures
- Lack of smiling
- Jet black soil in the countryside
- Their coins feel funny
- Andy's Pizza cannot be beaten
- Transnistria does good brandy
- Sheriff is the boss in Transnistria and Tiraspol
- Streams of people waiting by the side of the road for a lift/public transport
- The abundance of stray dogs at monasteries and other locations
- Asbestos-roofed homes in most villages and towns in the countryside
- Zero fencing between fields
- Every region has a cool, unique roadside sign that welcomes you to the area
- Lots of roadside religious shrines
- Not a skinny cow, duck, goat, goose, or horse in sight
- Lots of half-built homes
- Lots of people out walking by the side of the road or in fields.
(Pointless) Observations from Iași, Romania:
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| Stephen the Great being just that. |
The crisp air, the grey skies, the showers, the bursts of pleasant sunshine, the forgotten joy of fresh air. We hadn’t imagined we’d miss autumn, but we obviously did. Saudi Arabia has, in my opinion, two seasons – relentless humid-hot summers and a Mediterranean-like summer season that passes for winter in the Saudis opinion. All in all, it was a marvellous introduction to, and I hate to use this term, a "hidden gem" of a country.
 |
| A local in Transnistria. |
 |
| Soroca Fortress. |
Sandwiched between its bigger neighbours Romania and Ukraine, Moldova doesn’t exactly make a lot of headlines. Before our departure, some of our work colleagues questioned the very existence of the country, some even placed it in a different continent.
Arriving in Chișinău, we were immediately struck by the tumbledown assortment of buildings on display. Buildings which were a mix of traditional, modern, European, Eastern-Europe and Soviet. The Soviets really excelled a producing durable and functional-albeit-godawful hulking masses of concrete-weather-beaten-depressive-monolithic—buildings. Our hotel was in an ideal location right in the heart of Moldova capital. The hotel served as a perfect base for our various day trips throughout the country.
We managed to see quite a bit in our short time there with Oleg and Top Tours Moldova. We had trips to historical Fortresses, Bender and Soroca. We visited the breakaway Soviet 'republic' of Transnistria and its two main cities - Tiraspol & Bender city. We visited Orheiul Vechi; the Candle of Gratitude; the Orthodox cave monastery (St. Maria Dormata). We also visited the country's Romani capital - Gipsy Hill. Not to mention, Cricova winery; Capriana Monastery; Milestii-Mici winery and village; and rounded off with a day trip over the border to the university town of Iași in eastern Romania.
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| The view from Bender Fortress. |
When you travel, you hope to gain a better insight, knowledge or appreciation for the country you visit. It's fair to say we ticked off all the aforementioned hopes during our time in Moldova. Apart from its glorious brandy—something neither of us had sampled before Moldova—its quaint countryside and its mixed bag capital. A capital city with trendy cafes (with even more stylish youths), modern buildings side by side with crumbling edifices, ashen-faced commuters and blabbering babushkas. We found that Moldova's storied history was fascinating and its history continues to impact on the country today.
From the Dacian tribes to Stephen the Great to the Ottomans to the communists and Russians to wanting to rejoin Romania and the EU, the country once known as Bessarabia has packed in quite a bit in its existence. Speaking to people there made us realise just how lucky we are having grown up in both Ireland and Australia (when we did). The Moldovans have had it tough, but they're a tough people that I'm sure will handle the uncertain future that we are all facing the world over. Whether the big brother/bear comes to plunder from the East or they get swallowed by the fat-cat bureaucrats from the West — Moldovans will go about their business as they always have with a steely determination, a wry sense of humour, and vast reserves of delicious wines. We loved our time there, and it is well worth a visit.
 |
| Orheiul Vechi. |
(Pointless) Observations from Moldova:
- The wearing of short skirts even in the face of cold temperatures
- Lack of smiling
- Jet black soil in the countryside
- Their coins feel funny
- Andy's Pizza cannot be beaten
- Transnistria does good brandy
- Sheriff is the boss in Transnistria and Tiraspol
- Streams of people waiting by the side of the road for a lift/public transport
- The abundance of stray dogs at monasteries and other locations
- Asbestos-roofed homes in most villages and towns in the countryside
- Zero fencing between fields
- Every region has a cool, unique roadside sign that welcomes you to the area
- Lots of roadside religious shrines
- Not a skinny cow, duck, goat, goose, or horse in sight
- Lots of half-built homes
- Lots of people out walking by the side of the road or in fields.
 |
| Wine(s) for the masses. |
- It has a lot of ornate and beautiful churches
- It has a lot of students
- Its Palace of Culture is impressive
- The steely hand of the Soviets didn't seem to affect Romania as much as Moldova
- The industrial area leading into Iași is like something out of the 'Walking Dead'.
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| Iași, Romania. |
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