It was a short comfortable ride from Ruse, and once again we were thankful we’d decided to put the bikes on public transport. Narrow, crowded roads, with next to no shoulder would have made cycling a nerve wracking proposition. And the detour off the main freeway through steep inclines would have tested our endurance. As it was, we arrived in...
After the protracted border crossing, it was 10:30 p.m. before we arrived in Iasi (Pronounced Yash). Catalin, our Warmshowers host, had ridden his bike down to the station to meet us. Just as well! We only had about 15 minutes to retrieve the bikes and luggage from the train, and the train dudes still weren’t helping! Catalin enthusiastically boarded the...
I’m really not sure what our expectations were of Belarus. As a former part of the USSR and still maintaining extremely close ties with Moscow, I guess I had some stereotypical images in the back of my mind. Drab grey communist block architecture, poorly stocked supermarkets and a dearth of Western influence, brands, and media. Perhaps we’d see dour citizens...
