Hacienda

Have you ever watched Brasilian TV series Escrava Isaura (The Slave Isaura)? About the life and tragedy of a XIX century Brazilian slaves? When the main character was a beautiful lady with one quarter of African American blood living and a big hacienda? Ooo, in the Soviet Union it was the very first TV series! It was 1989 and all population was mad about it! Since then, people started using word hacienda for telling about their summer houses. :) This is Lisichonaks hacienda. Hand made. :)) All constructed by my farther and planted by my mom. That's the place where i rarely go. But this time i even got burnt a bit. That's the punishment for violating my own rules. :))

GUM... Belarusian version

The same type of the store it was originally designed: GUM. Государственный универсальный магазин. The store to satisfy all needs. :) Much smaller than in Moscow, nevertheless it was a symbol of Minsk being a kind of elite cities in USSR. It was built in the first half of 50th last century. Actually, was constructed by prisoners-of-war, by Germans. But we usually don't mention this fact in city tours. :)
If to compare to Moscow, our GUM is a kind of the same store. There are no boutiques or separated shops, but the only integrated system. All-in-one. :)
When a kid i loved to buy different stationary there: they had the biggest variety among all the shops i knew those days. So it was the place to buy the nicest notebooks and pens. Btw, i guess, all my personal notebooks in 2002-2008 i bought there. Hehehe, a life-time shop! :))

My favorite...

My favorite (Catholic) church. St. Symon & Alena Church. It is situated at the central square of Minsk, its heart. Was built in 1910. IN the Soviet period it was used as a Museum of Cinema! I remember that when at school we had a visit there, though i can't recall anything! But when we got independence it was, i guess, one of the first church given back to the Christians. This church has a nice concert hall and meeting hall beneath, downstairs where cultural events take place. For a long time there was a Theater-of-One-Actor based there. (I wonder whether it is active yet?) I have been downstairs only once: at the reception on the Sweden's Independence Day. :)

And this is a picture of a statue in front of the church. "To defenders of God, Faith and Christianity" is written on it. If i am correct, it is an Archangel Michael.

One more sight...

And this is Belarusian KGB building. The main office. The one were i was inside when they arrested me. Inside of the building is the dramatically famous KGB prison where they had put and still do political prisoners. Nowadays until the court proceedings. So, when i saw where we went, i was sure it will be a prison for me. But fortunately i was wrong and didn't experience that kind of stuff. :)

And this statue is just in front of the KGB building. Of Felix Dzerzhinsky - the founder of the secret service in the USSR. Let's say Grandpa of the KGB. Newly introduced Belarusian agents give their solemn promises to serve the country and the president at the base of the Felix's house. A kind of continuity of tradition :) Btw, that parc zone behind the statue has been always a nice place. :)

Minsk statues...

There are some statues in Minsk. Here and there.In parks and squares. Some of them became pretty famous and could be a kind of symbolic. Here goes the first one. Girl with an umbrella. In little close to railway station and to the main square of the city. Do you like it? ;)

Famous coffee shop

And this is most probably the cafe that is most close to european way of coffee shop! It has very cozy interior and a lot of books in different languages visitors could read while enjoying coffee. (To say the truth, i still have never been there :) ) And the name of place: London - did you notice Big Ben over there? :)

A piece of Serbia....

Look what i found! :)

Did you find what impressed me? :))

Coffee shop...

You remember, i was complaining that there were no any coffee shops in Minsk? So many times in the US i was telling how pity it was not to have any good coffee service... but when i returned i figured out that there are some new places appeared. One of them is just in front of you. I didn't go there yet but i already know that they have wi-fi from 9am till 6 pm (sic!), little china cups (not paper ones) for Americano and very slow service. Hm... Should we go there once? :)

This is where i live

I guess, it is time to show you the place where i live. I mean my parents' place where i have been living for quite a while since 1985. The day when we moved there i was so excited! In comparison to our rented one room appartment in the old one floor house the new one looked so huge and modern and so much space inside! Uh! I still have some impressions from the first days there! :)

On the left you can see some summer cafe beside the food store. The cafe is not so nice. But as in many other parts of the USSR they sell bread kvass during summer time there! Mmm, tasty non-alcohol drink, i can say, genuine substitute for beer. We should try it! Some how i didn't see that in Vladikavkaz...
Them just in front of the building two power transformation stations. White-brick bigger one in the center and smaller brown one to the left. That what i was referring to when discussing influence of electricity for the people's health.

And here it is: entrance #5, 4th floor... The apartment itself. I occupy the central room. So, it is likely when you are reading these words i am still sleeping over there. :))

Extra views of Minsk for today :)

Not mine though :) If i was a Minister of Tourism, i would use that video.




TimeLaps from zweizwei on Vimeo.

PS. Did you recognize some objects? :)

Monuments: Yakub Kolas

This is one of keystones of nation. Yakub Kolas.  The poet that took part in creation of Belarusians as a nation, who promoted (revolutionary) democratism here. He lived lived and created in the first half of the XX cent. There many streets in honor of him all over the country. This monument is situated in one more square in Minsk: Yakub Kolas Square. Big enough, not the downtown, but the center of the greater city.

There are also his characters, the most famous of them. Symon -the Musician. The poor lonely teenager who was gifted with a violin and exposed a great talent to music. The very dramatic and sad story of him, and people around him. As for me, very gloomy story. I didn't like it at all while in school. May be today it could look very different for me.

Another famous and mythologized character (actually, a true figure!): Grandpa Talash. The old man who organized a partizan squad to fight against the Poles in Polish-Russian war of 1919-1920. The old man was pretty old at the day when he joined the Red Army and took his men into the forests: he was already 75 years old! Later, during the WWII grandpa Talash joined another partizan movement and served there at the age of 99! he went though another war and lived for 103 years. I can't say much about the novel itself (The Bog), but i guess it was much more optimistic and encouraging than the previous text. Most probably, a kind of propaganda text. :)

Sight number NEXT: Island of Tears (part 2)

Another picture (not mine) to just give a perspective on the Island.  :)
So, as you see, its not big, but good enough to walk in while walking along the river. :))

Sight number NEXT: Island of Tears

In the uppertown, close to all cathedrals i already posted, at a river stands Island of Tears. Also known as Island of Courage and Grief. Small piece of land accidentally preserved at the urbanized river. When war in Afghanistan was about to end for the Soviets we decided to commemorate somehow all those loses of Belarusian soldiers died abroad. So, in 1988 the first stone was laid down. But just in 1996 the monument was finally open. Monument to all Children of Fatherland Who Died Abroad. Btw, Belarus lost nearly 800 soldiers killed in Afghanistan. If to compare to total Soviet loses (15051 killed), then we took 5% share of it. (What is mathematically is almost ideally proportional to ration of population of Belarus and USSR as a whole. Regular business.)

Sight number 7

This is Hotel D'Europe. It was the most prestigious hotel in Minsk in the first half of XX century. As such, it attracted many different characters to stay in: spies, officials, diplomats etc. Now it is a 4-* (?) hotel where i have never been: no one from my partners stayed there, neither any conference was attended by me there.I have to wait for a chance to get there. :)

Sight number 6

The place where people go to enjoy music. Piano, violin, organ, dulcimer, violoncello, flute, harp and all other instruments i can not name. It is the right place for choirs or folk-dances from other countries. Belarus State Philharmonic Society Concert Hall. :) I have never been there, so i can't say much about it. The repertoire for this month includes dulcimer competition, Rome& Juliet symphonic music show, Tchaikovsky show, Bulgarian traditional choir,  accordions from Ukraine, piano concerts (several times), French violin performer and other stuff. Even few events dedicated to the Victory in WWII like Road of Partizans :)

Sight number 5

As I am going to be out of Belarus tomorrow, I’d like to publish my next post in advance. :)

Here it goes: the center of the old Minsk, the City Hall. Have I ever mentioned to you how some British researches proposed to distinguish medieval European civilization from the neighbors? By the presence of Jus Theutonicum Magdeburgense – the old privilege and law of self-governance of cities. Civil society in action! :) Minsk got it in 1499 (not the first one among other Belarusian cities). Some our eastern rivals (guess who?) never had it. :) The City Hall nowadays is a purely ceremonial place, no government is there. In my humble opinion, there is no a city government in Europe which might be fully placed at such a space. ;)

Sight number 4

I guess, it is the oldest Orthodox Church in Minsk. But again, just 17th century. Not so much I know about it. Just that it is a kind of “bohemian” church in comparison to the Main Orthodox Cathedral I already described: Cathedral is more popular among regular folks, while that one is for more distinguished public like artists, poets, writers and so on. Strange enough, I have been there only once. But nothing I could recall to mention. It is situated the same spot, creating a triangle with the Main Orthodox and Catholic Cathedrals in the Upper town.

Sight number 3

So, not it's turn for the for the Main Catholic Cathedral. It is situated in 300 meters from the Orthodox one. So, like a circle of friends. :) The Soviets made a Gym for Minsk militia and it used to be this way for decades. Even i remember how it was just a building, and how then two towers were (re)built on the top of it. I was a kid those days, but already was amazed on transformation. :) It is not my favorite Cathedral in Minsk, but i like to stop over there from time to time.
If you are not amazed, we can skip it on our walking tours. :))

The same Cathedral in a distance, from behind. Unfortunately, the best picture so far in my collection. :)

Sight number 2

Now, it's time for the...

Main Cathedral of the Orthodox Church in Belarus. Looks not as a 'typical Russian church'? :) I guess, it was built some-when in 17th century. The op of the hill, near river. You can also see a Catholic church (actually, monastery. To say the truth, nowdays it is an archive, and restaurant and something else) just behind the Orthodox one. Same time, same scope. Nothing huge enough to become a recognized symbol of the country. At least among our historical buildings. 
By the way, i have been attending the Sunday School at this Cathedral. (Building isn't seen at this picture)

 The same Cathedral from another point of observation. The downtown of Minsk. Seriously, the very center of the old city. I am taking picture with my back towards the historical building of the city hall. (It will be another story :) )

Sight number 1

So, here it goes: introductory course into Minsk. What Minsk is and how you will see it. Minsk as i see it. Minsk as i show you. :)
So, there will be a new picture every day for you. With brief note on the place from me. I hope it will already bring it to you. :) LOVE YOU! 

Here we go!

Grand Opéra et de Ballet du Bélarus :) 

That could be a name for our main theater which the genuine name is the National Academic Grand Opera and Ballet Theater. I haven't been there for... gush... for ages! Seriously, since i was... fifteen, i guess... We should go there. At least once. At least for another fifteen years. :)