Belarus

We have been to Belarus twice. Both trips were when we lived in Poland. The first time we only had transit visas as we were on our way by train from Warsaw to Moscow. When the sleeper train reached the Belarus border each carriage is separated. It is then winched high into the air and the standard gauge wheels are rolled off and the Russian gauge wheels are rolled in. This is a very noisy activity and makes the Caledonian Sleeper train feel like a lullaby! The different track gauge in Russia also prevented enemy trains from trundling in unimpeded.

Throughout this lengthy wheel change manoeuvre we were without our visas and passports. When the Belarus border guards eventually returned them they were thrown onto the bunk with a surprising disdain. This was 2008.

Our second visit was to “enjoy” a city break in Minsk. Our Polish friends thought we were crazy to go there. It was November 2010. It was a cold bleak and desolate visit. We felt it was the nearest we would ever get to experience, at first hand, former Soviet era life albeit very briefly.

The market was fascinating. The streets were sparsely populated. The poverty was etched on the faces of the majority of folk we encountered. The restaurants were really cheap. The food wholesome if not gourmet. There were no dogs anywhere. On one of my morning runs I was spat at by a citizen who assumed, perhaps, that I was part of the regime?

Our 4 star tourist hotel was also operating a brothel on the first floor.

Our escape was by a Lot Polish airlines direct flight home to Warsaw. Minsk is the only airport security where I have ever put a litre bottle of water in my carry on case, by mistake, and it was not detected. I don’t think the X-ray machine was working.

Almost all the aircraft littering the stands at the airport were broken and dilapidated. The brand new steel and glass terminal building reflected all this dereliction. We were relieved indeed to be safely airborne.

I was reminded of our visit in the recent news coverage of a Ryan Air jet’s “diversion” to Minsk.

I sincerely hope that things will improve there for all the people who live in this relatively nearby European country.