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Overview
Rusty tractors, tacky fashion, the last remaining Soviet state, a living museum of the USSR, Europe's last remaining dictatorship âEuro“ perceptions of Belarus are shrouded with misunderstanding and not always positive speculation. It has often been called 'an enigma at the heart of Europe.' The above may well be true but those prepared to delve beneath the surface will discover a country rich in both history and culture, populated by an ancient people bursting with generosity and warmth, a people who are gradually pulling themselves beyond the shadow of their recent past.
Indeed it's a destination where it is still possible to glimpse what life was like during the days of communism, with an abundance of Soviet iconography, especially in the big cities, allowing anyone with an imagination to cast their mind's eye backwards to see how things once were. The truth is Belarus' appeal might well be in its isolation. That said, it is also possible now to get a very good café latte! In the capital Minsk, with its particularly clean streets and neoclassical Stalinist architecture, a cosmopolitan vibe sits alongside an intense national pride. And well it might âEuro“ Belarus' capital is a survivor, having time and time again throughout its hundreds of years of existence, refused to say 'die.' Brest is another city of interest, a lively border town neighbouring Poland, possessed of charm and history in equal measure, and probably the most Western of Belarusian cities. The natives boast that their home is 'a world apart' from the rest of the country. Whether this is true or not, Brest is the busiest road and rail border point in Eastern Europe, bringing with it an element of hustle and bustle. Vitebsk is another charismatic enclave, birthplace of the artist Marc Chagall and possessing a rich artistic heritage that is celebrated enthusiastically in the city today. Venture beyond the cities and you'll find wide plains, picturesque villages, ancient castles and monasteries, deep forests, breathtaking landscapes, not to mention thousands of lakes. National parks protect some of Europe's oldest untouched forests, and areas of the continent's largest marshland. The countryside is where it is possible to see some of the last remaining collective farms in action, and if you're looking for a sense of the intrepid, well, you're unlikely to bump into any other tourists here. One-third of Belarus' territory is covered with forests decorated by birch groves and wooden villages. Oaks, maple and pine trees dominate, with a rich and diverse fauna that includes bison, elk, deer, wild boar and wolf, bear, fox, beaver and lynx, and myriad birds. There is a haunting beauty in the Belarusian countryside that manages to transport the traveller back several hundred years. There is no escaping the fact that Belarus is a developing Eastern European country with all the minor irritations that entails. However its bureaucratic frustrations are often fewer than to be found in Russia and for the traveller who gives Belarus the time it deserves, there are a plenty of rewards to be had. |
