Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The only tourist in Moldova

telegraph.co.uk

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

111–120 of 427 posts

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#111

Post by riehwvfbk »

localfirst wrote: post #70
brabel wrote: post #30

I was in Belarus recently and it did feel like I was the only non-Slavic person, and tourist, on the bus there (yes, bus, because no European country except for Turkey is flying to Belarus). Everyone else seemed like locals going back home for a visit (including my wife!). But once you get to Minsk, it's actually pretty modern and nice, extremely clean... and clearly a vibrating city with lots of things to do, buy an…

[flagged]

There is also a lot less misandry in general. The old "men are dumb and messy and gross" trope doesn't hold much relevance. Women are more likely to view a man as just another person and not a member of The Evil Patriarchy.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#112

Post by vzaliva »

swozey wrote: post #103
trte9343r4 wrote: post #16

This would fit maybe in 2019, but Moldova now has many foreigners. Hotel prices went up considerably! For "Europe's least visited country" try Belorus, Ukraine, Russia, Ossetia or Armenia. Traveling to Mariupol as a tourist is the real deal in 2024

I have a Russian friend who is adamant that I would really enjoy and have a great time in Russia. IIRC he tells me to go to St Pete more than Moscow. But I cannot imagine doing that as an American. It kind of makes me wonder if he's messing with me but he hates Russia and Putin and I don't know why he would. I feel like I would be so unsafe. I'm a very "American" looking person and I only know a handful of Russian wo…

If you go to russia there is a chance of you being arrested on made-up charge just to be used as exchange fund for russian spies or arm dealers arrested in the west. Look up Paul Whelan, Brittney Griner, Michael Calvey, Trevor Reed, and most recently Travis Leake.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#113

Post by albroland »

xenospn wrote: post #94
geoka9 wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And Turkmenistan. Almost impossible to get a visa; probably easier to get a tour in North Korea.

I’ve been to both and the Turkmenistan visa took me a week. North Korea required 2.5 years.

Same, but my Turkmenistan LoI took over 4 years and several attempts to get (us passport holder). It has been by far the most problematic and difficult country for me to gain entry to. DPRK, Iran, etc all were substantially easier. My DPRK one was not an issue in the slightest, maybe 1-2 month turnaround from the tour company applying.

YMMV.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#114

Post by albroland »

pydry wrote: post #57
AlbertCory wrote: post #38

Another place I'd like to go is Kyrgyzstan. And Turkmenistan. Why? Because no one goes there. What other reason do you need?

Kyrgyzstan is a good place to take in a game of kok buru, which I found endlessly entertaining - much more fun than football.

It's also the most scenic 'stan imo, by a wide margin. Was definitely my favorite of them all and is the only one I'd actually recommend people visit.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#115

Post by hombre_fatal »

utensil4778 wrote: post #12
Culonavirus wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you even Prague, bro...

Prague is fantastic if you can avoid the tourist crowds. I lived there briefly with a Czech roommate who took me on tours through the "real" city. Also had a British friend there and we went through the usual tourist destinations now and then. The astronomical clock was neat, but the castle was so much more interesting and far less crowded than the old town. Incidentally, I didn't drink before said roommate introduce…

Man, I haven't thought of the word Kozel since I studied abroad in Prague 15 years ago. I must've drank two liters of Gambrinus and Kozel every day I was there.

The "dorms" for the School of Economics there were basically two large old apartment buildings 15 min out of the center by tram. One of them had its own bar inside. It was super small and dingy with a bartender who was this middle aged androgynous guy with pink hair. There weren't even tables, just assorted bean bag like seats you might find in a preteen's bedroom.

God that place was so much more me than Texas, and maybe the US, could ever be.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#116

Post by cafard »

swozey wrote: post #103
trte9343r4 wrote: post #16

This would fit maybe in 2019, but Moldova now has many foreigners. Hotel prices went up considerably! For "Europe's least visited country" try Belorus, Ukraine, Russia, Ossetia or Armenia. Traveling to Mariupol as a tourist is the real deal in 2024

I have a Russian friend who is adamant that I would really enjoy and have a great time in Russia. IIRC he tells me to go to St Pete more than Moscow. But I cannot imagine doing that as an American. It kind of makes me wonder if he's messing with me but he hates Russia and Putin and I don't know why he would. I feel like I would be so unsafe. I'm a very "American" looking person and I only know a handful of Russian wo…

> He's only been in America a few years so as soon as he speaks the entire bar knows he's Russian.

Because Americans are so good at distinguishing Slavic languages by ear in a noisy room?

I live near a Russian Orthodox church. People complain about the congregants, but mostly about their parking. A house opposite the church as a Ukrainian flag prominently hung; on the other hand one of the congregants has a sticker of the Ukrainian flag with the don't-tread-on-me rattlesnake. I don't think most Americans care enough to be rude to Russians.

We visited St. Petersburg some years ago, probably 2012. I very much enjoyed the visit. Everyone seemed to be much too preoccupied to give a damn where we came from. The cases of Griner, Gershkovich, and the NCO in Vladivostok do make one wonder about the prospects of American tourists.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#117

Post by danielodievich »

Travelling to any ex-USSR countries on the periphery from the "western" world is taking a nice fun gamble.

The bigger places in Kazakhstan are probably okay, and yeah, you likely would have fun in Tbilisi or Yerevan, but the chance of you having a very bad time in Bishkek or (heavens forbid) the Dushanbe is just too high.

It could be a lot of fun, it would be fairly cheap by western standards, it will certainly be unforgettable, but it can go sideways in so many ways. Not maybe as sideways as Kabul but getting there.

The right time to visit for fun exotic fun times was late 80ies (and I was lucky to have been in those places with my parents then). These days I'd highly recommend against it.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#119

Post by reducesuffering »

danielodievich wrote: post #117

Travelling to any ex-USSR countries on the periphery from the "western" world is taking a nice fun gamble. The bigger places in Kazakhstan are probably okay, and yeah, you likely would have fun in Tbilisi or Yerevan, but the chance of you having a very bad time in Bishkek or (heavens forbid) the Dushanbe is just too high. It could be a lot of fun, it would be fairly cheap by western standards, it will certainly be un…

What kinds of things would go wrong? Robbery? What kind of chances are you thinking? 5%? 20%?

A commonly posted traveler, Matt Lakeman, just visited Dushanbe and didn't get that vibe.

https://mattlakeman.org/2024/06/20/notes-on-tajikistan/

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#120

Post by type0 »

brabel wrote: post #30

I was in Belarus recently and it did feel like I was the only non-Slavic person, and tourist, on the bus there (yes, bus, because no European country except for Turkey is flying to Belarus). Everyone else seemed like locals going back home for a visit (including my wife!). But once you get to Minsk, it's actually pretty modern and nice, extremely clean... and clearly a vibrating city with lots of things to do, buy an…

> I know the EU was trying to get closer to Belarus and vice-versa before "you know what"

"you know what" after 2020-2021 protests and continuing systematic torture of political prisoners are the big reasons not to go there

Post reply on HN