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The only tourist in Moldova

telegraph.co.uk

371–380 of 427 posts

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#371
post #358

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think Moldovans are doing much better that Native Americans in the US. "have their own versions of the atrocities in Congo" I think you need to read on the history of Congo. "except with Russian/Soviets at the privileged end" This is where you are wrong. Russians suffered from the crimes of bolshevik's/Stalin's regime just as much.

Mate, you realise you're talking to someone who's lost family members to, and has grown among victims of, trail of tears, state-organised atrocities (from forced labour to hostage-taking) that totally didn't happen, and reservations that we totally didn't have, right? You think those things didn't happen in the former Soviet space? Buy a plane ticket, I'll introduce you to a few hundred survivors who experienced them…

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Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#372

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fyi: Including "the" changes the meaning - it alludes to imperial language aking to calling the nation The Periphery.

...wtf is "imperial language"?

Language which implies colonial status through historical insinuation when referencing a sovereign nation.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#373
post #358

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mate, you realise you're talking to someone who's lost family members to, and has grown among victims of, trail of tears, state-organised atrocities (from forced labour to hostage-taking) that totally didn't happen, and reservations that we totally didn't have, right? You think those things didn't happen in the former Soviet space? Buy a plane ticket, I'll introduce you to a few hundred survivors who experienced them…

[flagged]

> The USSR proclaimed friendship of peoples

My apologies, I thought this was a serious discussion.

By that standard, European colonization never happened, either. All European colonial powers proclaimed things like a civilizing mission. Several of them had "indigenous" programs, too.

> Had Stalin who collectively punished ethnicities which collaborated with Nazi more than others.

Oh really. Remember that time when, in formal collaboration with Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union invaded Poland, and later annexed parts of then-neutral Romania, after which they promptly began mass repressions against Romanian-speaking population? Does that count towards the "friendship of peoples", or, as the Radio Yerevan joke went, only towards friendship with certain Aryan peoples?

Not to mention that this entire "Nazi collaboration" narrative is a fictitious distinction in and of itself. The Soviet Union literally collaborated with Nazi Germany at the highest government level before their alliance broke down and ended up in war.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#374

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He takes advantage of lower socioeconomic status women in poor countries with uneven gender dynamics and makes a jokey travel vlog in between. He has also given the classic "it's basically their fault" argument.

Which countries? Arguably, women of post-socialist (Slavic) countries have comparatively higher socioeconomic status and comparatively more even gender dynamics that these in the West. For a dedicated sexual predator, it would be much easier to just head directly to Thailand or similar.

Arguably, all you need to do is look at GDP. Even looking at Germany, the east/west split is evident - and that was 45 years of soviet regime.

Furthermore are you saying that behavior in Thailand is acceptable? What is the point of mentioning it otherwise? Before I found out these allegations I unfortunately watched videos of him in South America as well as India. He walks around like a Belgian in 19th century colonial Congo.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#375

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Were you using the second passport to leave Malta , or to enter Israel ?

To leave Malta. I was interrogated by a member of Israel Defense Forces, though.

I always wondered if this would get flagged somehow. I've never tried it myself, but I've thought about doing it.

What I was mentioning though is that countries will let you have a second passport from a single country if you have issues like this, to avoid showing the stamps in one passport.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#376
post #331

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yikes, where do they drink 70% Slivovitz? A fairly strong one is 42%, same with most other alcohols, even grappa. I’ve had 60% and it was distinctly unpleasant, felt like something you’d drink on a dare instead of for pleasure.

> Yikes, where do they drink 70% Slivovitz? I'd be surprised if the stuff some of my relatives used to distill in Croatia would have less than that lol. In my experience virtually everyone from the Balkans knows someone who distills themselves or knows someone who does. In my alcohol closet there's like six distinct Slivos from all over South/Eastern Europe. Homemade, of course, and you absolutely do not want to drin…

Come to think of it, the worst hangover of my life was on Hvar.

Where I usually go in the Balkans -- Vojvodina area, if that even counts as Balkan -- the homemade stuff isn't that much stronger than the store-bought. Probably a little, but you end up drinking half a liter of the stuff in a good night, so it can't be much over 40.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#377

Earlier quoted context omitted.

have you read the original post? > Old Soviet style communities get hot water from central plants, mainly used for heating but also for showers, so when winter is over, they shutdown the heating plants for the season and no hot water at all Because if you reread it, you'll get the ridiculousness of that claim. So what you saying that situation in ex-USSR is such that there is only hot water during the winter. This is…

It's almost as if USSR and China are vast territories and experience might vary.

Exactly my point.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#378

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope. If they acknowledge you've been on 'occupied' territories, they will reject entry and prohibit it for 3-5 years.

You get similar treatment with an Israeli stamp in your passport if you go to many Muslim countries, not that they will actually stamp your passport anymore. Cuba and DPRK will also avoid stamping your passport for similar reasons with respect to American sanctions (no idea bout Iran).

Sure, I just answered on the question if the person visited Crimea will be jailed in Ukraine.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#379

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I doubt most of Ukrainians knows Ukrainian language.

Not a Ukrainian but I know a good few. The language is taught at schools so you if you’re not educated in the Soviet Union you will know it. Whether you choose to use it is a different matter. And data would suggest that the usage is on the rise.

Ukrainians should pray to USSR because of active Stalin times ukrainization.

Re: The only tourist in Moldova

#380

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not a Ukrainian but I know a good few. The language is taught at schools so you if you’re not educated in the Soviet Union you will know it. Whether you choose to use it is a different matter. And data would suggest that the usage is on the rise.

I've been in Ukraine last year and one thing I noticed that while people speak in Russian or in a dialect in private, they instantly switch to Ukrainian in public, like when ordering an ice cream from the street stall. They then switch back among them. It's fascinating how things changed in a few years.

That what I mean above, most people don't speak "modern Ukrainian". Even the language itself drastically changed on TV just in years.
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