All Moldova Week

 

I spent a week with my family wandering all over Moldova.  Here we are all together in Moldova, my son Zachary, Phyllis and Warren.  Of course the first thing we did was take a walk just outside my back door in Jeloboc.  But the following day we took a rutiera ride about an hour and half NE of Orhei to the city of Rezina.  Our objective was to visit the Monastery of Saharna which is just outside Rezina.  It dates back to 1495.  There are two churches on the grounds, many gardens, and some beautiful birds, peacocks and swans.  Just as interesting is an extensive nature trail that starts just outside the back gate.  It leads to interesting sites such as an izvor or spring that is sought for its health restoring qualities.  Here's Phyllis giving it a taste.  A suspension bridge leads to other spots of interest.  Zachary is visiting the caves dug into this river bluff by the monks as places of retreat and prayer.  There is also a water fall along one of the lower trails.  We spent the day here and then returned to Rezina to have lunch with our guides and host PCV Kate from Oostburg, WI and her friend Ian visiting from London.  Next stop on the all Moldova tour...Cricova.

Ziua Vinicului 2013

 

Ziua Vinicului  or  Wine Day is a National Holiday here in Moldova.  That's because they have been making wine here for 5,000 years.  This year it was on the first weekend in October.  The first picture gives you a little taste of October in Jeloboc with the leaves turning.  The big wine barrel is at my house as it is at every other house in  Moldova.  Everyone makes some vin de casa or house wine.  The big wine day celebration is in Chisinau.  Here you see one of the tasting booths.  It touts "respect for tradition and courage in innovation."  Milestii Mici has a tasteful presence with people in ethnic dress.  And of course there are many tasters there including some Peace Corps Volunteers.  To help celebrate, there are many musical performances.  I spent the night in Chisinau and woke up in a fog.  Early this morning we felt the tremors of an earthquake in neighboring Romania.  At least some people felt them.  I slept right through it at 4:30 in the morning.  I traveled back to Orhei to wait for my visitors coming this day from the USA via Poland and the Ukraine.  While in Orhei (Sunday) I enjoyed our local Wine Day.  Of course more music and dancing.  Our village Piatra had a booth that had the theme "La Sezatoare"  or  handicrafts for evening sitting.  You see our mayor offering the traditional "codita"  (circle of bread) in welcome.  And you see some of our handicrafters sitting with their beautiful crochet work.  The wine fest also had food such as roast pig and bread.  Even fresh goat milk.  Our main stage provided a space for performers. And more dancers.  And of course, cotton candy.  It was a wonderful wine weekend.  And my visitors, Zachary, my son, and Phyllis his mom, eventually did arrive from the Ukraine on a bus.  Coming next, our Moldovan week together.  

Chisinau Cameos

 

Chisinau Cameos.  That's what I'm calling this entry.  It's a lot of separate shots of Chisinau that don't exactly show you the main tourist attractions but give you a sampling of what Moldova's capital city is like.  A lot of what's important in Chisinau is on Stefan Cel Mare Blvd (picture one).  Here's the National Theater Mihai Eminescu. Local eateries, Café Nistru, McDonalds, and Dos Amigos Kebabs.  The Central Post Office with the modern Sky Tower office building and shopping plaza in the background.  Right across the street is the clock tower of the Chisinau Mayor's Office.  (No match for the Stoughton clock tower in my view)  Next we go to the Piata Centrala (Central Market) where all the fresh food you'd want to eat is for sale.   A modern building with giant wings,  that is the Atrium Shopping Center-- outside of which I found this delightful sculpture of Don Quixote and his companion.  Nearby is the Cosmos Hotel.  Next, the five star hotel Leogrand.  One of Moldova's finest.  What looks to you like a flea market is known as the Russian piata.  It's one giant white elephant sale.  Chisinau has a fair amount of live theater and music.  Here you see the rather modern building of the Teatru Eugene Ioneso.  I was impressed that you can even buy tickets on-line.  (Keeping right up with the Stoughton Village Players!)   Jazz, live music, and Miss Belly Dancer Moldova. Entertainment for all tastes.  Looking up Ismail Blvd you can see a line of apartment buildings.  We visit one building on the street and you get a view from the 15th floor.  Yes there is an elevator.  (Sorry 4 people max). Take a look around the apartment.  Back down on Ismail is the Romanian Embassy (pink column front).  During the week there are always lines of people outside waiting to file for a Romanian passport.  If they are granted one, it is a key to open boarder travel within the European Union.  That mean's a lot of work opportunities which they don't have here.  Just down the block from the Romanian Embassy is our Peace Corps Headquarters.  (White building on the corner).   Chisinau, it's the Paris of Eastern Europe.  If you get lost, just stop and ask your Moldovan guide for directions.