crossing into Moldavia

[Moving]

Ecocks thank for your feedback.

I will have my teacher reading this thread and seeing what she thinks. Also will send an email to some moldovian students who regularly organize summer universities there and ask what they think about going alone.

Also if any of you has got interesting links/video links (just watched one on youtube) to Transinistria, pls post it here.

My teacher said that buses from Odessa may avoid to pass through the region of Transinistria...true?

ALSO ANOTHER QUESTION:

is Transinistria the biggest travel shock a european could ever get within European and Russian soil?

[ecocks]

LOL - I am thinking right now that Kosovo and Serbia would be a bit more of a shock than most anywhere else in Europe.

[P-N]

There are a couple of provinces in northern Georgia and some Russian areas not so clever too but they too are trying to claim independence.  

[ecocks]

Yeah, need to put Chechnya on that short list of shocking spots.  I was thinking Europe only.

[Moving]

was in Serbia in 2003, Belgrade only though. No problems at all and nothing different from other mayor european cities.

[SilverBullet]

Personally, I think you're nuts if you are looking into an R&R session in the Transnistra.

I asked around among some of my Ukrainian friends in case my sense of things was a little dated and the advice (still) is if you have to transit, go straight through without stopping.  It isn't a place to hang out for a little wine and cheese party if you stand out in any way.  Smuggling is still a way of life - drugs, women, guns, cigarettes, etc.  Several companies have pulled their people out of there and don't route shipments of product or employee travel through that area.  There was a story about a year or so ago about an Italian businessman who survived a kidnap attempt in which his security guard/driver was shot and he was pistol-whipped.

Several folks have reported good times in Chisnau and Moldova seems to be much more calm and stable.  Most feel the train is safe enough but be prepared for a bit more enthusiastic search and questioning by the customs and border guards.

I CAN SECOND EVERY WORD! TRANSNISTRA is dangerous. Head of "internal security" in Transnistra is a crimal wanted by the Interpol. If he leaves the region he will be arrested.     

[SilverBullet]

Also if any of you has got interesting links/video links (just watched one on youtube) to Transinistria, pls post it here.

ALSO ANOTHER QUESTION:

is Transinistria the biggest travel shock a european could ever get within European and Russian soil?

I have earlier posted a lot of video clips from Transinistra - just do a search on the board. transnistria-trafficking-arms

http://expatua.com/forum/democracy-and-beyond/transnistria-trafficking-arms-1-t1095.0.html

As for your second question, i don't think you understand the seriousness? It is dangerous - not an adventure. For a culture shock, go to Minsk in Belarus - safe but a police state with heavy censorship. You can take the train from Kyiv. More communistic than the Soviet Union ever was. Nice people, but some I have met appears to be brainwashed. It is a society where everyone is spying on each other.   

[P-N]

To sum up Minsk (a city I genuinely like) - Communism with Cappuccino 

[Moving]

Also if any of you has got interesting links/video links (just watched one on youtube) to Transinistria, pls post it here.

ALSO ANOTHER QUESTION:

is Transinistria the biggest travel shock a european could ever get within European and Russian soil?

I have earlier posted a lot of video clips from Transinistra - just do a search on the board. transnistria-trafficking-arms

http://expatua.com/forum/democracy-and-beyond/transnistria-trafficking-arms-1-t1095.0.html

As for your second question, i don't think you understand the seriousness? It is dangerous - not an adventure. For a culture shock, go to Minsk in Belarus - safe but a police state with heavy censorship. You can take the train from Kyiv. More communistic than the Soviet Union ever was. Nice people, but some I have met appears to be brainwashed. It is a society where everyone is spying on each other.   

so Minsk more soviet than Transdniestr?

stupid questions about Transdniestr:
how people make ends meet?
what young educated people work on?

[Diana]

Hey guys, I think you have exaggerated about Transnistria. It's true that there is like in soviet period and there is a lot of problems, but it's not very dangerous as you describe. I have been there many time. My brother's wife is from Transnistria. So, there it's not like in a thriller move. If you want to see Lenin's monument, you can visit Tiraspol   

[Moving]

actually diana thats what i thought, i think i can go to tiraspol and see the city, this should not be too risky

can you tell me more about Transdniestr?

how people live/earn?

[SilverBullet]

Hey guys, I think you have exaggerated about Transnistria. It's true that there is like in soviet period and there is a lot of problems, but it's not very dangerous as you describe. I have been there many time. My brother's wife is from Transnistria. So, there it's not like in a thriller move. If you want to see Lenin's monument, you can visit Tiraspol   

The place might be ok to visit for Moldovians, Russians, Belarussians and Ukrainians but not for tourists. It is not about a "thriller movie", the break-away region is ruled by thugs, criminals and what have you. Women are being forced into prostitution, censorship exercised, the Sherriff family ruling the region as their own backyard and an "internal security" minister on the Interpol's wanted list brainwashing young people in the area. I can add drug and weapons smuggling, murder and rape. It is not about a Soviet style country or not, that is an insult to Russia. Transnistria is a place where no law or order exists. In Russia you have order and a court of law.

[SilverBullet]

actually diana thats what i thought, i think i can go to tiraspol and see the city, this should not be too risky

can you tell me more about Transdniestr?

how people live/earn?

With all due respect. Your questions are naive. Why would you go and see the city? There is nothing much to see unless you are looking for trouble. Check out earlier postings about the topic. As long as you are not a Russian, Moldovian, Ukrainian or Belarussian, it is not a place to spend time. The area is notorius for crime and smuggling of arms, how do you think many make a living? 

http://expatua.com/forum/democracy-and-beyond/transnistria-trafficking-arms-1-t1095.0.html

[Moving]

Hey guys, I think you have exaggerated about Transnistria. It's true that there is like in soviet period and there is a lot of problems, but it's not very dangerous as you describe. I have been there many time. My brother's wife is from Transnistria. So, there it's not like in a thriller move. If you want to see Lenin's monument, you can visit Tiraspol   

The place might be ok to visit for Moldovians, Russians, Belarussians and Ukrainians but not for tourists. It is not about a "thriller movie", the break-away region is ruled by thugs, criminals and what have you. Women are being forced into prostitution, censorship exercised, the Sherriff family ruling the region as their own backyard and an "internal security" minister on the Interpol's wanted list brainwashing young people in the area. I can add drug and weapons smuggling, murder and rape. It is not about a Soviet style country or not, that is an insult to Russia. Transnistria is a place where no law or order exists. In Russia you have order and a court of law.

SB, have you actually been there or again your fantasies?

you seem not to understand that a tourist is very likely NOT to engage in any dangerous activity, NOT to be a target of thughs/mafia/etc...

this is true in Transdniestr like in many other places.

[JonathanCampion]

Russia, order and a court of law? Politkovskaya anyone?

My flat has a gas cooker; just because something is there doesn't mean it is used properly.

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