The Republic of Moldova is an unitary parliamentary republic, covering 33.846 square kilometres. It is home to 2.998.235 people, of which 95% are Christians. The currency is Leu, worth 0,36 Danish Krone and €0,05. The GDP is US$6.084 billion. Moldova has a climate which is moderately continental; its proximity to the Black Sea leads to the climate being mild and sunny. Among the more interesting larger mammals are the Gray wolf (Canis lupus), Brown bear (Ursus arctos), Eurasian badger (Meles meles) and the European otter (Lutra lutra). The list of superior plants in Moldova numbers 1540 species that belong to 550 genera and 101 families. I have so far not been able to find any I in particular will search for.
DIARY
Moldova is somehow more rural, at least in the southern
half, which I drive through now. Here are huge fields, but no farms at all. A
few large villages and small town with a lot of countryside in-between.
The road is terrible! Some
I actually meet a lot of Germans and Austrians, joining
the Pothole-Rodeo.com. I don't get to talk much with them, but it seems like
a great thing they are into.
I meet some real modern cars, but also ancient Soviet
military vans and lorries. Here are horse wagons, donkey carriages and huge,
brand new trucks.
I meet the right road, but now, it is copplestones! The
next town is rather big, and they are constructing a rather large church. I
find a ATM, and withdraw some local Lei - although I haven't a clue about
how much I will need.
I have read a visa takes forever to obtain, but a ten
hour visit can be bought at the border crossing. But then I can't sleep
there? The Moldavian
12/7. After having seen
Transdniestr,
I enters Moldova in the central part. I have to show my vignette, but then
I'm aloud in. I head a bit south towards Chisinau in a big arch, through the
countryside. Here are small farms in villages, some way out of a gravel
road. Their water originates from deep wells, found everywhere. The farms are almost all fenced in with tall stone- or iron walls, guess they still have wolves? When I reach a valley along the river with horses, ducks and cows, I call it lunch. Further out the trail, I enters a real bad gravel road to get to the Orheiul Vechi area.
The area have some
archaeological diggings, but I'm mainly interested in the nature, and the
cave monastery. The river have cut itself deep into the old seabed in some
hairpins, and from the top of the rocks, there
The entrance to the rock monastery is under a little clock-tower, and I almost misses it. A long tunnel leads in to some bigger rooms. Here are lots of candles and icons, and a great view from the balcony. In some small rooms in an other section, the monks have sleeps. A few small icons are found way back, with their own little oil lamp.
I head out the other way, and
reach a sealed road within long. More huge I try a latte at a nice cafe, and find out the entrance for the hostel is in the back of the house. And there are no doorbell on the locked door. But some windows are open, and I can shoot! I get a real cheep dorm bed, and head into the city at four.
I
Here
are everything from an entire cheese hall to speakers and cell phones. Clothing,
household, vegetables, dry food, books, shampoo, shoos, delicatessen, coffee
but I fail to find fresh meat.
13/3.
The wells in the last bit is more old-school, but the houses slightly newer to look at. Here are several lakes, fields with larger herds of cows and some with a lot of goats. The traffic is light, the road all right, although attention is demanded.
I I get two different salads and a pot of tea, and are left with money enough for two chocolate bars. Then I set the GPS for the Ukraine border. More landscape just like the previous, real nice, but after 300 kilometres in one day; I kind of know it.
Moldova is a pretty, little country, with some lovely
people. However, unless you are really into huge farmed hills, here are
really not that much to see. I have driven 599 in total, taken 525 photos
and spend a total of €22, this time most on food; €8. |