I hate the doors at the entrance there. They are heavy enough, but ‘flying’ like ‘papery’ because of draught and one should care about the pervious one to hold it.

 

But the tube structure itself is simple: just 2 lines and 1 station where they cross. And here is another thing I don’t like. It’s the corridor from one to the other:) it is possible to change by the escalator too, but it is usually overcrowded. Actually I rarely change and rarely have to go in rush hours, so I’m lucky.

 

But my strongest fear is the border, it is quite deep and I always stand far from it, especially if there are a lot of people:)

 

 

 

Almost all stations are the same: it’s a platform with trains in the opposite directions by sides, the older stations are decorated in soviet style but with national motives and the new ones are just light. Tube was opened in 1984 and is being extended now. 6 stations were opened after 2001 and 3 more are planned to be opened in the nearest future as well as the third line.

 

 

Now we don’t have overland stations like in London or Moscow, though it would be interesting I think and not scaring when it stops:)
And what is your relationship with underground?

 

Total area of ‘the diamond’ is 113 669 square metres and its height is more than 73 metres. There are 2000 places in 20 reading rooms. I can’t say I often visit it, but I did when I was working on my diploma paper and needed newspapers of 1930th. There are galleries, a museum of books, a conference hall, a room for children and even kind a sport-center (the most important thing in the library, I think:), but I was just at lunchroom to take a cup of coffee. If you are interested, you can have a virtual tour around the library.
We also have The National Bank, which is the central one in the country and also is a state body accountable to the President of Belarus (he approves its regulations and determines the organization for its audit). And we have The National Art Museum (the largest collection of art), The National Airport and The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (the highest state scientific organization of Belarus) in Minsk; all are solid, but none is as ‘brilliant’ and arguable as the library.
And what about you? Do you need a library in your life?

 

  This beautiful isle is called ‘Isle of Tears’ and there is a memorial chapel, dedicated to the belarusian soldiers who were killed in the Afgan-Soviet War, on it. It was erected in 1995-1996 and is stylized to look like an ancient Russian Chapel. Its four open arches create the form of a tower. The cross crowning the spherical dome has a ruby stone which symbolizes blood of Jesus and perished. And the inscription above the entrance says: ‘O, Lord, We Are Thy Children’.

 

And there is a very cosy nook nearby. Trinity Borough started to develop at the turn of the thirteenth century. They say, it was inhabited mostly by artisans and merchants before it became popular among officials and clergymen. Nowadays you’ll find souvenir shops, travel agency, beauty center, cafes and so on here in these little colored houses...

 

Another place in Minsk I like very much is Grand theater of Opera and Ballet as well as its square (or little park). The theater was built in 1936-1937 and, though it has been reconditioned recently, it is still the incarnation of classic Soviet luxury with its enormous chandeliers, its marble and its ‘golden’ patterns on the walls... Strangely enough, but at the same time the atmosphere is very warm inside and one don’t feel this pomposity.

 

 

 

 

Actually, opera premiered in 1933 with ‘Carmen’, but the building of the theatre was opened in 1939 with the premiere of the opera by Belarusian composer Eugene Tsikotsky “Mihas Podgorny”. Now the repertoire is based mainly on the Italian bel canto (Nabucco, Aida, Tosca, La Boheme and others) and Russian classical operas (Prince Igor, Boris Godunov, Eugene Onegin, etc). To be honest, I heard real opera for the first time at my 22 and was pleasantly surprised to like it.

 

As for ballet, “The Swan Lake” was among first ones at this stage and still is being showed. Nowadays you can also see “the Sleeping beauty”, “Romeo and Juliette”, “Esmeralda”, “Giselle” and many other nice classical performances. But the ballet “Passions (Ragneda)” is ‘the most belarusian’ one to my mind. It tells about the destiny of Polotsk (an ancient Belarusian town) princess Ragneda and events of ancient Slavic history. I love ballet since childhood and even dreamed to become a ballet dancer, but was either too fat or too lazy (or both). Anyway, it wasn’t meant to be and now I’m among the audience. The tickets price usually varies from $5 to $20, and I think it is cheaper than in many other countries, so when any foreign troupe comes here it can cost twice or three times more. There are more than 15 theatres (including modern plastic one and experimental one) in Minsk, but the Grand theater of Opera and Ballet is my favourite.
Another thing I can enjoy in Minsk is cinema. But let me hasten to add that I don’t mean popcorn-evening in a fashionable place.

 

Though we have a modern:) 5-screen multiplex opened couple of years ago, I prefer old cinemas with nice program. And I like the possibility to see b&w films on a big screen most of all about cinema here. Some of such places offer programs of Cannes films, or retrospectives by any director, or weeks of any country’s films or just art-house program... So we have anything special to watch every week there, while mainstream products are shown at fashionable 3D cinemas or at multiplex most of the time. As to cinema tickets, they cost around $3 (or even less); paradoxically, but often the better is a film the better is price. So if you are a cinema fan you’ll like it here :)
I also love walking along the streets, avenues and parks. And while attractions are not very exciting, the walking part of the parks is really beautiful in Minsk. Gorky Park is in the centre of the city and is one of the most popular places. It got this name in 1936 (it was quite common to give the names in honor of the Soviet writer at that time) and became ‘children’s’, though it was found at the beginning of the XIX cent by a governor and was ‘Governor’s’ first. Now it spreads for 28 hectares and besides beautiful nature, there are attractions, cafés, some other entertainments and a lot of daring squirrels too:)

 

 

 

 

I’m not a child of the capital, so my Minsk can be different from a common idea of a big city. I found it calm, strict and sad when I came here. It is old, it was mentioned in 1067 for the first time, but it can’t boast of the age or many ancient sights... It is just old. It suffered a lot from Wars and it suffered a lot from politics (that even has had a role in its naming: Minsk or Mensk). It used to be a city of a secondary importance (and perhaps was too obedient and too correct) and seems, it still keeps this obedience and is not ready for being a capital. Because it is too strict... And that’s why it is sad.

 

 

 

And that’s why it looks absurdly when they try to dress it up or to make it ultra-modern. It is beautiful if one don’t try to refashion it, but play up to its mood. Just stick to its rules. I watched ‘Eat. Pray. Love’ recently and they were trying to give special words to cities, I thought it would be ‘rules’ about Minsk, though I don’t know which rules. It just seems that everything is going on regularly and according to the rules here. Everywhere you turn, there is a chance to see right lines or forms.

 

 

 

 

 

Perhaps, it is the biggest illusion :) and Minsk is just pretending to be an old-fashioned or it is just pretending to be a modern city... I don’t know.

 

After harvesting, peasants used all remains too. Not just for spreading under cattle or for feeding it, but they also did different ritual animals and decorative things from straw. To my mind, the most interesting fetish is straw ‘spider’. A lot of its tubules create magic geometrical figures that are considered to protect the house from evil spirit. They even were hanged on above cradles. Sure, you won’t find it at every place nowadays, but craftsmen still do it. You can see some of the ‘spiders’ varieties here. There are more applicable than decorative straw goods are done too: different baskets or cribs like here.
And just recently I saw a very cute straw-toys set for New Year tree. Perhaps, you’ll see it later on the picture of my tree:)

 

Flax is also our traditional culture and material. I mentioned weaving while was writing about Slutsk Belts, but the tradition of weaving has outlasted the belts itselves. Besides nice table-cloths and tea-cloths you can find in Belarus charming flax-dolls.

 

 

Embroidery was a very common occupation of good Belarusian girls at the XVIII – XIX cent :) They decorated both clothes and household goods like towels, dish-clothes and so on... Every pattern has its sense, that’s why every embroidered shirt was assigned for a certain case. A girl before marriage was even judged as a good or not hostess by her embroidery. Belarusian traditional patterns are geometrical and mainly of red white and black colors. Besides it you can see animals and birds among it. Thus, swans meant big love, a pigeon – faithfulness and little ducks signified hard-working woman and fertility as well as changing of day and night. Here you will find some of the traditional designs.
Pottery is another craft known for ages in Belarus. There are earthenware at every shop of souvenirs and even the potter's process is revealed at the museums in the open air or at festivals.

 

 

 

Belarus is rich with forest and it is natural that woodworking has been popular too. People built their wooden houses (you saw on the ‘village’ pics) and made patterned window-frames. There were many wooden things inside houses too, like big spoons for making jam or makeup boards...

 

As for me I really love some crafted goods that I can use in life. And I’m sure if you come here you’ll find something for you ;)

 

 

Here you’ll find spectacular landscapes, peace and tranquility. That’s a marvelous change from the daily routine that makes you perceive time differently.

 

 

 

 

Though, I still remember the times when one sitting on a bench could hear and discuss the latest news against a barking-moo- baa-gaggle- cock-a-doodle-doo- cluck background here. But years are going by; the local inhabitants are getting older and older and pass away... (my grandfather is almost 81 and he is among the oldest there) while young people are not in a hurry to occupy the places. It is getting more and more quiet and calm. And the situation is quite typical for the country. Why so?

 

 

 

We have State Programme of Rural Revival and Development, given by the Belarusian leader in September 2003, to make rural life more attractive. The total sum planned for its realization was 69,8 trillion rubles (according to the prices of 2005; now $1 = Br3015). It is said that “the rural areas account for 90 percent of this country’s territory. Over 30 percent of the population reside there. It is the rural public that ensures the food security of our country. What is more, the villages are the source and keeper of the national traditions, of the Belarusian language, of the folklore, of the folk arts. To preserve and develop this source is an important task of the State. Today’s socio-economic situation in this republic makes it possible to start efficient implementation of that task”. And Alexander Lukashenko emphasized: “Man must be the focal point of the Programme, all the rest comes next. What is most important in this connection is creating agrarian population centres and equipping them with an appropriate infrastructure and only after it comes to tractors, livestock and so on.”

 

 

 

 

Sounds not so bad and sometimes looks not so bad too... They build new houses for young people; there are schools and kindergartens in the biggest or central villages of a rural economy... There are shops and post offices. But the houses are not always of a good quality, there are not enough teachers at schools, the choice of goods in the shops is not wide and mobile communication doesn’t work well here and there... The facilities outside the house is still a common thing, what can make one’s life (mine, for example) a misery, let alone talking about hot water and the Internet. And even a new sport center would hardly attract yesterday's students spoilt by big-cities life to move to village.

 

 

 

 

This is an ancient town, which was mentioned for the first time in chronicle in 1116, but all that can remember you about it is the stone in the historical part of Slutsk, where a castle was standing many many years ago.

 

And now there is the house of culture here, which is a very functional place for all types of events:) so as there are no clubs or theatres in the town. When I say we have no theaters or clubs I mean special buildings, since we have amateur performances and we also have discos (even in the park in summer).

 

On the other side of the street Our White House is situated :) This is Building of Executive Committee. And the adjacent square is popular among teenagers in summer evenings. They try their roller skates here or just sitting at the benches or...whatever.

 

 

This is indeed the center of the town. You can also see some monuments nearby. One of them is to Lenin, another is to soldiers and the most interesting was raised in 2000 to saint Safiya Slutskaya the last princess of Slutsk, who did a lot for Orthodox Church at the times of church union with Rome.

 

There is a little chapel (Chapel of Saint Varvara) a bit further.

 

In the past
Slutsk was a princedom, it had a printing-house and a manufactory producing famous belts with silk and gold, so called Slutsk Belts. The element of gentry’s dress was very popular in ХVІІІ – XIX cent. At first its pattern looked like an eastern, but later belarusian weavers added national motives like common local flowers to it.

 

 

And now
We have just souvenir belts even without any original example in the local museum. The local museum, by the way, also is of a historical and cultural value. It was a house of noble descent in XIX cent.

 

Though the town was destroyed during wars we still have some sights. Sviata-Mihailauski Cathedral is an architectural monument of XVIII cent. and a place of intercourse with God for pious people.

 

There is also a bright Roman-Catholic church in the town.

 

Gymnasium №1 is notable since it is the oldest school in Belarus, founded in XVII cent. And now it is one of the best among 13 schools in the town.

 

A sad place is the memorial in honour of soviet soldiers, partisans and inhabitants killed during World War II , where 14 000 people are buried in common graves.

 

Apart from looking for sights one can go to the cinema or to the gallery or...to the library or park...

 

We also have some cafes and restaurants, but a provincial town doesn’t offer a wide range of culinary and entertainment delights, to suit your every taste and whim. That’s why not many young people want to live here, considering the town too boring.