| Still, after a hearty breakfast and a relaxing morning, we ventured out to explore nearby Dendrarium Park |
Where We Be
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| Chisinau, Moldova |
Our first day in Chisinau (pronounced Ki-shi-now)
was a revelation. Here we were, in tiny land-
locked Moldova -- smushed up against war-torn
Ukraine to the north, east, and south -- and yet all
seemed right with the world. The sun shone,
temps were in the 70's, and everywhere people
were smiling and laughing and happy. Had we
entered some sort of alternate reality? Not quite,
but the locals had decided to make the most of a
beautiful spring day, and who were we to argue?
At Stefan cel Mare Park, the central square in
town, we came across numerous couples (most
of them older) dancing traditional dances. This
was so wonderful and "homey" that we instantly
decided we liked Moldova. Then, too, there were
so many young parents sharing the day with their
children, and young couples in love sitting on
park benches, and girlfriends holding hands and
laughing. We couldn’t get over how many people
we saw smiling and laughing and having a good
time. Robin said it felt like we had been dropped
onto a stage set because people seemed almost
too happy for a country that could theoretically
be invaded at any moment. But how wonderful!
was a revelation. Here we were, in tiny land-
locked Moldova -- smushed up against war-torn
Ukraine to the north, east, and south -- and yet all
seemed right with the world. The sun shone,
temps were in the 70's, and everywhere people
were smiling and laughing and happy. Had we
entered some sort of alternate reality? Not quite,
but the locals had decided to make the most of a
beautiful spring day, and who were we to argue?
At Stefan cel Mare Park, the central square in
town, we came across numerous couples (most
of them older) dancing traditional dances. This
was so wonderful and "homey" that we instantly
decided we liked Moldova. Then, too, there were
so many young parents sharing the day with their
children, and young couples in love sitting on
park benches, and girlfriends holding hands and
laughing. We couldn’t get over how many people
we saw smiling and laughing and having a good
time. Robin said it felt like we had been dropped
onto a stage set because people seemed almost
too happy for a country that could theoretically
be invaded at any moment. But how wonderful!
| We weren't sure what to expect in Moldova -- bordered on three sides by war-torn Ukraine -- but it certainly wasn't this level of happiness and peace |
| Divus is considered one of the finest restaurants in Chisinau -- and it's part of the Thomas Albert Hotel. The meal, including wine, cost us about $50 and easily could have cost double or triple that in the U.S. |
| Which was a good thing, because dinner that night at Divus Restaurant was a blow-out affair filled with gourmet food and wine. We're talking borscht, beef tartare with smoked cheese mousse, baked miso eggplant, and shrimp salad with spicy dressing. |
| Still, the park made for a pleasant outing and helped us walk off breakfast |
| We've seen pictures of this park in summertime, and it's filled to bursting with flowers, but in early April the gardens were still dormant |
| It was a good thing we made the most of balmy Day 1, because Day 2 dawned cold and snowy |
| We took a break from our touring to eat at Placinte, one of the most popular restaurants in Chisinau. It serves great food at cheap prices -- including mugs of beer for just $2. |
| A plăcintă (pronounced plah-CHEEN-tah) is a traditional Moldovan pastry that can be savory or sweet. Above is a sweet pumpkin placinta. The prior image shows a savory potato-filled placinta. Both were yummy! |
| Thus ended Day 1 of our two-day visit to Chisinau. Our room at the centrally located Thomas Albert Hotel provided a nice respite after all that walking. |
| A pathway runs around the lake, perfect for a sunset stroll |
| Looking back up at the university from the base of the stairs |
| Right next to the university is Valea Morilor, a monument with steps leading down to a lake |
| There's also this Triumphal Arch, through which you can see the bell tower. Okay, so maybe it's not Paris, but Chisinau is still a fun capital to visit. |
| Don't come to Moldova for the sights -- come for the people! That said, there are a few sights worth seeing just across from Stefan cel Mar park, like the bell tower and Nativity Cathedral. |
| We visited the park on a Saturday in early April -- still too early for the fountain to be running, but you can see all the kids running around and having a great time |
| This is Stefan cel Mare -- Stephen the Great -- remembered as a great ruler in Moldova |
| Time to walk off our early dinner! To the left is a former water tower turned into the Chisinau City History Museum. The elegant building to the right is the centerpiece of the State University of Moldova. While Moldova may be poor by European standards, it's still rich in history and reasonably well-off compared to many other nations we've visited. |
