Minsk, Belarus

We didn’t have much left on our list for Minsk as we had covered quite a bit on our first day here.

We started at the central market (Kamaroŭski Rynak). We took the subway, to use up our 72hr passes and also to check out additional subway stations. (Also it was about 5km).

The market building itself is an attraction, an old 70s structure, with the title in the cool red font that’s common here. Inside it was the usual meats, dairy, baked goods, pickled stuff and more. Just outside were the fruit and vegetable stalls. The strawberries in particular smelled amazing, but it’s one of the foods that is not a good idea to eat when travelling cause they are difficult to wash.

There was another Lido restaurant beside the market, so we decided to have lunch there. It is sort of an institution in Minsk. It was cafeteria-style where you choose what you want and pay by weight / item. We found the food a bit oily and preferred the Library restaurant to Lido.

On the walk back to subway, we passed a street stall selling kvass. We tried it in the Baltics; it has sort of a root beer / bread taste and is only slightly alcoholic (1%). Anyways there were people lining up for the stall (usually a good sign), so we did too. It was 60 kopeks for a 333ml cup (around 40 cents); it was our favourite kvass we’ve had, definitely hit the spot!

We took the subway down to the train station to check out the exterior. If we didn’t have the visa requirement to fly out, then we likely would have taken the train to Kiev. Oh well. The train station is now in a new building, but there was a nice view of the ‘gates of Minsk’, twin big old buildings across the street that frame the entrance to the city.

Walked over to the nearby Lenin Square and the statue of Lenin. Supposedly in the past you couldn’t take pics, but everyone was, and the security guy didn’t seem to care.

Next to Lenin Square is Saint Simon and Saint Helena Church, aka the red church (it’s a red colour). We stepped inside cause we were there. The church features in all the lists of things to see in Minsk, but I didn’t find it too special.

That was it for our touristing. Took the subway back to the old town and looked for souvenirs. There was a festival or celebration of some sort going on, with live folk music and dancing and lots of stalls selling food and crafts. Straw crafts are popular here, and we got a little talisman. We also bought a small talisman doll made from fabric. After we bought it, the stall owner ran after Heather and gave her a necklace talisman for free :)

We walked back towards the hotel through the side / back streets so we could have a drink at a craft beer place listed on the hotel map of things nearby. Their beer was good. I also ordered something called pig ears. I was hoping it was just lost in translation and maybe pork rinds, but it was in fact thinly sliced pickled pig ears. They were tasty but the texture is not to my liking.

We liked the beers and the rest of the menu looked good, so we booked in for dinner.

So a few hours later walked back. It seemed like we were the only tourists, which was nice. Heather had the chicken Kiev (a city early :) ) and I tried the Belarussian pork. Both were tasty. It was just the kind of low key place we were hoping for.