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Hotels Restaurants Cafés nightlife sightseeing Events Maps Minsk July 2008 - July 2009 Cleaning up its act More tourist-friendly than ever What to buy N°10 www.inyourpocket.com Our pick of the best Contents  E S S E N T I A L C I TY G U I D E S Contents Arriving in Minsk Are we there yet? 6 8 10 12 The Basics Essential information, from tipping to toilets History What made Minsk? Here’s the recipe Where to stay Overpriced accommodation options Dining & Nightlife Where to eat Stick your fork somewhere nice Cafés Coffee, cakes and jellied mutants Nightlife Are you ready for this? 15 21 22 Minsk has a pleasantly romantic feel to it in summer with hordes of young people strolling around the city hand in hand with their lover (or a beer bottle). In particular, they gather by the Svisloch river in vast numbers. True, it’s not exacly Paris, but the combination of Minsk’s laidback atmosphere and elegantly anachronistic architecture gives the city an endearing charm. Perhaps it’s simply a lack of a highly developed Western-style entertainment industry, but there is certainly a lot of love in the air in Minsk. Sightseeing What to see Unmissable Minsk 24 28 33 34 36 Getting around Read this, or get lost Mail & phones Keeping in touch with reality Shopping If you must ... Directory Hand-picked and handy Maps Street index City centre map City map Country map 38 39 40 42 July 2008 - July 2009 Honestly, Belarusian schoolchildren really do look like this.  Foreword Quite simply, there is nowhere like Belarus. For many Westerners it’s a pariah state presided over by the much-vilified You-Know-Who, while Minsk is little more than a quirky reminder of the Soviet Union in its pompous prime. But for those who actually bother to go and see it for themselves, Minsk is a surpsingly charming, calm, clean and safe city. Locals talk freely and frankly about You-Know-Who with either contempt or affection, largely depending on their situation and income. But most take a genuine pride in their city which, it must be remembered, was built out of the total devastation of WWII. Minsk now serves as an almost unparalleled monument to the more grandiose aspirations of Soviet architecture and urban planning. The city centre’s spacious, pedestrian-friendly streets and ornate facades are truly impressive at times. There is not a great deal to do in terms of sightseeing compared with most European capitals. A few days, or a week at most, should suffice to get the best out of the city. Minsk is more a place to stroll around and soak up the unique atmosphere. In keeping with the rest of Europe, prices continue to rise sharply, notably with fuel and food, meaning the prices listed here will probably be out of date before long. That said, you’ll still feel like a tycoon with so many roubles in your pocket. Europe In Your Pocket Cover story As our cover shows, Minsk is a seriously clean city. But beyond the carefully controlled veneer of calm and respectability, we are happy to say Minsk has become much more tourist-friendly. Menus are increasingly in English (and occasionally German), bureaucratic procedures are less stringent and a real tourism infrastructure is emerging. Uraaa! Like dominoes the capitals of the Balkans are falling in the wake of In Your Pocket’s onward march. After Athens - launched in April - Belgrade and Ljubljana have been quick to surrender, and new guides to Sarajevo and Mostar are in the works. Add in new editions of the Tirana, Skopje, Pristina and Podgorica guides, and you have a full set. Elsewhere arround the Pocket Empire there are new annual guides in Parnu and Tartu (Estonia), Kaunas and Klaipėda (Lithuania), while Poland’s top mountain resort Zakopane now has its own mini-guide. Look out for lots more new In Your Pocket mini-guides in a number of European cities this summer. Copyright notice Text and photos copyright UAB VIYP 1992-2008; maps, cartographer. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, without written permission from the publisher and copyright owner. The brand name In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Vokiečių 10-15, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. +370-5 212 29 76). E S S E N T I A L C I TY G U I D E S Publisher Vilnius In Your Pocket Vokiečių 10-15 Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76 fax (+370-5) 212 29 82 vilnius@inyourpocket.com www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1822-1785 ©UAB “VIYP” Printed by A.Jakšto spaustuvė. Published once a year (probably). An as-yet undetermined number of copies will reach the brave and curious. And the Editor’s mum. Editorial Editor Tim Ochser Layout & Design Vaida Gudynaitė Research Belarus Tour Service Cover Photo Tim Ochser Sales & Distribution Publisher Vilnius In Your Pocket General Manager Gabija Thomson Accounting CO Finansai Distribution +370 610 468 40 Go on, let us have it Comments, complaints, suggestions, propoganda and laughable bribes to: minsk@inyourpocket.com Editor’s note The editorial content of In Your Pocket guides is independent from paid-for advertising. Sponsored listings are clearly marked as such. We welcome all readers‘ comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for changes and errors. Minsk In Your Pocket Get In Your Pocket before you go The full In Your Pocket range is available to purchase online at: www.inyourpocket.com/clickandbuy Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps TIRANA 2006 - 2007 BUCHAREST April - May 2006 WARSAW August - September 2006 ST. PETERSBURG April 2006 PRAGUE August - September 2006 A New Look We‘ve never looked better: In Your Pocket gets a makeover Blogging Bucharest Our guide to the best politically incorrect comment online Going to the chapel Easter Greetings Shopping fever Tirana’s first malls Wilanów Egg breaking & church walking… Karlštejn’s renovated jewel Facade art N°4 - 400 lek www.inyourpocket.com Explore the Polish Versailles Russian in Russia The best ways to discover the language April 2006 N°24 www.inyourpocket.com Let’s rock Visiting the Bohemian Paradise Painting the city pink N°40 - 8.00 lei www.inyourpocket.com N°34 - 5zł (w tym 7% VAT) www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1641-5264 Out of town Poland‘s top spa town: Nałęczów Culture & Events Simple Minds, t.A.T.u. & Cosmonaut’s Day NEW LOOK ! N°34 - 100 Kč www.inyourpocket.com Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps KRAKÓW August - September 2006 TALLINN April - May 2006 BELFAST August - September 2006 COLOGNE June - July 2006 Football events Win or lose, this is where to party River tours Wine and dine on the Rhine The Great Outdoors Cycling, skydiving and country pursuits Gastro Tourism Seafood, whiskey and St. George’s Market Tarnów Explore the Pearl of the Renaissance Touring Narva Cool sights at the EU‘s eastern border Leisure N°41 - 5zł (w tym 7% VAT) www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1508-2334 Getting active in Kraków N°47 - 35kr www.inyourpocket.com IYP gets a new look The inside scoop on the new look inside N°7 - Free copy www.inyourpocket.com N°1 Complimentary copy www.inyourpocket.com Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps BERLIN August - September 2006 GDAŃSK August - November 2006 Including RIGA April - May 2006 HAMBURG June - July 2006 ŁÓDŹ September - December 2006 SOPOT & GDYNIA Kashubia Exploring the Polish Alps Hot spots Museum night 100 museums in one night N°23 - €1.75 www.inyourpocket.com The Baltic’s Beaches Hockey Fever Harbour tours Down in the docks Hollyłódź Everything you need to know about IIHF World Championship in Riga Poland‘s cinema city Football events Win or lose, this is where to party N°2 - 5zł (w tym 7% VAT) www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1896-1169 Floating the boat Spree river tours Explore Latvia N°20 - 5zł (w tym 7% VAT) www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1640-3592 Stars in your eyes N°60 - 1.20Ls www.inyourpocket.com Take a day trip to the seaside towns of Jūrmala and Liepāja From Polanski to Max Factor, read about the famous natives. N°1 Complimentary copy www.inyourpocket.com Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps SKOPJE 2006 - 2007 FRANKFURT August - September 2006 SHKODRA 2006 - 2007 PRISTINA 2006 - 2007 KAISERSLAUTERN June - July 2006 Football events Win or lose, this is where to party Skopje snapshots The Marubi photo collection Shkodra snapshots Feature 2 - max 2 lines The Marubi photo collection Short description of the feature. Should be max. 3 lines. Around town Daytrips to the lake, beach and mountains Around town Beach bars Cocktail in hand, toes in sand Daytrips to the lake, beach and mountains Football events Win or lose, this is where to party N°1 - Complimentary copy www.inyourpocket.com N°23 - €1.75 www.inyourpocket.com Dram tram Going Palatine Strolling in the forest N°1 - Complimentary copy www.inyourpocket.com N°1 - €3 www.inyourpocket.com N°1 Complimentary copy www.inyourpocket.com Sipping ebbelwei on the cider express  Arriving in minsk Traffic simply isn’t a problem when roads have eight lanes. So, you’ve paid your money, got your shiny new Belarus visa in your passport (complete with dinky hologram) and should be able to enter Belarus without too much fuss just as long as everything is in order. Getting into Belarus used to be a process that was legendary for its length, complexity and, in some cases, downright cruelty. Long queues, dark looks from mean-spirited officials with big guns, incomprehensible forms, and rigorous (occasionally rubber-gloved ) customs searches were the nightmarish norm. We’re happy to say, however, that things have vastly improved over the last couple of years. It’s far easier to get into Belarus than, say, the USA these days. We certainly had no problems at the border at all. We think one of the border guards even smiled, although it could have been an involuntary tic. While crossing the border you will have to fill out an entry card (although it’s really just a flimsy photocopied sheet). The form is in English, and requires you to pen-in your details including passport and visa numbers, and your host (the hotel where you will stay or person you will stay with). All the questions are clear. To make things smooth and easy, be sure you have a pen with you and something to write on (the back of a paperback book, the back of a friend’s head, etc) when you cross the border. You have to fill out the form twice. One copy will be kept at the border as you enter. Tuck the other one in your passport and keep it with you. When you arrive at your hotel, leave your passport with reception, and they will ‘register’ you. You will probably have to leave your passport for 24 hours or so, and when you get it back that second-half of the form you filled in at the border will have been stamped ready to ensure your smooth exit from Belarus. By bus The conveniently located Central Bus Station is temporarily closed for major renovation work, leaving the far less convenient Eastern (Vostochniy) bus station and Moscovsky bus station to deal with international buses. Both stations have lockers for luggage, and other basic facilties. Getting to town Taking a bus to the city centre is complicated and involves multiple stops so a taxi is the best bet. The Eastern Bus Station is 15km from Independence Square with a taxi costing around US$10-13. Moskovsky bus station is 11km from Independence Square with a taxi costing about US$10. It’s also served by the metro which is a cheap and efficient alternative. By car Driving in Belarus is generally much better than it used to be, and certainly less fraught with danger than in some of its EU neighbours. There is a risk of receiving on-the-spot ‘fines’ from traffic police so stay within the speed limits. Another hindrance to foreigners is the fact that signs and street markers are in Belarusian except on the Brest-MInsk highway. In general speeding is not a problem although there is the occasional maniac in a blacked-out BMW to look out for. At the border you will have to fill out a declaration on your car and buy Belarusian auto insurance which is cheap, but be sure you have the money in cash (US dollars, Euros, Russian roubles). There may not be controls at the border coming in from Russia, but there could be sporadic checks. You’ll have to pay a small toll for using the Brest-Minsk highway (M1), which ranges from US$1 for private cars to US$15 for lorries. In the event of motor trouble, call 116. Petrol stations Belarus has a state monopoly on petrol, which means the price and quality are roughly halfway between those in Russia and Western Europe. On the bright side, the highways are lined with shiny, state-of-the art stations where unleaded petrol is freely available and Euros and Dollars are accepted with smiles ... okay, maybe not smiles, but they accept them. Minsk In Your Pocket Arriving in minsk Tourist information Tourist Information B-1, Prospekt Pobediteley 19 (Проспект Победителей 19), tel. 226 99 00. The only thing Minsk has that’s remotely like a tourist information office is a counter run by the state tourist agency, Belintourist, attached to the Yubileynaya Hotel. Naturally it’s closed on weekends, when tourists might come. QOpen 09.00 - 18.00. Closed Sun. Open 09:00 - 13:00, 13:45 - 18:00. Fri 09:00 - 13:00, 13:45 - 16:45. Closed Sat, Sun.  Travel talk English To From Train Train Station Belarusian у / да з / ад цягнiк чыгуначны вакзал Russian Russian pronunciation в/к v/k из / от iz / ot поезд poiezd железноzheleznodo´ дорожный rozhnyi вокзал vok´zal Автобус av´tobus автовокзал avtovok´zal билет bi´let такси ta´ksi сегодня se´vodnia завтра ´zaftra Понедельник pone´del’nik Вторник f´tornik Среда sre´da Четверг chet´verg Пятница ´piatnitsa Суббота su´bota Воскресенье voskre´sen’ie утро ´utro вечер ´vecher Cop a lot One thing you will notice immediately upon arrival in Minsk is that there are rather a lot of people wearing uniforms and carrying guns and sticks. Police and military personnel seem to be everywhere always. This can be a bit disconcerting at first, but don’t worry – they’re probably not going to shoot you. The most exciting authority action that you are likely to experience is that you will be approached and asked to show your documents. Passport, drivers licence, Mickey Mouse Club membership card – pretty much anything slightly official looking with a name and photo will do. Police will understand that you may have left your passport with the hotel for registration purposes. Unless you’ve been doing something very naughty, such as taking photos of the President’s Palace, the police are only likely to approach you out of utter boredom. They will look at your ID, inwardly chuckle at how dorky you look in the photo, and twaddle off to find someone else to annoy. Let them have their fun. They’ve already sorted out all the crime and, well… there’s just not much left to do. Аутобус Bus аутавакзал Station Ticket бiлет Taxi таксi Today сення Tomorrow заутра Monday Панядзелак Tuesday Ауторак Wednesday Серада Thursday Чацвер Friday Пятнiца Saturday Суббота Sunday Нядзеля Morning ранiца Evening вечар By plane Minsk has two airports: The tiny, city centre Minsk 1, which only handles a few flights, and the larger, farther Minsk 2, where everyone else lands. Minsk 1 Looking very much like a Stalin-era bath house, this box-shaped structure 3km south of the centre hardly qualifies as an airport. A currency exchange and café are the only services. Getting to Town Bus N°100 will take you to the centre (it heads down Prospekt Nezavisimosti). Buy a ticket on board for 6500BYR. Taxis outside may or may not be reliable. See ‘taxis’ in the Getting around section for details on how to spot which is which. Minsk 2 The city’s main international airport, Minsk 2, is located 42km from the city limits. It was completely remodelled in 2005 to give it all the warmth of an abandoned hockey arena. Once you go through the usual customs torture, you end up on the ground-floor arrivals hall. The currency exchange, directly opposite, usually operates when flights arrive. Otherwise, head to the larger one on the second floor (open 09:00 - 13:00, 13:30 - 20:00). Those machines that look like ATMs in the arrivals hall aren’t ATMs. A real ATM is inconveniently located on the third floor, next to departure gate 1. For public telephones, long distance phone service, internet and post, head to the post office on the third floor. Getting to Town The taxi racket that used to fix prices here has thankfully been broken, but you’ll still have to pay US$ 35-40 for the hour-long ride to the city. If you speak Russian, your chances of bargaining the price downward are better. Otherwise you can resort to haggling with a pen and paper, but it won’t be easy - if you don’t want to pay that price, the next chump will. Don’t go by the meter or you’ll end up paying more. Your only alternative is to catch the airport bus, which costs around 650BYR , but runs infrequently. By train The gleaming new Minsk train station is a tribute to the modernity of Belarus, and proof that no matter how much money you spend, you can still come up with something just as chaotic as the old train station. It does have the welcoming look of a shopping mall though, and if you follow the pictographic signs, you shouldn’t get lost. A currency exchange booth can be found at the top of the escalator. Find public telephones accepting chip cards on the ground floor and in the basement. The basement also contains public toilets and a large, 24hr left luggage room. Getting to Town The station is in the centre of town, so walking could be an option. Otherwise, head to the basement level and follow the underground passage, which eventualy leads to the entrance of the Ploschad Nezavismosti metro station. (See Public transport for instructions on how to use it). Otherwise you can take one of the taxis parked in the immediate area. Naturally, many of these are waiting to bilk you (though it probably won’t be by a horrible amount). To be safe, go for one of the yellow, staterun taxis or a private one with 107, 152, 157 or 184 displayed on the car. Be sure they turn on the meter. Numbers English 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 More Less Russian pronunciation od´in dva tri che ´tyre p’iat’ shest’ sem’ ´vosem’ ´deviat’ ´desiat’ ´bol’she ´men’she July 2008 - July 2009  BAsiCs  The Minsk telephone code is +375 17 A jolly big involuntary hooray for glorious little Minsk, the thrumming capital of the tractor-factory republic of Belarus. May she continue polishing and brandishing her hammers, sickles, red stars and Olympic rings for many years to come. Belarus has been proudly Soviet since the day independence was won in 1945. That was May 9, by the way, and don’t you forget it, okay? Just to remind you, Soviet razzledazzle still sparkles all over the city on that day every year. As for the Olympics, well, Belarus has never hosted the Olympics but did host some preliminary and quarter-final football games for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Not bad for a landlocked little nation that many people have never heard of. Minsk may lack sparkly beaches or big-mountain backdrops, but there are big murals of cosmonauts on the sides of buildings, a library like a big Dungeons & Dragons dice, some statues of Lenin, a flag that looks like something from Fifi The Clown’s knickers draw and some of the cleanest crime-free streets you could ever hope to strut around. It’s all a bit 1984, except for its appearance, which is more like 1964. As such, a visit to Minsk is a bit of a time-warp and, even more interestingly, a glimpse of a totally different ideology in operation. Unmissable? Maybe not. Unforgetable? Certainly. Customs The rules for what you can bring into and out of Belarus get more complicated the more officials you ask, so our advice is to keep your personal cargo straightforward and minimal to avoid surprises. According to the Belarusian embassy in Vilnius, non-residents can bring in, tax free: US$3,000 in cash, 2 litres of strong alcohol, 200 cigarettes or 200g of tobacco (if you’re over 18), 5 pieces of jewellery, 1 watch, 3 pieces of leather clothing and 4 tyres (which you’ve presumably crammed into the pockets of your leather trousers). Pay attention to your booze – each extra litre of alcohol you try to bring in will be taxed €20, though why anyone would take alcohol into this paradise of cheap vodka is a mystery. When leaving, you can take out up to 500g of gold and 5kg of silver, so your bling-bling should be okay. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that you should avoid trying to take out icons, antiques or any works of art without the proper paperwork. Demonstrations Demonstrations have become a fairly regular feature in downtown Minsk – not surprising since the government clamps down on every other means the opposition has of reaching the public. Most of these gatherings are peaceful affairs where young people hold up signs while the police look on threateningly. That said, demonstrations have at times been met with swinging truncheons or worse, so be aware of the mood if you happen to be near one. Driving Driving in Belarus is generally a smooth experience, at least on the major roads, which are in good condition and wonderfully free of cars. Having said that, beware of icy roads in the winter, potholes on rural roads, and the occasional reckless driver. The roads in Minsk are excellent and mercifully free of traffic jams thanks to some large-scale urban planning. In Belarus you drive on the right, and pass on the left. Kids under 12 have to stay in the back seats, seatbelts are mandatory and there’s a zero tolerance policy for drinking and driving. Your licence from the US or EU is valid in Belarus for six months, after which you have to apply for a Belarusian licence, a process that’s said to be fairly uncomplicated. Filling up The state-owned petrol monopoly has done a lot in recent years to install shiny, new stations, ready and willing to take your dollars and Euros. It comes in 92, 95 and diesel. The quality of the fuel, while better than the stuff in Russia, isn’t quite up to Western standards, so you may want to think twice before poisoning your S-class. Speed Limits Speed Limits Cars 60-90-110km/h, buses 60-70-90km/h, motorcycles 60-90-90km/h in towns, country roads and highways respectively. All vehicles must drive no faster than 20km/h in small villages. Drivers who have passed their test in Belarus within the previous two years are restricted to a maximum speed of 70km/h on highways and country roads. Bargains If you were hoping for a dirt-cheap tourist destination, sorry, you’re about a decade late and a rouble short. The days of partying all night for US$10 are long gone. That said, compared to most European countries, restaurants in Belarus are still fairly cheap, and you can certainly get around in taxis without breaking the bank. Other bargains to watch for are pirate CDs, vodka and caviar. Western imports, many of which arrive by way of Moscow, are fairly expensive here. Borders Belarus sees itself as surrounded (Latvia - 141km, Lithuania - 502km, Poland - 605km, Russia - 959km, Ukraine - 891km), or at least threatened on the west side, by evil capitalist states looking for any chance to do it harm. At most borders, this paranoia can translate into long queues, thorough luggage searches, painstaking document checks and officials who welcome you to their country with all the charm of a prison guard. The border with Russia, with whom Belarus has much closer relations, is comparatively lax. Communism When the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991, nobody bothered to tell the Belarusians. Or at least that’s what you’d think given the abundance of Lenin statues and other Soviet-style flash that still decorates public squares throughout the country. For many visitors, this back-in-the-USSR panache is a big part of Belarus’s charm, particularly the Stalin-era city centre of Minsk. Not all the holdovers from that period are as fun though – much enterprise is state-owned, the KGB still harasses the population and bureaucracy is rampant. Expect to spend lots of time shouting at people through very small holes in very large windows. Electricity The electricity is 220V AC, 50Hz, and barring lightning strikes, it’s fairly stable. Nearly all sockets are now the standard, European two-pin variety, though some of the smaller, Sovietstyle sockets can still be found. For these, an adaptor works far better than brute force, as you may find out when you try to take the plug back out again. Minsk In Your Pocket BAsiCs of 100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 1,000, 500, not to mention the nearly worthless 100, 50, 20 and 10 rouble varieties. Coins aren’t used at all. Hotel prices listed in this guide (and those published by most hotels) are given in US dollars, but cash payments are always made in the local currency. Exchange offices dealing in major currencies can easily be found in the downtown area, and rates differ very little. ATMs are also common on the main downtown streets, though hard to find elsewhere. Nearly all will work with MasterCard; but you may have to hunt a bit to find one that will work with Visa. Most hotels and the more modern restaurants accept credit cards. Finally, you may hear of plans to bring Belarus into the Russian rouble zone. These have been postponed again and again, and at this point, nobody can say whether it will actually ever happen.  Police What’s the main ingredient of any police state? Police, of course. Without them, dictatorship just wouldn’t be as fun. Belarus supposedly has one of the highest ratios of police to citizens in the world. We found Belarus’ boys in blue surprisingly helpful when it came to giving directions, although don’t expect them to speak English. And you most certainly do not want to get on the wrong side of them. Prostitution Stars are a recurring motif in Minsk, to put it mildly. Though it is less rampant than it was just a few years ago, prostitution is a very visible part of life in Belarus, particularly in Minsk. It’s not uncommon to see these denizens of the night hanging around certain parts of downtown, and thanks to clever coordination with most hotel receptions, they sometimes phone foreign guests late at night to offer their services. Keep in mind that AIDS is widespread in this part of Europe. Take precautions or you might end up bringing home a very unpleasant souvenir. Floors Belarusians consider the ground floor to be the first floor, and so on. Health Unless you packed your lead underwear, you may want to limit the time you spend in the southeast corner of the country. This is where radiation from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster still covers much of the landscape. Short visits (a few days) won’t harm you though, so long as you avoid locally produced vegetables, mushrooms, dairy products and the like. For those everywhere else, the biggest health concern is the tap water. Though many visitors drink it without problems, it’s very capable of causing stomach problems. Sticking to the bottled stuff is the wisest course of action. Toilets Public toilets and those in restaurants, etc, are still generally not as clean as those in Western Europe, but they’ve come a long way from the nightmarish chambers of foulness they were a few years ago. Don’t automatically expect them to have toilet paper though. Just so there’s no confusion, M marks the Gents’ room, Ж marks the Ladies’. Visas Pretty much everyone needs a visa to enter Belarus. The exceptions are nationals of Armenia, Cuba, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, North Korea, Poland, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The visas are supplied by your nearest Belarusian embassy or consulate. The recommended practice, however, is not to deal with the embassy directly, but instead to go through a travel agency that specialises in Belarusian visas (in fact, some consulates only give you this option). The procedure usually costs around US$40 - 80 for a single entry tourist visa, and saves you a major headache into the bargain. In theory, it’s also possible to get a visa on arrival at the Minsk 2 airport if you have an invitation with you, but in practice, it’s an expensive and risky option. We recommend getting your visa before you arrive. Once in the country, you have three working days to get your visa registered. Hotels will do this for you, but if you’re not staying in a hotel, you’ll have to register at your local OVIR (Office of Visas and Registration). If you don’t register, you could have problems when you’re trying to leave the country. Language Russian and Belarusian both enjoy official status here, but in reality, Russian is by far the dominant language of daily life, particularly in Minsk. Just to keep things interesting though, street signs and metro stations are all posted in Belarusian, a language that few people here speak. So who actually knows this mysterious other language? Some people in the countryside, members of the intelligentsia and, very pointedly, those involved in opposition politics. In rural areas, Trasyanka, a mix of Russian and Belarusian, can also be heard. Money After years of hyper-inflation, the Belarusian rouble (abbreviated BYR) is now fairly stable, mainly thanks to strict government controls. In early 2008, the exchange rates were US$1 = 2,136BYR, €1 = 3,300BYR with very little fluctuation from previous months. Banknotes come in denominations July 2008 - July 2009 10 History National holidays January 1 New Year’s Day January 7 Orthodox Christmas March 8 International Women’s Day March 15 Constitution Day March 12-13 Catholic & Protestant Easter (2009) April 19 Orthodox Easter (2008) May 1 Labour Day May 9 Victory Day July 3 Independence Day October 14 Mothers’s Day (2008) November 1-2 Dzyady (Remembrance Day) November 7 Revolution Day December 25 Catholic & Protestant Christmas are shot at Kurapaty before 1941. 1939, Sep 17 Under the Hitler-Stalin pact Western Belarus is reunited with the rest of Belarus. 1941, Jun 22 German troops enter Belarus and soon overrun Minsk. During the “Great Patriotic War” one out of every three Belarusian inhabitants is killed and 90% of Minsk destroyed. 1944, July 3 Minsk is liberated by the Red Army. 1946 Belarus becomes a founding member of the UN. 1961 Lee Harvey Oswald, alleged assassin of US President John F. Kennedy, lives in Minsk, where he meets his wife Marina. 1974, June 16 Minsk is awarded the Soviet title of “Hero City” for its sufferings in World War II and speedy reconstruction. 1986, Apr 26 The fourth reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant explodes in neighbouring Ukraine, polluting 23% of Belarusian territory. Yet another fine hammer and sickle. 10th century 980AD Prince Rogvold begins a reign of the Polotsk region in what is now northern Belarus. The first written record of the Belarusian state. 11th century 1067 First mention of Menesk (Minsk). The name allegedly derives from the Slavic verb “meniat” (to change) as Minsk quickly developes into one of the commercial centres of Eastern Europe. 12th century Formation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which grew to include present-day Belarus and become the largest state in Europe by the 15th century. 16th century 1569 Foundation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Belarus ceases to exist as a national entity. 1588 Statute of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. 17th century 1772-1793-1795 After the third partition of Poland, the whole of Belarus is incorporated into the Russian tsarist administrative system. Minsk becomes the regional capital. 20th century 1918, March 9 In the chaos of the Bolshevik revolution, an ephemeral Belarusian Popular Republic is declared while the country is still under German-Austrian occupation. 1918, March 25 The independence of Belarus is proclaimed for the first time. 1919, Jan 1 Foundation of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR). 1922, Dec 31 Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Transcaucasia form the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). 1937 Stalin’s purges decapitate the intelligentsia. About 250,000 people Independence & Beyond 1990 July 27 A Declaration of Sovereignty adopted by the newly-elected Supreme Soviet creates a “neutral, nuclearfree state”. 1991 Aug 25 Declaration of Independence adopted hastily after the collapse of the hardline putsch in Moscow. Dec 8 Leaders of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus sign an agreement to form the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Minsk becomes the administrative centre. 1992 May 20 Belarus introduces its own coupons to replace the Soviet rouble. On June 1 Belarus leaves the rouble zone. 1994 March 15 The Supreme Soviet adopts a new constitution. June 23 In the first free presidential elections former collective farm boss Alexander Lukashenko is elected president on an anti-corruption, pro-Russia platform, winning 80% of the votes. Dec The first major crackdown on the press occurs as two newspapers critical of the president are closed. 1995 May 14 First free parliamentary elections coupled with a national referendum: Over 75% of the electorate say ‘yes’ to Russian becoming an official state language alongside Belarusian; the return of old Belarusian Soviet insignia including the Soviet Republic flag (without the hammer and sickle); and the president being granted more power over the parliament. Sep 12 Two American balloonists are killed by the Belarusian Air Force when their hot air balloon is shot down during an international race. The friendly city The people in Minsk are some of the friendliest you are likely to come across in your travels. All you have to do is stand on a street corner and look a bit confused and some friendly local will probably offer to assist you. Try to enter a shop through its window, and someone will promptly be on hand to suggest that you ought to use the door. Not that we speak from experience, of course. Many younger people speak English and will be happy to give directions, read signs, take photos, use the Metro and so on. While few waitstaff speak English, they are generally very obliging. If there is a place with grumpy people and bad service, we just couldn’t find it. And we really tried. Even the once-infamous border crossing is less hostile. As for socialising, it’s very easy in Minsk. Many locals are still delighted and interested to talk to foreigners. So, don’t be shy. All you have to say is ‘hello’ and away you go. Enjoy! Minsk In Your Pocket History 1996 Apr 2 Lukashenko and his Russian counterpart, Boris Yeltsin formally sign a controversial treaty calling for a political union between Russia and Belarus. The idea has already generated large demonstrations in Minsk, which increase after the signing. June The national flag and emblem adopted in 1991 is officially scrapped in favour of the old Soviet-style flag and emblem without the hammer and sickle. July 5 Belarus loses its right to vote in the Council of Europe after failing to pay its dues. Nov 28 The president signs his new constitution that extends his term of office from five years to seven. 1997 Apr 29 The Soros Foundation is accused of violating its charitable organisation status. Having provided US$13 million to Belarusian hospitals, schools and libraries, it is now ordered to pay US$ 3 million in fines. In Sep it closes its operations in Belarus. May 24 Russia and Belarus sign a new unification deal. Basic principles include ensuring press freedoms, guaranteeing free activities for political parties and opposition organizations and inviolability of private property. The treaty goes into effect on June 11, 1997. 1998 March An economic crisis begins after the Russian Central Bank suspends trading in the Belarusian rouble, causing the currency to collapse. Lukashenko steps in and takes control of commercial banks, worsening the situation. Dec 27 The president shuts down the only opposition newspaper. 1999 Sep Opposition figures Viktor Gonchar and Anatoly Krasovsky are shot to death. Two years later KGB agents speak on videotape, admitting the murder. 2000 Oct Parliamentary elections held, most opposition candidates are barred from running. Voter turnout is so low in 13 constituencies that re-run elections have to be held the following March. November Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin sign an agreement to introduce a single currency by 2008, later than previous agreements. 2001 Sep 9 Lukashenko is elected for a second term, reportedly having garnered 75.6% of the votes. The elections are widely condemned by Western observers and opposition as neither free nor fair. 2002 Aug Russia makes proposals for a union treaty that would essentially annex Belarus into Russia. Lukashenko rejects it. Oct 30 A mass grave from the World War II era, containing 12,000 bodies, is discovered at Slutsk. Nov Belarus’ poor human rights record and its banning of the OSCE prompt the US and 14 EU states to impose travel ban on Lukashenko and several government ministers. The ban stays in effect until the following April. 2004 Oct 17 In another highly suspect referendum, Lukashenko gets presidential term limits scrapped, paving the way for him to run again in 2006 elections. Dec Opposition politician Mikhail Marinich is sentenced to five years in jail for alleged theft of office equipment. 2005 August Diplomatic row with Poland after members of Belarus’ ethnic Polish community organisations are arrested and prevented from meeting, amidst accusations they were plotting to overthrow the Belarusian government. Oct President Lukashenko visits China, building relations between the two countries. A congress of opposition parties selects Physics professor Aleksander Milinkevish to run against Lukashenko in 2006 elections. Dec 20 Lukashenko signs an amendment to the criminal code that would penalize anyone who makes statements that would discredit Belarus in the international arena, making such statements punishable with jail terms of up to two years. The move is seen as an attempt to thwart opposition in the 2006 elections. 2006 March Lukashenko scores a third presidential term with 83% of the vote in an election that the OSCE, Europe’s main election monitoring body, labelled as “severely flawed”. Protests over the elections are met with police resistance. Opposition leaders, including presidential candidate Aleksander Kozulin, are arrested and jailed. The EU imposes a travel ban on Lukashenko and many of his aides, and freezes their assets in the EU. Dec Russia raises the price of gas exported to Belarus, triggering a tiff between the two allies that would run until mid-Jan 2007. Russia shuts off an export pipeline that passes through Belrarus and carries energy to Europe. The reliance on Russian energy is seriously questioned by Europe. 2007 May Belarus loses a bid to join the UN’s Human Rights Council. Human rights groups praise the UN’s deciscion to omit Belarus. March Police clash with protesters in Minsk as thousands of opposition supporters hold a rally calling for an end to Lukashenko’s rule. May Belarus fails in its bid to win a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. Oct Lukashenko says Belarus will have to build a nuclear power station in order to meet its energy needs. 2008 May Eleven US diplomats expelled from the country. June A new law cracks down hard on Internet news reporting. 11 Basic data Population Belarus 9,800,100, Minsk 1,729,000, Gomel 492,000, Vitebsk 351,000, Grodno 312,000, Mogilev 362,000, Brest 296,000 Ethnic composition (Belarus) Territory Belarusian - 81.2%, Russian - 11.4%, Polish - 3.9%, Ukrainian - 2.4%, Others - 1.1%. 207,600km2. Fertile lowland, with about 11,000 lakes. Longest river Dnieper (aka Dnipro, or Dnyapro). One of the longest rivers in Europe, the Dnieper rises in the Valdai Hills of Russia, and flows south 2,285km through Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, before finally emptying into the Black Sea. Largest lake Narach 79.6km2 Highest point Local time Lysaya Gara (bald mountain) 365m Belarus is in the Eastern European Time Zone (GMT+2hrs), putting it in line with Finland, the Baltic States, Turkey and South Africa. Daylight Saving Time (GMT+3hrs) is in effect from the last Sunday of March until the last Sunday of October. July 2008 - July 2009 12 wHere to stAy Accommodation is usually the biggest budget-buster in this otherwise reasonably cheap city. Prices can be truly out-of-whack: people often end up paying an arm and a leg for a room that hasn’t been renovated since Brezhnev’s time. Part of the problem is the state’s near monopoly on the industry. Another problem is the discriminatory pricing system which sees foreigners charged twice as much as Belarusians and CIS residents for the same shabby, cigarette-burned hovel. Luckily things are changing, and if you shop around a bit, you can usually find a reasonable deal on a decent room, sometimes even one with up-to-date furnishings. The cheaper places tend to be out of the centre. Thankfully taxis in Minsk are also quite cheap. We’ve listed prices here in US dollars, but in almost all cases hotels only accept payment in Belarusian roubles or by credit card. Another local nuance you should be aware of is the prevalence of prostitutes, especially in the larger hotels. Don’t be surprised if you get a phone call late at night offering you some ‘company’. Symbol key P Air conditioning O Casino T Child friendly F Fitness centre R LAN connection K Restaurant D Sauna I Fireplace X Smoking section A Credit cards accepted H Conference facilities U Facilities for the disabled L Guarded parking G Non-smoking rooms J Central location C Swimming pool W Wireless Internet access Juravinka (Журавинка) B-2, Yanki Kupaly 25 (Янки Купалы 25), tel. 328 69 00, fax 227 55 42, contacts@juravinka.by, www.juravinka.by. Spoiled, decadent Westerners welcome! For luxury and comfort, this small but smart downtown hotel attached to the Juravinka business and recreation complex is a tough one to beat. Its single and double rooms are comfy affairs, and even come with an unheard-of bonus: adjustable climate control. If you have money to burn, you can dip into the realm of the surreal by booking the presidential suite, which has its own glass-covered swimming pool. Q 18 rooms (13 singles US$190, 4 doubles US$270, 1 suite US$1200). PJAFLK Upmarket Crown Plaza Minsk (Краун Плаза Минск) D-2, Kirova 13 (Кирова 13), MPloschad Nezavisimosti (Площадь Независимости), tel. 200 53 54, fax 200 80 60, www.cpminsk.com. Minsk’s first international hotel chain sets new standards which will have some of its rivals seething with envy. The two-floor Presidential Suite, with its private lift and sauna, is the last word in luxury and will no doubt put up many a visiting head of state and megalomaniacal pop star. Standard rooms are also well furnished and equipped and come quite reasonably priced by Western standards. The Crowne Plaza’s convenient downtown location and outstanding facilities, which include a swimming pool, fitness centre, spa, business centre and glitzy nightclub, should ensure it is regularly booked out. Q Standard singles €225, standard doubles €260, club room €289, deluxe rooms €300 -340. POJHAFLKCW Minsk(Минск) D-1, Nezavisimosti 11 (Независимости Hotel D’Europe (Европа) С-2, Internatsionalnaya, 28 (Интернациональная, 28), MOktyabraskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 229 83 39, fax 229 83 34, info@ hoteleurope.by, www.hoteleurope.by. The newly opened and superbly located five-star Hotel D’Europe is one of Minsk’s finest hotels. The lovely atrium-like lobby includes a towering painting of Minsk in a quasi-historic style. The level of service is excellent, while the impressive facilities include a well-equipped fitness centre and swimming pool, business centre, underground parking and five bars in which to unwind and sample some of the local tipples. Hotel D’Europe also boasts some of the best views to be had in Minsk. Q 67 rooms: 13 singles €265, 11 doubles €310, 7 twins €353, 25 deluxe rooms €465, 9 suites €526, 1 apartment €588, 1presedential suite €1,150. PJHAFLKCW 11), M Ploschad Nezavisimosti (Площадь Независимости), tel. 209 90 78, fax 209 99 111, hotelminsk@pmrb.gov.by, www.hotelminsk.by. Are we still in Minsk? This grand hotel with stylish subdued marble in the foyer and classy coffee-and-cream decor in all the rooms could have you believing that you are in any western city. Until you step out the door. Some rooms have views of the adjacent Independence Square, but all have satellite television, minibar, air conditioning and nice firm beds. The ‘superior’ rooms are worth considering for having even larger beds. Other facilities include a fitness and sauna centre (weights, cardio, green bubbling vat and both Turkish and Finnish style saunas), business centre and a helpful English-speaking guest relations person who will help you with just about anything. Breakfast included, and it’s edible. Q258 rooms (singles $165 - 185, doubles $215, triples $390-450, suites 270 - 1075). HJARFLGKD Victoria (Виктория) G-2, Prospekt Pobediteley 59 IBB (Internationale Bildungs-und Begegnungsstätte) not on the map-close to J-1, Gazety Pravda 11 (Газеты Правда 11), tel. 270 39 94, fax 270 39 95, ibb@ibb.by, www.ibb.by. As if to demonstrate that Germany has more to offer than BMWs with blacked-out windows, the German Association for International Education and Exchange set up this spiffing hotel and conference centre. The rooms are clean, bright and somehow both stylish and austere, with some having a very modern-art-minimalist theme to them. It can feel a bit 1980s, but that’s futuristic in Minsk. The attached Westfalia restaurant is a big plus, but the sleeping-district location isn’t. 35 rooms (singles US$79, doubles US $109). HAUKD (Победителей 59), tel. 204 88 44, fax 204 88 33, office@hotel-victoria.by, www.hotel-victoria.by. If the Graduate wanted to book a naughty weekend in Minsk with Mrs. Robinson (or her daughter, or maybe both at once) this would be the place. It would also be the place for his father and her husband to do business. It might be one of Minsk’s newest hotels (opened in July 2007), but it proudly glistens with exciting late-60’s décor. Very time-trippy, but also very opulent. Unfortunately, it’s nowhere near the centre of town. But if you want to hide in your room, you’ll be happy with flat-screen televisions, minibar, brandspanking new furniture and swish bathrooms. Q169 rooms (115 singles US$145-165, 45 doubles US$185, 8 suites US$225-570).PHAFLGKDCW www.inyourpocket.com Minsk In Your Pocket wHere to stAy Mid-range 40 Let Pobedy (40 лет Победы) H-4, Azgura 3 (Азгура 3), MPloshyad Pobedy (Площадь Победы), tel. 294 79 63. They could just as well call it 40 Years of Tackiness, but this place isn’t quite that old and the way things are going, it might just get tackier as the years march on. In a building that could easily be mistaken for another apartment block, it offers rooms of various quality (hence the strange price structure). Cheaper rooms are shabby with no TV. Apartments have spa baths, bidets and a strange common area with sofas and UV lights, which looks exactly like a mafia hangout from an 80s action film. Breakfast isn’t served, but you can buy something in the cheap lobby café. Q50 rooms (20 singles US$75, 30 doubles US$120). K 1 Belarus(Беларусь) A-1, Stor ozhevskaya 15 (Сторожевская 15), tel. 209 76 93/ 209 76 50, info@ hotel-belarus.com, www.hotel-belarus.com. Looming over the Svisloch like an enormous concrete bat, the city’s trademark hotel is a defining part of the Minsk skyline and offers such classy amenities as a mini water park, dodgy nightclub and sky-high restaurant offering amazing panoramic views of the city. Economy class rooms are done up in Soviet Ghastly, with tiling installed by drunken trolls. Sadly, the hotel will be demolished at some point in the near future to make way for an ambitious new four-tower hotel and business centre complex which some people claim may be up to 60 storeys tall. See this wonderful and somewhat delapidated landmark while you can. Q520 rooms: 258 singles US$70-125, 131 doubles US$140-230, 38 suitesUS$170-300, 5 apartments US$ 565. HAUFGKDC Lounging around town, Minsk-style. Oktyabrskaya (Октябрьская) C-2, Engelsа 13 (Энгельса 13), MKupalovskaya (Купаловская), tel. 222 32 89, fax 227 33 14. A perfect example of Soviet practicality, the amenity-packed October offers a billiard bar, gift shop, tourist agency and even a hairdresser in case you ladies want to go for that classic 1980s rocker look that seems to be all the rage here. The interior also dates from that era, with dark corridors and a mysterious smoke odour that couldn’t be identified. One the other hand, there’s plenty of closet space, in-room fridge, satellite TV and wallpaper with weird swirly flower patterns. Paranoids will appreciate the well-guarded downtown location right next to the president’s office. Q103 rooms (45 singles US$ 55-69, 56 doubles US$67-122, 2 triples US$175). HJALK Planeta (Планета) G-2, Prospekt Pobediteley 31 (Победителей 31), tel. 203 85 87/ 226 78 53, fax 226 77 80, booking@hotelpaneta.by, www.hotelplaneta. by. They seem to have Minsk confused with the Mediterranean. Maybe it’s the view of the river? The entrance is very grand Greek style, while the recently renovated rooms seem to have been attacked by a flock of flouncy Italians with a bottomless account at Mama’s Furniture Emporium. Renovation is on-going, leading to a baffling array of quality levels. A few rooms remain that ensure that this hotel can’t quite manage four-star status, but most are easily above the advertised three-star standard. Other features include a Swedish business centre, Hertz rental office and a 1994 letter from the then President Bill Clinton saying ‘gosh it was nice, and thanks for having me’. Q311 rooms (101 singles US$65-90, 84 doubles US$82-96, 39 suitesUS$120-150, 6 apartments US$180-620). OHALKD U Fontana (У фонтана) H-2, Amuratorskaya 4 (Амураторская 4), tel. 203 09 58/ 203 58 18, fax 203 14 74, email@ufontana.com, www.ufontana.com. At last, a healthy refuge in this vodka and potato pancake culture. Opened in 2005, this tiny hotel attached to a fitness centre is perfect for aerobics bunnies and muscle-heads. It even has its own ‘sports restaurant’. That said, even a slob with a beer gut or an In Your Pocket editor is welcome here, and will definitely appreciate the sparkling, high-quality rooms, relatively central location and spa bath. Q18 rooms (7 singles US$60, 9 doubles US$82-102, 2 suites US$150-262). FKDC Orbita (Орбита) H-1, Pushkina 39 (Пушкина 39), MPushkinskaya (Пушкинская), tel. 252 39 33/ 257 14 20, reservation@orbita-hotel.com, www.orbita-hotel. com. Come here to meet George Jetson, rub shoulder pads with jet-setting rock stars and crime lords, or bump into miscellaneous space cadet types who can’t get over what the future was supposed to look like in 1962. It’s a bit trippy and will require a trip on the efficient metro to get to, but it offers a range of rooms from fair-value, clean and tidy basic business rooms to the most expensive hotel room in the country with its own gym and sauna. There’s also a sauna and conference facilities for up to 50 persons, humanoids, droids, cosmic princesses or whatever. Q200 rooms (41 singles US$76-91, 140 doublesUS$85-137, 24 suitesUS$190-200, 2 apartmentsUS$500). OHALKC Yubileynaya (Юбилейная) B-1, Pobediteley 19 www.inyourpocket.com/ clickandbuy (Победителей 19), tel. 226 90 24, fax 226 91 71, info@ hotelyubileiny.by, www.hotelyubileiny.by. The décor in the rooms of this hotel seems to have been designed to encourage sleep. Basic rooms have lots of brown, beige and … oh, excuse me, I just yawned … grey. The ‘posh’ rooms have a splash of mint green here and there to stop guests dying of visual boredom. But while it’s a bit dreary, everything is comfortable and the hotel comes with a good range of services. It’s a good compromise between not-very-central location and not-veryexpensive price, and the ideal place for accountants. Tattoos and other ‘professional’ services available in the lobby. Q 230 rooms (119 singles US$59-92, 83 doubles US$79-118, 19 suites US$153-243). OJHALK July 2008 - July 2009 1 wHere to stAy Low budget Sputnik (Спутник) J-2, Brilevskaya 2 (Брилевская 2), tel. 220 36 19. Once again our plot to see the rooms at Sputnik was foiled - this time by a receptionist who became completely flustered when a guest needed, of all things, to pay by credit card. Judging by the lobby though, some remodelling may have been done in the last five years, and the place seems to be popular with budget tourists from Russia. Q162 rooms (singles US$ 66 - 128, doublesUS$ 94- 125, suite rooms US$160). AD said, the ladies who work at reception are friendly enough, and the scent of cooking noodles (the cleaning ladies’ lunch) wafts through the corridors, covering the otherwise musty smell. Rooms are basic and worn, with each two sharing shower/WC. The more expensive ‘pol-lux’ rooms are defined by having a TV, phone and some kind of fridge-like apparatus. Q 44 rooms (singles US$80, doubles US$130, lux US$160). No breakfast. K Zvezda (Звезда) not on the map-close to J-1, Gazety Turist (Турист) J-6, Par tizansky Prospekt 81 (Партизанский проспект 81), MPar tizanskaya (Партизанская), tel. 295 40 31/ 295 40 05, office@ hotel-tourist.by, www.hotel-tourist.by. Tourist is your typical, large-scale Minsk hotel where Al Bundy look-alikes in cheap suits follow you around and bark at you when you turn down the wrong corridor. Still, the ladies at reception are friendly enough, and the quick metro ride (4 stops) to the centre makes this one of the best deals in town. The lobby has currency exchange and a buffet. If you get thirsty, try the bar in the second floor casino rather than the over-priced restaurant, which is usually booked by a drunken wedding party anyway. Q306 rooms (157 singles US$32 - 53, 106 doubles US$43 - 85, triples US$51 - 68, 43 suites US$, 1 apartment US$). OAK Pravda 47 (Газеты Правда 47), tel. 272 85 42/ 270 74 85. Zvezda is a bit far from things, on the southwestern edge of the city, and the building looks like it was plucked right out of downtown Mogadishu. But the rooms here are clean and well maintained, and guests can use a spa bath, sauna, solarium and massage. Apparently there’s some kind of privatisation going on too - small dental clinics now crowd the lower floors. Management claim to have 146 beds available, which we’re guessing means there are around 70 rooms. Q100 rooms (43 singles US$20, 64 doubles US$40, 1 triple US$78). Singles, doubles US$20 - 70, 3 lux rooms US$70-100. No breakfast. HAD Apartment rental Short term apartment rental can be a hell of a lot cheaper than springing for a hotel, especially for longer stays. This option comes with its own risks though - a lot of the agents out there will happily take your money just to put you in touch with an apartment owner, who charges his own fee. Also, make sure the agency can get you that all-important visa registation stamp - usually provided by hotels. Dirt cheap Zhelon (Желонь) (Желонь) H-1, Odoyevskovo 52 (Одоевского 52), MPushkinskaya (Пушкинская), tel. 252 94 27, fax 252 04 59. The Agriculture Ministry’s dormitory is in an out-of-the-way area that’s next to the Bavaria restaurant, some dogs and not much else. That Private Apartments www.belarusapartment.com. Several apartments of different standards in Minsk and other major Belarus cities. Get In Your Pocket before you go The full In Your Pocket range is available to purchase online at: www.inyourpocket.com/clickandbuy Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps TIRANA 2006 - 2007 WARSAW August - September 2006 PRAGUE August - September 2006 BERLIN August - September 2006 TALLINN April - May 2006 Going to the chapel Shopping fever Tirana’s first malls Karlštejn’s renovated jewel Wilanów Facade art N°4 - 400 lek www.inyourpocket.com Explore the Polish Versailles Let’s rock Visiting the Bohemian Paradise Museum night 100 museums in one night N°23 - €1.75 www.inyourpocket.com Touring Narva Painting the city pink N°34 - 5zł (w tym 7% VAT) www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1641-5264 Out of town Cool sights at the EU‘s eastern border Poland‘s top spa town: Nałęczów N°34 - 100 Kč www.inyourpocket.com Floating the boat Spree river tours N°47 - 35kr www.inyourpocket.com IYP gets a new look The inside scoop on the new look inside Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps BUCHAREST April - May 2006 BELFAST August - September 2006 RIGA April - May 2006 COLOGNE June - July 2006 HAMBURG June - July 2006 KRAKÓW August - September 2006 Football events Win or lose, this is where to party River tours A New Look We‘ve never looked better: In Your Pocket gets a makeover Wine and dine on the Rhine Blogging Bucharest The Great Outdoors Our guide to the best politically incorrect comment online Cycling, skydiving and country pursuits Gastro Tourism Seafood, whiskey and St. George’s Market Hockey Fever Harbour tours Down in the docks Everything you need to know about IIHF World Championship in Riga Tarnów Football events Win or lose, this is where to party N°41 - 5zł (w tym 7% VAT) www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1508-2334 Explore the Pearl of the Renaissance Explore Latvia N°40 - 8.00 lei www.inyourpocket.com N°60 - 1.20Ls www.inyourpocket.com Leisure Take a day trip to the seaside towns of Jūrmala and Liepāja Getting active in Kraków N°7 - Free copy www.inyourpocket.com N°1 Complimentary copy www.inyourpocket.com N°1 Complimentary copy www.inyourpocket.com Minsk In Your Pocket restAurAnts Eating out in Minsk is no longer the outright horror that it once was. There now seems to be two kinds of restaurants: those that get it, and those that don’t. Generally the newer restaurants are the ones to go for, as they understand that a combination of a fun atmosphere, good food and friendly service is the ticket to success in the tucker industry. Shabby old dumps, however, still persist in offering mediocre food and surly service among what are rapidly becoming novelty Soviet surroundings. Such places are almost worth it for a laugh.Be aware that pretty much all restaurants list garnishes (such as chips, vegetables, rice, little blobs of butter to go on your bread and so on) as separate items, and the cost of these can quickly add up. Also be aware of entertainment. It’s generally excruciatingly awful and can turn dinner into torture. Eat early, say before 20:00, to avoid the acts. Oh - and whatever you do, don’t drink locally produced soft drinks. They will make you explode from both ends. 15 Symbol key P Air conditioning E Live music T Child friendly G Non-smoking X Smoking place I Fireplace A Credit cards accepted S Take away U Facilities for the disabled W Wireless Internet access B Outside seating J Old town location Saigon (Сайгон) H-4, Voiskovoy 12 (Войсковой 12), tel. American Rock House Café (Рок Хаус Кафе) C-1, Nemiga 12 (Немига 12), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 200 45 68/ 686 42 10, rockhousecafe@tut.by. An American diner style place with a little sushi bat tucked away to one side. The menu will be pleasing to many foreigners with burgers, grilled meats, and some Mexican dishes. Rock, jazz and other ‘old but good’ music fires up around 21:00, at which time you’ll have to pay an entry fee. Bright furniture, friendly staff, and good times. You might even meet a Russki Fonzie. QOpen 08:00 - 06:00. JA 286 00 39. A brick cellar that, with the exception of a few sticks of bamboo and some goldfish, isn’t Vietnamese at all. There are some noodly things in the menu but they’re mixed up with local Belarusian cuisine and Jewish dishes. Say hello to the wooden elephant with broken tusks. The menu isn’t in English, and the staff struggle with translations, so it’s best kept as an option for a night out with local friends. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00. Uzbekiston(Узбекистон) C-3, Yanki Kupaly 17 (Я. Купалы 17), MOktyabrskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 227 73 14. One of the accidental benefits of slapping together the USSR was that fantastic cuisine from places like Uzbekistan got imported to places like Belarus. Expect touches of exotic, Central Asian ambience along with some pretty tasty food. The belly dancing might not be authentically Uzbek, but it’s still cheaper than watching go-go dancers at a club. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. JAE Vrata Drakona (Врата Дракона) G-4, Kuibysheva 35 (Куйбьшева), tel. 288 25 74/284 91 52. The ‘Dragon’s Gate’ is the best Chinese restaurant in town. That’s not saying much, but really, it’s quite good. A real Chinese chef whips up all manner of tasty treats and they are served in a gorgeous dining room. Lots of red and gold, tasselled lamps and, if you suddenly feel the desire to have a Japanese tea ceremony in a Chinese restaurant, a separate little tea room. QOpen 13:00 - 24:00. AK Saloon (Салун) В-1, Pobediteley 21 (Победителей 21), tel. 203 89 68, www.saloon.by. Incongruously situated on the ground floor of the imposing Trade Union Headquarters with its giant hammer and sickle symbol, Saloon is actually a good place for a bite should you happen to be passing. It overdoes the American theme a bit with dishes like ‘Veal in Cowboy Style’ and ‘Montana Salad’, but the food is good value for money, and there are live blues and rock bands at weekends. QOpen , Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun 12:00 - 24:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00. PAEBX A taste of the past Bomond (Бомонд ) C-2, Engelsa 12 (Энгельса 12), MKupalovskaya (Купаловская), tel. 227 58 94. Just a short march from the president’s palace and a real trip back into Soviet times. Push past the big carved wooden doors to enter the gloomy babushka-decorated box with stained glass windows, carefully laid tablecloths and no menus or service in English. The girl who didn’t serve us was, however, very friendly about being so useless. Worth popping in only for a glimpse of the past. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. JPK T GI F ( Ф р а й д и с ) C - 2 , N e z a v i s i m o s t i 2 2 (Независимости 22), MKupalovskaya (Купаловская), tel. 227 23 31. Silly hats, klaxons, loud shirts and all the other nonsense that those who know this American chain will have come to expect. The formula is unchanged here with decent food such as burgers, chicken wings, steaks and ribs, although not served in left-pondian proportions. Worth it for the New York cheesecake alone. A good choice if you want to play it safe and go somewhere where you know exactly what you’re going to get. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. JABX Asian Jomolungma (Джомолунгма) G-4, Gikalo 7 (Гикало 17), MYakuba Kolasa (Якуба Коласа), tel. 280 53 88, www.jomalungma.by. Just the kind of Asian restaurant Minsk has been waiting for, Jomolungma is a well-orchestrated affair set in a cheerful room of explosive colours. The outstanding food is mainly Tibetan, with a few Nepalese, Indian and Thai choices thrown in. Hot towels precede your meal, and tea comes in a tiny pot set on a wooden platform. Then management ruin the experience by playing a synthesised rendition of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, just to remind you that you’re still in Minsk. QOpen 12:00 - 05:00. PAEBK Belarusian Graffin (Графин) G-4, Kulman 11 (Кульман 11), tel. 289 55 55. Something akin to being inside Willy Wonka’s brain. But a little less sweet. The furniture has been fashioned from oversized fruit loops and the scraps from the bargain basement of a Bedouin blanket stall, and it’s all nuttier than a Cadbury Picnic bar. We wouldn’t be surprised if the waitstaff turned out to be Oompah-Loompahs riding on midget camels, but didn’t stick around long enough to find out. They allegedly offer food that is European and Belarusian. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. PGKX www.inyourpocket.com July 2008 - July 2009 1 restAurAnts Minsk (Минск) D-1, Nezavisimosti 11 (Hotel Minsk, ground floor), MPloshchad Nezavisimosti (Площадь Независимости), tel. 209 90 42. Worth visiting if only for a peek at the Soviet grandeur of cubical columns and spaceship-shaped chandeliers. Or for the view of the wonderful Central Post and Telegraph Office. Or for the breakfast buffet (33,000BYR). Or for the crockery. Or for, um, the atmosphere. Or, oh dear, we’re out of space. QOpen 07:30 - 23:00. JAK Traktir na Parkovoy(Трактир на Парковой) B-1, Pan Khmeliu (Пан Хмелю) C-2, Internatsionalnaya 11(Интернациональная 11), tel. 226 78 74. A trip to Pan Khmeliu is like a time warp back to the 80s, the last time the place was remodelled and the last time the waiter changed his shirt. Still, this is a popular place to come for huge portions of excellent pan-Slavic food and all the live entertainment you can stand. Crowds keep it roaring until late into the night, though it may close before the stated 04:00 if the last customer passes out earlier. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. PJAK Prospekt Pobediteley 11(Победителей 11), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 203 69 91/ 203 82 51. It’s supposed to look like ‘grandmother’s place in the country’, which might explain the live rooster running around the yard or, at a stretch, the aquarium full of carp. But it doesn’t really account for the screaming Gypsy band on stage, or the group of German tourists smiling politely and pretending to have a good time. If you want to sample the pelmeni, shashlyk and Belarusian national food served here, we suggest avoiding the 20:00 - 23:00 time slot when either the Gypsies or a Belarusian duet are inflicting brain damage on the customers. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. JABK U Franciska (У Франциска) C-2, Nezavisimosti 19 Rakovsky Brovar (Раковский бровар) В-2, Viteb- skaya 10 (Витебская 10), tel. 328 64 04. This charming if unremarkable-looking restaurant is also Minsk’s best microbrewery. It produces four brews on the premises, such as Grashovoe (11%), Pilzenskoe (13%), and the highly-recommended dark Staravilenskoe (13%). The food is standard Belarusian grub, but it somehow tastes great on a warm summer evening. A lovely place for a relaxed meal. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. PALEBX (Независимости 19), tel. 222 48 02. If you’ve been looking for the biggest tourist trap in Minsk, you’ve found it! It’s not that there’s anything wrong with this place - it’s a cosy cellar restaurant with folksy décor and, it has to be said, good food. Just be prepared to pay high prices and expect to be changed extra for everything (sauce, rice, etc). A tacky, plastic-encased menu holds colour photocopies of each dish. The deruny (thick, potato pancakes) were excellent. If you’re an alcoholic, you can order a ‘metre of vodka’, though it’s presumably for more than one drinker. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. JAIEK Buffet express Krinitsa Ekspress (Криница Экспресс) C-2, Nezavisimosti 18 (Независимости 18), MOktyabrskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 227 16 08. Perfect for anyone with an iron stomach and a nearly empty wallet, this downtown cafeteria serves all the grizzly local favourites. Try the fish in jelly. Go on, we dare you. Cheap beer served upstairs. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. JA 49, к. 1), MYakuba Kolasa (Якуба Коласа), tel. 284 82 08/ 284 82 64, info@lido.by, www.lido.by. Minsk truly needed a place like Lido. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this successful Latvian chain, Lido’s philosophy is to serve an absolutely enormous selection of foods - pizza, pork chops, ice-cream, you name it - all in a fun, folksy cafeteria set-up, and all for a bargain price. A staff equalling the population of Riga buzz around the dining room ready to whisk away your plate the instant the last morsel of food goes into your mouth. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. B Talaka Straunya (Талака Страуня) С-1, Rakovs- kaya 18 (Раковская 18)/ 203 27 94. An eclectic cellar restaurant with a hunting theme (stuffed bunny rabbits are among its décor victims), Straunya Talaka is one to seek out for its scrumptious food and unusual atmosphere. Tables are made from old beds, carriages and the like, and what’s served on them is mostly potato snacks and skewered meats. A bit pricier than elsewhere. Reservations are a good idea since this small place tends to get booked up. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00. PA Lido (Лидо) G-4, Nezavisimosti 49, kor 1 (Независимости Expat avenue Il Patio (IL Патио) C-2, Nezavisimosti 22 (Независимости 22), MKupalovskaya (Купаловская), tel. 227 17 91. You really can’t go wrong here - central location, friendly prices, efficient service, cosy brick décor ... what more could you ask? Formerly ‘Patio Pizza’, this popular restaurant and meeting place still serves some of the best pizza in town, though as the new name suggests they have plenty of other Italian dishes too. It also has some of the freshest, best-tasting salads in Minsk. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. JA Maxi Bis (Макси Бис ) C-2, Prospekt Pobediteley1 Pechki Lavochki (Печки-лавочки) C -2, (пр. Победителей 1), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 206 45 53. ‘Bis’ as in ‘bistro’ but they were too busy to finish the word. That says a lot about this small, popular, fast-paced eatery where sandwiches, draniki (potato pancakes) and meatballs are hastily scoffed down by loud groups of students and other rouble-strapped types while swigging cheap beer out of plastic glasses.QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. JBS Nezavisimosti 22 (Независимости 22), MKup alovskaya(Купаловская), tel. 227 78 79, www. belrosinter.com. A bit barnyard and cottage, but really rather nice, especially if you get a seat by the window where you can enjoy the view as much as the tasty food. Expect plenty of tasty soups, juicy grilled meats and other hearty Czech and Slavic style meals. They also have what they call ‘beer rooms’, where you are welcome to quaff Czech beer and be noisy without upsetting anyone. Recommended. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. JAEK Bulgarian Gabr ovo (Габрово) F-5, Nezavisimosti 81 (Независимости), tel. 287 30 53/ 287 30 54. Although Gabrovo claims to be Bulgarian, the menu is really just a generic East European mishmash of mayonnaise-drenched salads and fatty cutlets. Still, the portions are generous, the prices reasonable, and the atmosphere has a tacky sort of charm about it, with lots of starchy table clothes and plastic vines wrapped around the rafters. A few years ago this would have been considered classy. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. Minsk In Your Pocket restAurAnts Caucasian Verba (Верба) F-3, Kropotkina 51 (Кропоткина 51), tel. 234 34 67, fax 234 69 95. A favourite place to come for shashlyk, that tasty, shish-kebab-like dish that originated in the mountains of the Caucasus (think Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan) and became a culinary hit all over the USSR. Tiny, cosy and well worth a visit. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. A 1 Upmarket Europa restaurant (ресторан г-цы “Европа”) С2, Internatsionalnaya 28 (Интернациональная 28), MOktyabraskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 229 84 31. Classy in a stilted, stifling sort of way. Europa tries just a little too hard to be elegant and sophisticated (we grimaced while watching a waitress struggle with one hand to open a plastic bottle of water balanced on a silver tray). Concentrate on the excellent food instead, such as the fried camembert with sesame and raspberry sauce, or the kebab with tiger prawns. The a la carte menu is pricey, but there is a much cheaper, if very limited, set lunch option. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. PJA Fast Food Byblos (Библос) C-2, Internatsionalnaya 21 (Интернациональная 21), MOktyabrskaya(Октярь ская), tel. 289 12 18, solimart@bn.by, www.byblos. by. A bright, busy, noisy Lebanese kebab house where you can fill your belly without emptying your wallet. Along with the kebab and salad plates you can get a decently priced chicken shawarma plate with chips and chichtawook (chicken legs), among many other goodies. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. JA Falcone (Фальконе) С1, Korolya 9 (Короля 9), McDonald’s (Мак Дональдс) C-2, Nezavisi- mosti 23 (Независимости 23), MOktyabraskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 217 65 28. The local McMecca for spotty youth on weekend evenings. The outisde tables are a good spot to watch the world go by. Also at Surganova 63 (Сурганова 63), tel. 217 55 50, open 08:00 - 24:00. Dzerzhinskogo 96 (Дзержинского 96), tel. 217 63 50, open 07:00 - 24:00. Nemiga 12 (Немига 12), tel. 217 84 71, open 08:00 - 24:00. Pritickogo 28 (Притыцкого 28), tel. 210 20 05, open 07:00 - 24:00. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 07:00 - 24:00. JB tel. 377 77 76, fax 200 29 99, info@falcone.by. When we asked why there were two formidable-looking security guards patrolling the entrance, we were cryptically informed: “To protect our guests.” Falcone is a seriously lavish Italian restaurant for people with serious amounts of roubles to burn. But although the food is impressive, it’s hard not to be bothered by the sheer ostentatiousness of the place, surrounded as it is by crumbling old Krushosvski on a drab residential street. A taste of the Minsk to come. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. PTALBW Juravinka (Журавинка) B-2, Yanki Kupaly 25 (Я. Купалы 25), tel. 328 68 86, www.juravinka.by. For overblown formality, Belarusian style, the grand restaurant in the Juravinka business complex takes the prize. That’s not to say you won’t have a quality experience here - topnotch chefs, silly dance numbers and all. They probably even have doctors standing by when they give you the bill. (If they don’t, they should.) But you don’t have to spend through the nose to have a good time here. You can throw a few gutter balls in the bowling club downstairs, or try the more affordable dining in the Lasunak café (also a decent drinking place), which has picture-perfect riverside seating when the weather is warm. QOpen 19:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 19:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon. JAEBK Rostok (Росток) D-1, Leningradskaya 7 (Ленинградская 7), M Ploshchad Nezavisimosti(Площадь Независимости), tel. 206 62 63. It’s the one on the corner with the portly moon-faced cartoon man holding a knife and fork. You won’t get a knife or fork inside, however, as it’s a fast-food, eat-with-your-hands kind of joint. For those who have just arrived at the train station weary and hungry it’s a great place to top-up without having to worry about language difficulties, weird foods or waiting. There’s a point-to-order menu, the young staff generally speak English, and everything is clean, efficient, cheap and as-expected of this kind of place. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. J Renaissance (Ренессанс) C-2, Pl. Svobody 23 French La Crête d’or (Золотой гребешок) C-2, Lenin 3 (Ленина 3), MOktyabrskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 227 32 04. The name suggests it is the highest cock, but somehow that sounds a bit too coarse for this fine and refined restaurant. Expect softly spoken men in black roll-neck skivvies perusing a menu that is too good to be translated into English (you’ll have to read it in Russian or French, darling). Both kitchen and waitstaff are internationally trained, the environment is exquisite and the prices are not as stratospherically high as one might expect. A perfect choice for a quality evening. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. PJAX (пл. свободы 23), MOktyabrskaya(Октябрьская), tel. 227 09 91. If Bill Gates and Al Capone wanted to do lunch in Minsk, this is where it would happen. Built in a former monastery print shop, Renaissance is a haven of beautiful columns, soft lighting and carpets, all working to create a level of opulence that will drive many of you into fits of nervous laughter. Specialities like filet mignon in cherry sauce and lamb with cognac sauce are served to the sound of tinkling piano music. Guests can also escape to the billiards room or sink into a leather sofa in the cigar room. For the same experience without such a heavy financial impact, come for the business lunch, served weekdays 12:00 - 17:00. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. JAEGB Seventh Heaven (Седьмое небо) D-1, Nezavisi- Fun & Funky Beatles Café (Битлз кафе) G-1, Timiryazova 65(ул. Тимирязева 65), tel. 209 01 48, www.beatlescafe.by. All you need is love and maybe a taxi as the Beatles Café isn’t quite in the centre. It’s a typical café-bar and probably not worth a visit unless you’re a true fan. Still, it does have a respectable number of oversized Beatles photos and framed album covers. The menu claims to offer the favourite dish of each of the Fab Four. It could do for a surreal night out. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. AK mosti 11 (Hotel Minsk, top floor) (Независимости 11), tel. 209 90 38/ 209 90 87. It is believed by many cultures that seventh heaven is a place where you can meet God. We came along and looked around but didn’t see him. Or her. Or it. Or whatever. But you can see the pretty red church if you look out the window. It’s really a dinner and dance kind of place that’s not the most happening venue but it’s a bit romantic. If the couple we saw snog-dancing were anything to go by, they must serve aphrodisiacs. QOpen 18:00 - 04:00. JPEK July 2008 - July 2009 1 restAurAnts James (Джеймс) F-4, Surganova 58 (Сурганова 58), tel. 290 28 88, restaurant@james.by, www.james.by. That’s James as in James Bond, and luckily you won’t need top-secret clearance to get in. This slick restaurant-bar is decorated with neon light bars and oversized photos of the various Bonds. It’s probably best to come in the evening to mingle with the cool, night-time crowd at the bar. Here you can whisper playful innuendos while sipping (as if you coudn’t guess) a vodka martini, shaken, not stirred. Meals for budget Bonds available till 16:00. QOpen 09:00 - 01:00. PAKS Grunwald Café (Грунвальд кафе) C-2, Karla Marksa 19 (Карла Маркса 19), MOktyabrskaya/Kupalovskaya, tel. 210 42 55. A half-hearted attempt to cash in on the greatest battle of Europe (aka Tannenberg, Žalgiris and “Mel Gibson’s gonna make a film about it one day”). The food is a bit pricey and the atmosphere is nothing special, so other than the suit of armour by the door and some photos of modern-day nutters pretending to be medieval, it actually lacks any outstanding appeal. Outdoor seating on a relatively quiet street is a bonus in summer. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. PJK Gurman (Гурман) B-3, Kommunisticheskaya 7 (Коммунистическая 7), tel. 290 67 74. The ‘Gourmet’ name is a perhaps a bit of an overstatement but we can happily overlook such hyperbole. Gurman is one of the nicest places in Minsk and would snugly fit into any Western capital. The food is good, if not exacly haute cuisine, and includes Indian, Italian, local, and some tickety-boo breakfasts (although they ran out of ‘toasts’ when we visited at 11:00 one morning). It’s casual, friendly and delightfully easy-going, and just the sort of place you’d regularly hang out at if it were in your neighbourhood. Menus and staff babblings are available in a sort-of-English. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. JAEB London (Лондон) C-2, Nezavisimosti 18 (Незави- симости 18), MKupalovskaya (Купаловская), tel. 289 15 29. Once you see past the mountains of London souvenirs at this cheerful little café, you’ll notice it has two narrow levels, it’s decorated with red paint, and it has a spiral staircase at the back - just like those famous double-decker buses in Hong Kong! (er, and London). Drop in for a quick cup of coffee from Guatemala or head upstairs to louge out. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. JBW German Bavaria (Бавария) H-1, Odoevskovo 50 (Одоевского 50), tel. 251 21 00/ 205 03 77. It might be easier to fly to Germany than to trek out to this weird part of town. Still, the food at Bavaria comes recommended, and the barman only wears his lederhosen for the promotional photos. Mains like Schweine Fleisch fall into the US$20 - 25 range, and are prepared by a German-trained chef. An over-40 crowd shuffles in Thurs-Sat to hear the electronic keyboard ensemble. QOpen 12:00 - 23:30. AE Golden Age (Золотой век) D-2, Kirova 8/3 (Кирова 8/3), tel. 227 03 33. The décor here is a bit kitsch but never mind. The food is the highlight along with a pleasant location. It’s as if the chef has taken some cues from French cooking, thought ‘well, that’s not going to fill anyone up’, and so resorted to the typical Slavic habit of making everything big and hearty. There’s also a decent wine list. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00. J Westfalia (Вестфалия) not on the map, Gazety Pravda 11(Газеты Правда 11), tel. 270 57 27/ 270 39 94, www.westfalia.by. A perfect escape from the overbearing atmosphere - and fatty dishes - found elsewhere in the city, the restaurant attached to the IBB hotel/conference centre offers excellent, fresh food, a soft, modern interior and an overall unpretentious dining experience. The German chef cooks up a variety of both German and European fare. Try the Zurich veal or the speciality, pike perch Papillote style. Live jazz is performed here on Friday evenings; instrumental music is featured Saturdays and Sundays. Also note that the breakfast buffet here may be the best in town. QOpen 07:30 - 23:00. TA Panorama (Панорама) A-1, Starozhevskaya 15 (top of hotel Belarus) (Сторожевская 15), tel. 209 76 99. The iconic Hotel Belarus is a record setter in so many ways - it has the city’s ugliest bathroom tiles, sleaziest nightclub and best panoramic view. To take full advantage of this last gift, visit the hotel’s top floor restaurant, where European cuisine is served up by the friendly staff. Surprisingly, the prices here aren’t much different than the city average, with meals costing about US$15. Still, you’ll probably want to reserve a table and plan to visit before the ‘ensemble’ cranks up. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 04:00. PAEK Upteka (Аптека) С-2, Internatsionalnaya 9 (Интер- International Gostiny Dvor (Гостиный Двор) D-1, Sovetskaya 17 (Советская 17), MPloshchad Nezavisimosti (Площадь Независимости), tel. 206 64 17/ 206 64 27. A swish swashbuckler of a cellar restaurant that offers a sense of ancient regalia, a medieval mural and a beautifully decorated dining room. Food is top-notch and oft-scoffed by diplomats and those celebrating weddings, anniversaries, the acquisition of a new mistress and so on. There’s a knight in armour near the door who stands very still but we suspect might spring to life if any ruffians or people wearing sports shoes try to get in. Live performers keep everyone amused on weekend evenings, and if you stand by the window around the corner outside, you can see the performers changing into their costumes. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. PJAK национальная 9), tel. 203 11 27. Upteka claims to be only the second restaurant in the world on a medical theme. With a model skeleton, oxygen tank and various other medical paraphernalia scattered about the place, they’ve certainly gone out on a limb. But Upteka is also one of Minsk’s trendiest new bars, with a young, laidback crowd, and a perpetual play-list of groovy downloads. It has a roomy, airy feel in which to enjoy a drink or decent meal. We were impressed by the rabbit in chocolate sauce and Cyrillic eye-test in the lavatory. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. JAX U Ratushi (У Ратуши) C-2, Gertsena 1 (Герцена www.inyourpocket.com/ clickandbuy Minsk In Your Pocket 1), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 226 06 43, www.tifani. by/pub/. Set over three levels, this spacious and pleasant bar/restaurant is an excellent place for a meal after an exhausting day walking around Minsk’s blister-inducingly long streets. The diverse menu is a definite notch above average, and throws everything from chicken masala to Thai stir fry to steak au poivre into the mix. There’s also a good selection of beers, while local bands churn out bland pop tunes and jazz most evenings. It can get very crowded thanks to its broad appeal and location slap bang in the middle of Minsk’s most touristy area. 12:00 - 24:00. PJAEX restAurAnts Vynarnia (Admiral’s vinnii bar (Винный бар у адмирала) B-2, Svobodi 8 (Свободы 8), MOktyabr 1 Pizza Freski (Фрески) C-2, Pl. Svobody 23 (entrance from Internatsionalnaya)(пл.Свободы 23), tel. 227 81 72. There don’t seem to be any frescos in here but there is a bit of a nice arched brick ceiling and cellar feeling, even though Freski is not actually in a cellar. There are also plenty of pizzas, salads and main courses along with a good range of cakes and desserts. If you can find a staff member who speaks English you will be treated to excellent service. The prices are pretty good value too. A safe bet for the unadventurous. QOpen 10:00 - 01:00. JJAS askaya(Октябрьская), tel. 328 53 32. Tumble down the rabbit-hole stairs for an adventure in blunderland. There’s a rubble floor, a forest-like, fairy-tale atmosphere, little wine barrels that have been turned into mushroom style stools and a freaky toy rabbit on one of the walls. Despite the winesuggestive name, the place has a bog-standard menu with everything from simple sandwiches to proper meaty meals. Prices go up after midnight. And the coat-check man turns into a pumpkin. Probably. QOpen 24hrs. J Italian El Pomidoro (Эль Помидоро Кафе) D-1, Kirova 6 (Кирова 6), MPloshchad Nezavisimosti (Площадь Независимости), tel. 226 10 20. The Tomato is a busy restaurant near the train station that’s one step up from fast food. Ask for ‘El menu’ and then order ‘El Pizza’ or ‘El Salad’. It’s hardly spectacular but decent enough to fill an undiscerning hole. Kebabs and breakfast are also served. Expect a 15-20 minute wait during the lunchtime rush. Also at Krasnaya 23, tel. 284 51 86 QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. JAB O l i v o (О л и в о ) G 4 , N e z a v i s i m o s t i 4 6 Parmigiano (Пармиджано) B-1, Masherova 17/1 (Независимости 46), tel. 284 88 41/ 688 29 41. The vast selection of pizzas alone makes Olivo worth a visit. A nice, easygoing restaurant which is one of the best places to eat in this slightly out-the-way location. The food is a fairly standard Belarusian interpretation of Italian food, but the lively atmosphere and fun young crowd make such quibbles seem almost pretentious. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. PX (Машерова 17/1), tel. 288 10 61. The chefs come from that bastion of fine Italian cooking, Moscow. The wine list, probably one of the best in Minsk, has careful selections from all over the world and the staff know their way around it. The menu is vast and offers the full variety of Italian cooking, not just pasta. If your menu is a bit wrinkly, it might be the one that we dribbled on. This is where the local Mafia would dine. It’s a bit pricey, but a very nice restaurant and conveniently located beneath Bronx, the best nightclub and schmoozing venue in town. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. AEK O Sole Mio (О Соле Мио) C2, Svobodi 17 Perfetto (Перфетто) С-1, Romanovskaya Sloboda 1 (Свободы 17), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 203 75 05/ 148 33 03. This cosy and (for Minsk) tastefully decorated little restaurant is a popular place for a romantic night out. The voluminous menu offers few surprises, but the cream of (frozen) spinach soup is pretty good, and the pizzas are passable. Be warned about the fajitas, though: they’re just a pile of sizzling meat served alongside fries. With its plump sofas and quaint fresco of a pipe-playing faun, O Sole Mio is nevertheless a good place to enjoy a relaxing meal over a glass of wine. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. PJXS (Кирова 1), MPloschad Nezavisimosty (Площадь Независимости), tel. 328 61 44. Directly opposite the train station, but not a great option for hungry arrivals because there is no menu in English and the service is appalling. If you must risk it you can point to a picture of a pizza on the wall to place your order. We did notice a strange smell, so be aware that there might be a pot of mould at the far end of the Rainbow. There are better options nearby. QOpen 10.00 - 23.00. J (Романовская Слобода 1), tel. 200 28 99/ 607 99 99. A slick-suited doorman ushers customers into this sortof-stylish, sort-of-tacky restaurant. The pizzas are excellent, although the pasta and salads are poor imitations of what they purport to be, despite being served up on sleek crockery. The service is also extremely good but probably the best reason to come to Perfetto is to see the local posers hard at it. They’re far more entertaining to watch than the two large TV screens beside the bar which show music videos on a non-stop loop. The barman also helps the atmosphere along with his well-rehearsed Cocktail bottle-flipping routine. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. PJAX Rainbow Cafe (Радуга кафе) D-1, Kirova 1 Voglia Matta (Воглия Матта) C-2, Pl. Svobody 17 Te m p o ( Те м п о) F - 5 , N e z a v i s i m o s t i 7 8 (Свободы 17), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 203 87 86, air_grip@anitex.by. The striking futuristic/industrial look of the place makes this one of the bolder interiors in Minsk, although there’s a more refined dining area as well for those of a more conservative disposition. A better-than-average range of pizzas and pastas, together with a location on a bustling downtown street, make this a regular favourite with locals. Great outdoor seating in summer, too, if you don’t mind the traffic fumes. QOpen 12:30 - 04:00. JEBK (Независимости 78), tel. 284 04 92/255 84 83. The name says it all – this is a fast-paced pizza café that’s popular with students from the nearby academy. Small, packed and highly recommended. Also at Pobediteley 89 (Победителей, 89), Lobanka 94 (Лобанка, 94), Marksa 9 (К Маркса, 9), Gromova 20 (Громова, 20), Nezavisimosti 78 (Независимости, 78) QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. BS Zio Pepe G-5, Zolotaya Gorka 14 (Золотая Горка Mexican Kanyon (Каньон) F-5, Tolbukhina 3 (Толбухина 3), tel. 281 62 71. What, you were really expecting decent Mexican food this far into Eastern Europe? Ha, ha, ha, haaa (...cough, choke). The best they do here is some piped in Paula Abdul and a disco ball. Burritos are pricey considering they are about as Mexican as Borsch. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. 14,), tel. 293 72 01/ 276 45 25. Zio Pepe is a popular chain with a cheery atmosphere and reasonable pizzas. Some pasta dishes and tasteless salads are also served. Also at Timiryazeva 46 (Тимирязева,46), tel. 250 38 72, Pobediteley 31 (Победителей, 31), tel. (29) 662 74 83, Nezavisimosti 25 (Независимости 2 5), te l . 2 27 02 9 5 QOpen 1 2: 0 0 - 24: 0 0. ABS July 2008 - July 2009 20 restAurAnts Rounding things up A new custom has recently emerged in cafés, bars and restaurants in which the bill is rounded up to the nearest 1,000 rouble note. Given the multiple digits involved in even the smallest transaction, this is no bad thing. Don’t consider it a tip but rather a minuscule service charge. No one seems to know how or why this new custom came about but it helps keep the wad of notes in your wallet in trim. Ispanski Kutok (Испанский куток) C-1, Nemiga 36 (Немига 36), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 328 48 36. A good menu, a pleasant environment and a good location in a complex that also offers a café and sushi restaurant. Un-Spanish classical performers occasionally turn up to remind you that you’re not actually in Spain. Some of the food serves as a reminder too. You can also order Japanese from the Planet Sushi restaurant in the same venue, or get them to bring up (so to speak) a cake from the café downstairs. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. JAK Sushi Fusion (Фьюжн) В2, Bogdanivicha 6 (Богдановича Minsk seen from a great height. 6), tel. 334 13 52. Yet another new sushi restaurant in sushi-obsessed Minsk. It’s the usual deal but in much nicerthan-usual surroundings. A good range of stir fry dishes at unfashionably reasonable prices is another incentive to eat here. You can delude yourself that you’re eating at a real sushi bar by knocking back the plumb wine or sake. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. PJAXS Middle-Eastern Kasbar (Касбар) E-2, Vokzalnaya 23 (Вокзальная 23), tel. 200 81 55, fax 200 25 91. Kudos to this ‘Syrian’ restaurant for its bubbly atmosphere and colourful, Arabianinspired décor. The menu is heavy on the shashlyk - a staple fallback for any Minsk restaurant with a ‘southern’ or ‘Oriental’ theme. That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with it. The main attraction, though, is the loud bellydancing show that happens in the dining room. You might as well sit back and enjoy it - a small charge has already been added to your bill for ‘entrance’ to the show. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. A Mon Café (Мон Кафе) H-2, Melnikaite 2-4 Serbian Porto Maltese (Порто Мальтезе) H-4, Kozlova 3 (Козлова 3), tel. 288 11 53/ 197 0000, www.portomaltese.ru. Although the management insisted this is a Serbian restaurant, there wasn’t much evidence for it on the menu. No matter, for Porto Maltese is an extremely stylish place with arguably the best fish dishes in town, including a wide selection of fresh fish on ice. It also has an amazing coral reef-style fish tank to complement the marine-themed interior. But there is nothing at all fishy about Porto Maltese. It’s behind a modern art museum so expect a cosmopolitan sort of crowd. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. PAGX (Мельникайте 2-4), MFrundzenskaya (Фрунзенская), tel. 203 99 57. It’s hard to decide whether this is really a café, a sushi bar, a nightclub or none of the above. In any case the open two-floor plan certainly makes it loud and echoey when the DJ starts cranking up the volume. Mainly it’s a hangout for young hipsters and anyone in need of the advertised ‘most affordabel (sic) sushi’. Indeed this is cheaper than elsewhere and a peculiarly pleasant place in an Eastern European sort of way. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 02:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. PABK P i n t a ( П и н т а ) С-2, Komsomolskaya 34 (Комсомольская 34), tel. 210 58 25. Don’t be fooled by the sign for Spanish beer outside, or the fact that inside Pinta looks more like a tavern and is covered from wall to wall with Soviet posters and paraphernalia. We have it on good authority that this is, in fact, a sushi restaurant. No one speaks a word of English but the staff are nonetheless very friendly and will try their best to help. Quirky fun. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. PJ Planeta Sushi (Планета Суши) C-2, Nezavisimosti 18 Spanish / Latin American Casa Agustin Lopez H-4, Zakharova 31(Захарова 31), tel. 233 95 84/ 177 77 55. They’ve packed in all manner of Spanish clichés but fortunately have stopped short of wearing silly costumes or charging like wounded bulls. Food is mildly authentic, reasonably priced and quite pleasing for us gringo types. The menu is in English and has pictures for the linguistically or culinarily challenged. Flamenco and Salsa parties fire up on weekend evenings. QOpen 12:00 - 03:00. PALBX (Независимости 18), tel. 210 56 45, www.planetasushi. by. Clean, bright, modern, stylish and foreigner-friendly. These novel new restaurants can get a bit rowdy when locals swarm in to laugh at each other trying to use chopsticks, but generally a slick and sophisticated atmosphere prevails. Waitresses are dressed up in space-kimonos. The menu is pictographic, so you can choose and point – and there’s more than just sushi. They were setting up outdoor seating on the Independence location during our last visit. One of the most foreigner-friendly outfits in town. Also at Nemiga 36 (Немига 36), tel. 206 48 36, open 12:00 - 24:00. Lenina 3 (Ленина 3), tel. 220 27 37, open 12:00 - 24:00.QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. PJAB Minsk In Your Pocket CAFÉs Banana Café (Банана кафе) B-2, Storozhevskaya 7(Сторожевская 7), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 289 50 79. It’s certainly bent, but more bruised-banana brown than happy-smiley yellow. We don’t know what goes on behind the mirrored VIP door downstairs, but upstairs is a dark café with a litter of wooden cottage-style tables and chairs. Twigs on the ceiling add a rustic fire-hazard charm. It looks like there’s a nice outdoor seating area, but it wasn’t being used when we visited in May. No menus in English, and we don’t know if the staff speak English because they didn’t bother to actually serve us. It’s also one of the few places in Minsk that does water pipes.QOpen 10:00 - 05:00. PABK 21 Moka Lokka (Мока Локка) C-1, Nemiga 36 (Немига 36), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 328 48 36. A bright and fizzy café with pretty young things swilling about the modern interior. There’s tea, coffee and cakes in abundance, and you can also order from the Planet Sushi or Spanish Restaurant in the same building. With Yukos’s Minsk headquarters next door, it’s also a good place to catch up on the very latest gossip from the Russian energy sector. QOpen 08:00 - 02:00. JA My English Granny (Моя английская бабушка) С-2, Mar ska 36 (Маркса 36), MKupalovskaya (Купаловская), tel. 227 22 24/ 227 55 37. Granny’s still got a bit of spunk left in her yet. Just look at this place. Sure, it’s a bit frilly and they serve your food on paper doilies, but somehow the place is kinda cool and groovy. It attracts young hipsters who drink juice and have pillowfights and just seem to feel very comfortable here. Probably because it’s just like Granny’s place. Flick through the packed-with-classics photo-album menu (worth a visit in its own right), pick and partake. A good option for breakfast or just couching around with friends at any time. Good on ya, Grandma! QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. J Café Beze (Безе Кафе) C-2, Nezavisimosti 18 (Независимости 18), MOktyabrskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 328 64 09. Beze bills itself as ‘a gallery of sweet masterpieces’ and that’s a fairly accurate summary of what this nice old-fashioned café is all about. It specialises in all kinds of Austrian desserts including strudels and the like. Inexpensive Belarusian meals are also served in case you feel guilty about not finishing all your vegetables first. QOpen 10:00 - 01:00, Sun 11:00 - 01:00. JAB Coffee Inn C-2, Internatsionalnaya 23 (Интернациональная 23), tel. 227 40 41. The somewhat striking interior can be charming or hallucinogenic depending on your mood. But Coffee Inn does what any half-decent café is supposed to - it serves a good cup of coffee. There’s also a decent selection of cakes on offer and a curiously Russian-like tent extension where you can sit and observe the locals leisurely go about their business. QOpen 10:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 01:00. JA News Cafe (Ньюс Кафе) C-2, Karla Marksa 34 (К. Dom (Дом) C-2, Central House of the Army Officers, Krasnoarmeyskaya 3(Красноармейская 3), MOktyabrskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 768 90 73. A cinema café where they show flicks on a wrinkled projection screen while groovy types scoff sushi, quaff coffee and just giggle and gabble. Might be a cool spot to arrange a meeting with local friends, or find some local friends if you haven’t yet got any. Enter under the gold soviet star. A nice spot of Minsk madness. QOpen 12.00 - 23.00. J Маркса 34), MOktyabrskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 227 78 67. A haven for lazy or homesick foreigners. They’ve got English reading matter, English menus, an English breakfast and free WiFi. All an absolute godsend after a few days in Minsk. Unfortunately the menu isn’t extensive and the food isn’t great. The lunch menu, for example, has Italian style snacks and a few burgers, all more edible than enjoyable. There’s decent coffee, so it’s the ideal place to drop in with your laptop and WiFi-away an hour or two. The modestly trendy interior and reasonable prices attract a young crowd. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 24:00. PJAXW Stary Gorod (Старый город) B-2, Bogdanovicha Ferz Cafe (Ферзь Кафе) B-2, Muzikalnii 1/2 (Музыкальный 1/2), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 226 50 45. The name refers to the Queen in a game of chess and the place is about the size of a chessboard. It’s very much an old-fashioned tea room, but really rather lovely. There are 49 different coffees and about 24 different teas and they’ll happily let you sniff them all before you order. Salads, snacks, booze and milkshakes are also available. Service is pleasant even if they shyly struggle with English. QOpen 10.00 - 23.00. J 19 (Богдановича 19), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 286 05 08. It’s safe to assume that any restaurant set in the town’s recreated ‘Old City’ (as this place is named) has a certain tourist orientation, but Stary Gorod isn’t one to write off. The ‘classics’ of national cuisine arrive at your table on a hot griddle, and most are quite sanely priced considering the location. Dine on the relaxing back terrace in summer, otherwise check out seating in the funky cellar. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. JAB Stary Melnitsa (Старая Мельница ) B-3, Neza- Grip (Грип) C-2, Komsomolskaya 19 (Комсомольская 19), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 328 37 93, air_grip@ anitex.by. There’s a definite Italian-ness to Air Grip - after all, it has the same owners as the Voglia Matta restaurant. The emphasis here, though, is on ice-cream and cakes. A strangely attractive place that attracts a diverse crowd. QOpen 09:00 - 03:00. JAX visimosti 78 (Независимости 78), tel. 284 44 40. A long-time favourite, Old Mill is probably smaller than a real windmill, so inhale before you try to squeeze in here. Then head up the creaky staircase at the back and grab one of the little tables under the stuffed pig. Belarusian bar food is on offer, meaning salads and shashlyk. It’s not worth going out of your way for, but if you happen to be in the area it’s a charming place for a bite.QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. P Stary Mensk (Старый Менск) C-2, Nezavisimosti La Crete d’Or Café (Кофейня Золотой гребешок) С2, Lenina 3 (Ленина 3), tel. 105 05 03. This newlyopened café is right next door to the superb French restaurant of the same name. Don’t expect anything even vaguely resembling a French café, though. La Crête d’Or is a pleasant but rather nondescript little place which does a good cup of coffee and nice selection of gunk-filled pastries and cakes. . QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. JX 14 (Независимости 14), MPloshchad Nezavisimosti (Площадь Независимости), tel. 289 14 00. The size of a tea chest and intricately decorated with all sorts of old coffee tins, mysterious bottles and labels stuck to the tables so you think you’re eating off a well travelled person’s suitcase. It’s all very nice with a groovy elbows-in feeling. There are French press coffees, plenty of teas (including authentic mate) and a few snacks. In summer there’s a quaint bubble-like tent outside. QOpen 09:30 - 23:00. JBX July 2008 - July 2009 22 nigHtliFe There are two defining characteristics of a night out in Minsk: friendliness and strangeness. You’ll encounter both at the same time, in the same place and in ample portions. You’ll also notice an over-abundance of tables and alleged entertainment. Nightclubs and bars seem to want to be cabaret-style restaurants, and vice versa. It’s as if the people of Minsk can’t have a good time if you’re not sitting down. Entrance to nightclubs is often pricier for a ticket that grants you the privilege of sitting down. Mingling, however, is better done at the bar or on the dance floor. Another thing to keep in mind is that Minsk is a sprawling city. You can’t really bounce from one venue to another in the same area - so plan your night before you head out and aim for a specific region. Streets are safe at night. Warm up venues Balls Zhuravinka Bowling Club (Журавинка) B-2, Kupaly 25 (Купалы 25), tel. 328 69 09. Eight lanes that go all ultraviolet in the evening, making for some interesting and illuminating night-time VPL spectacles. If you don’t want to take the skinheads, go on a Friday night and meet an interesting collection of mildly tanked-up expat bowling aficionados and their friends. Zhuravinka bowling is also notable as having the best swivel-chairs in the Former Soviet Union. QOpen 13:00 - 03:00. PJALKX Drozhzhi Irish pub (Дрожжи Ирландский паб) D-1, Sverdlova 2 (Свердлова 2), MPloshchad Bars Galereya Vin (Галерея вин) B-1, Prospekt Pobediteley 23 (Победителей, 23), tel. 226 63 90/ 226 94 35, diakonie@brm.by. Wine Gallery is actually a wine shop, but it has a small bar in the back and a handful of wooden tables where you can enjoy a nice vintage by the glass. A very civilised alternative to the flashy casinos and beer gardens that surround it. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Mon 10.00 - 20.00. J Lenina (Площадь Ленина), tel. 200 54 56. Every Eastern European capital has its ‘genuine’ Irish pub, and in Minsk it’s Drozhzhi. With dark wood booths and a menu offering pigs ears with peas, it may have gone a bit overboard on the Irish pub ambience. But it’s a welcome escape for anyone willing to shell out the extra cost for a Guiness. Live Irish folk music supposedly happens at weekends. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00. JAE mosti 71(Независимости 71), MAkademia Nauk (Академия наук), tel. 292 02 08. It’s supposed to be ‘Copacobana’, but the theme is Spanish-village, not Rio-beach. If you squint really hard, or look at the interior through the bottom of a beer glass, it can actually appear a bit like Spanish mountain cottage, or at least like what a Belarusian imagines a Spanish cottage can look like. But it’s certainly nothing like a beach. Basically it’s a bar with a range of pizzas, various meat dishes and sushi. It’s cheap, often buzzing, and a good, safe and reliable option. No menus in English. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 03:00. NX Kopi Gabana (Копи Габана) G-4, Nezavisi- Korchma (Старовиленская корчма) B-2, Starovilenskaya 2 (Старовиленская 2), tel. 289 37 54. The barman evidently learned customer relations from a Siberian camp guard, but if you manage to look past this small contribution to the overall feel-good spirit of Minsk nightlife, Korchma can be a pleasant place to sip a brew or two. The restored house on the edge of the Old Town is a cosy enough venue. Korchma really comes into its own though in spring and summer when visitors flock here to sit out by the riverbank and enjoy the magnificent view. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. JAEB Skif Café (Скиф Кафе) B-3, Nezavisimosti X-ray (Икс-рей) C-2, Internatsionalnaya 27 (Интернациональная 27), tel. 203 93 55. A fun and funky sixties-style place with retro furniture, smooth and groovy music, half decent food, and a big outdoor deck where people can chill out in summer. We saw a DJ turning up with mixing kit including a reel-to-reel tape player. Like, wow, y’now! Despite trying a bit hard with the retro theme this can be a happening and effervescent kind of place. The bright coloured furniture means you can get away with wearing your I-wanna-look-cool sunglasses at night. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00. JEK 34 (Независимости 34), M Ploschad Pobedi (Площадь Победы), tel. 284 75 41. Opposite the apartment where Lee Harvey Oswald used to live, and adjacent to a children’s park. This delightfully wicked, wacky and ropey little restaurant and bar is a very cool hang-out with a mad medieval theme. There’s rope, wrought iron, sackcloth and wood everywhere, and a jaunty knight in jangly armour watches over it all. The crowd is young and hip and the place is so groovy that no one cares that the food is a bit basic. It’s a great venue for a pre-club snack and chat. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. JA T34 Cocktail Bar (Бар Т34) С-2, Krasnoarmeys- www.inyourpocket.com/ clickandbuy Minsk In Your Pocket kaya 3 (Красноармейская 3), MOktyabrskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 289 13 81/. Downstairs from Dom, T34 is one of the liveliest bars in the city. A young, savvy crowd packs the place out at weekends so get there early if you want a table. The cellar-like interior is themed around tanks (hence the Russian tank model name): the walls are strewn with photos and little plastic models of them. Fortunately, the atmosphere here is one of peace, goodwill and cocktails. A perfect place to start off the evening. QOpen 17:00 - 23:00. JX nigHtliFe Clubs Alcatra z(Алькатраз) C-2, Nezavisimosti 25 (Независимости 25), MOctyabrskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 226 06 45. It’s hidden under the trade union palace - go in the front, turn right and begin your descent into Minsk weirdness. While it has lost some of its popularity as newer clubs have begun to seduce the party prisoners away, this place is still respectable with a good sized dance floor, plenty of seating, and a bunch of little cell-like nooks for… erm, naughty people. Avoid sitting in the electric chair if the girls are making you drool or you’re incontinent. QOpen 12:00 - 06:00. PJALEK 2 Max Show (Макс Шоу) G-5, Nezavisimosti 73 (Независимости 73), MAkademia Nauk (Академия наук), tel. 232 00 38/ 237 38 05. This round, blue and popular club in the Oktyabr Cinema puts particular emphasis on its erotic show programmes - meaning go-go dancers in various states of nakedness take to the stage just about every night. In a surprising display of egalitarianism, it also has a male striptease some nights. Check the schedule ahead of time to see whether it’ll be a Boris or a Natasha flapping their privates in your face. QOpen 22:00 - 06:00. AK Night Star (Найт Стар) D-1, Sverdlova 2 (Свердлова Belaya Vezha (Белая Вежа) B-1, prospect Masherova 17(пр.машерова 17), tel. 284 69 22. All aboard with Captain Sparkle and his gang of cavorting space cadets for a completely kooky adventure in nightclub nonsense and unrefined fun. It’s called the ‘white tower’, it’s a bit space-ship, a bit surreal and one to tell your mates about when you get back to planet normality. As is the case with most places in Minsk, the quality of your night will depend on who turns up, but it’s highly likely that your eyes will go into orbit after a few moments here. QOpen 23.00 - 05.00. The casino is open round the clock (24 hours a day). The restaurant is open from 18:00 - 12:00. PJOLKX 2), tel. 200 11 90. A predictable yet solid nightclub with a big square dance floor flanked by various seating and mingling areas and three bars. It probably has the best dance floorto-seating ratio in town. The upstairs balcony bit is reserved for those who paid extra for VIP treatment. There’s a bit of a dark backstage theme to the place with what looks like set builders’ scaffolding all over the place but, thankfully, no roadies or blokes saying ‘check, one choo’ all the time. Attracts a mixed crowd, up to early 30s it seems, for all-in fun. QOpen 22:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue. AK O v e r t i m e ( О в е р т а й м ) B - 1 , Po b e d i t e l e y 4 Bronx (Бронкс) G-3, prospect Maherova17/1 (en- trance from Chicherina) (Машерова 17/1), tel. 288 10 61/288 29 58, www.bronx.by. This is the swankiest, classiest, shiniest, fanciest place in town. Dress nice if you want to be let in and fit in. Oh - and press the zero button a few extra times when making the withdrawal from the ATM before this night out - once you see what’s on offer you’ll want to make the most of it. A glorious period atmosphere, excellent entertainment and, according to all reports including our own, the most gorgeous gold diggers in town. QOpen 12:00 - 05:00, Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun 12:00 - 02:00. PAK Dankoff Club (Даньков клуб) C-1, Myasnikova 25 (Победителей 4) (Palace of Spor ts), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 203 02 24. A big sports-themed hall with mediocre facilities has somehow managed to become a hip and happening nightspots. Really, there’s no accounting for taste. Most of the floor space is given over to restaurant-style seating, with blue plastic swivelling egg-cups accommodating some of the prettiest bottoms in town. There’s a small tile dance floor with not much in the way of lighting that quickly gets packed. Bar staff keep the crowd amused by juggling and dropping bottles. Wannabe thugs - being a real thug is not allowed in Belarus—keep their ape ambitions alive with an arcade style punching bag in the foyer. Shabby, popular and fun. QOpen 18.00 - 06.00. JAK (Мясникова 25), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 200 24 09. We used to have to rely on musty old dumps to provide the quintessential Minsk wacky factor. Now this shiny and glitzy new venue provides unimaginable silliness in a big tarted-up house. We think it involves a casino, some kind of restaurant and some naughty diversions, but to be honest we’re not sure whether they’re trying to sell outrageous gilded mirrors, children in animal suits, food or girls with no clothes on. If you work it out, let us know. QOpen , Fri, Sat 09:00 - 05:00. Round the clock PJOBKXS R-club (Р-клуб) G-5, Surganova 26 (Сурганова 26), tel. 292 80 71. Formerly the rather sleazy Yula, the renamed R-club is a rather more clubby affair with trance parties, live music and the occasional freak show. God knows what the ‘R’ stands for. Raunchy, raucous, ridiculous - it all depends what night you happen to go there on. It’s certainly lively. QOpen 20:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon. AK Reaktor (Реактор) G-4, Very Khoruzhey 29 (Веры Goodwin (Гудвин) C-2, prospect Nezavisimosti 19 (Независимости 19), MOktyabrskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 226 13 06. A bit of a daggy restaurant by day and early evening, but it slumps into a kind of gritty-groovy nightclub mode after midnight. There’s a small dance floor and stage which quickly becomes packed with mildly inebreiated happy locals with few pretentions and few inhibitions. Get in among them and, provided you don’t have any snobbish tendencies, you’re bound to enjoy the evening. Friendly English-speaking staff are a bonus. QOpen 12:00 - 05.00. JAEK Хоружей 29), tel. 288 61 60/ 286 72 32, www.reaktorclub.com. On with the tinfoil undies and fallout-proof shades! It’s the best nuke-themed disco this side of the exclusion zone. Legend holds that there’s actually a reactor in here somewhere (we don’t recommend looking for it), which gave rise to all the cool, radiation-inspired décor. Don’t worry too much about the dosage though, the pulsing music here will make you sterile first. Reactor is mainly filled with teenagers wearing sunglasses bumping into staff who are far from cuddly. You might even find your very own miss nuclear waist here. QOpen 23:30 - 06:00. LK Madison (Медисон) G-2, Timiryazeva 9 (Тимирязева We s t w o r l d C l u b A - 1 , S t o r o z h e v s k a y a 1 5 a (Сторожовская, 15), tel. 293 17 98/ 222 17 17. Huge, sleazy and good for a laugh, Westworld is the place where apathy and recklessness meet for tequila shots. Locals have dubbed it ‘Shayba’ (‘hockey puck’), a fitting description of this riverside building attached to the hotel Belarus. There’s something for everyone here: girls in miniskirts wiggle around the dance floor while being shot with lasers, foreign men with moustaches stare intently at the prostitutes lingering at the bar while everyone else gets lost in the sheer absurdity of the whole scene. QOpen 13:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon.OAEK 9), tel. 206 19 10, www.madisonclub.by. Say hello to the catfish (and other bottom feeders) on your way in and enter a nightclub with mirrored poles, a glowing dance floor, fancy lighting and occasional sweaty, cheesy shows. They crank out pop in one of the most up-to-date nightclub environments in town, even though the dance floor is too small. Reasonable drink prices, slick young things and one of the better nightclub options in town. QOpen 13:00 - 06:00, Sat, Sun 09.00 - 06.00. Closed Mon. AK July 2008 - July 2009 2 wHAt to see Be prepared to be blown away by some of Minsk’s extravagant buildings. Grandiose Soviet-era architecture, some magnificent cathedrals, and an awe-inspiring sense of space are the essence of the Minsk tableau. Truly historic sights are hard to find - the city was almost flattened during World War II. Visit museums to get a glimpse of the Minsk of old. Old Town А-2, west bank of river, between Bogdanovi- Essential Minsk Stalinist city centre If there’s one defining feature of Minsk, it’s the funky, imposing, Stalin-era architectural ensemble that stretches through the downtown area. To see the best bits, start from the mostly pre-war Independence Square (Ploschad Nezavisimosti) with its Government House (1934), statue of Lenin, and Belarusian State University building. A swanky new multi-level shopping centre is also located beneath the square. Then head down Prospekt Nezavisimosti (formerly Prospekt Fransiska Skoriny) to see some 1940s gems including the Main Post Office (1953) and GUM Department Store (1951). Continue to October Square (Oktyabrskaya Ploschad), where you’ll be dazzled by the Trade Unions Palace of Culture (1954), now home to a nightclub, and the more modern Museum of the Great Patriotic War. Buildings near the train station are equally impressive, particularly the twin ‘City Gates’ (pictured above). cha and Starovilenskaya (между ул. Богдановича и ул. Старовиленская). The more official name of this quaint, ri verside area is Troitskoe Predmesti ye (Trini t y suburb), but mostly it’s referred to as the ‘socalled Old Town’ because it’s not really old and it’s not much of a town. Though the area itself is indeed historic (the site of settlements that go back to the 12th Century) this small collection of cobblestoned streets and buildings you see now is actually a 1980s recreation of the area’s 19th-century look that was unceremoniously obliterated during the war. Still, it’s worth a visit and makes a nice break from the imposing architecture on the opposite side of the river. If you want to see some more authentic, pre-20th-Century houses, duck behind the concrete towers on Nemiga and make your way down Rakovskaya street. J Svisloch river It’s 327km long, it’s polluted, and it flows through Minsk. Beyond those basics though, the Svisloch is the romantic heart of the city and the setting for many a picture postcard. In summer, a stroll along its banks, particulaly near the Old Town or opposite, is almost a legal requirement for starry-eyed couples. In winter, after the dubious ducks flee and the surface freezes, locals poke holes through the ice and pull out God knows what. Island of Tears B-2, On the Svisloch, near Storozhevs- kaya, MNemiga (Немига ). A small footbridge leads from the Old Town to the Island of Tears, a memorial set up in 1988 to commemorate Belarusian soldiers who died in the USSR’s disastrous, 9-year war in Afghanistan (19791988). The centrepiece of the memorial is the chapel, with haunting figures of grieving mothers, sisters and widows at its base. A nearby fountain features the boy-like figure Minsk In Your Pocket wHAt to see of an angel, rigged up to cry teardrops. You may notice (if you happen to be looking) that a certain part of his anatomy is shinier than the rest. This is explained by the Belarusian tradition of newlyweds visiting war memorials on their wedding day, and a modern folk belief that if the bride gropes this poor young lad’s privates, she’ll be guaranteed children. J 25 Cathedral of the Holy Spirit С-2, Kirila i Mefodiya 3 (Кирилла и Мефодия 3). On e of th e m os t instantl y recognisable symbols of Minsk is this magnificent, gleaming, two-towered Or thodox cathedral in the hear t of the downtown area. Built in 1642 to ser ve B er na din e nun s, t h e convent`s consecration was delayed for 40 years because of the Muscovite invasions. In 1741 the original structure was damaged by fire but later reconstructed. The convent was liquidated in 1852 and the building given to the Russian church for use as a monastery - but half a century later it was closed altogether by the Bolsheviks. Today after renovations, the church is an essential stop. J October Square C-2, Oktyabrskaya Square, next to Museum of Great Patriotic War, MOktyabrskaya (Октябрьская). This square was a bit of a marketplace and fairground until the first half of the 19th century, when all the traders, jugglers and people with performing bears got shoved aside to make way for this yawning expanse. The square is the most central in Minsk. A little pyramid of Portuguese granite marks the zero-point from which all measurements are based. Of course, October Square is most well-known for being the scene of celebrations, public events, demonstrations and protests. In the 1950s it was home to a 10m statue of Stalin. In winter, the square can become very pretty when a giant ice-skating rink is set up here. Those with an archaeological disposition may be interested to know that well preserved mammoth skeletons were discovered beneath the square when the Metro system was being excavated. J Victory Square (Ploshad Pobedy) B-3, Crossroads of Nezavisimosti and Zakharava(перекресток ул. Независимости и Захарова), M Ploschad Pobedi (Площадь Победы). A huge, round ‘square’ right in the middle of d own town’s busi es t street, Victory Square is proof that when it came to World War II monuments, nobody ever matched the USSR. The monument, with its star-topped spire and eternal flame, was originally installed in 1954. An underground passage circling its foundation, and an underground ‘Victory Hall’ were added in 1985. Don’t miss the bas-relief on the base of the spire, or the one in the Victory Hall that lists the names of 566 soldiers who were posthumously awarded the Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union. J Gorky Park (Парк Горького) along Nezavisimosti, between Yanki Kupali and Frunze (ул.Независимости). The city’s oldest park is still its most popular green area (except when it’s covered with snow). Visitors stroll around the pathways eating sticky candy and spending their money on carnival rides. The biggest attraction is the enormous Ferris Wheel, with its wisely closed cabins (think of winter) and views of the city. It was installed in 2003, replacing the frighteningly decrepit one that used to stand here. Church of St. Simon and Helena D-1, Sovetskaya 15 (Советская 15), MPloschad Nezavisimosti (Площадь Независимости), tel. 220 44 15. Bet ter k n o wn simpl y as t h e ‘Red Church’, the city’s b e s t-k n o wn Ca t h oli c church was buil t by a n obl e Polish famil y in 1908-1910 up on t h e premature death of their two children, Simeon and Elena. The two smaller towers are named after the children, while the larger one represen ts the grief of the parents. Wh en th e B ol sh eviks c a m e t o p o w e r, t h e church became a cinema then a film studio, and later became a popular meeting place for the opposition in the 1980s. Now once again used for its original purpose, the building with its distinctive red tower is a nice, historic touch near the rapidly developing Independence Square. The bronze statue in front of the church represents Archangel Mikhail giving a nasty dragon a right, good poke with a pointed stick. Mikhail is the saintly protector of Belarus - so behave yourself, lest the pointed stick be pointed at you. J Churches Minsk’s two most famous churches are listed under ‘Essential Minsk’. Readers interested in more churches should check out the ones below: Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul H-1, Rakovskaya 4 (Раковская 4), MNemiga (Немига). Built in 1613, the ‘yellow church’ is the oldest surviving church in Minsk. Though Orthodox, it was looted in 1707 by Peter the Great`s Cossacks. The building was closed by the Bolsheviks at the beginning after the October revolution, reopened by the Nazis, closed again by the Soviets in 1944 and reopened once more in 1992. Maryinsky Cathedral С-2, Svobody 9 (Свободы9). This Roman Catholic cathedral survived all the century’s wars, but in the 1950s its two towers were knocked down and a Stalinist facade thrown over the front. The twin towers have since been restored, with copper domes sparkling more impressively than the Holy Ghost across the road. J St. Aleksander Nevsky’s Church H-4, Kozlova 11 (Козлова 11). A splendid little red brick affair with two golden onion domes. It was built in 1898 to commemorate the victory of the tsar’s armies over the Turks, closed by the Bolsheviks, reopened by the Nazis, then closed by the Soviets. During the war, a bomb crashed through the roof and landed in front of the altar, but did not explode. July 2008 - July 2009 2 wHAt to see Museums Ancient Belarusian Culture Museum G-5, Surganova 1/2 (Сурганова 1/2), tel. 284 27 32/ 284 24 97. Archaeology and ethnology fans will wet themselves at the prospect of seeing the collection of folk garments here, not to mention the remains of an ancient boat dug up a few years ago by a forester from the silt of the river Sozh. Unfortunately for couples and loners, they only accept of groups of 20 or more. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Admission: free. Fire Museum C-5, Gorodskoy Val, 12(Городской Вал,12), tel. 294 61 22. The fascinating history of Minsk’s fire brigade, with tours conducted by grinning firemen. Visits must be booked in advance, and keep in mind that tours are in Russian language only. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Maksim Bogdanovich Literature Museum. First Congress of the Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party Museum B-3, Nezavisimosti 31a (Независимости, 31а), tel. 290 68 47. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Wed. J Maksim Bogdanovich Literature Museum B-2, Great Patriotic War Museum С-2, Nezavisimosti 25a (Независимости 25а), tel. 227 56 11. To truly understand the profound effect World War II had on this nation’s history - and continues to have on the national psyche - a visit to this sombre museum is a must. Elaborate displays on its three floors are captioned only in Russian (no English excursion currently available), but you don’t need a translator to understand the large dioramas of Nazi concentration camps or the disturbing photos of people being hanged in Minsk parks. To round out your visit, be sure to check out the vintage tanks and planes parked behind the building. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Admission: 5,000BYR. J Bogdanovicha 7a (Богдановича 7а), tel. 234 13 57. You won’t exactly have to fight your way through mobs of Maksim Bogdanovich fans trying to get into to this apartment/museum. But then again, you never know. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon and Sundays in summer. J National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus С-2, Lenina 20 (Ленина, 20), MOktyabrskaya Literary History Museum B-2, Bogdanovicha 15 (Богдановича 15), tel. 233 99 32. Belarusian prose, including repressed works from the 1920s and 30s, is the focus of this museum, where school children are herded in by their teachers. If you don’t speak the lingo, you might as well skip this one. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon. J (Октябрьская), tel. 328 68 44/ 227 71 63, www. artmuseum.by. This splendid museum may be lacking in some of Belarus’ most famous artists, such as Marc Chagall and Kazimir Malevich, but there is still plenty to see, including some wonderful pieces by Chagall’s teacher, Yehuda Pen. The gallery is divided into a Russian and Belarusian section, although the latter is easy to miss as it’s tucked away behind a very inconspicuous door. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Tue. Admission: 15,840BYR. Every last Wednesday of the month entrance is free. J National Museum of History and Culture D-2, Karla Jewish Minsk At the beginning of the 20th Century over 50% of the populations of Minsk, Grodno, Mogilev and Vitebsk were Jewish (at the time 98% of Belarusians lived in the countryside). Today, Jews make up just 1% of the national population. Marksa 12 (Карла Маркса 12), tel. 227 43 22. Artefacts from the history of Belarus, from cave-men to Communism, are sprinkled throughout this creaky, stuffy museum. Axeheads, swords, portraits and even a printing press like the one Skoriny used. Naturally, there are no explanatory texts in English. QOpen 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Wed. Admission: 7,000BYR. J Palace of the Republic С-2, Octob er Square Israeli Cultural Centre H - 5, Uralskaya 3 (Уральская 3), tel. 230 18 74, merkaz@open.by. QOpen 11.00 - 17.00. Closed Fri. Jewish Memorial G-2, Zaslavskaya (Заславская). This sculpture representing a group of people descending a slope commemorates some 5,000 Jews from the surrounding ghettos who were led into this pit, shot, and buried - some still alive - in 1942. (Октябрьская), tel. 216 22 44, www.palace.by. A bit stark and strident in appearance but somehow geometrically grand. The ‘palace’ is really a theatre, concert hall and fuction centre, and hosts a variety of performances, symposiums, conferences and so on. It has some pretty whizz-bang techno wizardry inside, including a stage made up of a network of platforms that can be independantly raised or lowered and can change the whole configuration of the place in a couple of minutes. So - even if they can’t book any good acts, they can get the stage to do a little dance all by itself. JLK Synagogue A-3, Kropotkina 22 (Кропоткина 22), tel. 334 22 73. J www.inyourpocket.com Minsk In Your Pocket wHAt to see Oddities National Library not on the map-close to F-6, Nezavisimosti 116, just past Filimonova (Независимости 116), tel. 229 24 94, http://newbuilding.nacbibl.org.by. Some say it looks like a diamond. We say it looks like the Death Star. In either case there’s no denying that the collosal, new home for the National Library on the city outskirts is an example of the Soviet ‘bigger-is-better’ school of architecture. Worse yet, this pet project of Lukashenko’s is partly paid for by money donated ‘voluntarily’ (meaning not voluntarily) by students and school children. When completed, it’ll be big enough to house a whopping 15 million books. The National Library only has 8 million books in its collection, so there should be plenty of space left over for magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, brochures, catalogues - anything that’s made of paper and has writing on it. QOpen 10.00 - 21.00, Sat, Sun 10.00 - 18.00. 2 Animals & Vegetables Central Botanical Gardens F-5, Surganova 2a (Сурганова 2а), tel. 284 14 84. Set up in 1932, this 80-hectare garden belonging to the National Academy of Sciences has thousands more plants than you could ever sneeze at. The gardens are only open to the public from May - Sep. QOpen 10.00 - 19.00. Closed Mon. Minsk State Circus С-3, Nezavisimosti 32 Arguably the oddest-looking national library in the world. Out of Town Kurgan Slavy Memorial Complex (Mount of Glory) 30km north of Minsk, at junction of Moscow and Minsk II highways. This 70m high conical hill topped by a spiky monument was constructed in 1969 to commemorate the spot where four Soviet armies joined up before going on to drive out the Nazis near the end of World War II. Now it’s a popular place to bring kids, who love to climb on the row of old tanks parked at the bottom. (Независимости 32), tel. 226 10 08/ 227 22 45. Check your political correctness at the door and revel in the spectacle of midget acrobats, dubiously trained bears and other leftovers from the 19th Century. The impressive building itself, dating to 1958, shows how much this was a staple of Soviet-era distraction. The circus was being renovated at the time of writing, but will temporarily give performances out of a tent near the National Library every Wed, Fri, Sat and Sun. Tickets can purchased as normal at the Minsk State Circus box office. Q Box office open 09:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 18:00, Summer 10:00 - 20:00. Admission: 10,000 - 20,000BYR. J Museum of Folk Architecture B-2, Main office: Chicherina 1, village: Pashkevich 3, Ozertso, 15km southwest of the Brest highway (Чичерина 1), tel. 209 41 63. A charming, tiny village situated on the picturesque banks of the river Ptich. QOpen 10:00 - 15:00. J Minsk Zoo not on the map-close to J-6, Tashkentskaya 40, Chizhovka district (Ташкенская 40), tel. 240 23 97. Like a Soviet gulag, but for animals. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00, Fri 10:00 - 18:00. Stalin’s line (Линия Сталина) 31km west of Minsk along the Molodechno road, 6km from Zaslavl, tel. 503 20 22, www.stalin-line.by. Stalin’s Line is a historical museum complex located in a field some 30km from Minsk where enthusiastic historians dressed in military uniforms explain the Great Patriotic War. At present tours are in Russian but you can bring your own English translator. Call ahead to arrange an excursion. A fascinating insight into Minsk’s history. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon. Admission: 24, 000BYR. Tour: 30,000BYR Museum of Nature D-2, Karla Marksa 12 (Карла Маркса 12), tel. 206 69 56. Located in the bowels of the Museum of History and Culture (see Museums), this small museum is the most exciting place in town to see dusty mammoth bones and stuffed bears. Don’t miss the institution’s pride and joy - a nice pile of potatoes. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Wed. Admission: 7,000BYR. July 2008 - July 2009 2 getting Around Train schedule From Minsk Dep. Arr. 08:25 11:49 1 19:19 11:49 19:191 11:12 05:10 07:33 08:32 10:18 13:33 15:18 17:29 19:14 23:32 01:35 15:29 09:01 06:25 10:35 08:32 12:39 13:33 17:56 17:29 21:50 20:40 00:29 22:48 09:48 23:501 04:09 20:121 01:58 15:47 11:10 07:43 12:35 14:55 19:32 16:29 23:29 17:15 21:31 19:191 00:15 20:50 01:56 23:50 05:16 02:54 09:18 16:22 22:03 23:32 06:59 16:02 17:37 23:43 12:06 16:29 21:16 17:15 00:13 23:00 06:36 19:19 12:42 22:52 16:43 11:31 00:01 20:50 08:50 19:19 11:10 02:24 15:19 22:522 07:10 15:30 19:23 00:02 10:59 03:01 12:49 03:43 16:23 08:51 19:54 18:28 06:00 21:18 08:05 21:55 08:46 22:03 09:05 22:18 09:20 22:37 09:27 23:32 10:26 07:54 06:18 16:02 10:40 11:31 10:39 07:059 09:57 08:51 11:36 17:40 20:13 18:28 21:31 21:18 23:44 21:55 00:18 22:18 00:50 23:32 02:06 17:06 23:03 08:24 05:03 01:20 10:55 01:36 15:19 City ADLER ADLER ANAPA BARANOVICHI BARANOVICHI BARANOVICHI BARANOVICHI BARANOVICHI BERLIN BREST BREST BREST BREST BREST BREST EUPATORIA FEODOSIA FRANKOVSK GOMEL GOMEL GOMEL GOMEL GOMEL GOMEL GOMEL GRODNO GRODNO GRODNO IRKUTSK KALININGRAD KALINKOVITCHI KALINKOVITCHI KALINKOVITCHI KHARKOV KHARKOV KIEV KIEV KISLOVODSK LVOV MARIUPOL MOGUILEV MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW MURMANSK NOVOSIBIRSK ODESSA ORSHA ORSHA ORSHA ORSHA ORSHA ORSHA ORSHA ORSHA POLOTSK PRAGUE SARATOV SARATOV To Minsk Dep. Arr. 15:551 06:44 15:55 19:17 17:10 06:44 06:58 08:37 18:55 10:37 14:38 16:40 17:05 19:28 20:00 22:38 15:22 10:46 06:21 10:37 11:57 16:40 14:10 18:31 17:40 22:03 19:42 23:42 21:52 03:28 10:291 13:09 04:38 06:38 13:25 15:38 18:38 22:00 23:581 06:30 17:20 23:41 11:30 11:47 06:50 17:45 21:35 03:08 13:32 00:52 18:18 16:53 23:12 12:112 07:25 10:23 14:06 15:42 16:54 18:20 19:20 19:37 21:09 22:25 22:55 23:44 20:04 19:16 14:30 06:20 17:07 20:44 22:21 23:59 00:55 22:56 11:29 20:31 18:40 09:00 11:30 11:04 18:40 20:46 23:10 05:46 05:29 12:02 23:12 07:21 12:01 22:16 11:30 23:10 05:21 20:46 06:44 12:56 06:01 06:44 12:40 20:46 10:51 20:06 23:21 00:53 02:32 02:58 03:13 06:35 05:49 07:29 08:17 08:08 15:20 12:01 12:56 09:10 20:06 23:21 00:53 02:32 08:05 21:02 14:42 04:33 Follow the yellow brick. Public transport Metro: Two lines cover central Minsk. Purple plastic tokens costing 600BYR are sold from booths inside metro stations. Drop those toy tokens into the slot machinelike turnstyles. Other tickets, including a 10-day pass for 10,000BYR, come in the form of plastic, magnetic cards. These you either swipe at the turnstyle, or shove in sideways until they pop back out, toaster-like, a second later. Trains run every three minutes during rush hour and every five off-peak. After 21:00 metros run every seven to ten minutes until 01:00. Trams & Buses: Minsk has 12 tram lines, 56 trolleybus routes and over 100 bus routes. All three run from 05:35 to 00:55 seven days a week. Avoid peak hours if you value your limbs (08:00 - 10:00, 16:00 - 19:00). Public transport tickets costing 3600BYR are sold at most kiosks. Punch them inside the vehicle or risk a fine. Trains Central station (Центральная станция) E-2, Privokzalnaya 4 (Привокзальная 4). At the brand new Minsk train station, tickets to domestic destinations are sold in the two narrow halls that flank the main entrance. International tickets, for some reason, are still sold in the old train station building (open 09:00 - 20:00), to the right as you face the new building. Call 213 17 19 for information about international trains, or 105 for any train-related enquiries. When looking for your train, keep in mind that there are platform numbers and track numbers, so there could be two trains on the same platform. Check the signs carefully if you don’t want to end up in Izhevsk. International ticket office J-2, Voronyanskogo 6 (Воронянского 6), tel. 213 17 19. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Taxi Taxis are a fairly cheap, reliable way to get around Minsk, as can be expected though, there are a lot of less-thanhonest operators out there, epsecially those which lurk outside hotels and train stations. To avoid hassle, look for either the banana-yellow state-run taxis, or those run by one of the reliable, new private competitors - 107, 152, 157 or 184. These numbers not only show the company affiliation, they’re also the short phone numbers of the dispatchers, so use them if you want to order by phone. The going rate per kilometre is around 1,100BYR. Minsk In Your Pocket getting Around Train schedule continued From Minsk Dep. Arr. 09:101 15:46 2 22:08 05:46 12:57 05:34 17:40 08:52 18:48 09:40 19:45 00:45 12:57 17:44 17:40 21:59 18:48 22:58 01:20 18:34 03:23 11:33 06:25 06:11 20:40 06:12 1 2 International bus schedule From Minsk To Minsk Dep. Arr. City Dep. Arr. M 07:00 16:30 (4)AAHEN(6,7) 13:00 23:00 M 07:00 19:30 (3,4)ANTWERPEN(6,7) 10:00 23:00 V 12:00 20:00 (3)BELOSTOK 02:40 10:30 V 13:00 20:00 (6)BELOSTOK M 22:00 05:45 (1,2,5,6)BELOSTOK(4,5) 15:20 00:45 12:00 08:00 E(3)BERLIN(3,6) 11:00 09:00 07:00 06:30 M(3,4)BERLIN(6,7) 23:55 23:00 12:00 09:30 M(3,4)BERLIN(5,6) 21:00 19:00 18:00 20:00 M(2,3,5,6)BRANDERBURG M BRANDERBURG(3,4,6,7) 10:00 09:00 07:00 18:30 M(3,4)BRUSSELS(6,7) 11:00 23:00 M 07:00 15:10 (3,4)COLOGNE(6,7) 14:30 23:00 11:30 23:00 E(5,6)COLOGNE(1,7) 20:00 23:00 06:00 21:40 M(2)DORTMUND(6,7,3,4) 03:00 09:00 16:00 21:40 M(2)DORTMUND(3,6) 05:00 09:00 M 08:00 21:40 (5)DORTMUND 07:00 07:00 M(3,4)DRESDEN(6,7) 23:55 23:00 06:00 22:40 M(2)DUISBURG(3,4) 02:00 09:00 08:00 22:40 M(5)DUISBURG(6,7) 02:00 09:00 11:30 22:30 E(5,6)DUSSELDORF(1,7) 21:00 23:00 06:00 23:20 E(2)DUSSELDORF(3,4) 06:45 13:00 08:00 23:20 M(5)DUSSELDORF(6,7) 01:30 09:00 11:30 15:00 E(5,6)HANNOVER(1) 02:00 23:00 07:00 10:00 M(3,4)HANNOVER(6,7) 20:00 23:00 18:00 13:10 E(1,7)IVANOVO(5,6) 17:30 10:30 E 07:20 14:10 KAUNAS 16:00 22:25 E 16:00 21:55 KAUNAS 07:00 12:50 E 18:00 00:35 KAUNAS 03:35 10:00 E 21:00 00:35 KAUNAS 19:45 05:50 E 12:00 06:30 (6,7)KRAKOW(5,6) 16:45 10:30 12:00 01:40 E(3,4,6,7)LODZ(5,6) 21:20 10:30 07:00 08:30 M(3,4)MAGDEBURG(6,7) 22:15 23:00 09:00 21:00 M(4,7)MOSCOW(2,5) 08:00 17:00 18:15 08:00 M(1,7)MOSCOW(5,6) 23:20 10:15 12:00 18:30 E(3,4)MUNICH(5,6) 13:00 19:00 07:00 23:30 M(3,4)PARIS(6,7) 07:30 23:00 12:00 11:00 E(3,4)PRAGUE(5,6) 12:00 10:30 13:00 11:00 E(6,7)PRAGUE(1,2) 12:00 10:30 11:30 11:30 E(5,6)POTSDAM(1) 07:00 23:00 E 08:20 18:00 (4-7)RIGA(4-7) 18:00 08:20 17:00 09:40 MST.PETERSBURG 18:00 08:40 M 07:00 17:30 (3,4)STRASBOURG(6,7) 14:30 23:00 07:00 14:45 M(4,6)STUTTGART(6,7) 17:30 23:00 01:30 05:30 E(2-6)VILNIUS(1-5) 17:00 21:00 E 07:20 11:50 VILNIUS 16:00 20:11 08:20 12:12 E(4-7)VILNIUS(1-5) 14:00 18:20 E 11:00 15:12 VILNIUS 15:50 20:05 E 18:10 20:20 VILNIUS 05:50 10:00 E 21:00 01:40 VILNIUS 01:20 05:50 12:00 05:00 E(3,4)VROTSLAV(1,2) 18:10 10:30 13:00 05:00 E(6,7)VROTSLAV(5,6) 18:10 10:30 12:00 23:20 V(3,6) WARSAW(1,2) 13:00 00:40 17:40 05:00 C(1,7)WARSAW(5,6) 23:20 10:30 WARSAW(1,2) 23:20 10:30 Timetable key: Departs Minsk. Arrives destination. Days of the week (1=Monday). Departs destination. Arrives Minsk. V – Eastern (Восточный вокзал) M – Moscovsky bus station City SIMFEROPOL SIMFEROPOL ST.PETERSBURG ST.PETERSBURG ST.PETERSBURG VILNIUS VITEBSK VITEBSK VITEBSK VOLGOGRAD WARSAW WARSAW WARSAW To Minsk Dep. Arr. 21:541 05:29 2 09:25 17:23 12:45 01:58 15:00 03:55 19:08 09:10 20:00 00:30 04:28 09:10 22:25 04:39 23:44 03:55 12:38 04:33 12:08 23:42 16:35 12:51 20:37 08:01 Even days, 2 Odd days. Buses Moscovsky bus station (Московский автовокзал) F-6, Filimonova 63 (Филимонова 63), MVostok (Восток), tel. 8 902 101 41 14. This rather subdued Soviet-era station has all the basic amenities, as well as a hairdresser’s juyst in case you want to make a good impression on someone at the other end of your bus journey. QOpen 05.00 - 23.00. Vostok bus station (Восточный вокзал) J-5, Vaneyeva 34 (Ванеева 34), tel. 8 902 101 41 14. Tickets for destinations within Belarus are sold at the first floor ticket booths. For tickets to cities in Western Europe, look for the ‘Mizhnarodnaya Kasa’, window N°11. There’s a small café on the top floor to keep you caffinated while you wait. QOpen 05:30 - 23:00. Local bus schedule Brest E: 08:50, 09:50, 11:40, 14:05, 14:501-5, 16:30, 17:401,4-7, 17:413,7. Gomel E: 07:20, 08:00, 09:306, 10:00, 11:30, 12:302-6, 14:10, 16:001,4-7, 18:00, 19:001,4-7, 19:401-3. M: 09:00 Grodno E:05:55, 06:20, 06:55, 07:20, 08:05, 08:20, 08:40, 08:50 6,7, 09:051-5, 10:00, 12:15 6,7, 12:55 5-7, 15:00, 15:301,3, 22:351,5. M:06:20, 06:50, 07:20, 07:50, 08:30, 08:405-7, 09:10, 09:30, 09:50, 10:106,7, 10:40, 11:10, 11:50, 12:001,2,4-6, 12:406,7, 12:501-5, 13:205-7, 13:40, 14:20, 14:30, 14:50, 15:10, 15:307, 16:001-5, 16:20, 16:30, 16:405,7, 17:00, 17:201,4-7, 17:501-5,7, 18:20, 18:40, 19:001-5,7, 19:401,3-7, 20:302,4, 20:301,3,5-7. Vitebsk E: 06:305-7, 07:20, 09:20 M: 07:00, 07:50, 08:30, 09:50, 11:00, 12:004-7, 13:00 14:00, 14:40, 15:40, 16:00, 17:001-5, 18:30. Departs Minsk. Arrives destination. Days of the week (1=Monday). Bus station: E – Eastern (Восточный вокзал) M – Moscovsky bus station www.inyourpocket.com/ clickandbuy July 2008 - July 2009 0 getting Around Minsk motorcycles Minsk isn’t just a city. It’s also a brand of motorcycle. And not just any bike brand, but one that carries with it a veritable aura of history, legend, kudos, cringe, rumour and a kind of blue oily smoke. If the stories are to be believed, Minsk motorcycles—noisy 125cc two-stroke, single-cylinder bangers made right here in Minsk—are the vehicle of choice of al-Queda; backpackers, wacky tourists and farmers in Vietnam; and anyone wanting a bullet-proof vehicle that can be maintained using only chewing gum, beer cans and bits of fuzzy string. The bikes have a simple, unpretentious honesty that is refreshing in a time of butterfly-flange carburettor fluxtiming two-step-shuffle horizontally-imposed distributor-dictator-power Quintrex-complex computer regulator gaskets and self-lubricating heated airbags. (We may have some of the technical details there a bit wrong but the point remains: Minsk motorcycles are appealing for their simplicity in a world of complexity. On a Minsk, a key is a luxury.) The Motovelo company, which churns out the Minsk motorcycles as well as various pushbikes and exercise bikes, was established in November 1945. The origins of the Minsk bike, however, extend back a little further. The basic design stemmed from an old German pre-war bike, the RT 125. The design also inspired bikes such as the BSA Bantam, the Harley-Davidson ‘Hummer’ and the Yamaha YA-1. While the Soviets certainly didn’t like the Nazis, they did take a liking to their motorbikes – so much so that a factory was established to produce them in Minsk. Of course various updates and tweaks have brought the old design along a bit, but it’s hardly what you’d call up-to-date. The fundamental simplicity and easyto-maintain nature of the Minsk bikes remains intact. Most of the production of the bikes—around 90 per cent—are exported, with Asian countries taking the bulk. Apparently they are well suited to rough conditions, rickety bridges, river crossings and dodging goats on dirt roads. That’s why you’ll find a Minsk Motorcycle Club in Vietnam. There’s even an adventure expedition company, Explore Indochina, that runs tours exclusively on Minsk motorcycles. According to their website, Minsk bikes have been seen “hauling buffaloes, horses, up to seven people, refrigerators, fully operational fish tanks and even a three-piece lounge suite”. For a little bike manufacturer in an odd little location like Minsk, Motovelo have created quite a legend with the Minsk motorcyle. Explore more: The Minsk Motorcycle Club of Vietnam: www.minskclubvietnam.com Motovelo – Manufacturers of Minsk motorcycles: www.motovelo.by Explore Indochina - tours on Minsk motorcycles: www.exploreindochina.com Car rental Europcar Stuokos-Gucevičiaus 9, Vilnius, Lithuania, tel. +370 5 212 02 07, www.europcar.lt. The Europcar office in Lithuania can help you with your transfer to and from the airport in Minsk. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Europcar (Minsk) Hotel Minsk, Nezavisimosti ,11(проспект Независимости,11), tel. 209 90 09, fax 209 95 98, www.car-rental.europcar.com. Her t z G-2, Hotel Minsk, Nezavisimosti 11 ( Независимости, 11), MPloschad Nezavisimosti (Площадь Независимости), tel. 209 90 91. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Lada Avtoprokat not on the map-close to J-2, Serova 1 (Серова 1), tel. mob. + 375 29 694 59 16. QOpen 09.00 - 18.00. Closed Sat, Sun. Airlines & Airports Air Baltic B-1, Prospect Pobediteley 19 (Проспект Победителей, 19), tel. 226 90 43/ 203 50 51, www. airbaltic.lv. Also in the airport Minsk-2 tel. (+375 17) 279 25 68. Daily from 14.00 till 16.20 QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Austrian Airlines/Swissair (Австрийские авиалинии) B-3, Pr ospekt Nezavisimosti 38 (Проспект Независимости 38), MPloschad Pobedi (Площадь Победы), tel. 288 25 35/288 25 55, www. aua.com. Also in Minsk-2 airport, tel. 279 15 39, 279 15 29. Open daily from 04:00 till 06:00, 11:00 till 18:00 QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Aviakassa (Авиакасса) ((+375 17) 227 62 54) C-3, Karla Marksa 28 (К. Маркса 28). All airline tickets. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 18:00. Belavia (Белавия) C-1, Nemiga 14 (Немига 14), tel. 210 41 00, info@belavia.by, www.belavia.by. Also in the airport Minsk-2 tel. 279 10 32 QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 17:00. J El Al Israeli Airlines C-3, Partisansky Prospect, 6a (Партизанский проспект, 6а), tel. 211 26 06, www. elal.co.il. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. LOT B-1, Pr ospect Pob editeley, 7 (Проспект Победителей, 7), tel. 226 66 28, www.lot.pl. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Lufthansa G-4, Prospect Nezavisimosti 56 (Проспект Независимости 56), tel. 284 71 30, www.lufthansa. by. Also at Minsk-2, tel. 279 17 45. Daily from 10:00 - 16:30 QOpen 09:00 - 17:30, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun. Minsk In Your Pocket getting Around Flight schedule From Minsk Days 1––4––– ––34––– –––4––– ––––––7 –2–4––– ––––––7 1–––––7 ––34––– ––3–––7 ––––5–– 1–––––– –––4–6– –2––5–7 ––––5–– –2–––6– 1–345–7 1–3–5–7 –2–4–6– ––––––7 –––––6– –2––––– ––3–––– ––––––7 ––––5–– 1–––––– –––4––– ––––––7 –2––––– 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 –2––––– ––––5–– ––––––7 –2–4–6– 1–3–5–– ––––––7 1234567 1–––5–– 1–––5–– ––3–––– ––––––7 1–––5–– ––3–––– 1–––5–– ––3–––– –––––6– 1–3–5–– ––34–6– ––34–6– ––––––7 –––––67 –23–––– 1234567 1234567 1–––––– –2–45–7 ––3–––– –––––6– Dep. 20:30 21:35 12:20 12:20 13:20 18:10 23:30 22:30 12:35 12:35 12:35 12:30 08:30 15:35 12:20 16:05 09:35 18:45 09:10 07:40 15:25 09:55 12:10 15:30 10:45 16:10 07:10 16:25 07:00 09:00 12:05 16:35 19:00 08:20 16:20 15:30 08:00 15:15 14:50 16:20 08:40 08:05 13:55 21:30 07:30 07:30 15:10 15:10 15:10 15:10 23:40 23:40 07:35 01:25 00:00 05:35 17:25 15:45 14:40 09:05 13:40 Arr. 03:10 03:00 17:30 17:30 14:10 19:00 04:15 03:15 14:00 14:00 14:00 13:30 10:50 17:05 13:50 17:35 10:40 19:50 10:40 11:00 18:45 10:55 13:10 16:30 12:05 18:00 09:00 18:15 09:20 11:20 14:25 18:55 21:20 10:20 18:20 17:30 08:45 16:05 15:35 17:40 10:35 10:00 15:50 23:25 09:55 09:55 18:35 18:35 18:35 17:00 03:35 03:35 11:15 05:15 03:50 06:30 18:30 15:55 14:55 09:15 13:50 Destination ASTANA (B2) BAKU (B2) BAKU (B2) until June 26 and from Sep 25 BAKU (B2) July 6 - Sep 14 BERLIN (B2) BERLIN (B2) EREVAN (B2) EREVAN (B2) FRANKFURT(B2) FRANKFURT (LH) until Aug 30 FRANKFURT (LH) until Sep 1 HANNOVER (B2) until Sep 19 ISTANBUL (B2) KALININGRAD (B2) KALININGRAD (B2) KALININGRAD (B2) KIEV (B2) KIEV (B2) KIEV (B2) LARNAKA (B2) LARNAKA (B2) until Sep 30 LONDON (B2) LONDON (B2) LONDON (B2) until Sep 5 MANCHESTER (B2) MILAN (B2) MILAN (B2) MILAN (B2) MOSCOW (B2) MOSCOW (B2) MOSCOW (B2) MOSCOW (B2) MOSCOW (B2) PARIS (B2) PARIS (B2) PARIS (B2) PRAGUE (OK) PRAGUE (OK) PRAGUE (OK) RIGA (BT) ROME (B2) until Sep 8 ROME (B2) until Sep 5 ROME (B2) until Sep 10 SHANNON (B2) SHANNON (B2) until Aug 28 ST. PETERSBOURGH (B2) ST. PETERSBOURGH (B2) SOCHI (B2) SOCHI (B2) until Sep 24 SOCHI (B2) until Sep 6 TALLINN (B2) TBILISI (B2) TBILISI (B2) TEL-AVIV (B2) TEL-AVIV (LY) TEL-AVIV (LY) VIENN (OS) VIENN (OS) WARSAW (B2) WARSAW (LO) WARSAW (B2) WARSAW (LO) until Sep 1 1 To Minsk Days 1–––––– –––4––– –––4––– ––––––7 –2–4––– ––––––7 1–––––– –––4––– ––3–––7 ––––5–– 1–––––– –––4–6– –2––5–7 ––––5–– –2–––6– 1–345–7 1–3–5–– –2–4–6– ––––––7 –––––6– –2––––– ––3–––– ––––––7 ––––5–– 1–––––– –––4––– ––––––7 –2––––– 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 –2––––– ––––5–– ––––––7 –2–4–6– 1–3–5–– ––––––7 1234567 1–––5–– 1–––5–– ––3–––– 1–––––– ––––5–– 1–––5–– ––3–––– 1–––5–– ––3–––– –––––6– 1–3–5–– –––4––7 ––––5–– ––––––7 –––––67 –––––67 1234567 1234567 1–––––– –2–45–7 ––3–––– –––––6– Dep. 09:30 04:00 09:00 09:00 15:00 19:50 05:15 04:15 14:55 14:55 15:00 15:05 11:50 17:50 14:30 18:25 13:00 20:40 11:35 12:00 19:45 11:55 14:10 17:30 13:05 19:00 10:00 19:15 10:15 12:20 15:20 22:20 22:20 11:20 19:25 18:30 09:35 11:45 17:25 14:30 11:35 11:00 16:50 00:25 00:25 09:45 10:45 19:35 19:35 19:35 13:00 04:35 04:35 12:15 19:25 19:00 20:05 13:30 16:45 11:15 10:45 14:50 Arr. 10:30 05:45 10:20 10:20 17:45 22:30 06:30 05:30 18:05 18:05 18:15 18:05 14:10 19:20 16:00 19:55 14:05 21:45 12:40 15:20 23:05 16:50 19:05 22:25 18:05 22:50 13:50 23:05 10:35 12:40 15:40 22:40 22:40 15:05 23:10 22:15 12:20 14:30 20:10 15:45 15:20 14:45 20:35 06:05 06:05 11:15 11:15 21:05 21:05 21:05 14:00 06:30 06:30 16:00 23:15 22:55 23:00 16:25 18:55 13:30 12:55 16:30 Airline codes: B2 - Belavia, J2 - Azal Azerbaijan Airlines, OK -Czech Airlines, BT - AirBaltic, OS - Austrian Airlines, LO - LOT Polish Airlines. For details check at airport.by. Valid until Oct 27, 2008, unless indicated. July 2008 - July 2009 2 getting Around Metro tidbits Minsk’s metro may not be as grandiose as Moscow’s but it is still an attractive example of a major Soviet-era public transport project. Construction work began on it in the late 1970s owing to a massive influx of workers which saw the the city’s population soar to over a million people. The gleaming new metro finally opened to relieved commuters as an eight-station line on June 30, 1984. It slowly but surely expanded throughout the 1990s with the most recent extension only being completed in 2007. The metro now has two lines covering 25 stations and there are projects afoot to extend the Moskovskaya line further into the ever-expanding suburbs, along with a plan to build an entirely new line after 2010. The stations themselves are rather attractive in their Soviet way. Some (notably Nyamiha/Nemiga) are decorated with Belarusian national motifs, while others have some impressive murals on the standard epic socialist themes. The later stations were a bit more space-age in appearance. All in all, Minsk’s metro is cheap, efficient and safe and manages to shunt some 800,000 people a around a day without so much as a vodka-induced hiccup. However, the metro was also the scene of a terrible tragedy in June 1999. A huge crowd of young people had gathered for a rock concert when a sudden spring thunderstorm caused more than 1,000 people, many of whom had been heavily drinking, to run for the nearby Nyamiha/Nemiga metro station. The stampede down the marble steps into the metro underpass turned into a crush which led to the deaths of 53 people, most of whom were aged between 14 and 18. A moving monument beside the metro entrance lists the names of all those who lost their lives in the tragedy. Minsk-1 J-2, Chkalova 38/2 (Чкалова 38/2), tel. 222 54 76, www.avia.by. Technically it’s an international airport, but Minsk I only handles a scant few of the flights from CIS countries and some domestic flights. Find it just 3km from the central Prospekt Nezavisimosti. Minsk-2 not on the map-close to F-6, 42km from city limits, tel. 279 17 30/279 13 00, www.airport.by. A complete remodelling job in 2005 has failed to erase the factory look of the city’s main airport, but if you’ve dragged yourself out here, at least that means you’re leaving the country. The departure area is on the third floor, where you’ll also find some dubious souvenir shops, the VIP lounge, and the CIP (commercially important person) lounge, where for some unspecified whopping fee, somebody else will take care of all your paperwork while you wait. The post office on the same floor sells phone cards and lets you pay to surf the internet. airBaltic, Lufthansa and Belavia all have offices here. Registration closes one hour before the flight. If you don’t want to spring for the expensive taxi ride out here, you can buy tickets for the airport bus at the Moskovsky Bus Station, main hall, for under 5,000BYR. Travel agencies 21), tel. 289 14 36, www.alatantour.com. Visas, accomodation, trips. QOpen 09.00 - 18.00. Closed Sat, Sun. Belarustourist (Беларустурист) B-1, Tanka 30 (Танка 30), tel. 226 94 85. Actually helpful and friendly. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30, Fri 08:30 - 16:15. Closed Sat, Sun. Belarus Tour Service I-2, Rozy Luxemburg 89, Office No 20a (Р.Люксембург 89/20a), tel. 200 56 75, ser vice@welcome.by, w w w.belarustravel.by. Friendl y, reliable people helping to meet all needs wi th hotel booking, car rental, guides and other ser vices during your stay in Belarus. QOpen 09.00 - 18.00. Closed Sat, Sun. Belorusski Sputnik (Белорусский Спутник) C-3, Karka Marksa 36 (Карла Маркса 36), tel. 222 30 22/ 220 37 47, www.sputnik.by. QOpen 09.00 - 18.00. Closed Sat, Sun. Blue bird (Голубая птица) B-2, Leningradskaya 5-32 (Ленинградская 5-32), tel. 211 03 54, www.bluebird. by. QOpen 09.00 - 18.00. Closed Sat, Sun. Merlintour B-1, Prospect Pobediteley 5 (Проспект Победителей 5), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 226 97 79/ 223 59 06, www.merlintour.com. QOpen 09.00 - 19.00, Sat 10.00 - 17.00, Sun 10.00 - 14.00. Smok G-4, Masherova 19 (Машерова 19), tel. 284 69 69, www.smoktravel.com. QOpen 09.00 - 19.00, Sat, Sun 10.00 - 17.00. VLP (ВЛП) A-2, Storojovskaia 8 (Сторожевская 8), tel. 283 23 94, www.vlp.by/. QOpen 10.00 - 19.00. Closed Sat, Sun. Vneshintourist SP(Внешинтурист СП) B-1, Melnikaite 8 (Мельникайте 8), tel. 206 46 56/226 68 91. Voyajtour (Вояжтур) B-2, Per vomaiskaya 12 (Первомайская 12), tel. 328 54 03, www.vtour.by/. QOpen 10.00 - 19.00. Closed Sat, Sun. Alatan Tour (Алатан тур) C-3, Kupaly 21(Купалы Travel agencies abroad Baltics and Beyond 1 Amy Street, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 4NE, UK, tel. +44 845 094 2125, info@ balticsandbeyond.com, www.balticsandbeyond.com. As the name suggests, they specialise not just in the Baltics, but the ‘beyond’ bits - and that means Minsk and other bits of Belarus, such as Grodno and Brest. They offer a range of tour options and can provide you with a guide so that you really get the best out of your stay. Minsk In Your Pocket mAil & PHones  The Minsk telephone code is +375 17 One look at the rather ‘retro’ look of the city will give you a clue that Minsk is not exactly at the cutting edge of the information revolution. Few hotels have LAN or WiFi internet access, or even websites for that matter. On the other hand, the postal system and phones, including mobile networks, work fine. Be warned that mobile phone roaming tarifs can be very pricey: check with your provider before you go drunkenly calling your friends back home.  Post Central Post & Telegraph Office D-1, Nezavisimosti 10 (Независимости 10), tel. 226 06 82, www.belpost. by. Head straight through to the main hall in the back to send letters, buy postcards and make photocopies. For telephone and telegraph services, head to the ‘peregovorni punkt’ in hall 1, on the left (open 07:00 - 23:00). On the left is the internet centre where people queue for cheap online access. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 17:00. Express mail DHL G-4, Brestskaya 18 (Head Office) (Брестская 18), tel. 278 11 08, www.dhl.by. Also they have express centres at Pobediteley 5, tel. 289 30 68, and XXI Vek Business Centre, Nezavisimosti 169, tel. 228 73 60, both open 09:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun; and at Central Post Office, Nezavisimosti 10, tel. 227 25 33. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. EMS D-1, Nezavisimosti 10 (Независимости 10), tel. 222 65 11/227 85 12, www.belpost.by. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 17:00. FedEx (M&M Militzer & Münch) B-1, Pobediteley 19 (Pobediteley 19), tel. 226 99 09, callcenter@mum. by, www.mum.by. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 08:00 - 16.00. Closed Sun. TNT G-5, Platonova 10 (Платонова 10), tel. 294 80 00/284 90 44, info@tnt.by, www.tnt.by. TNT at Minsk-2 airport tel. 279 11 86. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. UPS B-2, Muzykalnyj 3 (Музыкальный 3), tel. 328 55 80, minsk@tut.by, www.ups.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. “Hey – I’m just calling to say I’m in an egg”. Also at Zolotaya Gorka 16, Surganova 476. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. MTS GSM F-5, Nezavisimosti 95 (Независимости 95), tel. 290 79 74, info@mts.by, www.mts.by. Russian-Belorusian GSM company, operating in Belarus and covering a rather nice part of it. Also at Revoliutsionnaya 24b, Kalvariyskaya 60. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. Ve l c o m G S M B - 1 , M e l n i k a y t e 1 4 ( H e a d office)(Мельникайте 14), tel. 222 49 01, www.velcom. by. The first GSM provider in Belarus with a very informative website. The information number is 229 49 01 for all offices, or just 411 from mobiles. Also at Kalvariyskaya 4, Nezavisimosty 60, Nezavisimosty 105, Partizansky 12, Varvasheni 73. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. ISPs Belarus Yellow Pages , www.b2b.by. Very useful place for those not speaking Russian at all. Beltelecom (Белтелеком) С-2, Engelsa 6 (Энгельса 6), tel. 217 10 05, info@main.beltelecom.by, www. beltelecom.by. Main internet provider in Belarus. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30. Network Systems С-2, Lеnina 9 (Ленина 9), tel. 283 17 11, info@nsys.by, www.nsys.by. ADSL internet connection, web hosting, web design. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Open Kontact H-2, Kalvariyskaya 17a (Кальварийская 17а), tel. 211 01 21, admin@ok.minsk.by, www.ok.by. Internet providers and online magazine in Russian www.open. by. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Public internet access Ploshchadka (Площадка) C-1, Nemiga 8 (Немига 8), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 226 42 43. The smaller of the Ploshchadka venues has 26 terminals. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. A Ploshchadka (Площадка) G-4, Nezavisimosti 58/4 (Независимости 58/4), tel. 290 79 74, www.pic.by. A busy place with 39 machines (1,500-2,600BYR per hour). QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. Open 24hrs. A Soyuz Online С-2, Krasnoarmeiskaya 3, in the Central House of Officers(Красноармейская 3), tel. 226 02 79, Info@soyuzonline.by, www.soyuzonline.by. Wow! It’s open 24 hours, they speak English, serve pizza and even let you pay by credit card! What more do you need? The granddaddy of Minsk internet cafés has around 60 terminals, including a VIP hall. Rates depend on the time of day, but are still cheap. A sure place to bump into people from every corner of Europe. QOpen 08:00 - 07:00. JA Mobile phones BelCel G-4, Zolotaya Gorka 5 (Золотая Горка 5), tel. 282 00 18, www.belcel.by. “Diallog” service providers. July 2008 - July 2009  sHoPPing Minsk - a shopper’s paradise? Hardly. The consumer market is mostly confined to cheap imports and domestically produced goods, as well as a few overpriced, luxury foreign items that arrive by way of Moscow. Still, the average souvenir hunter or grocery shopper won’t come away empty handed. Here’s some guidance. Podpisniya Izdanie (Подписные издания) C-2, Nezavisimosti 14 (Независимости 14), tel. 227 63 61. Travel books. QOpen 10.00 - 19.00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. JA Flowers Nemiga 2 (Немига 2), MNemiga (Немига ), tel. 209 46 46. An excellent little flower shop. Note the price tags, delicately stapled to the leaves. QOpen 24 hours. J House of Flowers (Дом Цветов) F-4, Surganova 76 (Сурганова 76), tel. 331 09 72. A grand place with plenty of delightful smelling flora. The nice ladies who work here are proud to announce (in Russian) that they are official agents of Interflora which means you can have flowers delivered just about anywhere. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 9:00 - 19:00. Books None of the shops we found had a particularly good selection of books in English. Here are a few you can poke around if you’re desparate for reading material. A Million Red Roses (Миллион алых роз) C-4, Akademkniga (Академкнига) G-5, Nezavisi- mosti 72 (Независимости 72), MAkademia Nauk (Академия Наук), tel. 292 50 43/292 46 52. As part of the Belarusian Academy of Sciences, this distinguished store has many interesting books on history, science and art among other subjects. Unfortunately, there’s little in English, so it’s mainly of interest to Russian speakers. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. Sandra’s House of Flowers (Сандра Магазин цветов) G-4, Kolasa 48 (Коласа 48), tel. 262 32 59. Central Book Shop (Knigarnya) (Центральный книжный магазин) (Книгарня) C-2, Nezavisimos- ti 19 (Независимости 19), tel. 227 49 18. Centralny bookshop is the largest bookshop in Minsk and is situated opposite Podpisniya Izdaniya bookshop. Along with a rather interesting, if random, selection of English-language novels, it also has Belarus guidebooks in English, Italian and German. It also some good postcards of Minsk and stationary.QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Sun 10:00 - 17:00. J After visiting the Botanical Gardens across the street, pop next door to this place. It has a good selection of fresh flowers along with compost, seeds and pots. Being Belarus, it also sells champagne. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 20:00. Food (Независмости 23), MOktyabraskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 227 88 76. One of the best, most Western-style food halls in Minsk despite its gloriously Soviet appearance. There are cafes, bakeries and a liquor store on the ground floor and a well-stocked supermarket upstairs. Worth a visit even if you’re not going to buy anything. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00. J Jubileyny-92 (Юбилейный -92) G-2, Zaslavskaya 23/1(Заславская 23/1), tel. 223 04 93. Everything and more to fill up your basket. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. Kristall (Кристалл) D-3, Oktiabrskaya 15 (Октябрьская 15), tel. 227 14 05. Every second establishment in Minsk seems to be a blast to the past. This one specializes in Belarusian-made vodka, liqeur and cognac among other tipples. The décor is unchanged in decades, and there’s something quite magical about the place. Maybe it’s just nostalgia for the simpler things from childhood, or maybe it’s just secret commie sympathy. Who knows? These places won’t be around forever. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sun 10:00 - 19:00. J Lakomka (Лакомка) C-2, Nezavisimosti 19 (Независимости 19), tel. 227 63 14. Sweets. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 20:00. J Okean (Океан) B-3, Kozlova 2 (Козлова 2), MPloschad Pobedy (Площадь Победы), tel. 284 85 70. If you dig the pong of fish and like your surroundings 100% stainless steel, drop by. Quite extraordinary décor. Well worth the stench. Cheap fish too. Oh, and if you do get all fish obsessed, you could do worse than contact Belegus 232 89 97), who can sell you or rent you a fancy aquarium. J Panorama (Панорама) A-1, Starazhevskaya 8 (Сторожевская 8), tel. 226 56 12. Mostly gross groceries. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. J Preston Market (Престон) G-4, Very Khoruzhey 29 (В.Хоружей 29), tel. 234 41 72. A popular haunt of hungry expats, selling the best selection of processed food in all Belarus. Considered one of the best by many, it`s western in style, stock and, most importantly, attitude. Also at: Varvasheni 77, tel. 234 52 27. Open 09:00 - 21:00, and Skoriny 83, tel. 284 07 08. Open 10:00 - 24:00. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. Torti (Торты) H-4, Kozlova 4 (Козлова 4), tel. 284 37 11. Design a cake and have a babushka bake it for you. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 18:00. Centralny (Центральный) С-2, Nezavisimosti 23 Dom Knigi Svetoch (Светоч Книжный магазин) B-1, Prospekt Pobediteley 11 (Победителей, 11), tel. 203 34 96. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00.J What to buy Unfortunately, Belarus doesn’t have much in the way of exciting or original souvenirs. There are the usual suspects, such as Russian dolls, linen and lots of tacky wicker dolls with mad-looking eyes and flimsy folk costumes. Belarusian chocolate is another option although it’s hardly subtle-tasting, even by Slavic standards. Vodka is certainly one of the best souvenir choices because of its excellent quality. Minskaya Kristall, Berezovoya (made from birch sap), Belarus Sineokaya and Klenovaya are all highly recommended. Belavezhskaja is a popular, bitter-tasting herbal liquor that provides a gift alternative to vodka. There’s a very good English-language book called Minsk in One Day, available from most book stores, which outlines in considerable detail a 15-km route that takes in most of the major sights (although only the super-fit or pressed-for-time should attempt it). Other gift ideas include the popular women’s undewear brand Milavitsa, whose wares were once widely worn all around the USSR. Some of the better souvenir shops do a good range of locally-made ceramics and glassware. Minsk In Your Pocket sHoPPing Gifts & Souvenirs Galereya Mastatstva (Мастацтва Галерея) C-2, Nezavisimosti 12 (Независимости 12), MPloschad Nezavisimosti (Площадь Независимости), tel. 227 83 63. Art and artsy souvenirs brought to you by the art union. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. JA Luvr (Лувр) C-1, Komsomolskaya 13 (Комсомольская 13), tel. 289 11 63. Jewellery, pens and other shiny things by Cartier, Mont Blanc, Damiani and the like. QOpen 10.00 - 20.00, Sun 11.00 - 18.00. J Ly a n o k ( Л я н о к ) G - 4 , N e z a v i s i m o s t y 4 8 (Независимости 46), MYakuba Kolasa (Якуба Коласа), tel. 284 81 44. Gorgeous local flax and linen. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. 5 Slavutya Maistry Gallery (Галерея “Славутыя майстры” Kommunalnaja 6 (Коммунальная 6), tel. Roll up for the grand new Stolitsa Shopping Centre. Oktyabrskaya Square, next to Museum of Great Patriotic War, MOktyabrskaya (Октябрьская). Mainly dolls, folk art, hats and the like, with a few Soviet military trinkets thrown in. Not coincidentally situated next to where tour buses stop. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. J Na Nemige (На Немиге Торговый дом) C-1, Nemiga 8 (Немига 8), MNemiga (Немига), tel. 220 97 47. An uninspiring department store in vintage Soviet style surrounded by more interesting new ventures, such as a good CD shop. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sun 10:00 - 20:00. J Panorama (Панорама) A-2, Storozhevskaya 8 (Сторожевская 8), tel. 226 15 71. Small, slightly upscale department store in a magnificent building near hotel Belarus. Find luxury gifts, a hunting clothing store (selling fleece articles and hiking shoes) and an Adidas outlet. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00. J +375 17 283 28 25. A good collection of both grotesquely ugly and staggeringly beautiful folk art, paintings, amber, large ceramic candleholders, dried flowers and chiffon scarves. What’s more, the staff are only too eager to please, whilst refraining from shoving stuff you really don`t want down the back of your throat. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat, Sun 10.00 - 17.00. Soyuzpechat (Союз печати) G-4, Nezavisimosti 44 (Независимости 44), MPloschad Pobedi (Площадь Победы). Buy someone you love a bag of stamps. Philately will get you everywhere. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 19:00. Minsky Vernisazh (Минский Вернисаж) C-2, Markets & Department stores Car market (магазин автомобилей) Malinovka district, southwest of the ring road(микрорайон Малиновка), tel. 223 05 09. Motor vehicles and the associated bits that make them tick. QOpen 06:00 - 17:00. Dinamo Stadium market (Стдион “Динамо”) D-2, Kirova 8 (Кирова 8), tel. 227 65 62. Shoes, pants, saucepans and plants. Billions of stalls stretching the entire circumference of the Dinamo stadium. Beware imitation Adidas goods and ladies and gentlemen out to relieve you of your wallet. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. GUM (ГУМ) C-2, Nezavisimosti (Skoriny) 23 (Независимости 23), MOktyabrskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 227 88 76. Built in 1951, Minsk’s showcase department store is a must for fans of Stalinist architecture. Otherwise it’s a fairly dreary shopping experience, full of stalls selling cheap shampoo, fake leather and those plastic things people use to beat their rugs. Then again, they could come in handy on the metro... QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sun 10:00 - 19:00. J Impuls (Импульс) G-4, Very Horuzhei 2 (Веры Хоружей 2), MYakuba Kolasa (Якуба Коласа), tel. 209 80 27. This popular indoor clothes market is where most fashion-conscious young women go to shop. No wonder, since the clothes are a snip compared to far pricier designer-label stores. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Komarovsky market (Комаровский рынок) G4, Very Khoruzhey 6 (В.Хоружей 6), MYakuba Kolasa (Якуба Коласа). Traditional smelly marketplace riddled with grannies out for a knock-down pig’s head and obligatory sack of spuds. A priceless experience. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Kupalovskij market (Купаловский рынок) C-2, Under Kilometer Zero at Oktiabrskaya metro stop. A labyrinth of tiny shops and stalls, mostly selling women’s clothes, although there are a few other places selling household items, cheap CDs and one little stall selling children’s toys. There’s also a tiny café hiding in one corner. QOpen 11:00 - 19:00. J Stolitsa Shopping Centre (Подземный торговый центр “Столица”) D-1, Independence Square (Площадь Независимости), MPloschad Nezavisimosti (Площадь Независимости). Minsk’s best shopping centre is a great place for gift shopping as it has pretty much everything from clothes to alcohol to souvenirs. It also has the only place in Minsk where you can watch English films on a largish screen, although the choice isn’t huge. It’s cheaper the more people watch the film with you, or else you can have the screening room all to yourself for about 30,000BYR. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. TSUM (ЦУМ) G-4, Nezavisimosti 54 (Nezavisimosti 54), MYakuba Kolasa (Я. Коласа), tel. 284 21 64. Several floors of goods from pens to beds. Hardly inspiring, although quite good fun. Look out for your wallet and note there’s an ATM on the first floor. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00. Univermag Belarus (Универмаг Беларусь) J-6, Zhilunovicha 4 (Жилуновича 4), tel. 245 11 11. Another gross collection of everything imaginable for fair prices. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. Music Misteria Zvuka (Мистерия звука) C-1, Nemiga 12 (Немига 12), MNemiga (Немига ), tel. 289 39 30. The best CD shop in Minsk that has a roof. Large selection of nicely priced international and local discs. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00. J www.inyourpocket.com July 2008 - July 2009  direCtory Looking for something very specific? Here’s a quick guide to the city that goes beyond the obvious. Banks Belarusky Narodny Bank G-5, Независимости, 87а, tel. 280 09 91, www.bnb.by. QOpen 9:00 - 17:30, Fri 9:00 - 16:15. Closed Sat, Sun. Belarus National Bank С-2, Nezavisimosti 20 Belvnesheconombank (Белвнешэкономбанк) (Интернациональная 21), tel. 206 66 13, tacis_eudel@infonet.by, www.delblr.cec.eu.int. QOpen 9:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J International Monetary Fund (IMF) D-1, Volodarskogo 6 (Володарского 6), tel. 200 25 33, www.imf.org. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. European Commission’s Delegation to Belarus, TACIS branch office С-2, Internatsionalnaya 21 (Независимости 20), tel. 227 50 37, www.nbrb.by. QOpen 9:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. J C-2, Myasnikova 32 (Мясникова 32), tel. 209 29 44, www.bveb.by. QOpen 09:00 - 16:00, Fri 09:00 - 14:30. Closed Sat, Sun. J Commerzbank Chicherina 21(Чичерина 21), tel. 210 11 19. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) D-3, Engelsa 34a (Энгельса 34), tel. 210 47 87, www.ebrd.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. J Prior Bank (Приорбанк) B-3, Very Khoruzhey 31a D-2, Kirova 17(Кирова 17), tel. 227 48 76, www. un.minsk.by. Xerox Centre H-2, Engelsa 20 (Энгельса 20), tel. 223 67 72. All the usual black and white and colour photocopying services, plus document presentation services. Also has a scanner for public use, and sells miscellaneous pieces of hardware and printer cartridges. We are assured this is the best of its kind in the city. Note the entrance is actually way up the street. You need to walk past the actual shop itself and enter 100m further along. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. (Веры Хоружей 31а), tel. 289 90 87, www.priorbank. by. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J World Bank B-2, Gertsena 2a (Герцeна 2а), tel. 226 52 84, www.worldbank.org. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Foreign representations Armenia (Армения) D-2, Kirova 17(Кирова 17), tel. 227 51 53/222 30 72. QOpen , Tue, Thu 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun. J Belgium (Бельгия) G-2, Masherava 54-94 (Машерова 54-94), tel./fax 293 19 44, consulbel@tut.by, http:// consulbel.at.tu.by. QOpen by prior arrangement. Bulgaria (Болгария) H-4, Svobody 11 ( пл. Свободы 11), tel. 328 65 58, fax 328 65 59. QOpen 10:00 - 13:00. Closed Fri, Sat, Sun. Cuba (Куба) G-4, Krasnozviozdnaya 13 (Крастнозвездная 13), tel. 200 03 83, embacuba@ belsonet.net. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Czech Republic (Чешская республика) B-2, Muzikalnaya 1/2 (Музыкальная 1/2), tel. 226 55 40/226 55 43, minsk@embassy.mzv.cz, www.mzv.cz/minsk. QOpen 09:00 - 12:30. Closed Wed, Sat, Sun. J Estonia (Эстония) G-4, Doroshevicha 6a (Дорошевича 6а), tel. 219 88 30. QOpen 12:00 14:00. Closed Tue, Fri, Sat, Sun. France (Франция) С-2, Svobody 11 (Свободы 11), tel. 210 28 68, fax 210 25 48. QOpen by prior arrangement. J Germany (Германия) H-4, Zakharova 26 (Захарова 26), tel. 217 59 00, germanembassy@mail.belpak.by. QOpen 09:00 - 12:00. Closed Sat, Sun. China(Китай) G-4, Berestianskaya 22 (Берестянская 22), tel. 285 36 82/285 36 83. QOpen 10.00 - 13.00. Closed Sat, Sun. India (Индия) Koltsova 4 (Кольцова 4), tel. 262 99 70, amb.minsk@mea. gov.in. QOpen 09:00 - 11:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Israel (Израиль) I-4, Partizansky 6a (Партизанская 6а), tel. 298 44 02. QOpen 9:00 - 11:30. Italy (Италия) D-2, Rakovskaya 16 b (Раковская 16б), tel. 229 29 69, http://sedi.esteri.it/minsk. QOpen 09.00 - 12.00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Japan (Япония) B-1, Pobediteley 23 (Победителей 23), tel. 223 62 33. QOpen by prior arrangment. J Kazakhstan (Казахстан) A-3, Kuibysheva 12 (Куйбышева 12), tel. 288 10 26, kazemb@nsys.by. QOpen 10:00 - 12:00. Closed Fri, Sat, Sun. J Kyrgyzstan (Киргизстан) F-3, Starovilenskaya 57 (Старовиленская 57), tel. 234 9117, manas@nsys. minsk.by. QOpen 09:30 - 12:00. Closed Fri, Sat, Sun. Latvia (Латвия) G-4, Doroshevicha 6a (Дорошевича 6а), tel. 284 93 93, fax 284 73 34, embassy.belarus@ mfa.gov.lv. QOpen 09:00 - 12:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Business connections Belarusian Chamber of Commerce G-2, Yakuba Kolasa, 65 (Якуба Коласа 65), tel. 266-04-73, www. cci.by. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Consultbel BVBA Tel. 888 33 35, fax 293 19 44, www. consultbel.com. Management advice, start-up assistance and representation for foreign companies setting-up in Belarus. Nice people, too. Sports Dinamo Stadium (Динамо Стадион) D-2, Kirova 8 (Кирова 8), tel. 226 00 55. Local heroes Dimano play at the 50,000-capacity Dinamo stadium (the official address is Kirova 8, although this information is rather superfluous as one can see the floodlights from Moscow). Tickets are as good as free, although you`re recommended to buy them in advance from the attached ticket office. For some seriously thorough information in English on all things soccer in Belarus, including schedules of up-coming matches, surf on over to www.soccer-belarus.com. J Sports Palace (Дворец спорта) B-1, Pobediteley 4 (Победителей 4), tel. 223 44 83. Mr. Lukashenka is absolutely potty about the game, and this is the N°1 venue to come and share in the man`s obsession. Games are played regularly, and schedules are printed in the local press. Any English-speaking local will be able to tell you more. J Water Sports Centre (Дворец водного спорта) G-5, Surganova 2a (Сурганова 2а), tel. 266 28 92. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. Winter Sports (ледовый дворец спорта) H-1, Pritickogo 27 (Притыцкого 27), MPushkinskaya (Пушкинская), tel. 251 01 00. People looking for fun on the piste can head on over to Raubichi. About 17km from Minsk on the Logoisk highway, several artificial slopes are available. Numerous places to stay, eat and drink are provided in the immediate area, making for fun-filled winter weekends. For more information call tel. (+375-17) 598 43 30. QOpen 09.00 - 21.00. Minsk In Your Pocket direCtory Lithuania (Литва) H-4, Zacharova 68 (Захарова 68), tel. 285 33 37, embassy.lt@belsonet.net. QOpen 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sat, Sun.  Officials Moldova (Молдова) D-2, Belarusskaya 2 (Белорусская 2), tel. 289 14 41. QOpen Tue, Thu 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun. J Netherlands (Нидерланды) Vostochnaya 133, office 503 (Восточная 133), tel. 262 53 23, nedcons@gtp.by. QOpen 09.00 - 12.00. Closed Fri, Sat, Sun. Peru (Перу) Prityskogo 34 (Притыцкого 34), tel. 216 91 14. QOpen by prior arrangment. Poland (Польша) B-3, Rumiantseva 6 (Румянцева 6), tel. 288 21 14, ambminsk@nsys.by. QOpen 09:00 - 12:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Romania (Румыния) I-2, Moskvina 4 (Москвина 4), tel. 203 77 26, romania@nsys.by. QOpen 09:00 - 12:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Russia (Россия) A-2, Starovilenskaya 48 (Старовиленская 48), tel. 250 36 66, webmaster@ cis.minsk.by. tel. 222 49 85, fax 222 49 80. QOpen 09:00 - 12:00. Closed Fri, Sat, Sun. J Serbia (Сербия ) I-2, Razinskaya 66a (Разинская 66а), tel. 226 34 92, jugoslav@anitex.by. QOpen , Mon, Wed, Fri 10:00 - 12:00. Closed Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun. Slovakia (Словакия) Vostochnaya 133-168 (Восточная 133-168), tel. 216 15 63. QOpen 09:00 - 11:30. Closed Fri, Sat, Sun. Sweden (Швеция) C-2, Muzikalnii 1/2 (Музыкальный 1/2), tel. 226 55 40. J Switzerland (Швейцария) D-3, Krasnoarmeyskaya 22a-20 (Красноармейская 22а-20), tel. 227 18 42. QOpen 09.00 - 12.00. Closed Fri, Sat, Sun. J Tajikistan (Таджикистан) D-2, Kirova 17 (Кирова 17), tel. 222 37 98. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Tu r k e y ( Т у р ц и я ) D - 1 , Vo l o d a r s k o g o 6 (Володарского 6), tel. 227 13 83. Consular, tel. 227 14 08. Commercial, tel. 227 16 93. QOpen 09:00 - 12:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Ukraine (Украина) A-2, Starovilenskaya 51(старовиленская 51), tel. 283 19 90, info@ukraineemb.by. QOpen, Mon 14:00 - 16:00, Tue, Wed, Thu 09.00 - 13.00. Closed Fri, Sat, Sun. J United Kingdom (Великобритания) C-2, Karl Marx 37 (Карл Маркса 37), tel. 210 59 20. QOpen Mon, Thu 09:00 - 11:30. Closed Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun. J United States (США) A-2, Starovilenskaya 46 (Старовиленская 46), tel. 210 12 83. QOpen , Mon, Tue, Thu 08:30 - 12:00. Closed Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun. J Va t i c a n ( В а т и к а н ) C - 1 , Vo l o d a r s ko g o 6 (Володарского 6), tel. 289 15 84. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Ministry of Foreign Affairs D-2, Lenina 19 (Ленина 19), tel. 227 29 22, www.mfa.gov.by. QOpen 09.00 - 16.00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Minsk City Executive Committee D-1, Nezavisimosty 8 (Независимости 8), www.minsk.gov.by. QOpen 09.00 - 18.00. Closed Sat, Sun. J S t a t e S e c u r i t y C o m m i t t e e (Ко м и т е т государственной безопасности Республики Беларусь) C-2, Nezavisimosty 17 (Независимости 17), MOktyabrskaya (Октябрьская), tel. 219 12 21. QOpen 09.00 - 18.00. Closed Sat, Sun. J Minsk State Linguistic University B-3, Zakha- rova 21(Захарова 21), MPloschad Pobedi (Площадь Победы), tel. 213 76 63. A huge and highly respected institution, who offer a multitude of courses in a multitude of languages. They have a good website in English, with an awfully long address: http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/ shymchuk/PROJECT/MSLU.html. QOpen 09.00 - 21.00. Closed Sun. Pharmacies Belfarmatseya С-2, Nezavisimosty 16 (Независимости 16), tel. 227 83 40. Also at Bulvar Schevchenko 11, tel. 288 97 43. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00. Closed Sun. Both open 24 hours. J Embassy of Beauty (Посольство красоты) B2, Gertsena 2a (Герцена 2а), tel. 226 50 52. Really good place. Gym, massage, haircut, sauna, Jacuzzi and all that expensive, but very pleasant stuff. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. J J Insurance Belgosstrakh (Белгосстрах) H-2, Libknechta 70 (Либкнехта 70), tel. 259 10 21, www.belgosstrakh.by. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30, Fri 18:30 - 16:40. Closed Sat, Sun. Belingosstrakh (Белингосстрах) B-1, Pobediteley 19 (Победителей 19), tel. 223 58 78. QOpen 08:40 - 17:10. Closed Sat, Sun. J Photography Focus (Фокус) C-2, Nezavisimosti 18 (Независимости 18), tel. 206 55 96. Express service. QOpen 10:00 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. J A Fota Tsentr (Фото центр) D-2, Kirova 1 (opposite train station) (Кирова 1), tel. 225 62 25. 1-hour service. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. J Lingo Goethe Institute (Институт им Гете ИнтерНационес) B-3, Frunze 5 (Фрунзе 5), tel. 236 34 33. Organisers of deutch-centric exhibitions, films and musical events. They also do a limited range of German courses. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. J  The Minsk telephone code is +375 17 July 2008 - July 2009  street register You're in the town where the streets have three names, and the list below shows all of them for streets that are on the Minsk Centre map on the facing page. Actual street signs appear in Belarusian, Russian, or both. Listings for venues that appear on this map are marked with the Central Location symbol (). English title Aranskaja Bobruiskaja Bogdanovicha Byelorusskaya Chicherin Communalnya Nabereznaya Dimitrava Druzhnaya Engels Frunze Gorodskoi Val Handllovaya Hiercena Internatsionalnaya Kiselyov Kirov Kollektornaya Kommunisticheskaya Komsomolskaya Korolya Krоpotkina Krasnaya Krasnoarmeiskaja Kuibyshev Kupala Leninа Lieninhradskaja Marx Masherov Avenue Melnikaite Mogilyovskaya Nemiga Nezavisimosti Avenue Obojnaya Oktyabrskaya Osvobozdenya Pashkievich Pervomaiskaya Pobideteley Avenue Pulihоva Rakovskaya Revolucyjnaya Romanovskaya Sloboda Rumyantsev Staravilienskaya Starazouskaja Sovetskaya Sverdlov Tolstoi Ulyanovskaya Vitebskaya Volodarsky Zaborskogo Map coordinates E-2/3 D-1/E-2 B/A-2 D/E-2 B-2/A-3 B-2 B-1 E-1 C-2/D-3 B/C-3 C-1/2 B-2 B/C-2 C-1/B-2 A-2/B-3 D-1/C-3 C-1 A-1/B-3 C-1/D-2 C-1 A-2 A/B-3 C-2/D-3 B-2/A-3 B-2/C-3 C-2/E-3 D-1 D-1/C-3 A-1/B-3 A/B-1 E-1/2 D/C-1/B-2 D-1/B-3 B/C-1 D-2/E-3 B-1 A-2/B-3 C-3 A-1/B-2 C-3 B/C-1 C-1/2 B/C-1 B-3 A/B-2 A-1/B-2 D-1 D-1/E-3 D/E-1 D-2/C-3 C-1 C-1/D-2 B-2 Belorussian title Аранская Бабруйская Багдановiча Беларуская Чычэрына Камунальная набярэжная Дзiмiтрава Дружная Энгельса Фрунзе Гарадскi вал Гандлевая Герцена Iнтэрнацыянальная Кiсялева Кiрава Калектарная Камунiстычная Камсамольская Караля Крапоткiна Чырвоная Чырвонаармейская Куйбышава Купала Ленина Ленiнградская Маркс Праспект Машерава Мельнiкайтэ Магiлеуская Нямiга Праспект Незалежнасцi Абойная Кастрычнiцкая Вызвалення Пашкевiч Першамайская Праспект Пераможцау Пулiхава Ракауская Ревалюцыйная Раманауская Слабада Румянцава Старавiленская Старажоуская Савецкая Свярдлова Талстога Ульянауская Вiцебская Валадарскага Заборскага Russian title Аранская Бобруйская Богдановича Белорусская Чичерина Коммунальная набережная Димитрова Дружная Энгельса Фрунзе Городской вал Торговая Герцена Интернациональная Киселева Кирова Коллекторная Коммунистическая Комсомольская Короля Кропоткина Красная Красноармейская Куйбышева Купала Ленина Ленинградская Маркс Проспект Машерова Мельникайте Могилевская Немига Проспект Независимости Обойная Октябрьская Освобождения Пашкевич Первомайская Проспект Победителей Пулихова Раковская Революционная Романовская Слобода Румянцева Старовиленская Сторожевская Советская Свердлова Толстого Ульяновская Витебская Ул. Володарского Заборского Minsk In Your Pocket M. Gorky/Central park