I went briefly through Belarus in June 2006, really I only stopped in Minsk. Belarus was a country I'd wanted to go to for years. I almost made in in March 2005 from Lithuania, but the visa was too expensive. It is a place not really accepted by most of Europe. The government is rather authoritarian, and the EU especially puts pressure on it to reform. I myself support democratic regimes, however I find a soft spot for some of these countries that are not democratic. It seems that while a country is catching up developmentaly with the richer parts of the world some degree of authoritarianism isn't entirely evil. In Minsk my friend Anna was kind enough to show me around.

Map of Belarus

Inside the Minsk Metro. June 2006.

Sign of the Minsk Metro. June 2006.

A government building near one of the grand squares. June 2006.

Theatre near one of the squares. June 2006.

A grand square, I like how wide and clean everything in Minsk is. June 2006.

KGB headquarters, it is still called the KGB in Belarus! June 2006.

Old Minsk. June 2006.

Island of Tears monument, for those who died in the Soviet war in Afghanistan. June 2006.

A nice quiet park. June 2006.

Victory monument for WWII. June 2006.

A building near the rail station. June 2006.

Another picture of the WWII victory monument. June 2006.

Loren at the National Art Museum. June 2006.

My friend Anna who showed me around Minsk. June 2006.

Passport Stamps

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