A packed bag

For those of you keeping track, I'm heading to the political tumultuous state of Belarus momentarily. I've got the visas, the train tickets, and the phone number and address of Sveta, a backpack filled 1/4 with clothes, 1/4 with various sundry products, and 1/2 with food that my host mother cooked for me. (I'm like a walking street vendor, "pirogies, butorbrodi, pizza, anyone?" If nothing else, my clothes for the next several days will smell like Russian cuisine.) I've registered with the US Embassy in Belarus and sprung for a locking train cabin. But off I go.

I'll arrive in Pinsk noon on Saturday the 15th and leave the evening of the 17th. I'll spend the 18th in Minsk and hop on a night train to Moscow arriving early the morning of the 19th. Looking forward to some long quiet train rides through the Bela/russian countryside. Now if I only had a map of Belarus/Minsk/Pinsk...

I'm looking forward to some hilarious stories, missed connections, and struggling with my completely inadequate Russian. And some photos too.

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Tried to go see Pirates II last evening. It shows in English (I was up for the dubbed Russian, but others disagreed...) at one theater downtown. We turn up to find that the movie doesn't play on Thursdays. Oh well. A bit more planning next time...

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oh and about those pictures.... (Did you actually expect me to post them when I said I would?)

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to be continued...