A Small Wonder And Information On Upcoming Tour To Moldova

Moldova or Moldavia as it is officially known in English is not the first stop on most people's tourist itinerary. This small landlocked country of just over 4 million people is virtually unknown to the outside world.

When I came to for a (never-to-be) business meeting in Chisinau (pronounced kishy-now) I wasn't sure quite what to expect. The travel agent who sold me the ticket, strangely advised me several times to abandon my plans and go somewhere else. Most of my friends and acquaintances were confused just as to where it was that I was going to in the first place. On several occasions I was asked if I was worried about getting malaria while in Africa, I was also chastised for making up the name of a fake country to protect my anonymity and questioned if the idea to come to Moldova came to me after hearing about it in a Marx Brothers movie.

By now, you might be wondering, just where in the world is Moldova? It is not, as it's former makeshift tourism board claims a place where you can "spend a varnishing day in the center of Europe." (whatever the heck that means) Rather, it is about as far east as you can get in Europe. This former Soviet member country is named after the providence of Moldavia located in Romania of which most of it used to be a part.

I will never forget the first time my plane landed at the Chisinau International Airport. The small commuter plane I had taken from Vienna touched ground and my first view of Moldova on an overcast day was of old Russian-style tanks, soldiers, and guard dogs. I thought perhaps I had accidentally boarded a Con-Air flight.

I confess that I was like a fish-out-of water the entire time during my intended two week stay. Since my original hosts had never showed up, I was totally on my own. I was baffled by the multiplicity of languages spoken. Although barely the size of my home state of Maryland (also abbreviated MD and at about the same longitude - about where the similarities end) there were no less then 4 languages commonly spoken: Moldovan (a dialect of Romanian), Russian, Ukrainian and Gagauzian. I was stopped on the street a number of times and asked the time in the Moldovan language and responded Ya ne gavaru pa rusky. "I do not speak Russian." Got a lot of strange looks. I ordered "alphabet soup" but later discovered that it was a mistranslation for "tongue soup." Trust me, bye the way, alphabet soup is better. Much better.

This small country, that I had never heard of before, is in fact three different countries in one. The southern half is the Republic of Gagauzia, where Christianized Turks had settled years ago. They are recognized by the Moldovan government and seem to be at peace with them. Then there is the self-proclaimed Republic of Transdniestria, perhaps the most surreal place on earth. On my visit there (in which my friend and I were rescued in a special mission from the US Embassy - this is another story) we saw what could only be described as a living museum to the Soviet Union. Statues of Lenin were being put up before our eyes, bread lines were long, and we were ticketed for looking the wrong way when crossing the street.

All of that being said, I thought I had saw all I needed of this "Moldovan trinity" for one lifetime. I had my bags packed and was ready for home, sweet home. However, I was soon to discover that I would have been making a colossal mistake.

There was something that I had overlooked. There was something important that I had missed during my two week tour of this fascinatingly "other" country.

Moldova has no coastline. Moldova has no mountains. Moldova does not possess a year-round pleasant climate. Moldova requires a $60 minimum visa for entry and can't seem to set up a stable government . Yet, with all of this taken into consideration, I just can't stop returning to this place! I consider it one of the best kept secrets on earth, in fact. And, I am not alone.

What is it that I had almost overlooked that continues to draw me to Moldova?

It could be the wine that keeps me coming back. After all, much of Moldova is a steppe to the Carpathian Mountain range, possessing the perfect soil for wine production. Moldova produces a variety of excellent wines (which sold in London pubs in Soviet days for about $125 a bottle) that sell for less than the price of a bottle of Coca Cola in local grocery stores. It is also home to the world's largest underground wine cellars at "Cricova." A whole underground world, it's registers in at a whopping 60 square kilometers in size, with streets named after famous wines and medieval style tasting rooms. It is a must for any wine connoisseur. So, is the annual Wine Festival every autumn, organized in conjunction with the Moldovan State, which offers foreign visitors free visas during the time of the festival.

A well-guarded legend, published here for the first time, is that Hawaiian singer Don Ho, who came to Moldova to perform a concert, became so tipsy after a sipping tour of the Cricova facilities earlier in the day that he barely made it through 3 songs before excusing himself from the stage. From what I hear, the easy-going Moldovan concert-goers didn't seem to really mind.

It could be that very easy-going nature of many Moldovans that keeps me coming back. Their nature is supported by large and frequent concerts that close down much of the main street and that are of course, totally free. You have to appreciate a people and a city that despite all the hardships it has had to face stops traffic regularly to dance the hora and kick back a beer. That's my kind of place.

It could be the unspoiled village life and nature found just outside the city. If you've never been to a real Eastern European village, your missing out on an unforgettable experience. There are few places on earth where people who don't know you, will slaughter five animals in honor of your arrival and invite the whole neighborhood to drink homemade wine and vodka with you. Moldovan villages are such special places!

In this neck of the woods, bathrooms are still outhouses, outside lighting has yet to be invented, and modern farming technology exists only for the lazy.

But, just when you feel like you could be no further from civilization, you might, like I, hear the familiar tunes of Britney Spears coming from one of the bedrooms of a local child!

I'm not really one for the quiet life though, so maybe this also isn't the main reason why I love Moldova. I like the night life and fun times. Chisinau is so hopping that the New York Times devoted a full story to Chisinau's club scene! A half-million dollar, futuristic super-clubs challenge the finest clubs of Western Europe and America. A good example of what one looks like can be seen by watching the Eastern-European club scene in the popular movie "Euro Trip."

Moldova is a stopping point for refugees who have opened up their own clubs and restaurants, adding an eclectic, cosmopolitan air to the city; this has helped create an excitingly diverse nightlife.

All partying and having fun can, believe it or not, get pretty tiring. So this too is not the reason I am so sold on Moldova.

It could be the gentle air of familiarity found Chisinau that makes me love this place so much. Chisinau offers all the amenities of a big town - restaurants, opera, cinema, clubs, and more, all without most of the hassles that big city life entails. Plus, most everything is an easy walk. And everyone is out walking. In fact, it's impossible for me to walk in the city for five minutes and not run into two people that I know, even if I haven't been in town for a year!

Chisinau is a surprisingly clean city and has recently been renovated in the downtown area. One could even say its become posh. It is almost unrecognizable from how it was when I first visited in 2000. While always preserving it's many layers of rich history, Chisinau is always evolving, always growing, holding new surprises in store for me each time that I return.

I suspect that this is also why almost every ex-pat I have met in Chisinau seems to love it. One ex-pat explained to me that he felt like a member of an elite club. Part of the 'chosen few' lucky enough to know about the existence of this place.

But none of these are the reasons that I just can't stop coming back to Moldova, all though they certainly add to my enjoyment and appreciation of Europe's most hidden country.

The real reason is actually profoundly simple - the wonderfully genuine and sincere nature of the Moldovan people. Anywhere on earth you will find good people and bad people. That is a given. Moldova, however, seems to have a disproportionate number of good people. I mean really good. Not goody-two-shoe-good but genuine, salt of the earth good. Reliable, trustworthy, friends for life. It's been said if you can count your true friends on the five fingers of your hands, you are rich. If that's true, then Moldova stands to make you a very rich person.

Now, you may be thinking, that this is simply my personal experience. It could have happened to me anywhere. It is just happenstance that I met so many wonderful people in Moldova. Maybe you're right. I can only say that I have traveled to many countries and met many wonderful people and spoke with many ex-pats in those countries. Nowhere have I met as many ex-pats who have told me about how wonderful and open the locals are, and what good friends they've made in Moldova.

The people there are less affected by the declining value placed on friendship in the West. When I asked several hundred young Moldovans what are the five most important things in your life the most common replies were "My faith, my family, my friends, love, making a difference in Moldova and the world." A similar poll in America yielded much more materialistic results from it's participants. This difference in perspectives affects not only the individual adherents but the society-at-large in profound ways.

Sure, old traditional mentalities are not always healthy, and Moldova's growth has been hampered by less positive mentalities which also unfortunately continue to persist. The less wonderful side of Moldova though only helps serve as a magnifier of the wonderful side filled with great people and traditions.

So while the common accusation of Moldova's being "trapped in the past" may not seem so good and certainly is far from being a totally true declaration, I can only say judging from my experience, I like spending some time "trapped in the past."

Moldova's greatest asset in the end is not its wine, its clubs, or the layout of its capitol city. It greatest asset is its people.

They are why you will love Moldova.

Moldova is a true original with a character all its own. It possesses a compelling otherness that will always stay with you and a people who will capture your heart. That is why you too, may end up coming to Moldova again and again.

Moldova makes a great trip from Romania by car or plane and from other European countries via direct flight. It will definitely add a unique aspect to your vacation that most other travellers still don't know about. You may even decide to stay a little while longer like I did. Most ex-pats I meet in Moldova, in fact, came there for a few weeks, or a few months, a few years ago.

My final advice, if you come to Moldova is to try to buy an airline ticket that has an open-ended return. Odds are it will come in handy

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