Short vacation in Belarus

My cousin Igors who live in Belarus invited me to his upcoming wedding some time ago. I was a little surprised about that, because we had a chat not while ago about weddings and families e.t.c. and he seem assured to wait a few years for such responsible step.  And as I clarify later the reason was sudden family growth. I hesitate long time to accept invitation, because of many different formalities, insurance, visa and son on, but then other my relatives persuaded me.

And last weekend I and my mom in my car and other my relatives from Ireland in other two cars rode to Belarus.  We planned to went all together, but we couldn’t awaited while some girls create hairstyle. So after 3 – 4 hours we was at Latvian – Belorussian border zone. I spent about 1.5 hour Belorussian custom, wrote different kind of motivations and declarations about my car, my self and my mom some of the in multiple copies and in Russian language. I hadn’t written in Russian anything since secondary school-age. It was already dark when we came into Belorussian and i didn’t know road well, all I had was Baltic map, but we successful find necessary place through many small and bumpy roads, fortunately it was about 80 – 100 km from border.  We had about 4 hour to sleep a little bit, and after it was 200 km long road to Vitebsk, city where wedding was took place.  Next group from Latvia appeared in the next morning.  They delayed because they wanted to transport LCT TV set as a gift and Belorussian customs officer demanded 500 Euro import duty Of course no one wanted to pay such huge price.

First thing that paid may attention was terrible road quality specially minor roads I would even say they are not planned for vans rather than tractors.  May be that’s way many local vans are manually upper lifted . But  there is no problem with main roads, 50 km around big cities.  Next thing – prices. As my surprised prices, except food prices was as high as they are in Latvia.  Import goods and electronic goods, such as TV sets, laptops, automobiles are much higher.  For example my 12 year VW in local market costs about 4.5 K -  5.5 K lats. In Latvia I would able to sell that car no more than 2K lats

After solemn ceremony when Igors and Anastasia make promises,  all guests jumped in his cars and about 2 hours we should rode around city many times and main party started very early.  Soon  we sat at over fulfill table with different snacks.  Guests was cheerful straight away and not waited until drunk out 3 – 4 bottles of alcohol as it often is, specially in Latvian weddings.  After a while I together with my uncle planned to steal bride, despite there already was one bride steal action, but it was very uninteresting even bridegroom didn’t take notice of that so as I. But events are happened so quickly that we didn’t make it in time  because  “mičošanas” ceremony took place, which had I also missed. After “mičošanas” ceremony and cake eating pretty much all of first day celebration was over.

In the next day all guests came together in such “Petrovich” house and celebration may continued. All actions occurred like accelerated movie. Toasts has been said with 5 – 10 interval. After 2 – 3 hours some of the guests went upstairs “to rest” a little bit. I simulated time after time,pouring in my bottle mineral water instead of vodka.  Next day I was totally out of my money and there was nowhere I can change Latvian lats against the local money, so little journey in Vitebsk didn’t happen. I and mom decided to drive home without any souvenir.

Yesterday I heard that Newly Weds planned to visit Latvia as a honeymoon.  I hope they will spent a good time here. For Igors and his New wife Anastasia I wish all the best in love and their conjugal life.