Tiraspol
Moldova
In Transnistria (which Polarsteps does not seem to recognise as a separate country, unlike Kosovo), Russian appears to be the only widely spoken language. This makes things somewhat easier for me, as in Moldova, people sometimes expect me to use Romanian, which I do not speak at all. Some locals mentioned that the choice to use only Russian or only Romanian is somewhat of a political statement, reflecting their allegiances.
Tiraspol and Bender, two neighbouring cities, feature some timeless communist landmarks, such as a beautiful USSR-style communist canteen. Surprisingly, it is richly adorned with Leninist ornaments, a style I am accustomed to seeing in tourist spots. However, this place is entirely authentic, and locals actually dine there at a reasonable price (about 3 to 4 euros for a full meal).
The Balkan Crawl
The trip ends here
- Arrived from Chișinău · by road · about 60 km