Moldova > Transnistria

At a quarter to nine, Oleg walks into the reception. Today we have booked a tour to visit Transnistria. Oleg turns out to have emailed us several times before, but received no reply. It appears he used an email address that we only check in the Netherlands. He asks if an American can join us today; otherwise, she would be alone. He promises us a discount on the price, which is fine with us. Outside, we meet Kelly in the car. Together, we drive out of Chisinau. Oleg talks about the history of Moldova, Transnistria, and Romania. He also explains that Russia has an interest in the creation of Transnistria. During the Soviet period, Russia invested economically and militarily in the area around Tiraspol. Besides military bases, large amounts of ammunition were stored here. When the Soviet Union collapsed, Moldova threatened to join European-oriented Romania—a logical step, since old Moldova once included the Romanian province of Moldavia and extended to the Black Sea. By supporting an uprising in eastern Moldova, Russia’s interests in eastern Moldova were secured. Transnistria declared independence, but no country recognizes it as an independent state. Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, Transnistria has become more isolated. At the border, passports must be registered. Oleg explains how strange this is. Moldova considers this area part of Moldova and sees no reason to maintain border controls. However, they have no way of knowing who travels to Transnistria via Ukraine. In fact, this means you can enter Europe without control. Europe considers Transnistria a black hole. For entering Transnistria, none of this matters. We are allowed through. In Bender, we make a short stop at a monument.

Moldova - The remains of Bender Castle in Transnistria

Across from it is the Sheriff supermarket. Much in Transnistria is owned by the Sheriff family: gas stations, hotels, the football stadium, and sports parks. Oleg describes them as savvy businesspeople, but also involved in corruption. Corruption is a general problem in this country, although Oleg notes that the situation has improved significantly since relations at the eastern border with Ukraine worsened. In Bender stands an old Turkish citadel. Oleg explains how the Turks, the Swedes, and the Russians fought here—a real history lesson. During this lesson, he also tells us that Moldova’s currency, the leu, is derived from an old Dutch large coin. The coin depicted a lion. Since people could not pronounce "groot" (large), they said "lion," which later became leu. The citadel once housed sixty thousand people. Much was destroyed during the Russian period. Later, the castle within the citadel was restored. We walk through the fort, visit the small museum, and climb the watchtowers. In the distance, we can see Tiraspol on the opposite side of the Dniester River. Before going there, we drive past the Noul Neamt monastery in Chircani. This monastery is unusual in otherwise Russian-oriented Transnistria. Oleg explains that the beautifully decorated church consists of three parts: the rear section for non-believers, the middle for worshippers, and behind the altar, the holy section only for priests. He explains the iconostasis, murals, and dome paintings.

Moldova - The parliament building in Transnistria

We have seen many Orthodox churches on this trip, but never with such explanations. Remarkable! After the monastery, we cross the Dniester River and enter Tiraspol. In a restaurant, we have a typical Ukrainian lunch. Then it is time for Soviet architecture. We visit a tank monument commemorating the short war over Transnistria in 1992. Along the main boulevard stand colossal Soviet-style buildings. The statue of Lenin stands prominently. A tank also stands as a monument at the memorial for the fallen of World War II, the Afghanistan war, and the Transnistria war. It is surreal to walk here—a piece of Russia in Moldova. Everywhere, the Russian flag hangs alongside the Transnistrian flag. At the end of the afternoon, we drive back to Chisinau. Oleg had warned all day that bad weather was forecast. So far it had been dry and even oppressively hot with temperatures above thirty degrees. This changes quickly as we pass the border post and return to Moldova. A heavy downpour hits. Large hailstones fall. Within minutes, the road is flooded. Cars move slowly in the evening traffic. The water from passing cars splashes against the vehicle. Even Oleg is surprised by the enormous rain and the traffic. By six o’clock, we are back at the hotel. We thank Oleg and return to our room, enriched by a very special experience. When we turn on the television, we see the heavy rainfall reported in the news. This probably does not happen often. In the evening, we take it easy and decide to have dinner near the hotel to let all the experiences of the day sink in.