Belarus

So many war memorials in Belarus!

Country Information:

The landlocked country of Belarus, borders five other Eastern European countries. The capital is Minsk. There were roughly 10 million people living here as of 2016, and 9 million as of 2020. Belarusians primarily practice orthodox Christianity and have two official languages: Belarusian and Russian. The time zone is 7 hours ahead of EST. Belarus is primarily flat, and covered in marshland.

Jim’s Perspectives:

When visiting, the ideal time is to enjoy Minsk at night. Minsk is especially known for the “City Gates”, and Privokzalnaya Square. Be sure to visit some of the many WWII war memorials, namely the site of the former village which is now known as the Khatyn Memorial. Also of interest is the Stalin Line Museum which houses parts of the Stalin Line, the largest defense line built pre-WWII.

One interesting thing about Belarus is that it is technically a presidential republic but functions as a dictatorship. The etymology of its name is a combination of the words “bel” (white) and “Rus” (East Slavic ethnicity) meaning, “White Russian”.

 

Another war memorial in Belarus, 2015.
And yet another war memorial!
Skyline of Minsk, Belarus

Morocco

Chris, Todd, Jim (and Alonzo) on the way to Casablanca! Country Information: In Morocco, the capital is Rabat and the population is about 37 million. The official language is Arabic, but French is also spoken and Spanish speakers can be found in northern parts of the...

Bosnia and Herzegovina

At the famous Stari Most, the Old Bridge, '15 Kutrubes Travel planned an exquisitely complicated tour for me through "eastern" Europe, helping me to make the most of seeing the highlights of these countries in the most meaningful way, without just zipping through. I...

Gambia

Country Information:  The capital of Gambia is Banjul. There are approximately 2.5 million people living here. The official language of Gambia is English. The majority of Gambians practice Islam.  Major exports of Gambia are peanut products, fish, cotton, and palm...