I have to say it. It was more difficult to cross the Polish border to leave the European Union than to enter Belarus. It is that Poland is taking extreme precautionary measures on its eastern flank, the same as the Baltic countries. As the Argentines do not need a visa to enter Belarus, the arrival was a simple formality of stamping without questions.
Poland prohibits pedestrian crossings, canceled trains and limits the sale of bus tickets to citizens of third countries. My only option was to hitchhike past. For some thought-provoking reason, the new iron curtain is being built in Europe but, this time, from the west side.
The city of Brest is one of the oldest and most prominent cities in Belarus. Brest is located in the southwestern region of Belarus, close to the border with Poland. It is an important center of transport and commerce due to its strategic location at the intersection of European trade routes, which today are limited to their minimum expression.
During World War II, the city was the scene of a fierce battle between German and Soviet forces, which is why it has become an important historical and memorial site.
A rainy and gray day has received us, which prevents us from fully enjoying the outdoors. The streets and parks are almost empty and it is to be assumed that with a different climate they will be more lively, although an atmosphere of concern seems to be more than justified.
In normal times, Brest attracted many tourists due to its history, architectural heritage and the famous Brest Fortress. Visitors could explore the fortress, visit museums and enjoy the beauty of Mukhavets Park, although today I seem to be the only outsider here.
Needless to say, it's more than difficult to hold a conversation here in any Western language. I'll try to get by with my few rudiments of Russian.
Over the centuries, Belarus was under the rule of the Russian Empire and later became part of the Soviet Union. During the Soviet period, Belarus was a Soviet Socialist Republic and experienced agricultural collectivization, industrialization, and the impact of World War II.
Belarus was the scene of a brutal German occupation during World War II. The country suffered extensive damage and loss of life, including the systematic extermination of Jews and other groups. The Auschwitz Death complex, where many Belarusians were murdered, is located on the territory of what is now Poland.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Belarus declared its independence and became a sovereign state, although its ties to Russia go beyond a relationship between peers.
In the different videos of this series I have tried to convey some of the strong feelings that this visit provokes at particular moments in history like this one. I invite you to follow the rest of the series.
#DelOtroLadoDelMapa #ViajarEsHipervivir
🌎 Subtitles in Portuguese, Italian, German, French, Russian, Polish and English.
🔎 I am Gustavo Llusá, Argentine, after traveling for several years in more than 65 countries, I settled in Latvia where I married Dace and learned to know another way of life, on the other side of the map.
👇👇👇 COMMENT AND THINK