Minsk

[QUOTE=Kurenda]...Problems in Belarus is strick regimee which can throw your ass in jail just for wrong word, getting visa, people which are mostly to close and shy...[/QUOTE]

Great infos as always from Kurenda and especially the message I quoted above here, it is not to be undervalued....

[QUOTE=GandJim]For those of you who are presently preparing a trip to Minsk and wonder where in hell you can obtain a travel insurance from a Belarus insurance co before you leave, you don't have to. You can get it at Minsk airport when you get out of the plane, before you go through passport control. There are a couple of booths and it's dirt cheap. I usually stay 3-4 weeks on each visit (for business) and it costs about 10-15 USD each time.

Jim[/QUOTE]I went to Minsk by Bus from Vil enus, Lithuania, and I don't recall paying for Travel Insurance on the border.

This was nearly 2or 3 yrs ago.

[QUOTE=Jojosun]I went to Minsk by Bus from Vil enus, Lithuania, and I don't recall paying for Travel Insurance on the border.

This was nearly 2or 3 yrs ago.[/QUOTE]
My post was addressed to members arriving by plane, not by bus.

Also, paying for insurance at the airport is a possibilty, not an obligation. Lots of people just pass by without stopping if they think they have a valid insurance.

If you stay in a private apartment instead of a hotel, you need to carry out the visa registration yourself and, in the area where I stay, they request this insurance certificate. Even if I have much better insurance coverage from my own policy, I just buy this one upon arrival to avoid any hassle. As I said, it's dirt cheap and I just don't wanna have to argue with the registration bureaucracy people with my broken Russian.

Jim

Hi,

I made the train Vilnius - Minsk in June. On the way back I took the bus, it is much than the train. At the border to Belarus, they checked my passport, my visa and I had to fill out the registration page. I was staying in an apartment. Since it was impossible to make a medical insurance in Sweden, I was told by the Belarus embassy in Stockholm, that it could be done at the border. It could not. My visa was marked with a cyrillic "C", "strachnoy?" Russian for insurance and told to make it at Minsk train station. The office at the train station was closed when I arrived at 1840, so I took a taxi to an insurance company and bought an medical insurance for one week, 5-6 € I do not remember, the taxi driver wanted 30 € for a 5 minute drive!!!!

When I returned, the border officers did not look at my insurance!

Minsk is a difficult place to monger, after 2 days I left it and went to Vilnius, not much mongering there either, but a nice and relaxing holiday for some days. It is difficult to be a normal tourist in Minsk.

[QUOTE=Worldbank]Nightlife[/QUOTE]As you've been both to Kish and Minsk, how would you rate nightlife in one place compared to the other?[/quote]Also, apart from the clubs you reported about (thanks for it BTW), have you found in Minsk good DJ bars like Nostalgi or Deja Vu in Chisinau, that is drinking hole and upscale (with good atmosphere, danceable charts, good cocktails and drunk sluts) under one roof?

[QUOTE=Jojosun]I went to Minsk by Bus from Vil enus, Lithuania, and I don't recall paying for Travel Insurance on the border.

This was nearly 2or 3 yrs ago.[/QUOTE]I rode to Minsk on bus from Vilnius a couple days ago: they were selling insurance at the border. Had already got mine through agency that procured visa -- located across the street from B'rusian Consulate in Vilnius, a great service for 200 euros covered all.

I totally agree with Kurenda, somebody who always brings a lot of value to this forum!

I bought my travel insurance at the migration office in Minsk, where they said my own insurance wasnt legal, for around 2 Euros.

Comparing Chisinau vs Minsk:
In Chisinau like 50% of girls speak decent enough English where in Minsk it's just like 10-20%. So, with this ratio Moldova is better. But in Belarus most girls arent that cunning as they are in Moldova as they are less ruined by mongers, though you have a lot of Arabs frequenting Belarus.

Nightlife/ Restaurants:

In Minsk you get lower quality for a higher price. In Chisinau you have places where you can dine upscale and party at the same place...well in Minsk you have those places but knowing its prices I didnt even try. In the same building as Crowne Plaza hotel, you have as I remember 2 clubs of which Next is one of them and you also have a restaurant in it. But at most clubs during the afternoon you can dine at the clubs' own restaurant (but my friends told me its extremely expensive and mostly rich Arabs go there). So don't expect something as good price-quality-ratio as you are used in Moldova. With regard to other places what my friends have told me club Madison is the best (but it was closed for some reason when I was there).

With regard to the music: mostly western european trance and progressive in all clubs I have visited. I wouldnt say there are a lot of good DJ bars as you hear a lot of guys constantly playing the usual big DJ names records (Armin, Tiesto, Paul van Dyk, ATB, etc). During my 5 hour stay in club UFO I heard one song of Tiesto played many times. It was just sickening. I have a feeling that the DJ scene is not so very popular as in western europe.

Belarus is really expensive! Clubs in Moldova are a lot bigger, there are more of them and they are more beautiful and cheaper.

Even though Belarus is more expensive then Moldova, it is nice to have seen Belarus in your life while its still this strange country. Just for the sake of culture go and visit Belarus! (If you have some other 'cultural exchange' ideas, go to Ukraine or Moldova)

[QUOTE=Worldbank] Comparing Chisinau vs Minsk[/QUOTE]Do Belarus chicks like to have absolutely wild drunken parties as in Russia (or, to a lesser extent, as in Moldova) ?

[QUOTE=Prosal]Do Belarus chicks like to have absolutely wild drunken parties as in Russia (or, to a lesser extent, as in Moldova) ?[/QUOTE]No, not that I know of where you can find those. Since clubs are only made for partygirls who dont buy anything then cheap softdrinks and rich men who buy expensive drinks, most normal young people dont go to clubs (or have ever been there) but have private parties at their own places and get drunk at a friends place (as I have also done, as I have friends there).

The only place where I have heard about were the expensive arab sextours which the crown plaza hotel organizes for rich arabs is the only I have heard of from a few girls.

But since I was there in the summer period I cannot say something about what happens during the academic year (when people have classes). Probably there are these crazy parties but I have a feeling that they are rather more private parties then public.

Maybe somebody else can add up to this question.

[QUOTE=Prosal]Do Belarus chicks like to have absolutely wild drunken parties as in Russia (or, to a lesser extent, as in Moldova)?[/QUOTE]YES of course they do. Only you have to know right people to take you there.

There are parties with 100-200 people (where like 60-70% are girls) but they don't happen in Minsk. Places are usually near the water or deep in the woods because police always try to stop them. Usually they happen at??, also on? Lake. This is all in Minsk oblast. But the best things happen during summer at? Lakes (near border with Lithuania) and especially? Lake at "border" with Russia. This is the best I was there many times, lots of people come including many from Russia just over the "border". The fun includes lots of drinking and naked swimming. Usually some ends up dead. Drinking lots of vodka and swimming after that don't go hand in hand. The best is when police came with dozen of trucks to arrest people and then everybody runs over the border into Russia where belarus police can't follow. Now if you all have ideas to visit this parties forget about it since it's deep in the provinces and you'll need skills to go there but before that you'll have to know right people to let you know where and when to go.

About this sex parties with rich Arabas it's basically local urban legend emerged this year. Before that urban legend was Russian oligarhs coming with empty passenger jet (Il-96 type) then boarding 200 girls from Minsk inside. The wild sex party goes on at 30 000 feet while plane goes Minsk-Moscow several times. Since the crisis lots of Russian olighars stopped investing in Belarus, before that airport Minsk-1 was full of Russian private jets.

There are some Arabs in Minsk but not that many. Some investments were made by Siria and Lybia. Lybia has one the largest embassy in Minsk, 4 stories building and like 50 black Mercedes cars parked in the yard. All Arabs seem to stay in hotel Minsk mainly. I enjoy looking while thgey seet at Lenin square and offer lots of money to the locals to go to near shop and buy them Vodka. By the evening plenty of them are laying around drunk, vomiting and local police just enjoy to fine them for like 300-500 Euro fopr being drunk in public he he. Most Arabs came to Minsk on business to buy tractors and agricultural machinery and equipment for oil drilling. We all know about Belarus tractors but there are also many other agricultural machinery produced in Belarus. Also some 5 factories produce equipment for oil drilling and Arabs buy plenty of it. Also Hugo Chavez. The interesting things is that all Arabs seems to be staying in Minks only and they never go to visit factories where this equipment is manufactured. I talked to the director of some factory located in smaller city and he told me lots of oil drilling equipment they produce is sold to UAE and he told me he sees his buyers only in government offices in Minsk and that Arabs are forbbiden to visit the factory.

Let's get things straight about p4p. Prostitution is criminal act in Belarus which brings sentence 3-5 years in prison. This year government closed several modelling agencies in Minsk and arrest owners under charge of organising prostitution and trafficking. Belarus is definitelly not a place for p4p, compared to Minsk Kiev is a heaven.

Comparing Chisinau vs Minsk. I can't say much since I have never been to Chisinau. But when I talk to people in Minks who have been to Chisianu they all agree Chisianu has much better and cheaper night life. In Minsk most places close at 10PM on work days and 11PM. Only open places are those few expencive night clubs.

In Minsk everything imported and "western" is expnecive because of the high taxes. Everything local is much cheaper. But most foreigners who come to Minsk don't want to eat local borsch but something they eat back home. At this they must pay. Keep in mind that many expencive restaurants in Minsk are owned by some government institution. For example McDonalds, Fridays, Il Patio, Planeta Sushi are franchises run by belarus state oil company.

Talking about night clubs keep in mind they are subject to government review once a year when their licence is renewed. Every club near the entrance must put two licences they got from government. One issued by Ministry of finances (meaning they don't make financial problems) and another one from Ministry of interior (meaning they don't make troubles with laws). So each year you have some clubs closed and some new opened. Madison used to be good club but it's closed due to investigation. Accusations of "connections with Russian mafia".

The problem with clubs in Minsk is simple. Since 2005. Belarus government increased the quota of studens from Russia who come to Minsk for their studies. For many Russian students Moscow is to expencive for studying so they come to Minsk which is cheaper. Mostly this students are from oil rich regions of Siberia. This students don't have many money for Moscow but their oil money is plenty for Minsk. They want to spend their money in fancy places so this places are opened for them and not only opened but constantly increasing their prices. As Worldbank says most normal young people don't go to clubs (or have ever been there) especially if they are students supported by their parents. Even people who are working and have like 200 Euro salary don't go there. Because it will mean they will have to spend like 50 Euro for one night there. So for all of you who are in Minsk and happen to meet a girl there advice. Most probably she'll find a way for you to take her there, she will have 2-3 of her girlfriends in tow, you'll spend big money on them and in return you will get nothing sexwise. In this clubs you can find pros but for high price. Belarus girls are not that cunning since small numbers of foreigners ever visit Belarus. UN reports says that number of foreigners visiting Belarus is close to number of foreigners visiting Iran he he. As I told before people in Belarus are close and shy so simply you don; t know what they think about anything. Minsk is hard to interact with people so you can imagine how it is in some small provincial city in Belarus.

And yes Belarus is expencive for foreigners thats true. Even the mister of tourism complained that Belarus is too expencive since the government prefer to open very expencive hotels and restaurants insted of mid priced and cheaper ones. Not to mention hassle and like 200 Euros to get belarus visa. Even as the tourist destinations Belarus has almost nothing to offer. Exept hunting tourism with hunters coming mostly from Poland and Germany.

Basically Belarus is boring and I'm open here. When I want to get wild in any way I simple leave Belarus and go to Russia.

And for anybody planning to go to Belarus in the future. Pay attention to this.

In this year preparations are made for presidential elections which will be on February 7, 2011. This means the country will become more "closed", meaning more strict on visa issue, more problems with visa after entering the country, more control on foreigners. I'm sure we know who will win.

Gents, my first report here. I hope, it helps a bit.

I am just back from Minsk. The girls are hot!

Disco NEXT (Crowne Plaza Hotel, 3rd Floor) - buy tickets on 1st floor before taking a lift upto the 3rd floor.

Strict face control. Do not be drunk, no sports shoes. You may get declined to enter.

The disco is big. Lots of WGs and non-pros. My advise (if you are with friends) is to reserve a lower line table on your left when enter with red leather seats (appx EUR120 for a table) as close to the dancing floor as possible. You'll get a lot of attention there and can start fishing from the spot. Some girls actually wink or wave hand to those table hosts ;) All girls are dressed very sexy. So you won't always know who is there for work. So follow your instincts and experience. Anyway, you have a chance to pick up a beautiful non-pro and get some action. Check different bars. Lots of WG stick to bar tables all over the club. With non-pro do not get upset if you buy her lots of drinks and she suddenly needs to go back to her parents place. It will depend on your charms and her attitude. I got back to my hotel room with a stunning non-pro and had fantastic time. But I speak fluent Russian. My American friend had issues with communication with non-pros due to language. So he headed back home with a WG ($250 for 2-3hrs).

Enjoy!

There is a small bar on your left when enter. There are normally 1-3 WG sitting and look very bored. Start your conversation. Discuss the details and tell her your room number. She'll come up in 10 minutes. You would normally be asked $150-300/hr. I anticipate them quoting higher rates to non-Russian speakers.

You will find the Strip Bar on the 8th floor in the same building but separate entrance (20 meters on your right when leave the hotel). Beautiful dancers! But they do not leave the premisses with customers. However, if you found a personal contact, the girl will give you the phone number to call during days off. They work 2 days on, 2 days off.

I spent last monday to friday in Minsk. Many beautiful woman, and was continually surprised at how open and approachable they were. Went to Next three nights where it was in fact difficult in some cases to know who was and was not working. Considering the clientele was mostly Turkic and Mediiterran basin types, you'd wonder what a lot of the chicks were in there for. ask them. Most accept a drink with you. Asking one gril about the P4P. she whipped out a cell phone and offered to call one up on spec. No need though. Found what was needed at $200 until almost noon next morning. Others said $300 for 10 hours. Heard that hotel ' security' was taking a 25% per cent cut, who knows. Next Club doesn't get really going until after 1 a.m. and with summer sun-up at like 3:30, your back at your hotel with date at daylight. Only Four, 4-star Hotels in town. Hotel Minsk guest fee was US $15 equivalent for entry after 11 and before 7 am.. $160 room per night. OK hotel, good location. Restaurant good, in general restaurants very good quality and cheap in B'rus. They close at Ten. Bars, I think, close midnight. Looked but didn't find a good one. Next time for Hotel would try Crowne, but you need to book well in advance weekend's on account of the Turks. If you try to book on line with agoda.com, note that it's listed as Intercontinental. If you phone and book direct, Crowne has good weekday discounts. Actually, an apartment would be best. Regular girls at West World would not go to hotel. Met one who called me next day and showed me Minsk for two days but would not be caught dead in hotel. She was international law student, well-spoken, blazing hot, just all round perfect company. Too bad she wasn't from poor family needing cash. This being summer, every night in the parks on the grass were many people all ages out getting drunk. Go speak your English and attract female attention in a hurry. Get russian-drunk and have sex in the grass behind bushes and feel like fifteen again. Wouldn't be adverse to going back, but there so many better places than Minskworld.

[QUOTE=Golfinho] She was international law student, well-spoken, blazing hot, just all round perfect company. Too bad she wasn't from poor family needing cash.[/QUOTE]Obviously the fact that relationships with women can exist without money being the primary motivation is beyond your comprehension. It sounds like it has been a while since the last time you were with a girl who didn't expect any financial benefice but simply liked you as a person (if that ever happened).

FYI, confidence, cultural awareness, charm, wit, humour, sentimentality and sensitivity takes you far with a FSU girl.

[QUOTE=Prosal]Obviously the fact that relationships with women can exist without money being the primary motivation is beyond your comprehension. It sounds like it has been a while since the last time you were with a girl who didn't expect any financial benefice but simply liked you as a person (if that ever happened).

FYI, confidence, cultural awareness, charm, wit, humour, sentimentality and sensitivity takes you far with a FSU girl.[/QUOTE]Wizz Air, is starting flights from London to vilnius in May.

So I am thinking of paying Minsk a return Visit. This would make it much easier than the last time Flying to Kaunas First then by Bus to Vilinius, a couple of Nights there then Minsk.

I didn't care much for vilinus or even worse Kaunas.

I met 2 lovely students in west world. One was Blonde & the other brunette.

They weren't hookers and they showed me around Town.

Was just wondering if they were the same ones?