Minsk

[QUOTE=Prosal; 1158888]In what kind of clubs, Sean?

Besides clubs, is there good DJ bars in Minsk? (something that lacks to Kiev) [/QUOTE]Kiev and Ukraine has rich and outstanding DJ club scene, and some of the best DJs I met in New York and Chicago come from Kiev and Lviv. Kiev has after hours parties that go on until noon the next day, and people understand the underground music.

For good DJ music Minsk is the last place I would go to. We went to MayDay party in Minsk, I would say 20 thousand people were there and not one wore a glow stick. Belarus is cheap, has may beautiful girls that outnumber men, and friendly people and for me these are the only reasons to go there. For info about clubs, PM me.

[QUOTE=Sean EZ;1159024]Kiev and Ukraine has rich and outstanding DJ club scene, and some of the best DJs I met in New York and Chicago come from Kiev and Lviv. Kiev has after hours parties that go on until noon the next day, and people understand the underground music.[/QUOTE]Agree about the club scene in Kiev, nonetheless by DJ bars I meaned, well, DJ bars (smilie).

Planning a trip to Minsk. Would any one have following info.

1. Is there any park / s in the city? Any suggestions for rental apartment in a nice central area near night life (disco, casino etc) near health club / gym and park (for jogging ).

2. Would like to take Russian language classes. Any info about Russian language schools?

3. Names of some discos for non pro regular girls?

Thanks

Any info on how to get letter of invitation for visa. Is there any agency in New York area which assists for Belarusian visa?

Thanks

Been wondering whether or not to head to Minsk.

I'm guessing I would not be able to use my bank cards over there as I will be screwed by the rate the bank sets. Suppose I would have to take USD or EUR into country.

I heard there is no food in the shops. Overall the situation must be worse than depressing at the moment, do you think I should go or steer well clear, I don't want envious eyes watching me whilst eating a sandwich.

[QUOTE=Juicyfruit; 1161269]Been wondering whether or not to head to Minsk.

I'm guessing I would not be able to use my bank cards over there as I will be screwed by the rate the bank sets. Suppose I would have to take USD or EUR into country.

I heard there is no food in the shops. Overall the situation must be worse than depressing at the moment, do you think I should go or steer well clear, I don't want envious eyes watching me whilst eating a sandwich.[/QUOTE]Juicy,

Mate the only sandwich you need to worry about is the ones you'll be having in the hotel room :) Belarus' economy is in trouble but not that bad that people will steal your last copeck. The great thing is that Belarus will be cheeper now due to the devaluation of the rouble. Take Euros as they are the most wanted and exchange on the black market, friends there tell me it's 9100 to the Euro on the black (take obvious precautions ). I've spent a lot of time over there whilst working for a charity in Grodno. You want to hit it up this summer? Read my report on here about it (rambles on a bit, was drunk when I wrote it I think ). It's not a good pro hunting place to be honest but freebies are good. If you really want some fun then we could pop over the Belarus border to some small Russian backwater towns that run down the Rus / Bel border, Russia has much much more opportunity. Trust me.

[QUOTE=Juicyfruit; 1161269]Been wondering whether or not to head to Minsk.

I'm guessing I would not be able to use my bank cards over there as I will be screwed by the rate the bank sets. Suppose I would have to take USD or EUR into country.

I heard there is no food in the shops. Overall the situation must be worse than depressing at the moment, do you think I should go or steer well clear, I don't want envious eyes watching me whilst eating a sandwich.[/QUOTE]Yes, Belarus economy is in trouble. Not that bad as you expect though. Official rate is now around 5000 BYR for 1 USD. Black market rates are between 5700 and 6300 BYR. You are not advised to get BYR with your card but you can get USD or EUR freely in cash machines. All the fuss was about BYR card holders trying to get USD cash under official rate. The gov just stopped it.

As for prices and cost of living in Minsk there is a interview with a Brit who has been living in Minsk for 7 years.

[url]http://belarus-minsk.com/index.php/Teachers/i-keep-telling-my-friends-to-come-to-minsk.html[/url]

Might be interesting for someone.

[QUOTE=Borderland; 1161868]Juicy,

Mate the only sandwich you need to worry about is the ones you'll be having in the hotel room. Belarus' economy is in trouble but not that bad that people will steal your last copeck. The great thing is that Belarus will be cheeper now due to the devaluation of the rouble. Take Euros as they are the most wanted and exchange on the black market, friends there tell me it's 9100 to the Euro on the black (take obvious precautions ). I've spent a lot of time over there whilst working for a charity in Grodno. You want to hit it up this summer? Read my report on here about it (rambles on a bit, was drunk when I wrote it I think ). It's not a good pro hunting place to be honest but freebies are good. If you really want some fun then we could pop over the Belarus border to some small Russian backwater towns that run down the Rus / Bel border, Russia has much much more opportunity. Trust me. [/QUOTE]You mean like Saratov? Always wondered about that, it must be good.

As far as economy, relating to other posts, plenty of food in the stores and a lot of decent restaurants from cheap to expensive (relatively).

[QUOTE=Borderland; 1161868]Juicy,

Mate the only sandwich you need to worry about is the ones you'll be having in the hotel room. Belarus' economy is in trouble but not that bad that people will steal your last copeck. The great thing is that Belarus will be cheeper now due to the devaluation of the rouble. Take Euros as they are the most wanted and exchange on the black market, friends there tell me it's 9100 to the Euro on the black (take obvious precautions ). I've spent a lot of time over there whilst working for a charity in Grodno. You want to hit it up this summer? Read my report on here about it (rambles on a bit, was drunk when I wrote it I think ). It's not a good pro hunting place to be honest but freebies are good. If you really want some fun then we could pop over the Belarus border to some small Russian backwater towns that run down the Rus / Bel border, Russia has much much more opportunity. Trust me.[/QUOTE]Borderland. Nice to hear from you again on places yet to be discovered.

Have you been to Tiraspol recently? , and if so your much valued advise is needed in the Moldova Forum.

Cheers

[QUOTE=Zinda; 1160777]Any info on how to get letter of invitation for visa. Is there any agency in New York area which assists for Belarusian visa?

Thanks[/QUOTE]You can get a Hotel Booking in Minsk via an Agency, and take the Booking to the Embassy to get the VIsa.

In london I used selectaroom. Com.

Very reliable.

Just returned back from Belarus and can add some info. The economic sitiation is indeed very problematic, and the shortage of hard currency like USD end Euro is the BIG thing. Very often I could overhear conversations between people talking in the streets and Euros and dollars was often heard. Another thing already mentioned is that many companies has stopped production and released their workers. As some payments has to be done in hard currency it leaves many ordinary people with a lot of problems. Most still gets their salary in Belarus rubles and they see their living conditions going the negative way. Not to mention those who have planned to go abroad for vacation.

I managed to exchange on the black market for Belarus rubles at 6000 to the USD. That is close to 20% up from the official rate which is now at around 5050. I heard that carpenters repairing your house want payment in the first case in hard currency. If payed with Belarus Rubles they want 10000 for the USD. At the airport shops had dfferent prices for hard currency and when payed with Belarus rubles, even according to the official rate. One shop set the Euro to 10000 and the USD to more than 7000.

It is not as bad though as some articles suggested. There are still plenty of food in the shops, but the prices have been adjusted upwards. Some imported goods are a 100% up but for some demestic products prices has not risen much. Bananas and other imported fruits were almost a 100% up as were Lays crisps. Prices on local alcohol had not risen much at all, but there has recently been a 10% tax raise. Still much cheaper than it used to be, especially if you change black. Cigarette prices has not risen much either. But what happened in the last days of my stay is that all the foreign brands disappeared from the shelfes. Before that you could buy a packet of Camels for 3200 rubles, which with black market exchange rate would be 1/2 a USD for a packet. Thats very cheap.

Entrance fees for the clubs has not risen much and that makes it very cheap now. Expect taxi prices to rise as the petrol price has risen much lately. Still good prices. Imported beers in the clubs are around 50% more expensive. A Pinacolada for a 19 year old student costed me 40000.

Apart from my "team" of ordinary girls, I found a stunning girl to sponsor. An ex-model. 24 years and 178 cm 58 kg, a pure 9, who needed hard currency to pay for her studies. Some things open up with harder times. Girls in general were a bit more open, but they were also a bit busier as well. It was of course student exam period, but for the girls with work it seems they have to work a lot and were really keen to keep their jobs. Not to loose at least some money and security.

Besides the economic crisis things were rather calm, as usual.

Met a forum member as well on my last evening which was nice. Cheers man, nice to meet! . I hope you will get success with one of the girls we met in West World club. . I Pulled a girl from the club after my friend went home to sleep (Girl was normal looking and a 7, but ok, sweet face) , and I shagged her at 4 am in my apartment. After sex and watching TV she told me she wanted money (which was never mentioned before. Conversation in club was that she was asking me if I had a wife or children or a GF. I of course said no. I told her I look for a girl for relationship because I come to Belarus on a regular basis. She asked me what I am doing in Belarus and I answered. After our conversation I suggested we go to my apartment as a wild chance. She asked if I had anything to drink, and I told her I have real good whisky and cola. And she liked that) I explained to her after she mentioned money that if she want money she has to tell that from the start. I am not looking for a prostitute. She was not really happy that I offered her taxi money only (50000). She told me her mother was ill and she needed money. I explained to her that I was tired and needed sleep because I fly home later the same day. I gave her USD 10 extra to get rid of her and she left. A semi-pro gold digger. Cest la vie! At 08.00 came my GF to say good bye to me, but I was so tired and it wasnt a pleasure.

/Felix

Where do you find these girls? And how much does it cost to sponsor them? I would prefer online places as I do not like night clubs / discos etc.

gentlemen,

with all due respect to this forum and its distinguished contributors, i am getting fed up with bumping into the term turkish-type or tukish-[url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord128][CodeWord128][/url] blah blah? are you insane? this is racism! that is illegal and means penalty! you would be interrogated for doing that on the street! referees forfeit games because of racist reactions! please, behave yourselves!

totally feel you on that carteblanche. the lack of manners and the ability to be sensitive and empathetic to others who are not like you is supposed to what makes us civilized 21st century individuals.

on a complete separate note, i am living in poland right now, but i travel all over eastern europe and former soviet union (fsu / cis) and i am really into group sex scene or swingers clubs which admit single men / men without female partners. i know warsaw has some clubs, moscow does. does minsk have a group sex / swinger scene? i would assume not, but then again i don't want to assume.

in poland, warsaw to be exact, they are opening up this place called le moulin rouge warsaw, [url]www.lemoulinrougepl.com[/url], which is trying to mirror the london adult party scene.

their first sex party is on june 29th. 2011 and they are throwing a parties wednesday through saturday.

5 girls, all inclusive unlimited sex, drink and food. this might be a nice alternative to the swinger scene in warsaw which i often have to pony up a escort to take with me to a group sex party which can be costly. is this an issue in minsk getting an escort to attend a swinger party with you?

le moulin rouge warsaw throws 2 hr parties. 3 times a day at a contribution of 550 polish zloty.

is there anything like that in minsk an adult group sex party or swing scene? they h.

[quote=carteblanche; 1166505]gentlemen,

with all due respect to this forum and its distinguished contributors, i am getting fed up with bumping into the term turkish-type or tukish-[url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord128][CodeWord128][/url] blah blah? are you insane? this is racism! that is illegal and means penalty! you would be interrogated for doing that on the street! referees forfeit games because of racist reactions! please, behave yourselves! [/quote]

[quote=carteblanche; 1166505]gentlemen,

with all due respect to this forum and its distinguished contributors, i am getting fed up with bumping into the term turkish-type or tukish-[url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord128][CodeWord128][/url] blah blah? are you insane? this is racism! that is illegal and means penalty! you would be interrogated for doing that on the street! referees forfeit games because of racist reactions! please, behave yourselves! [/quote]is this some kind of spam or what on earth are you talking about?

who in the belarus part talked about turkish-[url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord128][CodeWord128][/url]? you are talking crap.

if you feel it is offensive that some refers to clubs as being frequented by arabs and turks, and what that often brings regarding the scene, these are factual observations. if you have not observed the clubs in minsk you should not comment. though the phenomena can be observed in many other fsu countries as well. it is not a well kept secret that tons of sex tourists arrive from turkey and other middle eastern countries. these "tours" and the men associated with it very often gather in special clubs and that attracts a lot of hookers. some members more keen on amatures do not fancy this atmosphere and would prefer clubs with ordinary belarussians. there you find a much higher frequency of normal girls. i for sure do not like these middle eastern havens, and try to go to other clubs. it has nothing to do with racism at all, simply what kind of clubs and clientele that you feel comfortable in and what you want to hunt.

in general it can also be said that turks has a somewhat bad reputation in some fsu countries wheter you like it or not. no smoke without a fire. thats rather well known and not up to you and me to decide. why does for instance some brittish tourists have bad reputation at some resorts? why does some scandinavian tourists have bad reputation in austria? because many behave bad and get drunk and scream in the streets. yet the majority behaves well, but yet a trend can be observed. hence the bad reputation. with that said, there are of course many turks that behave good as well. however there is a reason for some reputations. period.

post something that adds value to this forum or do not post at all.

cheers,

felix