A Non-existent "Country" | The World's Last Soviet
When visiting Moldova, you must also visit Transnistria
This is a "country" not widely recognized
Full name👉Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic
Also the world's last Soviet state
Soviet-style architecture everywhere, time seems frozen here
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Depart from the bus station in Chisinau, Moldova's capital
Take a minibus for about 2h to the Green Market in Tiraspol
🎫56 lei
Midway to Transnistria, you'll stop to receive an entry paper, keep it safe~
For day trips, they give you 12h to visit
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We left late, arriving after 3pm
Played until after 6pm to return. Normally, you can flag down return minibuses directly across from Green Market (look for Chisinau signs)
But locals directed us to go to Bender for transport
Worried about missing the last bus, we took route 20 to Bender Bus Station, where tickets cost 🎫60 lei
💡The last bus back is around 7pm, keep track of time
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✨Tiraspol day trip
📍Catherine the Great Monument
Right outside Green Market is the park
Walking forward you'll find the Suvorov Monument
At the end is the Dniester River with beautiful scenery
📍Lenin Monument
Walking along 25th October Street, you'll soon reach Lenin's statue
Behind it is City Hall, where they checked our permits at the entrance
They just registered us, nothing happened...
📍Dom Knigi
Continue your citywalk to this bookstore where you can buy postcards
(Next door is a bank where you can exchange for local currency)
To mail postcards, walk two blocks to the post office Poşta Centrală
📍"Back in the USSR" Restaurant
After mailing postcards, perfect timing to eat at this Soviet-themed restaurant
Such a retro atmosphere! And very enthusiastic servers~
The seafood pasta and local sour cabbage soup were both delicious!
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Half a day is enough to explore Tiraspol
If you have time, visit Tighina Fortress🏰 in Bender
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A brief day trip
With a surreal time-travel feeling
Soviet traces are everywhere in Transnistria
25th October Street, Lenin statues, Soviet-themed restaurants...
Many locals still hold Soviet passports
Surrealist Soviet dreamcore materialized...
Times change rapidly
But some people remain forever in 1992