Countryside
Train station in Moldova's countryside
February 29, 2004
The day only comes once every four years so I made the most of it as I went out
of town to Romania. The trip there and back was very interesting, seeing true Moldova
and beginning to understand why it’s the poorest country in Europe. Much of the
trip reminded me of Africa in the sense that the streets were full of potholes,
were flooded, and the sidewalks were mud. Everything seemed run down and in bad
shape: the houses, fences, stop signs, everything. Most of the drive was rolling
hills, mostly with farms on both sides, some trees and very often villages on the
hillsides in the distance. Every village had a church and they stuck out; always
the first sign of a village in the distance. The churches were incredible and the
thought that those people with so little gave so much to build churches like these
were a true testament to them. As we crossed through each town, there would be at
least 6-10 people hitch hiking and the main form of transportation was horse-drawn
wagons. Vineyards also were scattered in the area closer to Chisinau. As the clouds
parted and the sun shined on these towns, on the hills, the scene was incredible.