Eyeballing Belarus

Tim Bryan is a journalist working with the Guardian. He regularly travels worldwide to assess popular and lesser known tourist destinations, informing his readers of his findings. Recently he decided to pay Belarus a visit – a country almost undiscovered by British tourists. In his view, Belarus has some definite attractions. He was particularly enchanted by our forests and log cabins; deep in the woods, it’s easy to relax – undisturbed by anything or anybody. Escapist tourism is becoming quite popular among ecology-minded Westerners.

Mr. Bryan also praises Minsk’s modern architecture. He asserts that Western tourists are fed up with ‘noble ruins’ since castles can be found in abundance throughout Europe. Rather than looking at ‘glorious has-beens’, people want to experience modern lifestyles. Since Minsk is a living relic of the sunken Soviet Atlantis, having been destroyed in WWII and rebuilt purely by Soviet canons, it’s a unique destination. Minsk is relatively crime free – unlike many other post-Soviet capitals. If British tourists can be persuaded to travel to Belarus for their holidays, they’ll bring in very welcome amounts of revenue.

25. Quiz “Do you know the history of motherland?”

1. The term “Belaya Rus” was used for the first time? a) 13^th century; b) 12^th century; c) 14^th century.	7. In 1224 Neswizh was first mentioned in the chronicles a) as a small settlement; b) as a trade center; c) as a town with strong fortifications.
2. The ancestors of the Belarusians lived in the Basins of a) the Dnieper and the Zapadnaya Dvina rivers where they grew rice and fished; b) the Dnieper and the Zapadnaya Dvina rivers where they hunted, fished and farmed; c) the Dnieper and the Bug rivers where they grew cotton and hunted.	8. The Brama that had several functions: a chapel, a customs house and city guards, was built in a) Polotsk; b) Slutsk; c) Mir.
3. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania a) helped to form a new state in the second half of the 13^th century; b) annexed Belarus in the second half of the 13^th century; c) annexed Belarus in the second half of the 12^th century.	9. What lake is often called “Belarusian Sea”? a) Narach Lake, b) Braslave Lakes, c) the Blue Lakes.
4. The oldest Orthodox Church in the country is a) the Sophia Cathedral; b) Saint Savior Church, founded by venerable Yevfrosiniy of Polotsk; c) The Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul in Gomel.	10. This territory is treated as a place for rest, a biosphere reserve and the National park. a) Belavezhskaya Pushcha; b) the Blue Lakes; c) Naliboki Forest.
5. Who was born in the Trinity Suburb in Minsk? a) Yanka Kupala; b) Maksim Bagdanovish; c) Yakub Kolas.	11. The most spectacular project repsenting Vitebsk is a) the festival of medieval culture; b) the All-Belarusian festival of humor; c) the annual international music festival “Slaviansky Bazaar”.
6. This vivid example of gigantomania in the architecture was built in 1938. It was a) the National Academy of Sciences; b) the National Opera and Ballet Theatre; c) the Museums of Arts.

26. Work in groups. Show your knowledge of Belarusians traditions. Read and decide which of the following characteristic features belong to each of the given folk feasts. Do these folk feasts have similar traits?

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