I have entered into another former Soviet State, the country of Moldova. Faces, landscapes, and economy has changed significantly since my departure from Ukraine. Unfortunately, Moldova did not fare so well after the breakup of the USSR, it is the poorest and most BORING country in all of Europe.
Moldova is the ripest country I have seen with regards to German automobiles (BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and Porsche), they are everywhere you look, especially here in the capital city, and often found parked in police and other government parking lots. I walked past a police station and three out of four cars fell into this category. Seems somewhat odd since the minimum wage here in Moldova for government workers is $235 (USD) a month. As one might deduce, the corruption in Moldova runs deep (police, prosecutors, judges, construction permit agencies, and customs officials, amongst others), but apparently it has been decreasing over the past few years, so maybe there is hope for these rather nice people. Until the corruption is curtailed, no one will invest in this country, and the "haves" will will make sure they never become a "have nots."
The nice parts of this country are the people and the exchange rates, which are the best I have seen in all of Europe. The exchange rates are so good that I am not sure how they make money. The buy/sell splits are just pennies apart, and in some cases, less than a penny.
Stage Distance: 43mi (70km)
Total Distance Traveled: 19,327mi (31,047km)
Countries/Territories Visited: USA, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Gibraltar, France, Monaco, Italy, Vatican City, San Marino, Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Transnistria, Moldova
Moldova is the ripest country I have seen with regards to German automobiles (BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and Porsche), they are everywhere you look, especially here in the capital city, and often found parked in police and other government parking lots. I walked past a police station and three out of four cars fell into this category. Seems somewhat odd since the minimum wage here in Moldova for government workers is $235 (USD) a month. As one might deduce, the corruption in Moldova runs deep (police, prosecutors, judges, construction permit agencies, and customs officials, amongst others), but apparently it has been decreasing over the past few years, so maybe there is hope for these rather nice people. Until the corruption is curtailed, no one will invest in this country, and the "haves" will will make sure they never become a "have nots."
The nice parts of this country are the people and the exchange rates, which are the best I have seen in all of Europe. The exchange rates are so good that I am not sure how they make money. The buy/sell splits are just pennies apart, and in some cases, less than a penny.
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| Greta in front of the Arc de Boring |
Stage Distance: 43mi (70km)
Total Distance Traveled: 19,327mi (31,047km)
Countries/Territories Visited: USA, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Gibraltar, France, Monaco, Italy, Vatican City, San Marino, Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Transnistria, Moldova
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