A Few Odds and Ends

 This is a monastery near Briceni. One of John's partners, Irina, and her husband, took us there. It is in the middle of a forest and is a solemn, but peaceful place. During Soviet times it was a children's camp, and there are still buildings, though somewhat unused. The wooden structure on the right is actually a recently-constructed bell-tower.

 Some sights from Chişinau:

John found a bicycle shop with quality products, so we spent some time looking. Later we went to a used bike shop at a Moldovan guy's garage. The store was closed despite posted hours, so John called and arranged a meeting to buy a bike. As we waited for the owner, a fellow traveler wanting a bike stopped by. His name is David and is from the Czech Republic and he knew English! So, we spoke for a while and waited outside the garage/bike shop. The neighbors were super-nice and even brought us sweet coffee and biscuits as our wait waned into the night. Finally, three hours past the agreed-time and after many phone calls from Czechs, Americans, and Moldovans, the owner showed up. He is a very nice guy and helped John get a Fuji XL-sized mountain bike.

Because it was so late, though, all the buses had already left for Briceni. We called around and someone suggested the hostel "behind Mall-dova." Without other clues, we headed "behind Mall-dova" and to our satisfaction quickly found the hostel with a couple beds to share. It was our first time staying in a hostel together. The place even offered discounts to Peace Corps volunteers and a small breakfast in the morning. 

 

This is the sign for a casino in Chişinau. We thought the combination of Las Vegas casino-life, the New York "Broadway" theme, and San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge was interesting, but represented a few United States landmarks well. It was worth a picture anyway.