March 2025. Chisinau. Moldova.
By common consent there’s only 3 things to do in Moldova.
- Drink Tomato Gose in craft bars
- Drink sparkling wine on wine tours
- Drink the holy water in a monastery on the way to Transinistria, a country that doesn’t exist. Or does it ?
Lili was about to do the last of those as she picked us up on Day 3 in Moldova, just after I’d made my 3rd morning pastry raid on Linella Supermarket,
giving the till assistant a 3rd opportunity to passive aggressively berate my lack of change.
Linella had all the basics, often imported, but a distressing absence of Moldovan beer. Plenty of fish though.
We had company in our 5 seater today, a couple who Lily was trying to identify by description outside the Internationala while simultaneously downing a third espresso of the morning.
Our couple turned out to be a much travelled pair from Kazakhstan via Colombia and France, which immediately became Mrs RM’s next travel target.
Competitive country ticking is a thing, and no-one wants to be stuck in a car with folk boasting about having survived Mongolia, or Maidenhead.
But our travelling companions eased up over discussions of art,
and football.
As we passed the Zimbru Stadium where the national team were facing Norway that night Arsenal-supporting guide Lillie told us she had tickets and needed to be back by 6.
She was great, a more reserved driver after yesterday, and casually asked,
“Would you like a quick stop to see an old church ?”
Well, we could have said “No thanks, I’d rather have more time looking at tanks in Tiraspol“.
But then we’d have missed the astonishing Intercession of Virgin Mary Wooden Church, the way you might casually do a tour of Stockport and not visit the Underbanks.
Lilya nipped in and returned a minute later having taken “a sip of the holy water“.
It took Mrs RM to explain to me this wasn’t a euphemism for vodka, though I was never entirely sure.
An hour later we were approaching another astonishing Moldovan church.
But only after a passport check.
retiredmartin 
Mentioning the National football stadium reminded me of the other Moldovan connection I know. Ivan Testemitanu the Moldovan international midfielder Bristol City signed from Zimbru Chisinau in the late 90s. His wonder goal at Chesterfield in 2000 (I think) still lingers in my memory.
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Anonymous? I forgot to log in 😕
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Keep your holy water.
Bass is back at the Butchers in Llandaf.
(Asked whether it was permanent or a guest, the barman said that it was a guest, but that it’s always on.)
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Thanks for the heads up Etu, tomorrow’s lunch break (which is supposed to be spent digging up a tree) is now sorted, especially after only a so-so pint of Bass at the Lichfield in Hereford on Saturday.
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I hope that it lives up to expectations, Rhys.
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No, it didn’t, because they don’t open lunchtime until later in the week!
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What is it with these city centre pubs?
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