Journo Birds

We had a question, so we sought answers: What is missing from Old Orhei for it to be included in the UNESCO list?

UNESCO's official response was that they wouldn’t comment directly on the matter, but they provided us with valuable background information about the Old Orhei saga.

�What are your thoughts on this? You can read our full article, now published in Fair Observer and Moldova Matters.

Moldova with kids: An honest guide

Hey! Marian here! We have two toddlers and live in Chișinău. In our free time, here’s what we do.

When I pick up my three- and six-year-olds from their kindergarten, we usually head straight to the park. It’s nicer to process their after-school meltdown in the fresh air and me holding a takeaway almond latte.

The park Valea Morilor is where my Moldovan man took me on our first walk to impress me. He didn’t think it through. It was February and depressing. But more than eight years later, after heavy renovations and flower planting, all my foreign visitors with kids come here for a stroll by the lake. In the summertime, this is the coolest place to be. This is the Times Square of Chișinău. Except that instead of the flashy screens, there are plants and sand.

If you enter the park from the Telecentru district, you’ll see playgrounds and an old-school outdoor gym, which is a big hit among toddlers. Who cares about slides and swings if you have an old rusty metal pole to grab onto? The smallest kids compete for the bravest to climb to the top of the ladder while parents beg them to stop. Their hands will smell like coins for hours afterward.

On the plus side, the public restroom attendant is nearby and lets kids in for free (but gets judgmental if you forget to greet her demonstratively).

The tricky part is keeping the kids away from the bouncy castles someone has set up next to the playground as a side hustle. Even if I find cash for this overpriced half-an-hour fun, my kids get bored after ten minutes, and I have to spend the next twenty asking them to stay inside the giant inflated bag—and they better enjoy it.

When we feel more adventurous, we head to Rose Valley Park. From Melestiu Street, you can quickly see the skate park and the kids’ favourite attraction—a multilayered climbing frame where kids run up and down like hamsters. Such a simple but genius entertainment that could be Moldova’s trademark invention!

There are tandem swings and a playground for the tiniest humans. We sometimes walk up the lake in the middle of the park and hop on a car-shaped water bike. Exploring this tiny body of water takes five minutes, but then your kids can start chasing down other bikers. Without their knowledge, of course. Don’t worry, life vests are provided.

Longer trips out of the city

If we can, we usually leave the capital on the weekends. Sometimes, it just means renting a simple Airbnb house in nature (hello, an EcoVillage Moldova in Rîșcova). In the villages, we sometimes knock on locals’ gates and ask if we can buy their produce. The kids would climb on tractors and taste the apples from the garden.

Or we would drive to a vineyard. Lately, many of them have built playgrounds. I guess they figured out that people have kids? North of Chisinau, in Crama Mircești, ask the locals about the old self-made potter who only makes black bowls and plates. The vineyard gave him the deal of his lifetime and ordered their table set from him. He happily opens his doors to visitors and talks about his adventurous life.

In the east, by the border with Ukraine, lies a village, Lalova. Near the river, a Moldovan family built a traditional bed-and-breakfast, Hanul lui Hanganu, where we sometimes like to take time off. The owner built most of the houses there by himself. It’s a quiet place (I mean, quiet before we arrive) with a playground and a swimming pool.

Of course, a major argument for my three-year-old is the simple swing, on which she spends hours. Which means that I spend hours there, too. Other highlights include idling horses and cats.

When Orhei Vechi in Butuceni village has outdoor concerts or other events, we stay the night at Eco Resort Butuceni, especially during the spring berry season. My kids can spend the whole morning eating berries, and I can sneak into a hammock to read a book. Or we can dip into the pool. But since there aren’t any pool floats for the kids, and I always forget them at home, this option is less relaxing.

When we have guests, we sometimes take the ferry to the other side of the river Nistru. It’s free, and you can take your car from one village, Molovata, to another, Molovata Nouă, with it.

You do have to pass a young teenage guy with a Russian flag sewn on his uniform, but officially, it’s Moldovan territory, so there’s nothing to worry about. We would go to a hotel, VILA Dorului, with a heated pool. Last year, we went swimming there in late October.

Or, the kids can splash in the river. Or, eat the cherries if it’s the season. You can find wild grapes in the pine forest there. On our way back, a heavy storm prevented the ferry from crossing. So we waited at the bus stop, singing and looking at the branches falling. It was as eventful as a theme park.

(The ferry did leave eventually if you wondered if we were still stuck at that bus stop).

Moldova may not have famous wellness centers (such as Therme in Bucharest, Romania) or marked, child-friendly hiking tracks. Its best-known theme park may be the miniature village filled with goats. The only beaches are bits of sand by the Valea Morilor lake or the river Nistru.

But if the goal is to spend time with family, then you really don’t need more than a few trees, a fun picnic blanket (which I bring everywhere) and lots of snacks. And that usually makes the day for our toddlers.

Edited by Emerging Europe
Also published there with links (see the comments).

Touring in Moldova (3- and 5-year-old edition) part 2:

1. Stop at the nearest sunflower field to touch those giants (they are rare in our home)
2. Old Orhei (because it’s kind of a must)
3. Zeama (because it’s kind of a must too)
4. Hearing if the sheep’s “baa” is different from “mää”
5. Ferry trip from Molovata to Molovata Noua (and a dip in the Nistru)
6. Underground trains of Cricova (because the train ride is the main attraction there)
7. MOLDOVAN WEDDING (when you’re in Moldova in August, you just can’t skip one)
8. Vartely winery (because the parents thought it was a good idea)
9. Hike in Tipova (holy hill!)
10. Hanul lui Hanganu - ahh, we finally made it to heaven!
The End!

Hey! Marian here! This summer, guests from all over Europe—Portugal, Germany, Italy, Estonia, and Sweden—visited us in Moldova.

One thing I noticed almost everyone mentioned was the taste of Moldovan fruit. "But Marian, this melon tastes like honey!" they would tell me. "Or these plums... how is it even possible that they are so sweet?" They would keep pressing for me to reveal some big secret behind this taste. There is no big secret, I would tell them. The soil here is really fertile. And the sun is as hot as an Estonian sauna. Even the Italians were blown away. Well, this little Moldovan secret is now out and increasingly on the shelves in European shops. And ironically, that's thanks to Russia.

Russia’s behavior in recent years has pushed Moldovan fruit producers to send their goods to Europe instead of Russia (like before).

Only six years ago, Moldova exported nearly 70 percent of its apricots, cherries, peaches, and plums to Russia. By 2023, only about 18 percent of those fruits ended up in Russia!

Moldova has become one of the biggest plum exporters to the European Union.

This change is remarkable, isn't it? In only such short years, the Moldovans have become serious players in the EU market.

Have you tried Moldovan cherries or plums in your country? What did you think? Can they compete with the fruit from the rest of Europe?

We just published a story about Moldovan fruit export in Emerging Europe. Check it out to learn more.

DNA FRUIT Asociația Moldova Fruct Agenția de Investiții din Moldova Iurie Fala Ministerul Dezvoltării Economice și Digitalizării al Republicii Moldova EcoLocal Farmers Market Moldova European Union in the Republic of Moldova Travel to Moldova Travel to Moldova / Viajar en Moldavia / Călătorii în Moldova Moldova Travel Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund

Our first vlog is finally up! Check out in Youtube! We went hiking in Moldova (and almost got hit by a rock)! Thank you for amazing frames! Thank you for the hike! ☘️☀️🌻

Check out our first vlog! We went hiking in Moldova (and almost got hit by a rock).

Hiking on the ancient sea bottom! You can find perfect seashells in the landlocked country of Moldova! We hiked in a place where almost no one else does. Why is that?00:00 Intro01:16 Nobody h...

New story out: Moldovan summer camp offers a respite for Ukrainian mothers and children.

Four-year-old Vova hasn’t got used to air raid alerts. In the Ukrainian port city of Odessa, where he lives with his parents and sister, they have become a daily occurrence.

“He usually reacts very strongly to these alerts,” his mother, 31-year-old Nadia Burenko, said. When Vova attends kindergarten, each siren means a trip to the bomb shelter.

“This can happen anytime, for example, while the kids sleep or play,” the young mother added.

Now, Vova is spending a holiday in Moldova—a break from the daily disruptions caused by war.

Full story written by Maria Gerth-Niculescu, linked in the comments.

A day in Chisinau as a foreign tourist (3- and 5-year-old edition):

1. Went to the history museum.
2. Visited an Orthodox church.
3. Talked with a local cat.
4. Couldn’t get into that interesting house!
5. Had placinte in front of the government building.
6. Visited the temporary museum of deportations.
7. Hugged a tree.
8. Met a local boy, David (greetings!!), in a restaurant. He showed us origami. Exchanged origami art and talked about life.

Who’s the gatekeeper of Chisinau?

Did you know that Chisinau’s block-of-flat architecture was particularly unusual during the Soviet Union era compared to other capitals? Residential building complexes shaped like sailing ships, toothed wheels, or traditional Moldovan gates are a reminder of that. Soviet architecture was more experimental in Chisinau.

That’s one of the reasons behind the famous apartment building called the Gates of the City.

Locals criticize that the building now only serves as a reminder of how it once looked. Up close, they feel embarrassed that their city symbol is in poor shape. Raisa Banteleievna worries about that, too. She does what she can and makes at least one corner of the building more beautiful—she takes care of the garden of this building, which is today considered one of the symbols of Chisinau.

We found her in a pop-up street market, selling flowers and other garden goods. That’s what some 86-year-olds do in Moldova.

What does she remember about moving into this symbolic building? Read in the article linked in the comments.

When plates are stacked one on top of another on several tables lined up in Moldovan homes, it means there’s a major celebration. Generally, Moldovans aren’t fans of “small” holidays. From the variety of colors on the table, you can tell the importance of the celebration. A holiday is considered complete when guests leave and the table is still full of food. It’s a form of respect in Moldovan style.

Nothing should be missing from the culinary variety: meat in all its forms, fish, fruits, the indispensable pie (plăcinta), and sarmale (also with meat), platters of cheese, and various sweet baked goods. You might only be dissatisfied if you’re a vegetarian or vegan. But rest assured, there will be something for you, and you’ll be well taken care of by the hosts.

So… now I’m trying to understand: do Moldovans love the food at celebrations, or do they love the celebrations because of the food?

Or maybe there’s a third option…

Check out these details of houses from around Moldova, sent in by one of our followers. Have you spotted any of these elements before, or did you grow up in a similar house? We’d love to see your photos of Moldovan architecture—feel free to DM us with any you have!

Cannes 7th Art Award-winning screenwriter and animation director Oleg Condrea used to skateboard. But there were no skate parks in Moldova’s capital when he grew up. So he and his friends used to build obstacles or use stairs and anything they found in the city to do sports.

“So when I came into animation, I did the same: just used what I could,” Oleg said. The first animation faculties opened in Moldova only two years ago. Until then, animators had to learn on their own. Including Oleg, who studied design and worked at an animation agency in the evenings. “Everyone who knew something I didn’t became my mentor. Many of them without even knowing it,” Oleg said.

His animation scenario received the Best Short Drama trophy at the Cannes Marché du Film this spring. So maybe it’s a good thing Moldova didn’t have skateparks. It made Oleg resourceful. And he brought home the country’s first award from the town of Cannes. Yay!

His short animation screenplay “Tangled Tails” won over 80 awards for best European and international short screenplay.

Photo credits to: Animest.ro, Dumitru Ion Molosnic, Dinu Bubulici

Can you guess which city this is?
a) Rome
b) Athens
c) Chisinau

If you guessed right, you’ll receive our eternal admiration.

On one of the streets of Chișinău, some of the thinnest and longest nanowires in the world are being made. These very nanowires might one day help treat mental diseases like Tourette's syndrome or Parkinson's disease. And it all started with well-kept soviet secrets. How much do we still not know about Moldova when it comes to technologies and inventions?

We spoke to the head of the nanowire company in Moldova, and some of the best neuroscientists in the US and London.

Read the story here: https://emerging-europe.com/made-in-emerging-europe/nanowires-from-moldova-are-helping-us-better-understand-the-brain/

This might be news for Moldovans, but in Estonia, Moldovan wines are a totally undiscovered world. So it was a great surprise when I (Tiina) discovered such a wide variety of Moldovan wines at a fine dining restaurant on the small island of Hiiumaa! And it’s not just any restaurant—it’s the restaurant owned by Estonian Masterchef TV show judge Mihkel Heinmets. He personally selected the Moldovan wines for the restaurant called Iiumekk. Clearly, he knows something in Estonia that others don’t... yet! It will be interesting to see how the Moldovan wine saga in Estonia unfolds... 🤔

Sitting at a cafe working (it's me, Marian).
Young people around me keep switching between English and Romanian.
Only five years ago, it never happened in the streets of Chisinau. If you heard someone switch languages so smoothly, it'd be between Russian and Romanian.
How fast can one country change?! I can't even keep up anymore!
What's next—a spaceship in the Ștefan cel Mare park?

The legend says that in any engineer’s or creator’s space, there is always an old box of sweeties full of small and random things. We found such an example at Tekwill
Can you find it in the image? 😁

The green carpet of Moldova in July.💚

This might be a sign to take a scenic drive through the roads of this country.

Credits: Vasilii Zeliznîi

True Moldovans never leave food on their plate.
You must finish every crumb. You never know when hunger will strike, right? Besides eating a lot, they also eat fast. At least that’s what Elena noticed when she was at home with Tiina, an Estonian not influenced by Moldovan eating culture (yet!), while she was finishing her bowl of soup, and Tiina had barely tasted her food. That happened after an interview we had just had.
Our interviewee’s mother was already ready to serve everything. And when we say everything, we mean everything! (In the photos, it’s just the first part of the meal service). The dishes kept coming, and we marveled at how much food was before our eyes. Elena was not surprised. You can’t surprise a Moldovan with a lot of food. Better let them eat it!

🗳️ Big decisions ahead for Moldova! 🗳️

Moldovans will vote in a crucial referendum on EU accession. These votes will shape the future of the country.
💭 Curious about the implications and Russia’s role? Read our latest article for an in-depth look and stay informed!

Just follow the link: https://emerging-europe.com/news/will-pro-russian-opposition-parties-derail-moldovas-eu-accession/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaY3VcSufo6tf2g_XAvEtJWax2j4V09uJRMC0Fy58AeVkHEoYgCqljIrrVI_aem_KvLSZxzu5EQvGV9WZPCu_w

Hello! My name is Marian, and I’m Estonian. I like to ask questions and tell stories. I was that (annoying!) kid sitting in the front row with my hand up high at school.

Since moving to Moldova many years ago, I have been blown away by the number of untold stories there.

The stories I typically found in the foreign press always told the same boring story: Moldova is corrupt and poor, and, by the way, the Russians are coming.

There is so much more hiding here, I thought to myself. My dear friend Tiina visited me here and had the same thought. That’s where the idea for telling stories from Moldova came from.

We have been doing that for nearly a year now. It’s been an adventure!

We’ve been to more places here than many of the locals. Up North at the border with Ukraine, down South at the border with Romania. Across the Nistru River, small villages in the middle.

We almost broke my car. Sometimes we couldn’t reach people just because of bad roads. We have knocked on random doors. We have been offered fruit, berries, pancakes, soup, pies. And, of course, endless amounts of cups of coffee!

If you would also like to support us, a virtual cup of coffee would be the best.

(You can do it here easily: https://buymeacoffee.com/journobirds)

We highly appreciate and cheer for every sign of support. It makes us smile and gives us motivation to continue.

Thank you, and have the most chirpy-chirpy day!

Make us smile!

We need a little boost from our amazing community!💚
Some of you have already offered to help, and now we’re excited to announce that our “Buy Me a Coffee” page is officially launched.

Head to the link in our bio to buy us a virtual coffee. Your incredible support means the world to us!

Thank you! 🙌😊

This abandoned building was painted overnight in the colors of the Moldovan flag.🇲🇩
Have you had a chance to see it yet?

During one of our visits through Moldova last week, Elena noticed this set of tableware. Apparently, it holds a much deeper history for her.

„When I was little, my grandmother kept them in a glass cabinet, where many other items that we used only on special occasions (which was extremely rare or never) were also kept. They were positioned right in the center, at the top, as if in a place of honor. I always saw them as decorative pieces. The cabinet itself was in the “big house” – another phenomenon from my childhood. We, the grandchildren, knew we had no business there and that these were not toys. They were unusual. All I saw was a mother fish with her children. I never understood why the piece representing the father was missing. The years went by, but the fish’s place remained the same. I remember once it occurred to me to ask someone what they were. I was greatly surprised when I was told they were glasses with a pitcher. Somehow, they no longer seemed so interesting and mysterious. Once, my grandmother even let me take a closer look at them. I wonder why I still remember that now.

I don’t know if they are still at my grandmother’s house. I think it’s a good reason to visit her again and check if the “servizu” is still in the glass cabinet.”

By the way, does anyone know if we can already use them, or is it not time yet?🤷🏻‍♀️

If these walls could talk… 🤫

Can you imagine – it’s the early 80s, and you are handed the key to your brand new apartment in the fanciest new block building in town? It wasn’t exactly a gift from heaven; most of the inhabitants worked hard for it in various occupations.

Everything belonged to everyone and no one in the Soviet Union. Even your life decisions didn’t exactly belong to you.

This once magnificent block building is full of those stories – how it was once fresh and new, and they were young. When you are young, everything is a bit easier.

Chișinău’s so-called City Gates, the Soviet apartment buildings, still look fresh when seen from a distance, welcoming you to the city.

In reality, the architectural monument is just a residential building, facing many communal issues nowadays.

Hopefully, where there is a will, there is a way…☀️🌻

Food, wine, and... festival!🎉

Over the past 3 days in the capital, one of Chisinau’s main streets was filled with people enjoying tasty food and local wines, bringing the community together in a lively atmosphere.