On certain border crossings you can buy a single-entry visa on the spot if you?ve got an original invitation for an organization or private person in Belarus. However, I have seen people sent back because they only had a copy or a fax of the invitation. Probably the cheapest way is to get an invitation from one of the universities in Minsk/Belarus. This is not difficult; universities in Belarus are crying out for dollars. I have heard about several people who got a student visa for a minimal fee and a Pakistani I met received a three month multiple visa for US$4 at the Belarussian consulate in Vilnius.
Belarus visas
June 29, 2008 at 1:59 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: belarus, domestic, flights, trip, visas
Fancy some Night snorkeling?
June 20, 2008 at 4:00 am (Uncategorized)
Night snorkeling is a particularly memorable experience, since a new world of creatures emerge in the darkness ? jewel-eyed shrimp, large crabs, and pencil-thin pipefish, to name a few (wetsuit and flashlight $13). A flick of the wrist or a swish of the flipper stirs up bioluminescent algae, which silently explode in a thousand blue-green sparks. Scuba trips also go out at night ($30 per person; gear rental $22), and any number of reputable dive shops can provide certification (open water course $350).
Not all of the caye’s natural wonders are on its Caribbean side, however. Though the eastern, mainland-facing coastline may lack beautiful beaches, it offers fantastic wildlife viewing above the ocean’s surface. Birdwatching boat trips to some of the smaller mangrove islands reveal uncountable cormorants, egrets, frigatebirds, and roseate spoonbills ($30 per person). Many of these species can be seen from inside a sea kayak, as well; SEAduced offers mellow, guided introductory trips through the mangrove swamps and crystal-clear lagoons ($35 per person, including lunch).
Three rivers meet at this ancient Bavarian university town
June 4, 2008 at 3:16 pm (Uncategorized)
Located 96 miles northeast of Munich by the confluence of the Inn and the Danube, Passau offers a beautiful and calming array of charming architecture, powerful museums, and lovely river promenades. The shimmering reflections of the yellow, blue, and pink hues of the riverside houses have attracted artists from around the world who have tried to capture Passau’s quiet beauty in their own works. The picturesque homes, hotels, and shops extend far back into the city center, to the edge of the classy restaurants and cafes on the cobblestone streets.
The Veste Oberhaus, the fortress and summer castle Bishop Ulrich commissioned in 1219, guards the city from across the river. A lovely path leads up to the sturdy guards? quarters and the museum which contains 2000 years? worth of relics that illustrate and celebrate the city?s illustrious past. The castle provides a view not only of Passau but also of all three rivers that converge on the city at the Dreiflusseck, the Corner of the Three Rivers. The dark Danube sparkles with the green of the mountains; the Ilz carries the currents of the Bavarian Forest; and here the Inn ends its journey through the Swiss Alps and Austria. From here the rivers shares are delivered by the Danube the rest of the way to the Black Sea.
