Justin-Klein.com - Life of a Traveling Programmer » GlobalFeed http://www.justin-klein.com Life of a Traveling Programmer Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:10:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Blog: Shakedown in Transdniestr http://www.justin-klein.com/shakedown-in-transdniestr http://www.justin-klein.com/shakedown-in-transdniestr#comments Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:00:30 +0000 Justin http://www.justin-klein.com/?p=9057 There I was, standing alone with a tall, armed, Russian-speaking border guard in a country that isn’t even supposed to exist. It was clear from his demeanor that he wasn’t playing around. It was also clear that he had no intention of letting me leave his little fantasyland before getting… [Continue Reading]

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Any Russian-speakers care to translate?

Despite our best efforts, Peder and I had somehow found ourselves standing at the entrance to the notorious Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic – or Transdniestr, as it’s called in English. What should we do? What could we do?… [Continue Reading]

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The minibus terminal in Chişinău. The start of an unplanned adventure.

How many of you have heard the name “Transdniestr?” Not too many, I’m guessing.

Transdniester – also known as Pridnestrovie in Russian – is a small rogue nation occupying a narrow… [Continue Reading]

]]> http://www.justin-klein.com/into-the-lions-den/feed 2 Blog: Perfect Tens http://www.justin-klein.com/perfect-tens http://www.justin-klein.com/perfect-tens#comments Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:45:40 +0000 Justin http://www.justin-klein.com/?p=8949 In my post from Timişoara, I mentioned that there was one more reason why Peder and I wished we had a bit more time in Romania. I also quietly omitted this same sentiment from the Romania Observations post, as well as from the one written in Chişinău.

Why?

Well, because… [Continue Reading]

]]> http://www.justin-klein.com/perfect-tens/feed 5 Blog: Chişinău http://www.justin-klein.com/chisinau http://www.justin-klein.com/chisinau#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:00:19 +0000 Justin http://www.justin-klein.com/?p=8921

Sadly, I took barely any photos during my quick stop in Moldova - and not one with my SLR. I guess all I can do is post the few I did take...

Our first day of tourism in the former Soviet Union… [Continue Reading]

]]> http://www.justin-klein.com/chisinau/feed 1 Blog: Into the Soviet Union http://www.justin-klein.com/into-the-soviet-union http://www.justin-klein.com/into-the-soviet-union#comments Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:00:57 +0000 Justin http://www.justin-klein.com/?p=8868

Shot from the car, minutes outside of Chişinău.

Moldova. A country which in the last five years has reached the prestigious rank of “third most corrupt country in the world.” A country which, according to the Lonely Planet’s very first sentence on… [Continue Reading]

]]> http://www.justin-klein.com/into-the-soviet-union/feed 2 Blog: Romania Observations http://www.justin-klein.com/romania-observations http://www.justin-klein.com/romania-observations#comments Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:00:38 +0000 Justin http://www.justin-klein.com/?p=8844

A horse-drawn carriage in the small town of Cristian Sibiu.

Just a few remaining blog notes from my brief stop in Romania:

  • Romanian drivers are amazingly considerate towards pedestrians. Even on major roads or when they technically have the

… [Continue Reading]

]]> http://www.justin-klein.com/romania-observations/feed 2 Blog: Braşov http://www.justin-klein.com/brasov http://www.justin-klein.com/brasov#comments Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:50:28 +0000 Justin http://www.justin-klein.com/?p=8791

Looking over central Braşov from one of its old defense towers.

After experiencing a full day in Sibiu, I was a bit surprised by the feel of Braşov. I was expecting a similarly small medieval town, but Braşov… [Continue Reading]

]]> http://www.justin-klein.com/brasov/feed 2 Blog: Dracula's Castle http://www.justin-klein.com/draculas-castle http://www.justin-klein.com/draculas-castle#comments Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:20:00 +0000 Justin http://www.justin-klein.com/?p=8778

Bran Castle - also known as Dracula's Castle - in Transylvania, Romania.

As Peder and I stepped onto the 6:30am minibus from Sibiu to Braşov – at 6:29am – we had exactly 42 lei between us. The price… [Continue Reading]

]]> http://www.justin-klein.com/draculas-castle/feed 2 Blog: Sibiu http://www.justin-klein.com/sibiu http://www.justin-klein.com/sibiu#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:00:23 +0000 Justin http://www.justin-klein.com/?p=8743

Dusk in Sibiu.

Sibiu, one of Transylvania’s three most famous medieval towns, left both Peder and I with almost identically positive impressions: a pleasantly relaxed feel, surprisingly pretty, and extraordinarily interesting. Dominated by a sprawling town square with two clocktowers and countless… [Continue Reading]

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