A trip to UEFA EURO 2012

Writes jeka

Now in the midst of EURO 2012. And of course, such an event I could not pass by, especially when you consider that is not yet known when this will be a real opportunity to visit the European Championship matches.

1. Departure from Minsk 8:44 (12.06), the final train station - hero-city Brest (12:53). I will have a little more than an hour until the next train, so I do not think I'll have time to explore the city. Most likely limited to a small stroll through the center.





2. Brest-Zabolote (14: 13-16: 35 12.06). The intersection of the Ukrainian border. Something interesting to me via the Internet in Zabolote could not be found. Well, if anyone is interested Woodworking Plant and Food Factory, as well as the Holy Cross Church - it is clearly not me. And time to view the sights of the ancient village of data (1510) I do not have.

3. Zabolote Kovel (17: 27-19: 12 12.06). Here I will be plenty of time! The only thing that worries me - late hour, although it is not getting dark very early. View in Kovel I think it's what. For example wooden church, pharmacy Fridriksson and may find that interesting for yourself.

4.Kovel-Lions (1: 19-5: 45 13.06). I really hope that all this time I get to sleep, because I hope that spend all day to explore the city, and the weather did not let you down. Where, where, but in Lviv I do not get bored. Big, beautiful, old city in which I'm sure will find lots and lots and lots of interesting things. Quite until recently after the match Denmark-Portugal I was going to go back to Belarus (I even at the hands of a return ticket), but the case has made its corrections and ... stop my next point should be KIEV !!!

5. Lviv to Kiev (13.06-15.06). I think with the tickets for the train problems I will not have. But for how long can I get a ticket - I do not know ... In any case will have to spend a sleepless night, just a matter of where? Where to spend the night, and where to spend half of his time - in Kiev or still in Lviv? In Kiev, planned to visit Sweden-England match (15.06). And also in the future, 24 numbers, visit the quarterfinal match.

6. Kiev-Minsk (15.06-16.06). Here's what to do with this segment, I do not know yet. The 16th day of my exam and I need him to appear. There are two options: the first and fastest way - by train from Kiev to Minsk, and the second - on the bus to Chernigov, where a diesel engine to the native of Gomel, and then by train to Minsk, this option is cheaper, but much longer.

7. Visit the quarterfinals in Kiev. Most likely it will be implemented by the second paragraph 6. As in the wrong direction and backwards.

8. plans to visit the semi-finals in Warsaw, but it seems to me this idea will have to give.

6:45 bell alarm clock wakes me up, and some interesting dream runs away. Asleep not knowing that much, where and how I translate hours 6: 58 ... and falls asleep for a couple of minutes and ... A "few" minutes ... 7:36 !!! I jump sharply and in a panic state, and start thinking about what to do, why not rung alarm clock, if have time to train? .. Quickly pull the first available pants and ran to the kitchen to warm up food. On the corridor meet cleaners, before which the not at its best - a bare top, barefoot in sneakers, jeans unbuttoned his fly and dangling belt. But they were so busy with his talk about how we have "good" live, and that Russia is much better, do not pay any attention to me. Put the pan on the stove and went back into the room, threw the remaining clothes in a bag and looked at it with alarm ... On it stood 7: 58 ... Still, there is some force that keeps us sleep very important events. Fill your stomach with food, I went to his "distant" path filled with spiritual food.



Came out of the hostel and immediately sat on the tram dvoechku and straight to the station. In his first car of the train, I was already at 8:35. In general, counting for the next 5 days I will train about 35-40 hours.



In "kupeyke" second-class carriage turned out, as usually happens, "bitty". Above me was a woman who was lying on her sleeping mat on the shelf, as I found out later, exactly what is expected - she made a pilgrimage to the left ... marginalia located a woman with a small child, and in front of me kalloritny character - a lieutenant colonel, as they say, "with ryahoy "and look at it was not quite good, but rather formidable. Here I was approached by the conductor and pick up tickets at this time we have already rolled out from Minsk in the direction of Brest.

8:55 on the clock and I must lie down and try to dospat that did not work at night. Nap a couple of hours and woke up several times by shrill baby crying, I moved to the destination (remember the movie Final destination). Arrival time 12:53. Thank you uncle in military, who left the CP on the table, of course I did privatized to make it something to read on the go.

What can I say about Brest - NO-thing! As I understand station in Brest is somewhere in the "pretzels".



Therefore, make good use of the time in Brest I could not hold. And the station passes the global process of reconstruction. Where to go is not clear.

Station consists of 4 or 5 different buildings connected by passages, half of which are closed. At the station, I bought some nuts to nibble on the road. In fact, the platform is worth a couple of benches and a place to find them was difficult, but still I found it. Next to me sat down two peasant, one Belarusian, and the second crest. They spoke on the topic of rubles and hryvnia, as well as find out what is beneficial to carry to sell to Belarus and in Ukraine. (13:47 - the weather is warm, but gloomy, light breeze). Crest pulled out his shopping bags !!! stick our sausage, sliced ​​loaf and two huge pieces of loaf and sausages, putting them on one another. If I tried to bite the sandwich - I'd torn mouth and peasant mastered.



14:13 Went on diesel Zabolote. People in the car was initially a bit, but at each station number of people increased. After about 20 minutes after administration of the car hopped girl cashier and started asking tickets. I reached into my purse, pulled out his ticket and showed her. To which she smiled and asked, "Do you need another ticket?". "No," - said and smiled. Then went back to reading "Komsomolskaya Pravda».

Literally 5 minutes passed by 4 huckster, selling everything: newspapers, seeds, and soft toys, and much more. The truth is the expression and charisma he is far from certain personalities on molodechneskom direction. At one point in our car collided two saleswomen and began with loud (I even heard in the headphones) to discuss rates. It seemed to me that I listen to some financial news today ruble fell, the hryvnia has grown, the exchange rate in such a obmenik such a hands on, etc. My financial literacy campaign was successful :) But in general there was another interesting thing - one of the passengers asked the saleswoman, "Do you eat chocolate?". Salesmen are not embarrassed and called: "Masha need more chocolate and buy me an ice cream." As I understand it, the saleswoman at the next station will be replenished range "under the order».

Meanwhile, the clock is exactly 15:00. And the closer to the Ukrainian border - the less people already in the car, and began to stir "shuttles". They began to count and move their belongings out of the bag in the bag and sit down on the car. Looked at the end of the car and saw a Hindu ... !!! I was curious to know what he was doing in diesel Brest -Zabolote :) I forgot to say that the cost of a train ticket 3650 rubles. Already before the border into the car hopped a woman and immediately bought the shuttle either 10 or more cans of Brest-Litovsk cream ...

16:00 wagon went our border guards checked bags, passport. All this went pretty quickly, especially since the people were few. And on the street sad weather, feeling that even hours 8 pm, gray ... but my body was visited by a slight feeling of hunger ...

16:22 train moved towards Ukraine. 16:35 - train arrived on schedule and has met a huge number of people on the platform, which knocked each other down, flying into the car without letting go out with him.



All border cordon was a small wooden building, which is literally 10 seconds put the seal - and you're free. And here it is ... Zabolote name that can be true. Everything is so poor and severely, that is sad. Immediately at the exit of "wooden gates" you are greeted with wide open arms moneychangers. Me, at the moment it is not very interested. Near the border outpost stands stall, which sells train tickets. Served the woman in pre-retirement age and has already naschelkat huge hill semochnyh shalushek. Once bought a ticket to Kovel (8 USD), I decided to move a little bit away from the "Station".



In a corner was, as I understood, the local supermarket. Variety of products it is not explicitly parade - alcohol, confectionery, household goods and other food stuff.

I bought a 300 gram wafers in the hope of Kovel and a normal store. My train to Kovel was standing at the platform, so I gave up the idea to wander through swamped, and the time I was not so much - at 17:05 hours and departure at 17:35.



Wagons in the train was only three, and they were very dirty ...

18:20 dozed off, woke up and had the feeling that I was in another train, but not that which sat. Because the whole car was buzzing. All about something and people talking clearly increased. Woke up that I was blowing cool wind flow, I did not understand how he could blow. Passing by one of the villages I first saw tied to a stake or a cow or a horse or goat and turkey!

19:21 The train arrives in Kovel.



Looking out the window, did not understand what happened to the city - outside the platform, fence, and behind him the horizon ... but when I came out of the car and walked into the station building, I realized that the way come to the second floor ... The first station I decided to do - change money . In the background I was told that obmenik closed, but I believe in good. Going down to the first floor of the station and leaving the station square, I saw a lively place. A lot of traders were long strip of the station building and the vast majority of them in the commodity shelves were our Belarusian dairy products. It was also a lot of blueberries and strawberries, and one little man selling chanterelles.



The square on one side adjoined the market, with of opposites - the building of the bus station. Near the market was the shop where I bought myself for a snack sausages (47, 50 UAH per kg), loaf (3, 40 UAH), a pack of mayonnaise (11grn) and juice (9 USD). After leaving the store, I saw a sign - "Delta Bank" and a burning light inside - decided to go and has not lost, the bank was still open. Currency exchange demanded a passport, and after left the bank and counted the money again noticed that I was given an extra hryvnia, I did not come back around Kovel station is an old steam locomotive.



Returning to the station, I bought w / tickets yourself and others. Unfortunately, the number of 16 tickets were from Kiev to Gomel only Compartment for 273 UAH. Hoping to find a cheaper way to get home, I turned to the background, where she sat interesting woman and read the handout "How to protect yourself from falling into terrorist attack." In the end I know it never happened, and 25 the number of tickets in general did not have time to train ... was enough and I decided to walk around the train station, but in the end almost nothing interesting to see.



Began to get dark, and drawing attention to the fact that most do not have lights bulbs - I do not really like to wander in the darkness of an unfamiliar city, so I went back to the station.

On the road met a taxi driver who watched the match Greece-Czech Republic on TV in the car, the score was 2-1 in favor of the Slavs.

The clock 21:12. In the waiting room were three of us: a woman who drank vodichku, grandfather, chewing something and I ... There are still 4 hours prior to the train. The room is dark, too heavy to write and read, too, do not read. Now, if I find where the socket - then it would be even football on the phone to see. Even thought there was to go to go to see the taxi driver.



21:36 ate waffles and drank the brew, but most importantly ... searched all the walls of the station - I found the same outlet !!! While asking the attendant at the station, she said that there's only outlet in the bathroom.

21:52 The match began. And I still can not get to set up the channel. Where the translation goes, but I want to say that in Kovel catches 12 channels !!! we have, at best, 4-5 ...

22:04 by Ukrainian news remembered cartoon about Ukrainian Cossacks, who played football with the same teams: Sweden, England, France, and the match with the Swedes coincided 2: 1 after 15 minutes since the beginning of the match I still tuned to football, but as usual from 12 channels, two went bad - one of them was broadcast ... This image has been bad, but the commentator was heard pretty good. At half-time I decided to have a bite and put the phone on charge. I bought a loaf turned out to be "rubber", tear off a piece of it was difficult, but the sausages were good.



22:57 Poles are compared by, and I would like to note that in the middle of the station are here are palm



23:20 I was approached by "fun" a local resident, calling me and Victor and I began to ask permission to go to the other side of the station and wait for him. Well, of course I told him allowed :)

0:04 I regained my "friend", but this time he Vitya me not guilty, and went in search of the very Viti.

1:00 All the time sitting reading a book, and the hour of the night began to catch up the people and the station alive. Who thought of as three minutes time to find your car and get on the train. In the street began pokrapyvat rain, oh how I do not want to be in the next three days, I had to think about the rain ...



1:25 Train departure has been delayed by 6 minutes. Too many people wishing to go on this train. I got the car, which drove a bunch of grandmothers carrying baskets full of blueberries. One basket in the opinion of 15-20 liters, and they had been made to the whole car. Here it is blueberry edge :) Ingredients proved brand - and the shelves in the car were soft - like a sofa chair.

1:31 finally the train started, and I have to go to the potty and Lulu. It is necessary to take a nap at 4, 5:00 climb and I will only take a nap the next day, and today ... and today will be my first match at EURO

5: 31Razbudili. The night passed without incident, except that at night it was very stuffy. More night I "neighbor" on the shelf made the comment that I was too loud to unfold the bed, and she snoring after 10 minutes so that I vibrated Regiment. Now most want fresh air. Outside the window there is rain, and besides, I can not in any way to decide what to do at 6 am in Lviv.



5:45 Out of the train and ohrenel ... In other words it is not describe. Lviv railway station turned out to be covered, and looked very solid. As my classmate, "I liked it, I would have lived here." The first thing I went out and bought a ticket to Kiev, for which he gave 87 USD. Then passed to the storage chamber bag - put 10 UAH. The city met not very friendly - damp, gray and drizzling rain. But everything around says that the city hosts Euro 2012: posters, banners, displays, signs, pasted buses.



6:20 got on the bus to go to the stadium for his ticket. Fare - 2grn and paid directly to the driver. From the train station to the stadium we went minutes 30.



In the city center, almost all roadway laid paving stones and are beautiful old buildings, but once finished paving - there is asphalt, and along expensive appear gray Soviet-built box. Not far away is a beautiful European reality and shovels Soviet past. A very strong feeling that the country mess - especially on the outskirts of the city ... but in general I can not imagine feeling a European who rode on a hellish bus or in the floor collapsing Radimichi. Got off the bus, and in the distance, on the other side of the street you can see the Lions-Arena.Vnutri "stirred worms", a slight feeling of euphoria, I still got and to be honest, is not fully realized the reality of it or not. From a stop to the stadium had to go on foot for about 20 minutes On the way across here such stands. which show how to get to the stadium.



The nearer I approached to Lviv Arena, the greater was my smile. Beautiful stadium from the outside, but what it is inside in the middle of the game I have to learn in the evening.



By the time I went to the booths. They were still closed, and opened at 10:00. The clock 7: 20 ...



In the remaining time, I decided to go to the supermarket, which is located close to the stadium to buy something to eat, and so stretch your bones. We in the former Soviet Union by no means free of dirt, even where its idea should not be (the road to the stadium)



8:15 I went to the store, the store opening 8:30, even though their website says that the opening at 8 o'clock sharp.



And planes fly over your head



9:10 returned to the booths.


























































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