Cliff(y) Goes Travelling

MSQ-IST (2h 30m) Embraer 175 ETD: 7.55am (GMT + 3)  ETA: 10.25 am (GMT + 3) Sleepiness kicked in while waiting to board the flight that'd bring me to Istanbul, Turkey, but I was excited as I'd be able to see my sister again soon. The flight was supposed to be operated by Boeing 737-500, but it was changed to the smaller Embraer 175, possibly due to the small number of passengers that morning.

Smalyavichy Raion , Minsk, Belarus Formerly known as Minsk-2 Airport, Minsk National Airport is the main gateway to Belarus that's located about 42 km away from the capital city. The airport serves as the hub of Belavia, the flag carrier of the country. FYI, Minsk-1 Airport near downtown Minsk is now defunct. 

Minsk, Belarus Minsk is the capital, as well as the largest city of Belarus that's dominated by monumental Stalinist architecture. Furthermore, it's the capital of the Commonwealth of Independent States comprising nine member states and two associate members. The city was approximately 80% destroyed during World War II.

8 Pobediteley Avenue, Minsk, Belarus Tue-Sun: 10.00am - 6.00pm History buffs definitely wouldn't want to miss this particular museum that was declared open on 22 October 1944, making it the first World War II museum to open during the course of the war. To date, it's the most amazing war museum I've ever been in my life.

15 Sovetskaya Street, Minsk, Belarus Daily: 9.00am - 9.00pm Church of Saints Simon and Helena, which is also affectionately known as Red Church, is a Roman Catholic church located at Independence Square. It was constructed between 1905 and 1910 by the order of a prominent businessman and civic activitist named Edward Woynillowicz.

Trinity District, Minsk, Belarus Daily: 9.00am - 9.00pm Island of Tears is a hauntingly serene place connected to the city of Minsk by an arch bridge. The small island is where a memorial stands, commemorating Soviet soldiers from Belarus who perished during the war in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1988.

Frunze Street, Minsk, Belarus How many Gorky Parks are there in the world? I know of two: one in Moscow, Russia and obviously one in the capital city of Belarus that I walked through with my BFF. The latter was established in 1800, then called Governor's Garden before it was renamed during the Soviet era.

8 Tolstogo Street, Minsk, Belarus Located not far from the main train and bus stations in Minsk, the capital city of Belarus, Hampton by Hilton (3*) is a contemporary hotel suited for leisure and business travellers alike. The 24-hour front desk is always manned by one or two staff members conversant in English.

BUS-MSQ (3h) Canada Regional Jet 200 ETD: 5.15am (GMT + 4)  ETA: 7 .15am (GMT + 3) Belavia Belarusian Airlines is the flag carrier of Belarus, which is headquartered in Minsk, the capital city. Its history dates back to 1933 when the first air terminal was opened in Minsk, but the airline was only officially founded on 5 March 1996 when the local division of Aeroflot was nationalised and consequently renamed to Belavia.