HIDDEN EASTERN EUROPE

For some time now, you’ve been seeing our “Non-Existent Countries” in the left side bar with the picture of St. George riding a huge horse bursting out of the Caucasus Mountains.
Last week, however, our visa applications to visit two of them – Abkhazia and South Ossetia – were denied. We figured out the reason: Putin may be preparing another military invasion of Georgia from Russia’s occupied territory of South Ossetia.
He doesn’t want any foreigners, especially US ones, in the way.
The other two “countries that don’t exist” – Transnistria and Srpska – are fine. US passport holders don’t even need visas to go to either. Our itinerary to both remains unchanged.
So we’re making lemonade, going to places even cooler than where we were going.
Ever hear of the Painted Monasteries in the Carpathian Mountains?


Ever wanted to go to Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania?















