Popular travel blogger from Poland visited Belarus. He didn't expect such prices and number of cameras
A Polish blogger with almost 600,000 YouTube subscribers visited Belarus. Here's what surprised the Pole.
Photo here and further: screenshots from videos on the YouTube channel «Kamil — In Travel»
Border conversation and two phones
Blogger Kamil Cichocki released two videos about his trip on the YouTube channel «Kamil — In Travel». This is his first trip to Belarus.
He called the long border crossing time the main obstacle.
He traveled from Warsaw by bus, and at the border he learned that by getting into a passenger car, one could pass control much faster, so for 20 euros he found someone willing to take him as a passenger to Brest.
But it still didn't happen quickly, because the 'conversation' and phone check alone took two hours.
True, Kamil admitted that he had two phones with him. He hid the main one in the car, and went to the office for the conversation with his second smartphone, which had virtually nothing on it. And to ensure he was allowed into Belarus, he said he was only going to Brest, because, in his opinion, if he said he was also going to Minsk, they might not let him into the country.
All photos on the Pole's phone were viewed, after which all applications were unlocked and examined.
Also, the blogger and his companion's belongings were thoroughly checked, and the minivan was sent to the scanner.
In the video, the blogger later noted: he never delves into political issues because he is not a politician, and therefore shows countries from a tourist point of view. A few months before Belarus, the YouTuber visited Russia.
First impressions of Brest
The first thing that struck the Pole in Brest was the large number of old private buildings in the city center, many of which had slate roofs.
He said that there used to be many such roofs in Poland as well, but when scientists reported that such a roof was harmful, they started changing it.
Next, he visited an old Catholic cemetery with a large number of monuments in Polish.
While walking around the city, he visited a shop where he was impressed by Belarusian sweets, a large selection of marmalade and «Korovka» candies with different flavors. He also noted that Belarus is famous for its ice cream and that it is extremely cheap.
When visiting the market, the blogger was pleasantly surprised that many people understood Polish, could answer questions, and hold a conversation.
Like other tourists from the West, he repeatedly noted that everything in Belarus is very cheap: taxi and train fares, food and drinks in restaurants, and, of course, car fuel.
Cameras on every corner
After a couple of hours of walking around Brest, two more things struck the Pole: very clean streets, where you won't find any trash, and a huge number of cameras on every corner.
«Apparently, a couple of years ago the state invested a lot in a surveillance system to monitor every movement on the streets and recognize faces», — the traveler concluded.
The number of cameras continued to surprise the blogger on the second day too — when he visited Brest Fortress.
On the territory of the fortress, the YouTuber met a man who, upon learning he was from Poland, began singing the Polish anthem.
But, according to the blogger, many people asked them not to film, and the security also forbade filming themselves.
Upon exiting the fortress, Kamil noted that an atmosphere of the USSR could be felt there.
He also encountered demands to stop filming when he was shooting buildings belonging to law enforcement agencies or other state institutions.
The blogger noted that in Belarus, a foreigner can easily buy a SIM card, but due to censored internet, many websites do not open.
It's very easy to go to prison in Belarus
Despite Kamil calling himself exclusively a tourist blogger, various political issues arose from time to time.
For example, that importing drones into Belarus is strictly forbidden.
«Under the current regime, even for a small foolishness, one can end up in prison, and if even traces of drugs are found, one can be jailed for many years», — he said, adding that Belarus is the only country in Europe where the death penalty still exists.
What else caught the Pole's eye?
The blogger noted that there are many old cars in Belarus, including «Lada», and that many electric cars from China are now being imported there.
He also noticed that drivers in Brest start letting pedestrians cross even before they fully reach the crosswalk.
Overall, after two days in Brest, he was left with mixed feelings and a few conclusions.
«It's seemingly nice, pleasant, good food, cheap, there are many foreign students from Asia and Africa who come to study in Belarus. I don't feel any specific regime yet», — he said.
At the same time, he compared crossing the border to passing through a gate leading to the world of the USSR.
«You know, it's so strange: it's only 200 kilometers from Warsaw [to Brest], that is, closer than to Krakow, but it's immediately a completely different world».