Hidden Secrets of Europe's Least Visited Country
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- Опубліковано 30 тра 2024
- Moldova is the least visited country in eastern Europe, and a country most of us know nothing about, after traveling to Chisinau and Transnistria last year, we left with a bit of an idea about this country. However we only explored one part of Moldova, so when the opportunity arose to return, we decided to travel back to the least visited country in Europe. We are headin to the Ungheni region, in the west to find out what the real Moldova is like, beyond the big cities and negative news headlines. So we booked a last minute flight to Chisinau and travelled west, to the Ungheni region, near the Romanian border, to explore one of the least known regions in the country and try to learn even more about this little known & underrated country on the edge of eastern Europe. Welcome back to Moldova! 🇲🇩
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Thank you so much for watching, and for your incredible support in the previous video! Words can’t describe how grateful I am for this beautiful community here on UA-cam! ❤
(This was filmed a few weeks ago)
I have been thinking of you Julia and speak prayers for your comfort every time I lift my voice to God. I have no doubt life is very different right now - but please know we all adore you and want to see you continue to thrive. Your Gran is so incredibly proud of you and Matt - take time to heal together, breathe and rebalance. Until then, I hope you can feel our prayers and our most sincere hopes for the two of you! You are in the most beautiful journey together and there is so much yet to come. Blessings always, sweet ones. 🫶🩷🫶 xx Jan
Thank you so much Jan! Lots of love!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Matt and Julia! If you come to Chisinau, tell me! I can host you in my house!
I really felt for the Caretaker at the old resort, when he looked out wistfully and said, " it used to be so lively here" you could see him sadness....
You really could ❤️
I've visited Moldova twice. The first time I stayed only in Chisinau, but my second trip, planned to coincide with their national wine festival, included stops in Transnistria, Old Orhei and Soroca in the north. It really is a charming little country.
It really is a hidden gem 😍
Matt and Julia: you've done it again. A window into a country most of us will never visit. This clip is done with your humor, kindness and joy of showing what no other "visit this country" clip ever shows. So humble to have met both of you and to watch or re-watch videos you do. You show us - through your eyes - what we simply couldn't imagine. To all the viewers of this channel, Matt and Julia give their views with compassion and the pure joy of traveling, meeting people, finding something good in the world. Thank you for this clip (and an amazing trip in Uzbekistan). Matt and Julia are (young!) world travelers sharing with us moments, stunning drone shots, interviews, etc. which they cherish and that we can enjoy with them. Thank you, merci from an (older) traveler.
Linda, thank you so much for such a wonderful and kind message, you brought tears to my eyes! (but they are happy tears for once now hehe). Thank you so much for your support and your kind words from the bottom of our hearts! Really appreciate it and you inspire us to do more, to keep going ❤️
Another interesting and overlooked area. My kind of place away from the crowds and chaos! ❤❤
So glad we could share it with you! ❤️
That winery looks absolutely lush! The countryside is gorgeous too, thanks for sharing!
Oh yeah, it was amazing, we haven't been to a place like that before! Thank you so much, so happy to hear you enjoyed it ❤️
One of my grandmothers is from the Romanian Ungheni, still have some family there, I’ve been there and to the border, on the Prut river. The Ungheni in Moldova (republic) is more like a town as far as I remember. My great-grandprents had like a farm and most of the people on the Romanian side were farmers but across the border there were blocks of apartments iirc.
Surprising trip but I enjoyed very much watching it❤
Wow! How interesting, so glad we could share it with you and bring back some memories 🥰❤️
@@MattandJuliaI supposedly still have relatives on the Moldovan republic side and a small piece of land on the border on our side but I haven’t been there since I was about 10 yo. Seems like most people in the area are Romanian, it was funny to hear them in the background, I think the nature reserve lady (Elena?) didn’t sound too pleased with the unknown man leading you into the woods😂
I have to tell you how good it feels to see your cheerful faces. !i has been one of those days ! Thank you ❤❤
Thank you so much, so happy to hear! Hope you are doing better, sending you lots of love ❤️
I've been to Moldova twice. The first time was back in 1996 when I was in my early 20s. 2 mates and I flew to Chisinau for a Moldova vs. England WC qualifier (we won 3-0, Gazza, Barmby and Shearer scored and it was Beckham's first cap for England), but aside from the football match it was the worst trip I'd ever taken. The country was in dreadful shape post-USSR, the power would cut out for hours in the afternoons, corruption was everywhere, alcoholism was rampant, the infrastructure was in bad shape and locals weren't used to Western visitors and very suspicious of outsiders. And to top it off, on our last night in Chisinau I got salmonella poisoning from bad pizza and had to spend 2 nights in hospital in Bucharest before I was well enough to continue on home.
The second time was last December with my wife and kids. We tacked on a 5 day visit to Moldova and Transnistria between Christmas and New Year's, and the country redeemed itself and then some. The weather was dreadful but the country was in much better shape. Chisinau was clean, the locals were friendly, the food was much improved, the infrastructure was decent, and Transnistria was fascinating (although the locals aren't used to Western visitors and the Soviet mentality still prevails throughout society). We did make several stops in rural villages between Chisinau and Tiraspol and they were beautiful.
Thank you very much for sharing your experience with us and everyone, so interesting to read! So fascinated to see how everything changes and so quickly!
I got food poisoning while eating pizza in Chisinau too, better to eat placinte while in Moldova.
Thank you Matt and Julia for taking Us All to such an extremely breathtaking Country
Moldova 🇲🇩 is gorgeous and I feel like I understand and want to visit these wonderful places in this beautiful world we live in . I appreciate you two !
Julia I’m also so sorry to hear about your Gran ! 🙏
Thank you very much, so happy to hear you enjoyed our video ❤️
thank you ❤️
I'm always happy to see you two visiting different countries and beautiful places, I was so sad when watching your last video and thought I'd not see you for a while. keep up the good work and enjoy life to the fullest, until next time, and do svi daniya, love from Austria.
Thank you so much Eddy! ❤️ Lots of love to Austria 😍🙏🏼
Harriet and I have Moldova on our bucket list to visit. It's a country that many tourists know little about. We love this video so much and watched it twice. This video is so you and has so much to like about . The people, The Landscape, The Food. etc. Paced so well with a great musical score. This was a home run. Love you guys❤ from Harriet, Jim and Yuki
from our current location Guimares, Portugal.
Thank you so much guys from the bottom of our heart, so happy to hear you enjoyed this video 🤗❤️
That beautiful Soviet-era train station would give Bald & Bankrupt a case of priapism 🤣
The Moldovan countryside looks stunning. Looks like you both made a great choice to visit.
Haha, it did the same to us 😂 Glad you enjoyed it ❤️🙌🏼
Fab love to be educated by Julia and Matt on their travels to places off the beaten track Nice video. Thanks
Thank you so much, really appreciate your kind words ❤️
We have travelled there and it is on my top5 countries in Europe. Just loved Moldova 🥰
Us too! You know what they say...good things com in small packages 😉
Another well filmed and fascinating video, thanks guys 🤗🤗👍❤️❤️
Thank you so much ❤️🥰
Absolutely beautiful landscape & refreshing to see the vibrancy of the culture alive ❤
So happy to hear you enjoyed our video 🤗
This was lovely to see. What a great sanctuary. Thanks for sharing this!
Thank you very much, so grateful to hear ❤️
Thanks for this lovely introduction to a fascinating place, guys. 😘
Thank you so much ❤️
I love this. I am writing a paranormal romance and in my story I mention Moldova through out the story. Seeing this video has blown my mind. I am in love with Moldova. I cannot believe you both have done a video and I'm currently at this moment writing a story with Moldova within it. :) Moldova is beautiful and just as I imagined it to be when I added it in my story. Thank you for showing an amazing place. It's stunning.
I giggled too when Matt said "bottoms up!"
😂😂😂
😍ENJOYED this so much! Moldova is Beautiful! Thank You guys! sending you blessings & 💜
Thank you so much, so happy to hear! ❤️
@@MattandJulia 🙏💐☀️💝
I hope you and your sister and brother are doing well. Care about you all. 🩵🩵🩵
Julia when Matt is informing us about the country You are looking up like you are staring up at Kilimanjaro..
Haha, trying to fins it yeah 😉
Been to Moldova six times now, I like it and hope to go again this year.
Wow, awesome! It is such a welcoming country! ❤
Wow that Vineyard looks really beautiful!
It really is! Highly recommend ❤️🥰
As always... a very positive and beautiful video. Great work... I love watching positive and neutral videos... who cares where and when... the people and the land are important.
Love it... thank you to give joy with your videos
Thank you very much, really appreciate it! Sending lots of love to you ❤️
Nice video, thanks for sharing with us this calm city.
Thank you so much for watching! 🥰❤️
Beautiful countryside. Tuscan-esque look, especially where you were staying. Then, the heavily wooded nature reserve and Greek Orthodox churches remind you where you are. Hard to imagine that there’s total chaos right across the border.
Glad you enjoyed it ❤️🙏🏼
Absolutely love how You 2 bring Regions as such to us as you're known to do....more so than many/most yt travel vloggers > places many will likely never have the opportunity to visit > well done & continued thanks for sharing Your experiences as You do 🙏
Thank you very much for you kind words and your encouragement , really appreciate it ❤️
Beautiful country & so green ❤
Glad you enjoyed it!! ❤️🙌🏼
Wonderful video, such an insight
Thank you very much ❤️
This was wonderful! Thanks
Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed it! ❤
Thank You for this interesting video. You are welcome to visit my country - Romania as well 😊
Thank you so much, really appreciate it! We heard so many wonderful things about Romania, can't wait to visit ourselves! ❤️
Beautiful countryside! I agree about preferring smaller cities. You’ve got to add the bigger ones but it sure makes you appreciate the smaller ones!
Thank you so much! Totally agree ❤
DIY Dad is wonderful to watch. The apple did not fall from the tree.
This was interesting and unusual. What a good idea to visit a place that is not regularly frequented. More please .
Thank you so much! really appreciate it ❤️
Looks absolutely beautiful 🤩
Fantastic video guys. Both looked like you were both having a top time 🇲🇩
Amazing video. Thank you very much 💕🪻⚘️⚘️
You guys are genuinely nice people. I respect that.
Thank you so much! ❤
Thanks for sharing M&J
You are so welcome, thank you so much for watching!! ❤️🙌🏼
Thanks for another great video! Hope you’re both doing okay, thinking of you :) and of going to Moldova now haha❤
Thank you so much! Lots of love! 🥰😍❤️
Another great vid
Thank you so much! ❤️
👋🏼 Small struggling Travel Channel here. I love your content, thanks for this great video! You inspire me to keep grinding my channel, maby one day I’ll grow as big as you 🥲
Thank you so much, really appreciate your support and your kind words! Wishing you lots luck and sending you lots of love ❤️
I enjoyed the beautiful scenery in your video. Thank you~!!😃🥰😍
Thank you so much! ❤
Ha, you decided to visit Moldova again! I was in these woods many years ago on a student internship!
We love it, what else can we say 🍷😍
Seems like a wonderful place for bicycle trekkers. Locals could set up support businesses for food and lodging.
For sure! Would be awesome! xxx
Nice Video! I liked and subscribed to you!
Thank you so much! Welcome to the channel! 🙌🏼❤️
Good vid you two.👍
Thank you so much 🥰❤️
Wonderful video, as usual :)
Thank you so much! ❤
I enjoyed this video, but I enjoy all of your videos❤️❤️
Great video kids!! ❤❤❤
Thank you so much! ❤
Miss seeing the different foods you are eating. That's the best part of the videos.
We will try to show more food in the future videos x
Zeer mooie video over het mooie en groene Moldavie!
Thank you so much! ❤
Just dropping into the comments to say I am so happy to see a video today - and I am watching now. SO happy to see you back in Moldova! 🇲🇩. How exciting!!! Will enjoy this one immensely with my lunch. Much love to you both, Matt and Julia ❤❤ xx. Jan
Thank you so much! Really hope you enjoy it! 🙏🏼 Have a beautiful lunch 🥰 Lots of love from us! ❤️🙌🏼
It’s SO beautiful compared to your last trip! ❤ I am so happy to see the sun shining for your trip - and all of the changes and economic growth Moldova is experiencing. The architecture, scenery and history of this country is just incredible! Your video is so much better than my lunch 😂. I baked bread yesterday and made some simple egg salad with cumin. Sipping some tea and so enjoying this episode! ❤ It’s NOT the same as some good Moldovan wine! 🍷 Cheers!
Thank you so much 🥰 Lunch does sound amazing 🤩😋 Bon appetite! ❤️
Thank you for returning to visit my country again!
Beautiful country 😊
It’s so green and beautiful!❤❤
Thank you so much, so happy to hear!
You know..hearing things like that, maybe it means that our paths definitely meant to cross ❤️
Very cool land scape, worthy of a visit.
Interesting journey. ❤
finally my homeland!!!
Yeeeah 🤗
I wonder if you are going to visit Transnistria this time too? There is a chance to show not only Tiraspol, but also different regions.
We aren’t going this time, but will in the future 🙏🏼❤️
The forest reminds me of the Southeast portion of America
It is so mystical 🥰🙌🏼
What a beautiful place !!
It really is! ❤
If you get the chance come to Macedonia, it`s an absolute joy i guarantee it, especially during summer : )))))
We have been, we love it, we have lots of videos on the channel from Macedonia 😍❤️
@@MattandJulia Oh i have missed those, glad you had awesome stay :D
Oh nice!
You got my family's windmill on the frame! Cool beans!
It is a beautiful one 😍
I assume you do your own drone footage. It's very well done. Curious as to what drone you use.
Thank you for taking us on this lesser traveled journey. The wild boar you saw is only the two cylinder version! you should see them when they become the 8 cylinder version. I think genetically speaking there may be no limit to how large the wild boars can get (assuming there is ample food and no predators around).
I go often.🙂
Nice 😌
❣️❣️
🥰🙌🏼❤️
😍🥰
❤️❤️❤️
It feels like it was sponsored by the E.C.
What is the E.C.?
Please have more videos featuring Julia wine tasting. She is so cute.😊
Hahaha, thank you very much ❤️
At one time during the Soviet Union countries like Romania, Yugoslavia, Ukraine were manufacturing hubs. I live in Sri Lanka and Romanian built train coaches built in the 60s and 70s are still in use. Some public busses have windscreens made in Yugoslavia. What happened to those countries after the fall of Soviet Union? Moldova I remember reading about the massive political corruption.
Seems to be very safe
We certainly feel so, yeah ❤
Summertime and I see y’all wearing cold weather clothing. Burrrr…. Currently 32C in San Antonio, Texas. :)
It was around 20'c there in early May 😀
What a beautiful trip. Love how you show the country - the countryside, the countries people, the culture of the country and just the beauty of this country in the world.
I do have a question. Russian is not a language that is appreciated in some parts of the world even more so English. How do you determine what way to communicate without knowing the idiosyncrasies of the regions you travel?
Julia, I pray your heart has been able to heal even if just a little.
In Moldova se foloseste si limba rusa
Thank you so much! ❤ Language, to us, is just a means of communication, a way to connect with people, not a statement or anything else. Also, we try to understand the idiosyncrasies of the regions we travel, especially the countries of eastern Europe, and we've never personally encountered anyone averse to answering us in Russian or English xxx
@@MattandJulia I just adore the way you two look at the world. If more people were open to learning how to open their minds and hearts to others despite geography, language, religion or political beliefs they would see, as you both do, we are all just people trying to navigate through life. You both give me hope that there is a possibility to join together and make life better for all. Bless you both for being a beacon in an ever darkening world.
Been tracking with you two for years... Please go do some fishing in. this places... I will find u guides then u will get content few get and increase your audience base by leaps and pounds quickly. Throw in some hunting, forgetaboutit ,use old ways from bows to dogs. Love you two, first time sharing. Tnank you in advance for the consideration!!!
What a sweetie you are! Thank you so much, really appreciate it! To be honest with you, this is something I really want to do more of (it's Julia here). I really want to do more fishing, but I'm not great at it...I thought that I could always ask advise people that are watching us! Ask about different fish and best places and ways to catch it
@@MattandJulia Yo Yo Lady Julia, you tell me where you two are heading next and I will set you up a full package of doing it right, so you get experiences that will blow you away, change your whole heart and mind in short order after a few fish are brought to hand! The package will be do it yourselves on the cheap if possible and with guide/operators if not. Look forward to being pointed in your next direction where you have 3 to 5 days to fish at least 2 days....
Even from 1991 the oficial language in Moldova is Romanian I can see people still use Russian as well.
Folosesc rusa pentru ca cei ce fac video vorbesc rusa. La Ungheni predomină limba română!
Asa este, insa folosim si rusa
How to order? Where to live? What Budget? Luxery wine only? Huff and puff.
Huff and puff indeed 😌
@@MattandJulia I want to go go to huffington and puff there.
Relations between Romania and the Moldavian Soviet Republic were at a very low level almost all the time, there were no commercial or tourist exchanges, traffic across the border was almost non-existent. Ceausescu visited the Republic of Moldova only once in 1976, and it was a very short visit. The Russians did not want a collaboration between the Republic of Moldova and Romania for obvious reasons, namely the fact that Moldovans and Romanians are the same people and they did not want this collaboration to emphasize this.
Now the Republic of Moldova is subject to a hybrid war from Putin who wants to restore the USSR and many believe that Moldova is next on the list after Ukraine.
One more thing... Although Ungheni is inhabited by 89% Romanian-speaking Moldovans, you only used Russian, which the residents also know and who answered you politely, also in Russian, but you could at least say "thank you" !" in Romanian...Painful.
Cred ca trebuie sa raspunzi in limba pe care o are omul la inima.
@@ashamer7776 Nu poti avea la inima alta limba decat limba materna, limba pe care ai invatat-o de la cea care ti-a dat viata. Alte limbi poti sa le admiri dar doar atat...
@@nelu7591 ba poti avea. Limba romana imi este limba materna, insa la inima o am pe cea rusa caci intotdeauna mi-a parut mai frumoasa si mai sufleteasca.
@@ashamer7776 Ai o problema...
@@nelu7591 Domnule...daca va irita cand cineva isi exprima o preferinta fata de o anumita limba, clar ca aveti o problema...🤦
Ah, how the mighty have fallen... and largely a good thing, too! The world is better for being absent of Ceausescu and his friends
It’s a very different world for sure xx
I remember when Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife were executed on Christmas day! Not so long ago really.
To true a little monster.
This is part of the historical province of Moldova but it’s been a separate republic/region for quite some time, it was never under Ceausescu’s “rule”. Actually Ceausescu kinda dissed the USSR, only the first leaders of the Romanian Communist Party were Moscow people (the likes of Anna Pauker, Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej). Ceausescu was awful to us, his own people, starting about 1980 but in the previous decade Romania was pretty prosperous and Westernized (compared to other communist countries). Sadly 1980-1989 we reached North Korea levels…
That Easten part of Moldova that is now a separate country had another trajectory, they are way more Russified than Romanians, I can only imagine how hard it was for them to use that alphabet even…for a Romance language, it doesn’t work very well.
Don’t know how there’s anything happy or note worthy about even looking at a Visitor’s Board at a Train Station listing the despicable and disgusting mass murdering Leaders of evil empires and countries who travelled through there. Who gives a toss where Ceausescu stayed or the views he had while he plotted the massacre of his citizens. Those places should have been destroyed or sealed off like Hitler’s bunker.
You guys haven't visited Efel's bridge in Ungheni.
Unfortunately we needed a border permit to go there 😞
Matt and Julia on a being trashed spree LOL
Moldovan here. The Ch in Chisinau is pronounced like a "K" . So its Kishinau not CHisinau,
If the station was built in 1875 then it isn't a soviet station 🤷🏻♀️
The original building was built over during the Soviet period 🙂
Yeah I realise this, just wanted to grasp it back from the Soviets 👍🏻
I've visited Moldova quite a few times and travel from Chișinău to Odesa on the train, it's a shame you didn't take the opportunity as its a beautiful city. Anyway thanks for your video, and showing how lovely Moldova is, I'd recommend it to anyone 👍🏻
Glad you enjoyed it 😌
I heard Russia is now the new Moldova, no pan intended.
Waiting for Odysee.
You mean the UA-cam alternative? 😌
@@MattandJulia Either that, or the Apollo 13 command module(spelled differently). My guess is the YT alternative.
People hunt wild boar in the US because the population is getting out of control. Good meat, too. Moldova looks like a really quiet country, but I can see the beauty in it. Hopefully, some investment goes onto it.
Thank you so much for watching, glad you found it interesting! ❤
The way of Europe, decay and oblivion
As opposed to the way of Africa, Asia, America? Or?
"a resort for important people"
You mean tyrants and dictators?
Indeed we do :)
the old communist leaders were very humble people to enjoy and relax at this 3 star max resort, no pun intended
And all the bedrooms were the same, no matter who you were 😌
I see that White House more lively now without all those dictators and criminals
china has a chairman not the president
traveling the world and remaining so ignorant...
You should've had the common courtosy to say at least "Thank you!" in romanian ("Multumesc"), the native tongue of the region! Instead you insisted in using "Spasiva!" the language of the imperial russian occupiers. It's understandable to use russian for discussion since you dont speak romanian and the knowledge of english is scarce but at least "thank you!" in romanian for God's Sake! You create the false idea you are in an original russian land! And this is deeply untrue!
Corect!
Din contra, nu este nici-o greseala in a folosi limba rusa. Este limba pe care o cunosc multi moldoveni.
@@ashamer7776 Iar si mai multi moldoveni, inclusiv tu, cunosc limba romana.
@@RaduRadonys Si? Am negat acest lucru? Cu cat mai multe limbi cunosti, cu atat mai bine.
Why don't you visit Palestine?
I have visited all of the Levant
Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine are an integral part
Do not follow your fears, the war is raging only in Gaza
You must be the voice of the Palestinians during the occupation!
We have, before UA-cam, we loved it, beautiful, friendly people! ❤
Palestine does not exist.
@@RaduRadonys fr
Vizit Algéria
We will! 🙌🏼❤️
BOOOOORRRRIIIIIINNNNGGGGG