My Belarus
Tourism in Belarus - Sightseeing Belarus
Unexpected_BELARUS_Land
It was the title of my first photo album published in 2001. Since then there have been a lot of travel guides, postcards and another photo album - the Belarusian Exotics. The main purpose of the album was to prove to my fellow compatriots and foreign guests that Belarus is an unusual and really exotic country. Now I know for sure: our country is extremely beautiful.
Frankly speaking, it was my life-time dream to see the country from a bird's-eye view. While studying at the Polatsk Forestry College I was dreaming about flights and skies, there was even an idea to become a pilot-observer. But that time journalism won me over. I graduated from the Journalism Faculty of the Belarusian State University and tried every profession in the field, working as photo reporter and political correspondent founded my own newspaper and publishing house. For a short while I liked all my activities and was happy, but then... Then the idea of doing something new and more important always came into my mind. Thes idea pushed me forward. "Belarus Unexpected" is a new step for better understanding of my native country and my inner self.
To write the book I had to make 36 ftights. I made them with different people - border guards, military pilots, on a balloon, but most of the times I flew with pilot-observers of the "Bellesavia" (Belarus Forestry Aviation)enterprise with whom we studied together at the Forestry College many years ago. They were observing forest fires, and I was taking pictures.Braslav_Lake_Snudy I was unable to photograph all the country, of course, but hopefully I was able to grasp and show her soul character and many unusual and unexpected features. Those are mighty spring floods of the Prypyats and the Dnepr Rivers, boundless Palesse swamps (they really exist!), amazing laces of the Braslau Lakes, wonderful castles and palaces of Minsk and Grodna Regions. As well as many other spots of Belarusian land, our home country and a hospitable host for people coming from afar. Despite being located in the very centre of Europe, the Republic of Belarus, unfortunately, is not very well-known in the world and is not yet very attractive for foreign travelers. The beauty of our country is not that striking - you have to live here for a while to fall in love with her. I made the photo album with this very purpose in my mind - to make you know Belarus better and closer. I made it also for those people of Belarus who know the history of their home country and who are very proud of her. Our Motherland survived all the difficulties and turbulences, she kept her independence and, like Mother, she is the best and the most beautiful for all of us - forever. I sincerely hope that this new look on Belarus will be of interest to you.
Have a nice flight!

We start our journey above Belarus in the Braslav Lakes National Park (Braslauskiya Aziory). In my opinion, it is the most beautiful place in Belarus. The isles of Shosha and Chaichyn in Lake Strusta. By the way, Chaichyn is the only island which has a small lake inside.

The most impressive sight of the Braslau Land is lakes. Looking at these pictures, many friends told me: "It is not Belarus!" My answer is: "This is the most common panorama of the "Braslauskiya Aziory" (Braslau Lakes) National Park!" Look at it a couple of times, and you will get to know different Belarus".

Braslau_Lakes_Nation_Park_of_BELARUS

Braslav_Lakes_from_airplane

The airplane is rushing above fields, copses, countless lakes.

SecondWar_BraslavLakes

Unhealed wounds of the last war are distinctly visible from above.

Belarus_Braslav_City

Ancient Braslau. Once it stood on the isthmus between Lake Dryviaty and Lake Naviata, then the town grew up, and lake Naviata appeared in its centre. Mayak Hill is a pilgrimage place for the tourists as it is from here the most picturesque panorama of the Braslau Lakes can be seen.The Catholic Church of Holy Trinity in Vidzy is one of the Belarusian tallest it stands out for its imposing Neo-Gothic broaches, the height of which is 59 metres.

TheDruikaRiver_near_Latvia-Belarus_border The_Catholic_Church_in_Braslav_City

This is how the Druika Rivulet, quite rash and full of rapids, flows out of Lake Nedrava and passes Vustse and Alkhoutsy Villages. Once it was very popular among water tourists, now this route finishes in the borderland. The Western Dzvina and Latvia are only twenty kilometres from here.

The_Roman-Catholic_Churches_in_Vitebsk_Region

The Roman-Catholic Churches in Sar'ya and Mosar Villages are the most unusual in Vitsebsk Region. Nowhere else in Belarus you can find anything looking like the Roman-Catholic Church in Sar'ya. It was built in the middle of the 19th century.

Siarhei Plytkevich