www.marisha.net

Andreas from Germany, November 2011
"Dear Marisha, we had a very good and productive time in Chisinau and in Moldova. We like your flat because it's near to the center of Chisinau and next to all important places we needed. The services, especially our tours with Boris and our two days we spend in Tiraspol with Julia, were also nice. So all in all we can recommend the flat and your services and like to come back again
to Chisinau (maybe) next year. Best wishes to Boris, Katherine, Julia and Lena. Attached you will find some pictures of us in Chisinau and Tiraspol. Best regards Andreas"

Jeff from USA, October 2011
"Hello Marina, Our trip in Moldova was great, our hosts for the Chisinau apartment were very accommodating even after we showed up several hours late because of an unusually slow bus trip that had some problems at the border. The tour of the winery and Orheiul Vechi* *was good though we felt a bit rushed. Was a nice stop overall though pretty brief, the kitchen had the basics we needed, hot shower was great. thanks again, best of luck in your future hostings, jeff"

Kate and Ben from UK/Australia (Negruzzi flat, Tiraspol flat, tour of Milestii Mici and Orheiul Vechi), October 2011
"Dear Marisha, We really enjoyed our stay in Chisinua and Tiraspol. The flats were in a good location and were well maintained. Boris was absolutely fantastic. He was so helpful and friendly and we really appreciated him picking us up at 3am. We also had a fabulous time at the winery, which you organised for us and I believe you managaged to convince them to do a early bruch for us too. The lunch your Mum cooked us was delicious and we enjoyed meeting all the chickens! Everything was well organised and ran like a dream. I would highly recommend your service to people and would like to thank you again for all your help. Yours Kate"

"Hi, Marisha, Just a quick note. Really enjoyed the trip, and the services you offer ensured we saw a lot in the short time we were there. Lunch with your parents was a tasty treat and Borris was a terriffic driver! Natalia gave us a very good tour, and your cousin's assistance was much appreciated in Tirispol. The highlight for me was the wine cellar - I've certainly seen nothing like it in my life.
As to the visa, being Australian, I did have to get one, but because I reside in the UK, the embassy waived the need for a letter of invitation. (Hope that clears things up for you, should any future Australians ask you about this.) I certainly enjoyed everything you offered, and would not hesitate to recommend your services to anyone thinking of travelling to Moldova. Many thanks, Ben"

David stay at Larisa in Chisinau, September 2011
"HELLO MARISHA..... I HAVE STAYED WITH LARISA AND HER DAUGHTER FOR EIGHT WHOLE DAYS. I TOOK SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE CENTER...GOING TO SEVERAL MUSEUMS. MOLDOVA IN SOME WAYS HAS A SHORT HISTORY.....ALTHOUGH THE COUNTRY IS CLOSELY CONNECTED TO ROMANIA.....IN FORMER YEARS. LARISA HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL HOST FOR ME. WE HAVE BREAKFAST TOGETHER AND JUST THIS EVENING SHE MADE A WONDERFUL POT OF SOUP.. I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS REFERREL TO LARISA. MY BEST WISHES TO YOU IN THE "U.K.".

Kenton and Mitch from NY, stay at Ivancea, transfer&stay at Tiraspol, flat in Odessa, September 2011
" Marisha, Thanks for all of your help in arranging not just our trip to Ivancea, but also Tiraspol and now Odessa. Mitch and I are really enjoying staying with your parents; they are lovely people. Katherine is an excellent cook as you said. The tomatoes this time of year are amazing! We met Vadim without a hitch and he drove us to our apartment in Odessa. Last night in Tiraspol also went well - there was a little problem with the shower but Lena, her husband and we worked it out with the neighbor. Like you said, no problems with getting from Chisinau to Tiraspol (by bus) and again from Tiraspol to Odessa (by train). It was very easy. Mitch really, really enjoyed talking with your mom. Take care, Kenton"

Andre from Canada, accommodation in Chisinau and tours, 20 August 2011
" Thanks so much for everything Marisha! I've had a great stay! Andre"

Fabio from Italy, transfer from Baneasa airport to Chisinau, 23 August 2011
"everything OK with Anatol, very good person, funny and safe driver. Hope to come back to moldova later in this 2011 and meet you :) bye and thanks"

Esther from the USA, 24 July 2011
"Hi Marina, just wanted to thank you - for organizing everything for us - all went well - we enjoyed our day with Vicky and Boris - they make a good pair - and the winery tour - and we were able to fit in a quick walk through shopping in between - since my husband isn't very mobile - we opted out of some of the memorials and walking in Bender - the winery was great and we appreciated Boris being willing to take some of the payment in US dollars thanks for your patience with us - all best, Esther"

Hanna from Finland, 28 June 2011

"Hi Marisha, Everything worked very fine with our airport pick up and guided tour of Chisinau. Viktoria was an excellent guide. Thank you, Hanna from Helsinki"

Scott, transfer from Odessa to Chisinau with our driver Ruslan, 15 June 2011

"Thanks very much for everything. Ruslan was a very good driver. We greatly appreciate your help."

Mats from Sweden, 7 June 2011

"Hello Marisha, I want to thank you for everything that you arranged for us in Chisinau, everything working 100% and Boris took care of us and he explain that nothing was a problem, I think he tell us that. the trip to Odessa was exelent and the drivers was nice,helpfull and also safe drivers. If I have friends going to Chisinau I want to recommend you. So a very big THANK YOU. Best regards from a very pleased man from Sweden, Mats"

Alston from the UK, 6 June 2011

"Hi Marisha, I just wanted to say a big thank you for arranging everything in Moldova for me. We had a great holiday in a wonderful little country and everything went to plan. Particular thanks goes to Boris who was so friendly and Victoria who was an excellent guide. In future if anyone asks me about accommodation or tours in Moldova I will certainly point them in your direction. All the best for the future. Alston"

Bill from USA, 31 May 2011

"Marisha, Thanks for everything. Both drivers (Odessa transfer and Tiraspol tour) did an excellent job as did both guides (Julia the guide in Tiraspol and Vicky the guide in Moldova). The flat was a nice touch for my visit and the food at the Beer House was outstanding. Thanks again. Bill"

Ernest, 26 May 2011

"Marisha, Your booking was perfect (bus tickets from Odessa to Chisinau), worked like a charm. We picked up the tickets one day early to be sure there was no problems and there were none. While in the area we did visit the Privoz market, a fascinating scene and much enjoyed. Thank you very much for your help. By the way the cost for 2 tickets was 176 Grivna (spelling)?, now at 8 per USD."

Cain from Australia, 18 May 2011

"Hi Marisha, We have now left Moldova and are happy to say that the services you provided were excellent. Boris was very professional and made sure that we were well looked after. It was particularly good that he also stopped to show us significant sites on the way to Tiraspol and the monastery. He was very good. Julia our guide in Tiraspol was lovely. Whilst a little nervous to begin with she quickly gained confidence and provided us with a fascinating insight into the breakaway republic. We also got to meet her boyfriend and they treated us to some local drinks and customs. All in all a fantastic time. Thank you too for all your help and I would happily recommend your services to anyone wishing to visit Moldova. All the best. Cain "

Karin and parents, 17 May 2011

"HI, Marisha. I was meaning to write to you and say thank you very much for putting the tour all together. We had a really wonderful time. The accommodation was what it was, an old Soviet Apartment. There are huge tower blocks all over Kyiv where I live, but I never knew what they were like inside. Very small. We all liked it. The beds were comfortable, we had hot water, the stove worked. It was fine, and cheaper than the LeoGrand!! Ruslan the driver (transfer Odesa - Chisinau and Purcari to Odessa) was very reliable. He was nice and showed up everywhere he was supposed to be on time. We were happy to see him at Purcari - on time! The tours were good - we liked Milesti Mici the best. There was a problem with Cricova in that they didn't actually let mom and brother taste the wine. They drove through the cellars, and the tour stopped at a tasting room, and then the tour guide said, "well, bye. Have a nice day." That was weird. the tour was supposed to include tasting and probably a souvenir. There wasn't much they could do, but if you book a Cricova tour for any of of your other clients, use our experience as leverage. Even though you didn't organize it, Purcari was very, very nice. the wine was unbelievably good, the rooms were inexpensive and comfortable, and the surrounding countryside was very peaceful. wow! thanks very much! we had a wonderful time in Moldova. It helped that I could speak a bit of Russian - I'd say something with bad grammar, and your Mom, Boris or Ruslan would repeat what I said correctly, and I'd say "da." And we understood each other, I think. best, Karin"

David from the UK, 2 May 2011

"Marisha, Just a quick note to say thanks for everything, it all worked like clockwork and, I think, was very good value for money. I also had a very comfortable sleep in the apartment last night. Best wishes, David"

Martin, 4 April 2011

"Hi Marisha, the trip was great and we got good help drivers (Bucharest airport transfer and trip to Tiraspol and Ukraine accross the border) and hosts even at weird hours. Minor quibbles: The internet in the apartment isnt working. We used the Beer House as internet cafe instead. Also, it would have been useful if we had been given the code for the outer door at the Negruzzi apartment. We got from the host at the end. All the best, and thanks, Martin"

Eleanor from the UK, 17 March 2011

"Hi Marisha, I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed Moldova and thank you for letting me stay in your lovely apartment. The city was wonderful and the restaurants are really excellent – I can’t wait to come back! Also I wanted to say how fantastic the hosts were (particularly Boris – please excuse me if that isn’t his name, I didn’t quite hear what he said) who were very welcoming and kind. I shall be recommending your services to anyone going to Moldova. Eleanor"

"Marisha, Again thanks for making this part of the journey relatively easy. Please remember when sending your guests to Tirsapol that it is all very problematic. I was extremely lucky to make it across the border. Thank goodness that I have traveled around the world and have prior experiences in Communist Hungry and Yugoslavia and also in Vietnam and China. Your patrons should not be viewed as potential sacrificial lambs. I could see how one could get themselves into trouble here. That said, everyone has been kind and wonderful and funny though I don't understand nary a word. It is the sentiment that counts. Also, in a country like Moldova renting a car is probably essential. The minibuses or vans are great and cheap but difficult to use to make it out into the country unless you speak either Romanian or Russian. If you do, go for it.Some quick final thoughts: Visit Eastern Europe before it changes even more and becomes more Western. Take the time to visit the Moldovan and Romanian countryside. Drink some incredible Moldovan wine! The white I had in Chisnau was wonderful, and only about $2. dollars. I will probably comment one final time next week. Now other demands are raising their voice. THAT is why it is great to go off and away. No one can get at you. Maybe some border guards with wicked-looking machine guns but hey! you can deal with that! Cheers. Joe"

Ulrich + friends, 10 March 2011

" Hello Marina, the transport to Bucharest was succesfull, the driver did well. The car was better than expected, and they have capabilties for 8 people. Ulrich"

Seth + family, 28 January 2011

" Marisha, Thank your mother again for her excellent service. She was very punctual and attentive to detail. FYI: your internet connection still does not work. But, there is a new cafe across the street that offers by far the best wifi in the neighborhood. Tea is only 15 lei. I suggest you let other visitors know.

Gelaterie Pennese
strada Negruti 5
Sebastiano tel. 068-906965

You can also pick up free wifi in your building's lobby at times. We will be sure to contact you on our next visit or if we have any questions on Moldova. Your place and your ideas were of immense help. Thank you once again! Best, Seth "

Heta, 16 December 2010

" Hi, We were very happy with everything :) Both apartments were great (Negruzzi apartment in Chisinau and Lena's flat in Tiraspol) and also the transportation from Chisinau to Tiraspol was great. We had a wonderful trip. thanks, heta"

Rolf, 28 November 2010

" Hi Marisha, We had a wonderfull trip to trans D with no hazzles. also our stay here in Moldova was pefect. Best regards Rolf"

Laco and Anita from Slovakia, 23 November 2010

" Dear Marisha, I would like to make short summary of my journey to Moldova ... Before we entered Moldova, we had entered Ukraine. Hm, I have never seen something like borders Slovakia / Ukraine. Lot of trucks, bad conditions, slow custom officers, only thing they were interested in was how to cheat people and ask them for their pocket money. However, after 3,5 hours of waiting for no reason we entered Ukraine. Carpathian region in Ukraine is nice part of the land, well equipped pensions, hotels, restaurants, roads.This finished with the city "Stryi" ... Between Stryi and Ivano-Frankivsk is really terrible road. 1 day we spent in Chernivtsi, from my point of wiev really nice town, with great city center. I appreciated and enjoyed to stay there.
Day after we entered Moldova on the border Mamaliga / Criva. Moldavian custom officers seems to be quite surprised, that someone like us enter Moldova on this unusuall point. They asked us a lot of questions, starting with - what's my job, what's my target in Moldova, etc ... They were absolutely different from Ukrainian, smilly and curious. (in positive way) I think, every custom, that was on the border opened my luggage space and I felt they want to see me and the "otherness" ... After 2 hours I paid entrance fees for my car /30 UAH/ and the we enetered Moldavia. Roads are in much better conditions and in comparison with Ukraine, the surroundings was in much better aligned (fields, roads etc) ... On the way to Chisinau we had a lunch in the restaurant near to the main road, nice and cozy. As we were approaching Chisinau, somewhere between Balti and Chisinau road conditions were getting much worse - huge rain was changing constantly with fogg. I had to slow down, in addition I did not know the road. I came to Chisinau, unfortunatelly my GPS collapsed and I was lost. I came to Bucuresti street, I caught one guy with taxi and asked him to bring me to Negruzzi flat. I followed him, he braught me there, but not from the front side, but from backside (where the kids playground is) ... I left my car there and went to the flat. There was nice young lady Silvia, we took the keys and she left ...
After we unpacked our things, we went to enjoy night Chisinau, just having walk in the neighborhood. Next day we were lucky, the weather was great, warm and sunny, we visited Orheiul Vechi, monastyrs and caves ... On the way back we visited "pivnitule Branesti" ... with an excursion ... pivnitule Branesti - easy approach, it's located around 1 km from Branesti (direction from Chisinau to Orheiul Vecchi, almost at the end of village is right-turned curve, you should follow straight away) ... we saw big advertisement on the "billboard" ... As we came there, there was guy on the gate, that did not speak any other
language, only moldavian. We spent there 10 min. waiting for our guide. He spoke russian and moldovan only, unfortunatelly there was no one, who could speak english. Slovak language is similar to other slavic languages, including russian, so we did not have any problem to understand each other. The tour took us app. 40 - 50 minutes, we saw the technology for wine production from beginning to the end, way of wine storage etc. Interesting, we bought 2 sparkling wines and one KOGAR (red desert wine, that I already knew before). Price were as follows: - excursion: 100 LEU per person, - wine: 30 LEU/bottle. In the winery we tasted wine called "Lidia" (or "Livia"), red desert wine, fantastic!
on the way back we just enjoyed countryside eating fantactic grapes :) After our arrival back to Chisinau we had dinner in La Taifas restaurant ... I enjoyed Moldavia very much, in case, I will have possibility to visit again, I'll do that. Private or for business. :))) Laco"

D'Anne from USA, 1 November 2010

"Hi, Marisha - We had a great trip to Chisinau and were very pleased with the guide and driver you provided. They did a great job and we enjoyed their company. I guess I have one small suggestion. We took two trips to places outside the city: the winery and Orheiul Vechi. I wish we had thought to request some additional time in the villages nearby. It would have been interesting to see them a little more 'up close.' Perhaps in the future you might offer that as part of the tours.....I'm sure we would have said yes if you'd suggested that; we just didn't think of it in advance.
Just for your information, we had a tough time getting from Odessa to Chisinau. We went to the bus station in Odessa and decided to take a minivan instead of the public bus. Big mistake. The driver went through Transdniestria even though he'd said he wasn't going to. We had to pay at the border crossing..........they wanted $120 from us but settled for about $80. Then the driver said he had problems w/ his papers (who knows....) and put us into a car w/ three people who were driving to Chisinau. They dropped us w/ a taxi just inside the city limits. The taxi driver didn't know where our hotel was.......and on and on........ So......minivan to private car to taxi.....we should have taken the bus!!
Our train trip worked out just fine........thank you for getting the tickets. All in all, a terrific trip. Even the Transdniestria makes for an entertaining, albeit expensive, story.............
Sincerely, D'Anne"

Rob+ from Holland, 28 october 2010

"Dear Marisha, We had a wonderful stay in Moldavia and Boekarest , we enjoyed the three day's very much. Thank you for the excellent arrangements , services and help , the appartement was very good too ! My friend said , there was a little misunderstanding , when we arrive at the appartement we could not go in because we had no key of the room . But that was a very little thing , we were very sattisfied about everything !!!!!!! Maybe one thing for your website : when people want to travel by night train from Boekarest to Chisinau they can make booking at : marketing@wasteels.eunet.ro
Again very many thanks for everything ( the taxidriver was ok too) and maybe until next time !!! Best regards , Rob + from Eindhoven Holland"

Emmanuel from France, 18 october 2010
Dear Marisha . Just a note to say that I enjoyed my stay in Chisinau at Larisa’s flat during 1 week. Larisa particularly helped me in the organization of my stay. She found all the competent persons for the visits and the transport. I was able in particular to visit the monasteries of Tipova and Saharna and Ohrei, Gagaouzia... Her apartment in Chisinau is very well situated near shops, restaurants and trolley-bus. She is a very kind woman I had also a good trip in Tiraspol with her daughter Natalia. She made the border crossing easy for me. She was a great guide for me and I enjoyed the time with her.
I recommend particularly the stay at Larisa’ flat.

Juha and friends from Finland, 12 October 2010
"Dear Marisha, We had a very good trip to Tiraspol. Anna made the border crossing easy for us. The first stop was in Bender and then we had a walking tour around the centre of Tiraspol, visited a museum, an open air market and a church. We had a lunch at Andy's Pizza, and also offered lunch to Anna and the driver. Your guide Anna speaks English quite well and I think that now she is gaining more experience she will be able to narrate more freely about the recent historical events and everyday life. She managed with us very well. Anna and the driver were helpful when we were trying to find a sauna for Sunday evening. Best regards from Helsinki, Juha"

Michel from Switzerland, 5 August 2010
"Hello Lena, many thanks for your time and support when I was in Tiraspol, I really appreciated it. I had not problem at all leaving Transnistria, the gents at the border have been charming.
ChÕre Lena, merci pour votre aide et support lors de mon sÈjour Þ Tiraspol. Vous avez facilitÈ toutes les dÈmarches administratives, contribuÈ Þ mieux me faire connaÍtre votre ville, c'Ètait trÕs gentil de votre part. L'appartement est trÕs bien situÈ, dans un cadre plein de verdure, une banque dans l'immeuble pour changer de l'argent, un parking surveillÈ trÕs proche, ainsi que des magasins et restaurants. Pour utiliser l'internet, allez manger chez "Andy's pizza" Þ 500m du Palais du Gouvernement, la nourriture est excellente, les prix trÕs corrects, et l'accÕs au "net", gratuit pour les clients.
Tiraspol est une trÕs belle ville qui mÈrite le dÈtour, trÕs bien entretenue, trÕs propre, et les gens sont trÕs ouverts, avec un contact facile. Je n'ai remarquÈ aucun problÕme d'insÈcuritÈ quelle que soit l'heure du jour ou de la nuit Þ laquelle je me suis promenÈ.
A bien tÒt Lena, amicalement, Michel."

Andrew from Prague, July 2010
"Hi Marisha!!!! Once again I would like to thank you for the stay in your flat on Negruzzi last month. I enjoy my little stay in Chisinau very much :-) Cheers from Prague"

John from USA, 22 May 2010
"Hi Marisha, I just wanted to thank you for your help in making our trip a very nice experience (overall!)
For your information --
(1) The driver (sorry,I can't remember his name at this point - too much happened in such a short period of time!) He was very professional, always on time. very considerate and helped us out quite a bit. For an extra fee, he also took us to the train station and made sure that we were able to get our luggage stored properly while we had the long wait until out train was scheduled to leave. I would give him an
excellent recommendation.
(2) Our guide, Tanya - she was very pleasant, had a reasonably good command of English, was very interesting in her discussions with us about the local customs and her way of life. She also seemed quite knowledgeable about the sites that we visited. However, she seemed more like a "student" who was hired to "act as a guide for us" rather than some one who actually has had much experience as a
guide -- or with the knowledge that a guide should have. Some examples:
We knew before our arrival, that due to the Holiday, there was a strong possibility that there would be no winery tours available for our "full day" tour. When we arrived, Tanya confirmed that there would not be any winery tours available. When I mentioned that there would be a lot of "free time" for us before our late evening train departure, and that I would be wiling to pay extra for anything else that she might have in mind, she said --- well there are some museums and other sights that would be worth doing. So, I felt that we would still have a full day's of tour activities for us the next day.
We had a nice afternoon tour of the city and then retired to the hotel. The next morning, on our way to Orheiul Vechi, I again expressed my concern over the extra free time that we would have all afternoon and evening before our train departed. I also mentioned that the museums sounded fine, but wouldn't they be closed due to the Holiday? She confirmed that the museums would be closed and offered no other options for us that afternoon.
We even passed one winery on the way to Orheiul Vechi that was open. I expressed an interest in stopping - to sample the wine and perhaps buy a bottle or two. However, she just said that the tour was not open but just the wine shop. I understood that the winery tour was not open, but I didn't understand why we couldn't stop at the store shop for a few minutes. However, I did not press the issue.
We did have a very nice tour of Orheiul Vechi. When we were driving back to Chisinau, I again asked her if she had any recommendations for us on what to do, since we would be back around 14:00 and our train didn't leave until 22:00. She just said that there were some shopping malls near the station, we could walk back up to the parks that we had seen yesterday, or maybe we could just get a hotel room for the rest of the day -- and that was it! She was all through with us. I think that she had some finals to study for.
We were very lucky, in that while wondering through the train station, we noticed a sign with "beds" - we went up and after much sign language and several people trying to help (no one really spoke any English) we were able to obtain some rooms with beds to relax and rest until our train arrived. The train station has some very nice, clean, modern rooms with beds that they "rent" for about $10 each. This is something that any guide who has tourists who are departing by train, should know about and inform their clients!
Also, for future reference, we have been on the trains in Russia, and there was a train car that had some basic meal/foods available. When I checked on the Internet, it said that the Ukraine trains also had some basic meals/food available and that there were people who sold food at the stops along the way, "so no one ever goes hungry on the train!"
Unfortunately, on this train there was no real food available - the conductor did have some tea/coffee in their little "cabinets", but no real food. And being at night, there were no food purchases available along the stops - until the morning stops,
If anyone else does the same train trip, I would recommend that they be told to bring along whatever food stores they desire on the way.
But, we made it through and have some very interesting memories of Chisinau and Moldova.
Sincerely,
John"

Adrian from Ireland, 11 April 2010
"Dear Marisha, We had a lovelly time in Ivancea, I really enjoyed it very much. I am hoping to return again in the Summer myself if this is possible. I fell in love with the village of Ivancea and I thought that people were very nice. I would also hope to bring back some photographs as well . I would like to photograph more of the village life, when the harvest is getting ready for reaping.
Katychia was an excellent hostess and made us feel very welcome, I enjoyed her company. Ivan was really good to us when we needed to go to the hospital, Thanks for everything. Thanking you very much
Adrian"

Henry from Norway, 5 April 2010
"Hi Marisha, Just would like to tell you that everything went very well on our trip to Tiraspol and Chisinau. Tanya was a great guide for us and we enjoyed the time together with her. She had very good knowledge of both the historical and poliical situation, and made our trip very interesting. I find Moldova even more interesting after this trip, and I probably will come back. It would be nice to learn more about your contryside and your great wines. Best regards, Henry"

Kevin from the UK, 03 February 2010
"Hi Marisha, Thanks for the appartment, it was excellent, just what I wanted, good location and adequate. BTW I love the country, and will definately return again. I used a lot of information from your site re; buses, trains etc, finding it most reliable, thank you for that too. Anyhow, it was a fantastic trip made much easier with your information and the appartment. "

Leo from England, 14 November 2009
"Hi Marisha, Thanks again to you, Tania and Boris for my tour on Thursday. The length of time was just right, and the guiding and information excellent. I also learnt as much about Moldova, as I learnt about Transdniestr. Regards, and I will be happy to recommend you to anyone I speak to that is travelling to your part of the world. Leo"

Grant from the UK, 09 November 2009
"Hi Marisha, Thanks for buying the ticket for Kiev-Chisinau train for me! I didn't have a problem getting the ticket. The lady at the counter did ask for some money but I said it had already been paid and she seemed happy enough with that. I picked it up one day before I travelled. Thanks for your help. Grant"

Nail from the UK, 26 October 2009
"Everything was fine and we had a great time in Chisinau and at your Negruzzi flat. Thanks for all your help and for organising our transfer to Odessa and the train tickets from Odessa to Dnepropetrovsk."

Robin from the UK, 03 October 2009
"Hello Marisha, I really appreciated your hospitality and friendliness. Your service with organising both train tickets and accommodation was great. It was particularly nice to be met on my arrival at the railway staion. I travelled on to Bucharest with no problems after Boris' help the next day. He was very punctual and friendly. I will certainly forward your details and a recommendation to anyone travelling to Moldova. Please pass on my thanks to Boris and Tatyana. I hope to visit again soon. Many thanks. Robin"

Ashok and Ylva from Sweden, 27 September 2009
"Dear Marisha, We enjoyed ourselves this afternoon at your Mothers home in Ivancea. We liked the lunch and the juice you all served as well as the wine. The tomatoes were much appreciated. Pls convey our thanks to her and to Boris for the hospitality."

Matthew from the UK, 11 September 2009
"Dear Marisha, My train journey to Bucharest was indeed safe and enjoyable. Thanks again for getting the ticket for me. Boris and Tanya were very kind, Boris got us through the border without any problems at all (Tiraspol tour with driver Boris and guide Tania), and also knew exactly what to do when the car was briefly asked to stop by a Transnistrian official. Tanya was very knowledgeable about both Moldova proper and Transnistria; I learned a lot about the place from the tour. She was also fantastic at translating the tour of the Tiraspol city museum into English for us. Thanks very much again for all your help in organising my trip to Moldova, it was a fascinating place to visit and I hope to be back someday! Best wishes, Matthew."

Steven from the USA, 06 September 2009
"your guide tanya was excellant. boris was also. i commend you on a professional and reliable staff. i had a wonderful tour. thank you very much for your assistance. steven."

Regan from Canada, 02 September 2009
"Hi Marisha We had a wonderful time in the Ukraine and Moldova this August! Our tour in Moldova with Boris and Tanya was excellent. We certainly could not have made it without them. Boris was a very good driver and VERY helpful in getting us into Transneister. It was very easy and he and Tanya took care of everything. Tanya was an excellent guide; she knew a lot of information about the country and answered our questions very well. We learned very much about your little country in that one day. We had a very short time in Moldova but becuase of the warm welcome and great tour, I would definitely consider coming back again to see more of the country.
We had a bit of a misunderstanding about us wanting to take a bus to Odesa following our tour and we actually ended up missing our 2:15pm bus to Odesa. I think that might have been due to the fact that I wasn't easy to contact just before our tour so you weren't able to confirm our plans with us. But no problem, Boris and Tanya left us at the bus station to catch a bus coming at 4pm and Boris explained everything we needed to know to catch the bus. However, we ended up meeting a family with two small children and decided to share a taxi to the border with them. We had an interesting experience at the border with the guards (had to pay a $40USD bribe to get our passports back) and then decided to take a taxi from the border to Odesa. It wasn't what we planned but how everything worked out ended up being better! We didn't have to take a hot, non-airconditioned bus, we met a nice family, met a funny taxi driver to take us to Odesa (my father speaks Ukrainian so they talked the whole way) AND we have a funny story to tell now about how we bribed guards to get out of Transneister! So all in all, our day was great and we had a lot of fun!Thank you for all of your help and all the best to you and your family! Regan"

Jon, 02 September 2009
"Hi Marisha, Just a note to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my trip and tour to Tiraspol. The guide and driver were both excellent and please thank them both once again on my behalf for such an interesting and enjoyable day. Thankyou for arranging it and for purchasing my train ticket to Bucharest. Everything was in order and went well. I would not hestitate to use your services again should I ever revisit Moldova and will be sure to recommend you to friends and other travellers on the internet sites and forums that I use. With all best wishes and thanks again, Jon"

Ralf from Germany, 30 August 2009
"Hello Marisha, I just wanted to say thank you, all was perfect arranged! Special thanks to Tanja, perfect English and knowledge about the places of interest! She is a very helpful guide! Best wishes"

Andrew from Prague, 28 August 2009
"Hi Marisha, I just wanted to write and comment on my stay in Chisinau last week. I stayed three nights. I really enjoyed my stayed in Moldova. I was really happy with the flat in Cicoana and I thougt the tours were well done and well organized. I really enjoyed Tanya's guiding, I thought she she did a good job, and I liked Boris' friendly nature.I didn't hav enough time to see all I wanted and I hope I might return to see a bit more and enjoy the company of the friendly Moldovans I met. Greet Boris and Tanya for me. Cheers"

Ed from the USA, 26 August 2009
"First of all thank you very much for all of your help in making my brief tripto Moldova so interesting - see my specific comments below. I am now back in the USA after a month long visit to Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. It was a wonderful trip and I learned a great deal about each of these countries. Second, I very much appreciated all of your help in making my short visit to Moldova such an interesting and enjoyable experience.
Tanya did a wonderful job of interpreting for us during the phone call. Both Boris the driver and Tanya did a wonderful job on the tour of Orheiul Vechi and Cricova winery. It would be very helpful
if Boris could learn a little bit of English for visitors from Europe, Asia, the US and other parts of the world that do not speak Russian. Tanya's skills were excellent as both an interpreter and guide, however, even more importantly her very nice personality made her a real joy to have as my guide. She did a wonderful job in all aspects.
I greatly enjoyed the visit to Orheiul Vechi especially the visit to the monastery with its amazing setting. The museum was not very interesting. I liked the tour of Cricova but in a way it is not really a winery but rather more like a museum of wines together with a fancy restaurant with beautiful dining rooms.
I especially enjoyed staying in your flat to see what it is like to actually live in one of the old Soviet style block apartments. Although the outside is very plain and the entry, stairs, elevator very dark, I was surprised by how roomy your apartment was. I enjoyed sitting on the balcony and watching the children play in the central area formed by the buildings."

Harro from Netherlands, 25 August 2009
"Dear Marisha, I would like to let you know that my stay in Chisinau has been a really satisfactory one! I was really happy with the appartment in Ciocana & with the help of you, Boris and Tatiana; it went all so smooth. Especially, I would like to let you know that I had 2 wonderfull excursions, professionally led by Tatiana; one to Orhei complex and one to Tiraspol/Benderi. Tatiana is very knowledgable and informed me really well about the complex situation in Transdniestr. She did this in a very natural and charming way; obviously also she has a good sense of humour. So once again, my warm compliments for your organisation and your excellent team! "

Kamil and Vladimira from Checz Republic, 20 August 2009
"Dear Marisha! We approached O.K. our country. The journey back passed without problems. Often we remember very friendly and family atmosphere during all the time of our staying in Chisinau. In regards to driver and guide no negative comments from our side. Skills of Tanya and Boris were excellent. The trips with them we enjoyed very well. Our sincerely greetings and thanks to you, to Boris and Tanya. P.S. We booth recommended Moldova and your services to all our friends and cognates and we self consider next visite of Moldova in the future and using your unforgetable service."

Thierry from Brussels, 7 August 2009
"Hello Marisha and Lena, Our return trip was OK. I want to thank you for hosting us and helping when necessary (especially with my bank card). Accommodation was more than OK. Friendly Regards"

John from the USA, 1 August 2009
"Hi, all! These links will take you to the fruits of one of my most ambitious travel ventures since more-or-less recovering from my broken leg: 19 days, eight countries and one "sort-of" country called "Transnistria." My special thanks to Mrs. Marina Vozian-Waters and Inna Michayila, the travel agent and guide who arranged my morning of train-riding in Moldova. Here are the links you can click. Odessa-Moldva-Transnistria Link http://www.flickr.com/photos/je_therailguy/sets/72157622060360436/ "

Kimmo from Finland, 1 August 2009
"Dear Marisha, Now, back home, back at work after wonderful vacation..Anyway, regarding the daytrip to Tiraspol, all in all it was very interesting and informative. Lena is a great guide with excellent english language skills. We discussed propably about everything there is in life during the day. Besides life and times in Tiraspol I got a very good insight into Moldova in general. All my requests and questions were accommodated and also Lena was actively suggesting places to see, etc. Border crossing was very smooth (well, some queueing during entry). It was also really nice that we
had a relaxed timetable, or seemingly no timetable at all. I really could not imagine anything to improve. Many thanks again and give my best regards to Lena"

Chandra from the USA, July 31 2009
"We had a wonderful trip to Moldova and Tranistra, thanks to Marisha, Boris and Inna. Marisha made all the arrangements. Inna was our guide for both Chisinau and Tiraspol. Boris was our driver for the airport transfers and also to Tiraspol. They were very punctual, professional and very courteous. I would highly recommend them to any aspiring travellers. Infact, we are planning to go to Odessa next time and would contact Marisha again. Thanks a lot for the memorable trip"

Sjoerd and Marije, 29 July 2009
"Hi Marisha, We wanted to write you about the tour to give some feedback because it was such a good experience. Everything went well. We thought the tour was very interesting and Inna is a knowledgeable guide and a very pleasant person to spend a day with. She provided informative insight about Moldavo in general and Tiraspol/Transdniestrie in particular. What was also nice is that she's also interested in other countries and langugaes so we had some nice exchanges of information. All in all it was well worth it and a day well spent! Thank you once again and best regards, Sjoerd and Marije"

Jen from USA, 11 July 2009

"Dear Marisha, I really appreciate all the help you've given me before & during my stay, by the way--it's made my trip to Moldova much easier!! Orheiul Vechi was nice, but it should have just been a day trip. I stayed at the hotel next to the museum, which was nothing like my LP describes, and they're now charging $40 for a room, which is very exorbitant for what you get!!! At least the weather cleared up. I've enjoyed Moldova, thanks! -Jen"

Richard, 08 July 2009

"Dear Marisha, Just a quick note to thank you for a wonderful tour of Moldova and TransDneister. Everything was as you said it would be and even better. Your mother is a wonderful cook. Of course Boris and my guide were great. Thank you! Rich"

James, 02 July 2009

"Marisha, Everything was great, your Mum, Boris, Lena.. All great. Thanks so much. ... And tell your mother that was the best food we have had in our travels! The polenta she made was amazing.
James"

Paul from Amsterdam, 13 June 2009

"Hi Larissa and Natalia, Just to thank you for everything. I have a wonderful time in Kishinev and my experience in Moldova was superb. My stay at your place was fantastic. Keep well and in touch."

Selma from Switzerland, 08 June 2009

"Dear Marisha, Now we returned to Switzerland and I wanted to say thank you for helping us to organise our stay in Ivanca! Everything was perfect and we enjoyed to live with Katja. She's such a kind hostess. I'm sure, I will retourn once agian to Moldova! Best wishes."

Bendt, 04 June 2009

"Hi Marisha, We had a very nice stay in your apartment. Thank you."

Chris, 28 May 2009

"Hi marisha, We enjoyed our stay in Ivancha very much. your parents were very kind to us and we loved your mum's great cooking. she gave us huge amounts to eat every time we sat down near the table! Ivancea was prettier than we expected and it was nice to walk by the lake and we very much enjoyed our trips to Orcheiul Vechi which was very easy and cheap to reach and stunningly beautiful. I
don't think that was mentioned on the website. We got the impression that travel by bus was hard and it was not at all- thanks to your parents. We would be happy to receive emails from anyone who is thinking of coming to stay with them who wants to know specific things ior just wants reaasurance."

Brad, 03 April 2009

"Hi Marisha, Thanks again for arranging our tours in Moldova. We had a nice time, and I enjoyed the tour with Inna in the morning. She was very knowledgable, well-dressed, very nice and cute! I learned quite a bit from her about Chisinau and Moldova and her English was as good as other professional guides I encountered during my 3 weeks in Eastern Europe. I would not hesitate to recommend her.
The winery tour of Milestii Mici was good -- I was disappointed at the inavailability of medium-priced wines, but that is a complaint with the winery. The Lonely Planet also mentioned the winery tours were 'hilarious' and light, but they seemed to be going through the motions though. No worries though - we enjoyed it.
Boris was a good driver and friendly, and the only misunderstanding we had was that he wanted me to pay him before we got to the winery. I had enough Euro but not Lei, but he exchanged it without a problem.
Overall, it was a great trip -- thanks again!"

Scott, 15 February 2009

"Hi Marisha, your guide Elena and I went to Orheiul Vechi today. I had a great time even though the weather was cold and dreary. Elena is very knowledgeable about the site, and she is very intelligent in general. She speaks English very well and was well-prepared. Thank you."

Morten from Norway, 27 January 2009

"Good evening Marisha,
I just would like to send you my warmest wishes and thank you for a very good days at your apartment in Ciocana. I spend a very good time there and I wish that I could go back soon. Thanks for super days in Ciocana.
PS! If you want to visit Norway one time, just send me a hint and I would show you the country.
Best regards
Morten. "

Richard, 9 December 2008

"Hi Marisha. Thanks for everything. We had a great time in Chisinau! And we loved Virginia's apartment. Sylvia is great"

Damian, 23 November 2008

"Thanks for all your help! In the end I had a really good time in Moldova and Transnistria."

Steve and Becky , 24 September 2008

"Hello Marisha
We're now home from our trip to eastern Europe and we just wanted to drop you a note to say thank you for arranging our trips to Milestii Mici, Tiraspol, and to Orheiul Vechi. We enjoyed them all, and our few days in Moldova were very very enjoyable. After stays at various hostels and guesthouses on our trip, it was lovely, too, to have the whole train station flat to ourselves.
Please kindly pass on our thanks and our very best wishes to Boris and Katerina, who not only met us at the station when we arrived in Chisinau, but also made sure we were comfortable at the flat, took us on the day trips, and generally looked after us! They were both very kind to us, and made our visit to Moldova a happy and smooth one.
Thanks again, Marisha, for organising our time in Moldova. We had a wonderful time and much of that is thanks to you, Boris, and Katerina."

Stephen from the UK, 5 September 2008

"Hi Marisha, We just wanted to say a big “thank you” for Natalie and Boris’s help while we were in Moldova. Everything went according to plan and the team were incredibly reliable. Natalie was an excellent guide around Old Orhei, and the trip the next day to Milestii Mici was really quite stunning. Well worth the money.
We loved Moldova, and it was a real surprise having visited 70 other countries previously. Anything negative we had read proved to be out of date or incorrect. We were lucky to be in Chisinau main square on National Day to see the locals spontaneously dancing in large groups to traditional songs.
The city was one of the safest-feeling we’ve been to, and certainly the most tree-lined. We certainly had no trouble with police, customs etc. On the contrary everyone was very helpful and friendly. Chisinau was very vibrant, and we have never seen so many new top of the range BMW’s and Mercedes, which we had not expected.
Your service could not be improved, and we are happy to recommend it.
Only one tip to visitors like us is for them to remember that you won’t be able to carry wine in hand luggage. We had to move our bottles into our main case at the airport. Luckily they survived back to the UK intact."

Julia from the USA, 3 September 2008

"Hi there Marisha! I wanted to write a positive review of the services my friends and I received when we came to stay in Chisinau. Natasha was a fabulous guide, very friendly and knowledgeable. Boris was also very amiable and I enjoyed speaking with him in Romanian on our drive to the wine cellar. Everything about our stay in your country exceeded our expectations. Our accommodations were clean, private and very comfortable. The tours we went on to Milestii Mici and Orheiul Vechi were both interesting and fun. It was fascinating for me, as a volunteer living in Romania, to visit the country of Moldova and learn about its separate but related history and culture. Plus Stefan cel Mare is a personal hero of mine, so it was exciting to get to see statues of him and money with his portrait on it. My only regret is that we couldn't spend more time in Moldova and explore even more of the countryside with our excellent guides. I will be sure to recommend your services to anyone going to Moldova and hopefully I'll have a chance to come back again one day too. Thanks so much for everything!Best wishes,
Julia"

Emma and Sarah from Manchester, 2 September 2008

"Hi Marisha! Just a quick email to let you know that we are back home now from Romania and Moldova. We had a fantastic time! Thanks so much for all your help, and to everybody who looked after us in Moldova!
We'll be in touch soon!
Emma and Sarah"

Mark Tristan, 27 August 2008

"Hi Marisha, just a note to say thank you - I enjoyed staying at your apartment in Ciocana. Things went smoothly, it was comfortable and I had some great sleep! It was nice to be met from the train by Natasha and Boris, and it was nice to chat with your mother at the apartment. By the way, the first thing I wanted to buy on arrival was a street-map of the city, but Natasha was not sure where to get one; we tried at Fidesco but they do not sell it. I found one down town the next day, but not before getting lost a couple of times. Perhaps for the first-time visitor you could ask if they would like a map before they arrive, for a few Euros on the bill? Just a thought :). The one I bought was excellent, from a bookshop on Pushkin str; it had not only bus & trolley nos. but also marshrutka nos as well.
Oh and the other thing I discovered was that it's almost impossible to change American Express travellers' cheques. I would advise anybody against bringing them.
Finally thanks for the advice too about coming by train via Kuchurgan. I didn't have any real problems crossing through Pridnestrovie; although the border guard did ask if I had dollars, Euros, Mastercard or Visa, but I just shook my head and ignored him. Also, I can also confirm it's possible to travel Chisinau-Lvov (and on to Poland) by train on odd dates as well as even ones. At first the train station staff told me it's impossible, but you can go from Chisinau-Zhmerinka on those days and you then change at Zhmerinka to Lvov -- and yes, the station staff can issue a ticket for the whole journey, even if they don't seem like they want to!
I certainly enjoyed my visit and thanks for all your help, both personally and on the website. I will book again if I come back to Chisinau -- possibly at Christmas or in the New Year.
Regards,
Mark"

John from the UK, 28 August 2008

"Hi marisha, Thank you for all your arrangements with Moldova and Transdnistria. we had a wonderful time,especially with Lena and her family on the farm. They were all so friendly and welcoming. Once more,thank you for all your help. Best wishes"

Francis from the UK, 26 August 2008

"Dear Marisha, I just thought I'd drop you a note to express my appreciation for the service you and your colleagues provided on my recent visit to Chisinau and
Tiraspol. When I missed my outward connecting flight owing to delays in London, I was able at very short notice to arrange to be picked up at Chisinau airport after midnight. Although I was travelling about and doing things independently, both Boris and Natalia were frequently on hand to provide help and advice. Their assistance helped ensure that I enjoyed my stay at your flat in Ciocana. Thank you all very much."

Micheal from Ireland, 25 August 2008

"Hi Marisha, You assisted me in July, when I was in Chisinau. You organised 4 tours for me - Transdniestr, Orheiul Vechi, Milesti Mici and the City tour. They were excellent, and my sincere thanks go to you, and especially Natasha amd Boris. They made my holiday memorable. Perhaps you would specially thank Natasha for me. I asked her to post some cards for me in Tiraspol, and true to her word, they arrived to-day. Again my gratitude to all.
Slan agus beannacht"

Danny & Donia from the UK, 19 August 2008

"Hi, we wanted to thank you all for our very nice stay in Moldova. We only stayed 3 days but it was very interesting, especially the guided tours with Natasha to the Monasteries and Transdniestr. Please pass on our thanks to Natasha and Boris, who were both very helpful and provided an interesting insight into your country and its history. We hope to be back some time, and if that happens we'd definitely like to stay at the train station flat and use your services again."

Stephen from the UK, 07 August 2008

"Hi Just returned from a visit to Moldova at the end of July. Only spent 2 days there but was looked after really well by Natasha and Boris. Everything was done very professionally and there were no problems at all. Please pass on my regards and thanks once again for making my stay a memorable one.
Best wishes
Stephen"

Mattias from Sweden, 28 July 2008

"Hi Marisha, Back at work after e few week's holiday!
The trip back to Warsaw was long, interesting and safe! Everything OK and we arrived on schedule at our destination. We really enjoyed the tea served by our friendly train host.

Many thanks for the arrangement in Chisinau, the tours and the accomodation in Ciocana was perfect. Yesterday evening I ended my dinner with some Kvint, the visit to Tiraspol was very nice. We however feel that the trip to Bender was a bit to quick, we had to rush pass the castle with only a quick stop to take pictures from a far distance. Boris kept telling us that this was because we would run into problems if we got closer to the castle, I don't know but maybe he was eager to get back to Moldova before border"police" would get drunk and difficult to deal with. (We had no problems what so ever thanks to Boris!) The guide was perfect, she was very knowledgeble in the history and the different sights.

I feel that Moldova is a place I would like to visit again, we only had 3 days and that is far from enough. I would like to visit the northen parts, it was a pleasure standing in the train window looking at the scenery around Balti and Drochia! A positive thing with trains running extremely slow!"

Dan from the UK, 14 July 2008

"Hello Marisha, Just a quick note to thank you for the advice on my banking problem (Chip&Pin cards) and I am pleased to report that I was able to withdraw from the Victoria Bank as you advised. I really enjoyed the trip to Mileºtii Mici! Thanks again!"

Frank from USA, 13 July 2008

"Hi Marisha, I just wanted to let you, Natasha, and Boris know that I really enjoyed the trip to Tiraspol. What an interesting city. I would have liked to have some extra time to see some other places but I was happily suprised to see that there was quite a lot to cover even in just one day. Boris is quite a driver and was very helpful even though I only know a very little Russian. Thanks to him, border crossings were uneventful, in fact they went smoother than the crossings to/from Romania & Moldova. Everything was as you said- a safe and easy trip. Natasha is an excellent guide and I learned a lot about Moldova and Transdniester and was able to take many photographs. I was also very happy with the accomodation; this was the first time for me to stay in a hostel so I didn't know what to expect, but everything was very good. I will like to visit Moldova again especially if I can convince someone else to join me this time. I will certainly look you up again if I will return in the future. Thanks again to everyone for a very memorable experience. Kind Regards, Frank"

Jarkko from Canada, 9 July 2008

"Previt Marisha ,
I just wanted to write to you and say thanks for being such a helpful and gracious host by making me and Claudia feel welcome in Moldova ,the facilities you provided were really good as was the price for the private double room, Natalia and Boris were also very friendly and helpful too. Once again thanks for all of the help you provided ,i really miss Moldova and i will come back again ;)
I will recommend your flat to other people i know ,and maybe they will come and stay there .
Spasiba bolshoi ,
poka
da svidanya
-Jarkko"

Helen from the UK, 30 June 2008

"Hello Marisha
I just wanted to write to thank you for arranging the visits for us. We had a fantastic time in Moldova, and were made to feel really welcome by everyone we met. I was very impressed with Chisinau and Tiraspol and the wine of course!
I would like to pass on our special thanks to Boris and Lena. Despite the language barrier Boris kept us entertained and we understood what was happening most of the time! We had a great time in Tiraspol last Sunday and Lena was the perfect host.
You have a lovely country and I can see why you look forward to returning each summer. I hope more people will decide to visit Moldova!
Thank you
King Regards
Helen and Andrew"

Tristan from Scotland, 24 June 2008

"Hi Marisha! I just want to say a BIG "thank you" for all your help and friendly service to myself and my friend Mark on our recent visit to Chisinau. Your numerous text messages allowed us to make it to the apartment on time for the wine tour, with good planning and information. The Milestii Mici wine tour was fantastic, an awsome place, with nice wine tasting and food afterwards. Please pass on my sincere thanks to Natasha for her excellent guided tour of the monasteries and the village. Her knowledge of Moldova is brilliant and it is a pleasure to have such a lovely, friendly guide. It was very pleasant to meet the other guests at the apartment and share some stories about our travels. Also, thanks to Boris for the driving. I will certainly be coming back to Moldova and will recommend your services to all my friends in Scotland."

Tomas&Danka, 23 June 2008

"Hi Marisha / Lena, Just I want to thank you for all your help/info and accommodation you provided us before/during our stay in Moldova. We visited lot of nice places and really enjoyed our stay there, it was our best holidays we have had so far.
Thanks again and all the best"

John, 14 June 2008

"The Art - Rustic Hotel you recommended was fabulous! The staff was friendly and helpful. The internet connection worked great and they have a wonderful location and atmosphere. Boris was funny and went out of his way to help us. He drove well and greatly expedited our border crossing. Natashia was very sweet and helpful. We had a great time in Moldova!"

Mark from England, 10 June 2008

"I would like to thank Natasha, Boris & "Bob" for a great (but too short) stay in Moldova. Brandy for breakfast (bad Boris!) now routine(only kidding). Met a nice bunch of fellow travellers at the apartment which made it even better. Only problem was the low quality of the wine on the wine tour. For all of us not just a wine professional like myself. Also they should send one of there staff to see how things are done in other wine countries as regards tastings & information. All in all a good trip,Monastery is lovely & we are planning a return visit in the future."

Mike & Gavin, 26May 2008

"Hi Marisha, Just a quick message to ask you to thank Natalia for her very interesting tour of Chisinau on Thursday. We had a marvellous time in Moldova on our way to Kiev, and were able to get tickets for the night train with Natalies assistance, even though the train was very busy. The station apartment was excellent - I am so glad we took the offer to use it for the day, even though we were hardly in it, it was great to have somewhere safe to leave our bags and a nice shower when we got there was most welcome, and Boris went out of his way to make sure we found the right car on the train, so many thanks to him too. The train to Kiev turned into a real adventure - not unexpectedly, as I had heard many tales of trouble with the Transdeniestr border guards. They made a fuss about our passports as Moldova had not put an exit stamp, and then told us to empty pockets onto the table - I put my wallet and my camera. Obviously they wanted money - I put a few Euros on the table and they all laughed and got very excited, and a total of 6 guards appeared. They told us that they wanted 20 Euros from each of us. I eventually paid them 15 Euros each after they got handcuffs out and told us we would have to get off the train - but I know they weren't serious as there was a lot of laughing as if it was a good game. They then handed our passports back and ran to jump off the train just as it started moving. Just as they were leaving I noticed that they had also stolen my camera from the table. I shouted and ran to the door, and the train staff shouted at them too but the train was moving too fast to do anything more about it. A very expensive mistake for me to show them the camera but while I had expected to have to pay something, I did not expect them to actually steal something too! So sadly I lost all the photos I had taken in Chisinau, but we still have lots of great memories. Perhaps you can warn other travellers that they will use the excuse of no exit stamp from Moldova as "a small problem" in order to ask for money. Moldova don't stamp foreign passports on the train, so this excuse will always work! Anyway this was just a small problem and the rest of the trip was fantastic. The Moldovans in our carriage gave us lots to eat and drink - very hospitable people. Thanks again We hope to return for a longer stay some time."

Julien, 21 May 2008

"Many thanks for Lena for the tour of Tiraspol and its organisation. It was a very good day for me, I emjoyed it very much"

Marcelle from USA, 20 May 2008

"To all visitors to Chisinau, do not hesitate to contact Marisha! She promptly and thoroughly responded to all of my inquiries, and even called during my tour to make sure that everything was going ok. My guide for a city tour was Natalia, who took the time to customize the tour to my interests and was most professional but friendly at the same time. Thank you to both for making my first-time visit to Chisinau so enjoyable!"

Harm from Netherlands, 18 May, 2008

"Thanks for the tour to Tiraspol. i really enjoyed it"

Igor from Czech Republic, May, 9, 2008

"Thanks for the help. Regards to Boris as well."

Aggelos, May, 3, 2008

"Hello marisha,
We are in cyprus now and we happily remember the very nice time we spent in moldova with Natalia and Mr Boris. Natalia explained us everything and informed in detail the monuments of the city. She was very patient and professional to her job. But above all now we consider her as a friend.
Thank you all!"

Jamie, April 24-25, 2008

"Thx for the friendly people you sent to pick me up. I had good time In chisanou."

Shields, April, 14, 2008

Our trip to Moldova was very nice and we enjoyed it quite a bit. Thank you for helping us organize everything. Everything was just fine and we had no problems at all. The visit to Chisinau and Tiraspol was well planned and coordinated. Everything went according to plan, the prices we paid for accommodation and services was very reasonable and everything was made easy for us during our stay. Please also thank Elena for the great hospitality and assistance during the trip to Tiraspol. Best regards from Brussels

Leila, March, 23, 2008

Marisha many thanks! Your parents were so helpful and friendly and I had a great time in Chisinau. I also got to the airport perfectly on time, no troubles, which was great.

Iiri and his 7 friends from Estonia, March 3-5, 2008

"Dear Marisha,
I and all our group sends you best regards and thanks for the help to organize our tour in Moldova with the accommodation and transport. We were all very pleased with the places we saw, thank you for the travel tips. Special thank to our driver Sasha, he was also like a guide for us telling about moldovan life and customs, it was really great!
Everybody liked the countryside, food and open warm-hearted people, so we were very happy that we choose to come to Moldova. Visiting the history museum gave us understanding how common can be two countries’ histories – Estonia has also been a small country always conquered by somebody bigger and same problems that we faced after the soviet era.
We realized that we have to come back at the fruit season, when everything is ready to eat J and there are more interesting places to see and visit.

Thanks again for your help!
With best wishes,
Iiri and friends"

Marrku from Finland, February 27-29, 2008

"Hi Marisha!
I just want to thank you for the unforgettable experience in Moldova! And also thanks to Boris, your father,, without him it is impossible to find your house,, they all look so same :) And it was big surprise to me that so many people in Moldova can speak english, helps me a lot. One of my friends is planning to go to Moldova and of course I recommend your place. What a pitty I had so tight schedule that I didn´t have more time to be in Moldova,,
And don´t forget to tell greetings to Lena. She is the great person, we had a great time in Tiraspol.

All the best to you and your husband,,
Markku"

David from France, November, 2007

"We had a great stay in Moldova (thanks to you and our guide Natalia). Please, thank Natalia for being our guide because we discover a nice country with very nice people."

Elizabeth, October, 2007

"Hello Marisha,
I am home again after a very good trip to Moldova. My stay with Boris and Katya went very well and they were very welcoming. We managed to understand each other well at a basic level but it would have been nice to have a language in common so as to have more conversation! Katya's cooking was delicious.
Boris said that unfortunately it was impossible to visit Tipova and Saharna because of reconstruction work. I was very disappointed. We went to Soroca instead but he did not know that the fort is shut on Tuesdays so we were unable to visit it. The visit to Orheiul Vechi was lovely and we were very lucky with the weather.
My visit to Tiraspol went well. I took the local bus and only had to pay 10 lei to get in and nothing to get out!
Thank you very much for everything you organised for me. I really enjoyed my visit to your lovely country.

All the best to you and your family
Elizabeth"

Antonny from Canada, September, 2007

"Dear Marisha,
Many thanks indeed for arranging everything for me: my brief trip to your very interesting homeland of Moldova was quite splendid. My thanks are also due, of course, to your mother and Boris (and Natasha) for looking after me so well. I think the highlight was staying at Ivancha.

With, again, many thanks and all best wishes,
Antony."

Fr. Bill Haymaker from England, February, 2005

"Dear Marisha,

I can not thank you enough for all your hospitality and care this past week during my visit to Moldova. You made me feel at home, welcome, safe, and truly made me feel as if I immediately had a new friend in Moldova.
For anyone who is considering coming to Moldova, if you want to learn how people live, about lifestyles, and customs, I can highly recommend Marisha. I was so impressed by her professionalism as well as her warm personality and her ability to anticipate my needs.
Each of us who travel come with different expectations. For some it is the adventure, for others it may be because of work requirements, and for some, it is for the purpose of pure and simple pleasure. Marisha fulfils all of these needs.
Her home is lovely. It is welcoming and if you’re really nice to her, you may even get her to play her guitar and sing for you! Marisha should charge more for what she offers, but I suspect she also personally gains from our visits.
Whatever your needs, be it advice, visa assistance, tour guide, translator, I can think of no one who is better suited than Marisha.
If you’ve not been to Moldova, please go visit. You will be hard pressed to find lovelier people anywhere in this world!

I wish you Peace

Bill Haymaker Director,
Project New Life Romania "

Kevin, December 2004

"Hi Everyone,
Had a really good time seeing Chisinau and Tiraspol.
Glad I asked for a pick-up and the train station though as I doubt I'd have found my own way to her appartment by Marshrute Taxi - the roads and buildings all look the same - it's hard enough when you've already done the journey before!
I did not find Trans-Dneistr to be backward as described in many places - eg Lonely Planet. It's very clean and transport etc seems to be very efficient. There's a brand new sports stadium and the train station in Tiraspol has just been refurbished! I was pleasantly surprised. I would compare the feeling of being there with it being in Minsk (if that helps anyone!) Who said communism doesnt work???!
I would recommend travelling from West to East through Moldova then T-D then Ukraine as opposed to the other direction. I know of one person who had to bribe their way into T-D from Ukraine - after much questioning! When I left T-D into Ukraine by train to Odesa, there weren't even any border check from the Trans-Dniestrians - only the Ukrainian lots came round. (Make sure you have your visa sorted first though!) The Ukrainian border guard was very helpful - she even talked me though the arrival card in English!
Thank you Marisha for putting me up in your place, and thanks to your Aunt in Tiraspol too!

Good luck with the hostel project. Moldova needs a travellers hostel!!
Kevin"

Virginia from Chisinau, December 2004

"Besarabca - where the earth ends (or maybe is born ))).
This was my first trip to the countryside of the Transdniestr and I am very happy that Marisha shared this part of the world with me.
We had some job to do in Tiraspol and at the end she made a proposal to visit her cousins guesthouse and Besarabca. I was curious to visit Lena's house. The bus to Karmanova, Besarabca's neibourgh village left from Tiraspol urban station at 11:30. We had a long, 2 hours trip in an old Soviet bus, but villages and view of the area and the Dniestr river that were flitting behind the window were marvelous. We arrived in Karmanova 2 hours later and had to walk 12 kilometres more to Besarabka. But we were lucky and very soon we were picked-up by a cool soviet van and went in its back about 5 km, experiencing hard comfort of a soviet jeep ))).
Our van was heading its way to Kolosovo and we had to get off in the middle of his way and take right to an untrodden path to Besarabka. The other 7 kilometres we walked on foot. No one was on our road or nearby - just birds on the trees breaking the silence of that cool December afternoon with their songs. And rustles in the
bushes along the road. We walked, and walked, and walked ... Until we reached a hill with a village on top of it. Hurrah!!! This was Besarabca!!!
What I found in Basarabca didn’t disappoint me - absolute quietness, bright stars, never-ending sky, wood fire, natural food, apple wine, hard working people, local “aborigines” ))) Life is not easy there, but my host, Lena is just happy to live there.
Did not expect to find here city comfort, but it was challenging for me to experience day-by-day live that my grandparents lived.
I would recommend Besarabca to those who wants to see Moldavian countryside, to see how village and its people live, and who do not mind to forget about city for at least one or two days.

Virginia"

Jean-Claude, September 2004

" Dear Marisha,
I just quickly wanted to express my thoughts on Moldova so far.
First of all, crossing the border was very easy and pleasant; first impressions are always important, especially seeing that Moldova wants to develop tourism. I hope it succeeds in doing so, but I must say I enjoy visiting countries that are not crawling with tourists.
I like Chisinau for its greenery, nice clean parks, wide avenues and streets, "millions" of cafes and restaurants, very convenient microbuses, excellent museums and relaxed atmosphere.
I find people here very civil/polite, non-aggressive (even in the markets), honest, generous and always ready to help. Not everyone is like that of course, and sometimes service in cafes and restaurants can be cold and abrupt.
I have found the food excellent, whether it be in the restaurants or in the market. Last night, I had an excellent meal at Sanatate, probably very expensive for Moldovans, but quite affordable for foreigners.
Molodova is also an excellent place for me to learn Russian as most information is posted in both Russian and Moldovan. I understand enough Moldovan to use it to learn Russian. Some time in the future, I would like to come back and study Russian here ...

Jean-Claude"

Andy Lord from USA, June 2004

"Hi,
I had a wonderful time staying in Moldova at Marisha's Apartment Hostel! 
Moldova was a very interesting place, very different than anywhere I've ever been!! Marisha was a great help with everything and even came to pick me up at the train station!
Her apartment is a little far from the city center,  but that makes it even better as I got to see much of the city i would not  have, plus it is easily accessible by mini bus and a cheap taxi ride!! 
There is another country that is fun to go visit, probably one of the few places where you get to really see some old soviet union! It's a little  stressful at first, but as long as you have your papers in order and your proper visa, there is no hastle anywhere!!
I fully recommend checking out  Moldova, especially if you are in for a real learning experience!! Plus 
Marisha's Hostel is fully equipped with anything you need, such as internet,  cooking, bath, and laundry!!
Make sure to ask about the Moldovan Mead!!

Thanks Marisha!!!
http://peacethroughlove.blogspot.com/2004/05/moldova.html
Andy Lord "