Now, since I’ve already established that most people I know have never heard of Moldova, let me add to the confusion and talk about the region of Transnistria. This little sliver of land, about the size of Rhode Island, stretches about 120 miles along the border of Moldova and Ukraine. It averages about eight miles in width and is the home of around 450,000 people. Ask any of the residents and they’ll tell you that Transnistria is an independent country that broke away from Moldova, after Moldova broke away from the crumbling Soviet Union. This region that nobody else in the United Nations recognizes has its own “government”, currency, post office and standing army.
Problems started back in 1990. Moldova, with a population that was mostly of Romanian descent, looked like it might rejoin its neighbor to the west. That didn't happen. But, Transnistria declared independence and shifted towards ties with Russia. A civil war that claimed around 700 lives took place over the next two years.
In the end, a cease fire was declared. Moldova agreed to grant Transnistria some autonomy but not complete independence. Russia provides financial support and maintains a military presence in the region. And, the little country that really isn’t is the only “country” in the world that still has the communist hammer and sickle on its flag. Well, I saw that version on an online search. But, upon arrival in Tiraspol, all I saw were red flags with a Christmas green stripe across the horizon. Online I also learned that photos of Stalin and Putin were as common as those of the current “president”. Do not believe everything you read. I couldn’t find any souvenir shops at all. But, if I did find any of those portraits, they wouldn’t tempt me to spend any of my Transnistrian rubles.
The name "Tiraspol" means city by the river. A walking tour of Tiraspol, where I came to paint my mural at an orphanage, was a "must do". Yes, the city certainly was by the river. And, one of the "must take" photographs in the city -- probably THE most photographed item in the city -- was the statue of Vladimir Lenin in front of the Transnistria Parliament Building.