Sunny and sultry July. City streets are hot and dusty. No rain has fallen for a month. It’s no wonder that you start yearning for cool winds and fresh clear water. And one morning, you wake up and drive north, to the realm of greenery and endless mirrors of transparent lakes.
Lakeland is the second name for Belarusian north. And it is right here, in Braslau surroundings, that the character of the “blue-eyed country” manifests itself in full.
15 thousand years ago, the melting glacier did a great job here sculpting picturesque hills and kames interchanging with hollows, moving huge boulders and filling cavities with water. Nature blessed this land with incredible beauty of landscapes where endless rows of lakes are stringed on wandering bands of rivers interspersed with emerald-green hills and esker ridges.
I don’t know exactly whether anyone counted the Braslau lakes or their exact number is still uncertain. However, it’s obvious that there are more than 200 of them. Some are large, water-rich and extremely deep, impressing with their vastness and heating one’s imagination with their ancient Baltic names that sound like words from a secret incantation. Others are small and sometimes even nameless. But all of them together belong to the unique landscape that from time immemorial shaped the worldview and mode of living of this corner’s inhabitants.
Having settled here, people had to research the character of this unusual land, conquer it and use its riches to survive. They learnt everything about fishing and hunting: special local fish and game dishes are still popular and often served for guests and tourists. Once, archeologists excavated a former castle site here and found a silver two-pronged fork specially designed for eating fish.
Certainly, those living among waters needed special transport. Long, long ago, they hollowed out or burnt out their boats out of a whole tree and attached special wooden “wings” to make their vessels more stable. Later, they found out another technology that is used even today – making boats out of pine boards aged in the open air for several years. For centuries, Braslau boatmakers have been famous for their mastery. And even today, their skills are in demand: they say, many people here use boats more often than even cars.
The Braslau land left its imprint on the beliefs of the local people. In the pagan times, they iconized numerous stones left here by the glacier. Some of them are impressively huge, and the weight of the biggest ones reaches 40 tones. People brought donations to these stones and prayed to them. Some boulders-idols still have their names: God's Trail, Devil's Trail, Cows’ Stone... After Christianity spread in these lands, new legends and beliefs appeared. Thus, they still tell that some lakes emerged on the sites of former towns, and sometimes, one can see towers in the depth of the water and hear bells ringing there. Braslau is one of few places in Belarus having a crowned wonderworking icon of Virgin Saint Mary. It is known from the 17th century and has a special name, Mistress of Lakes.
The way to Braslau is every time an anticipation of freedom. Standing face to face with the sparkling expanse, closing your eyes and feeling the power of fresh wind flowing over your body, pulling off in a boat you feel your soul tuning to this harmony. Azure and clouds above, transparent depth below, boundless inspiration and faith inside you – vulnerable, brave, all-powerful this moment.
Each of us is a small boat on the shore. Someone pulls anchors easily and courageously. Someone stares at the horizon trying to predict winds’ directions and probable storms. Someone never leaves his familiar, cozy and safe bay. Someone stays attached to the ground with chains thinking sadly about the chances he or she didn’t take. Who you are? The Lakeland will help to find the answer. And, maybe, will even inspire you to try the open water and withstand.
Sincerely yours,
Volha Blazhevich
Answer:
Dear Shivendu Paul and Metali Listeners' Club,
dthank you for your comment! We'll send you some of our souvenirs ASAP.
Stay tuned and 73,
RBI
Hallo Radio Belarus,
ja der Dieter Leupold ist jetzt auch hier im Gästebuch vertreten... Super, bald sind wir alle zusammen hier im "Belarus Hörerclub", Dieter könnte 1.Vorsitzender werden und Jana und Elena Ehrernmitglieder, Helmut Matt Schriftführer, Alfred Albrecht Beisitzer und ich mache Hausmeister:-) Lutz Winkler wie fit bist Du bereits wieder, für Dich finden wir auch eine nette Aufgabe:-) Beste Grüße und ein schönes Wochenende.
Dietmar
Answer:
Lieber Dietmar,
das stimmt, für alle finden wir im Hörerklub eine Aufgabe!:)
Liebe Grüße und einen guten Start in die Woche!
I recently learned my surname is not Polish, but Belarusian. I heard you on shortwave in the past and am so happy to listen online in English. We hear nothing about Belarus here in the US so I am so glad to learn about your country. Keep on broadcasting in English. I also joined the Hoererklub on Facebook as I can understand German. If you have information or a station pennant, I will very much appreciate it.
Sheryl Paszkiewicz, 1015 Green St, Manitowoc WI 54220 USA
Answer:
Dear Sheryl, thank you very much for listening to us! We'll send you some of our souvenirs as soon as we can. By the way, if you're interested, you can participate in our "The Old Country's Loving Call" project and send a greeting to Belarus. You can find more detailed information at http://www.radiobelarus.by/en/content/hukaje_eng
Also, in case you like sports, here's the link to an international competition of ours "My Greetings to 2nd European Games" http://www.radiobelarus.by/en/content/games_eng
73 from the entire staff of RBI! Прывiтанне з Малой Радiзмы :)
Hello from Birmingham United Kingdom!
My name is Michael.
I really enjoyed listening to your program on the Hotbird satellite 13e. I very much love listening to your news and current affairs.
Ask you to send me a small gifts. I hope you guys are all good.
Lots of love from UK
Especially enjoying learning about Belarus. History and culture
Michael Rogers
Flat 2 463 City road Birmingham
B17 8LG
United Kingdom
Answer:
Michael,
thank you very much for listening to us! We're glad that you enjoy our programs. We'll send you some of our souvenirs as soon as we can. Best regards and stay tuned!
Hello. I am a new listener to your English service. I listen on the Radio 1 News app. I enjoyed listening to the news. Do you have any information on shortwave broadcasts you can send me?
Thank you,
Joe Cosimo
23 Ivy Ln, Dupont, PA 18641 U.S.A.
Answer:
Dear Joe, thank you for listening to Radio Belarus International! We're glad that you enjoyed our news. RBI broadcasts on shortwave only in German on 6005 and 3985 kHz. News and programs in English are available via our website and satellites. We'll also send you a postcard and a small souvenir as soon as we can. 73!
Hello,
My name is Younes Lazazi, I am from Algeria.
I am very happy that radio Belarus has started broadcasting in Arabic.
I would like to receive stickers and printed matter of the station and the Arabic and french services if possible.
My address:
Monsieur Younes Lazazi 14 rue Maza Boualem El-Harrach 16009 Alger Algérie
Thank you.
Answer:
Dear Younes Lazazi,
we're happy that you like our boradcasts. We'll send you some of our printed materials via mail in the nearest future. 73!
Dear English Service Radio Belarus,
Greetings to all staff and listeners of English Service of Radio Belarus. We listen your webcast program. Your program quality is very nice. Your website is colorful & documented. We liked your programs, News, and Current Affairs Program. We are interested about Culture, life style of Belarusian people, historical places, Tourist attraction and destination of Belarus.
Please send some program schedule, sticker, view card, Promotional items of Radio Belarus for our club members and students.
We are waiting for your reply.
With best wishes,
SHIVENDU PAUL
President
Metali Listeners' Club
India
Answer:
Dear Shivendu Paul,
thank you very much for listening to us! Your club is among our most dedicated listeners. We will send you some of our promotional products as soon as possible. 73!
Hello!
Did the arabic programmes start? I don't see them on your Internetcast schedule page. Thanks!
Answer:
Hello! The Arabic programmes have been on air since October, every Monday. You can see the schedule and listen to them on our Arabic page http://radiobelarus.by/ar
FM transmitters and frequencies:
Rakitnitsa - 106.2 MHz
Hrodna - 95.7 MHz
Svislach - 104.4 MHz
Heraniony - 99.9 MHz
Braslau - 106.6 MHz
Miadzel - 102.0 MHz
Satellite broadcasting:
see satellite parameters here
