Belarus

and probably didn’t get the whole experience

Spent some time in Minsk. A nice place with a river running through it.

I lived there for eight months working for the National Academic Dramatic Yakub Kolas Theatre. It looks like they’ll be the first theatre from their country to perform in the United States, and in their native languge (NOT Russian).
The food is a lot more natural (fruit smells like something!), and the company of friends over a dinner table is always warm. The vodka is also cheap, plentiful, and high quality.
The countryside is beautiful, quiet, and remote. I can think of a lake outside Vitsyebsk where you forget the rest of the world.
The government must change, but when it does, oh, the vacations I will take.

so it would be cool to go back…but i’m in no rush, especially cuz the country is going down the drain

Minsk is an interesting city, but until it’s ok to say the President’s name in public without getting sideways glances, I would not visit. I’m told Belarus is as close as you can get to seeing what the former Soviet Union was like.

Americans will need to learn how to find “Water without gas” if you’re used to non-sparkly water (‘Vada biez gaza’ if I remember right), and you’ll find the dairy and meat products taste different than what you’re used to. The draniki dumplings are awesome though.