Fully airconditioned hotel in beautiful downtown Grozny.
Posted on 12/19/2006 9:06:11 PM PST by MadIvan
Fancy a holiday with a difference? Ramzan Kadyrov, the Moscow-backed warlord who became prime minister of Chechnya last year, has declared the lawless province open for tourism.
Twelve years of intermittent but brutal war may have all but devastated it, flattening its capital, Grozny, and destroying what little tourist infrastructure there was.
But that failed to deter Mr Kadyrov yesterday from revealing his dream of welcoming Western tourists to a region synonymous with kidnapping.
Until the hotels were rebuilt, his government said, tourists wanting to holiday in Chechnya could always camp. Mr Kadyrov's drive to "create interest for tourist visits", drew a lukewarm response from the British travel industry, with leading tour operators saying it was unlikely that Chechnya would be included in their 2007 or even 2008 brochures.
Although the Russian government, which has twice invaded the province to quell uprisings, insists the war is over, a small band of rebels in the southern mountains begs to differ.
Gun battles are common and kidnappings, though less frequent of late, still occur with alarming regularity. The Foreign Office warns against all travel to Chechnya, saying that Westerners are particularly vulnerable to abduction. Three Britons were seized and executed in Dec 1998.
More recently, Mr Kadyrov's army of irregulars have taken to sticking the severed heads of enemies on stakes in at least one village.
Chechnya is also not famed for its natural attractions but Salman Dalakov, the deputy tourism minister, insisted that Chechnya had many sights: "It is like Switzerland, only without the roads."
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
Personally if I want go somewhere dangerous I just drive over to Compton Ivan LOL!
I can just see the slogan now...
"Come to glorious paradise of Chechnya!! Is good place like land of capitalist Swiss, but roads more adverturous!!! You guaranteed to enjoy your stay even if it kills you!! You enjoy your stay or we give you free "Chechnya 220" bar."
I'm not a person prone to mirth, but this short article delightful.
Fully airconditioned hotel in beautiful downtown Grozny.
Very amusing!
I think I'll stay in the USA, thank you!
Fancy a holiday with a difference? Ramzan Kadyrov, the Moscow-backed warlord who became prime minister of Chechnya last year, has declared the lawless province open for tourism.
Yes, I know. It's like me going back to Detroit, say in the area of Woodward Ave. and 6 mile. It's easy to do. All you have to do is rake the area with machine gun fire before you get of your car.
I find that truly amusing!
Where can I buy a ticket for my Mother in Law?
In the Russian embassy. The ticket to you will be given by men only. The main thing - tell a phrase:
"Ya hochU kUpit turistIcheskiy tUr po ChEchnie dly mOey LUBIMOY TESHI."
I think they will give you a ticket with no pay.
8D
This is a good one!
Ha ha!
No way, I'm doing Somalia this year.
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