A Museum Trip

Rayna, Colsen, and I ventured out in the cold yesterday for a trip to the National Museum to learn a little more about this land we are inhabiting. It's been really cold here (highs in the mid-teens), so any trip out requires bundling up quite a bit (because any trip requires a good bit of walking). So, we walked to the main street near our home and headed into town on a Marshrutka (mini-bus).
 

The statue of a tree above is in the main hall and each branch represents something about Moldovan history or something about the country.  One of the branches and the central "trunk" of the tree represent a wild Buffalo which is one of the old symbols of how Moldova was named.  Prince Dragos from Romania was hunting with his dog, Molda, and the dog was gored to death by a wild European bison (an aurochs) in a mountain stream.  Dragos named the stream in honor of this his favorite dog, and this area thus became Moldovan land.  The aurochs head is an emblem on the seal of both Romania and the Republic of Moldova.

The other picture shows the kids with Stefan cel Mare (Stefan the Great) who was the great prince of Moldova during the second half of the 15th century.  He is quite revered here. 

And finally, here is a topographical map of the country, and a rendering of a traditional Moldovan wedding celebration. 

A good day spent learning more about Moldova!