Exploring cultures and communities – the slow way

Four times a day the small border village of Kuznica Bialostocka comes alive. hidden europe looks at cross-border trade at the Poland-Belarus frontier.

article summary —

Ivan cracks open yet another hazelnut with his teeth, and moves to find a little shade under the lime tree. The old minibus with Belarus licence plates has a wheel missing, and the vehicle's once white bodywork is stained to sticky brown with sap that has dripped down from the lime tree above. A dog lies in the hot sun and declines to move as a car with curtained windows drives slowly into the station forecourt. Kuznica Bialostocka is about to come alive.

Four times each day this small village on Poland's eastern frontier becomes a sudden hive of activity. Kuznica is an amiable enough spot, a way station in this region of rolling forests and heath lands that would be unremarkable were it not for the border.


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About the authors

hidden europe

and manage hidden europe, a Berlin-based editorial bureau that supplies text and images to media across Europe. Together they edit hidden europe magazine. Nicky and Susanne are dedicated slow travellers. They delight in discovering the exotic in the everyday.

This article was published in hidden europe 9.