Stalin's Line .....
Saturday was a great day for everyone! The Belarus Ice Hockey Federation took all of us to a WWII memorial complex called "Stalin's Line". Stalin's Line is an actual fortification from WWII and is located just 30 minutes west of Minsk. It served as a final line of defence against the advancing Nazi troops. It has been meticulously restored. The boys loved it! They walked through the actual trenches and bunkers and even operated some of the original military equipment. They were also treated to "soldier food" which they surprisingly ate (it was quite tasty). I tried to convince them it was made out of old boot leather but they were smarter than Todd Woodcroft gives them credit for. We were hoping to see a live battle reenactment but the start time was delayed to accommodate a group of bikers (literally hundreds) that had arrived but were not yet parked.
The National Library....
After we left Stalin's Line, we went to the National Library. It is an architectural masterpiece that opened just two years ago and is a symbol of national pride. Our tour took us to the observation deck on top of the building. The views of the city were fantastic!
To view photos from the day, click here Pictures
One of the dads from a host family treated the instructors to a Banya. A Banya is a traditional Russian sauna used to release stress and cleanse the body. The instructors are ready for a new week of training on the ice!
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