Asaviec is a small village in the middle of farmland, Belarus, the nearest 'big' town being Besankovic "crazy town", but even that is quite small. The 'big' cities of Vitebsk and Polatsk are not far away, but could be a different planet for how alike they are. We bought fresh milk from the Asaviec village, but there is no shop, no conveniences, just a collection of houses in a field with beautifully decorated windows and doors. It would be bitterly cold and isolated in winter.
We were camping on the outskirts as part of an archaeological dig, and so what in modern times is a back water, was actually quite a centre in the past, and being on a plain in the center of such a populated continent has meant that many have crossed its distances in going from place to place. We were looking at a prehistoric site -- a stone age location very rich with artifacts. Locals told us that there was a major World War II battle fought in its fields, but there was nothing of that left for us to see.
It is hard to feel more isolated in the centre of Europe, but this would be close.Source: See more reflection here: http://natalyamarquand.blogspot.com/2008/07/belarus-and-week-1-of-dig.html
Volunteer on an archaeological site here: www.asaviec.com
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