Foreword - User manual for this book - Prologue: "Why should I care about this country?" - The journey: Nothing at the beginning - Chisinau: Cursed flower - Nightlife: Osama bin Laden in the Jupiter Bar - The history of Moldova: Much war, little peace - In the countryside: Marienfeld, Bessarabia - The political situation: Rocky road to Europe - Transnistria: Julia in no man's land - Language and history as means of "nation building": Between Babylon and speechlessness - Mysterious people in the south: Among Gagauz - Religion: Of gods, spirits, and people - Food and drink in Moldova: Living like in paradise - Soroca: The Gypsy baron - The wedding: A bond for life - Economy: All about sugar - Literature and art: Transition - From where to where? - Media in the Republic of Moldova: Partially free yet captive - Football: Hai Moldova - General travel information about the Republic of Moldova: "Before my eyes lies the enchanted land of the south" - Suggested tours - Appendix.