Russian River Cruise: Arriving in St Petersburg Read Part I of My Very Russian River Cruise from Moscow to St. Petersburg here. The Zosima Shashkov slipped into her berth at St. Petersburg, the northern Russian capital, during the night. The St Petersburg cruise port lies a few miles outside the city center but on the […]
My Very Russian River Cruise – Part I
My Very Russian River Cruise – Part I My adventure in Russia in 2017 began many decades ago as I began to read about Peter the Great, the famed tsar of All the Russias in the 1600s, and Catherine the Great, a century later. Their autocratic rules and visions for their vast empire captivated me. […]
Top 10 Reasons to Visit Russia
Winston Churchill called Russia a “riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma,” which is perhaps even more true today; just read the news. Russia is on the far eastern edge of Europe and tourism there can be expensive and frustrating. Nevertheless, the only possible way to understand one of the world’s great countries is […]
St. Petersburg, Russia – the Enchantress
“If Moscow and St Petersburg were sisters, Moscow would be serious and businesslike, compared to this relaxed, light-hearted sibling,” I say with a flourish to my husband Rick. The main street, Nevsky Prospekt, bustles with chattering people strolling arm-in-arm relishing the day. The historic area side-streets with imperial classical architecture in pastels of coral, opal, […]
Lake Baikal, Siberia – Russia’s Galapagos
All who leave Moscow on the Trans-Siberian Railway stop at Irkutsk, the closest city from which to visit Siberia’s jewel, Lake Baikal. This world renowned lake is located just before the dividing point where travelers by rail choose one of three routes to complete their epic journey. Alas, my husband Rick and I do […]
Discovering Moscow with a Phrase Book and Map – Beyond the City’s Historic Heart
The luxury of having a full week in Moscow is that after visiting the Kremlin and Red Square, there is still time to discover the pulse of the city as you explore the streets radiating from these highly visited sites. The choices are so varied they defy being put into categories while also revealing the many faces of Russian […]
Discovering Moscow with a Phrase Book and Map – The Kremlin and Red Square
An hour to go and crowds are gathering. Leaving our shady niche in the flowery Alexandrovsky Garden, my husband Rick and I stake a spot with a good view along the outside northwest Kremlin wall. Exactly on the hour all heads turn toward three soldiers “goosestep” marching; their legs with locked knees swing in […]
Riding the Trans-Siberian: The End of the Line
Where you end up matters almost as much as where you begin. After days on the Trans-Siberian railway, eating instant noodles and watching Siberia flick past the windows, you have one final choice: where will you finish? A traditional Trans-Siberian ticket ends in Vladivostok. A few miles past Lake Baikal, the track splits; one route continues […]
Riding The Trans-Siberian Railway: Lake Baikal
Trans-Siberian travelers look forward to Lake Baikal. It’s the gleaming jewel in the center of Siberia, the necessary stop on the long rail journey. Everyone encounters a different version of the lake, which shifts identities depending on the desires of its visitors: Lake Baikal can be an outdoor adventure, holiday destination, ecological marvel, and spiritual retreat. […]
Riding the Trans-Siberian Railway: Irkutsk, Russia
Irkutsk makes a pretty nice exile. When Russian army officers rose up against Tsar Nicholas I in 1825, they hoped for a better Russia: land equality, more representative government. Unfortunately, the Tsar’s guards trounced the Decembrists, hanged the leaders, and sent the rest to Siberia. Packing up their wives and candelabras, the Decembrists set out for Irkutsk. At […]