by Carole Duff | Oct 16, 2017 | Local or Human Interest |
With the exception of the Kremlin and cathedrals such as Saint Basil’s in Red Square, old Moscow by day is plain, even drab, a throwback to the grim Soviet days. Traffic snarls the city streets, despite heavy metro use. But at night, Moscow becomes a magical place...
by Carole Duff | Oct 9, 2017 | Local or Human Interest, Nature |
Most residents of Saint Petersburg live in apartments, and many also own dachas or seasonal homes located in the exurbs, surrounding the city. But east-northeast of the city lies a vast region of lakes, rivers, and forest plains—a different world. Here are a few...
by Carole Duff | Oct 2, 2017 | Faith, Local or Human Interest |
“In Russia, we have the official story and the other story. Which is true? You decide.” So spoke our local guide as we strolled around the Kremlin of Uglich, one of Russia’s Golden Ring cities on the Volga River. In 1584, upon the death of Tsar Ivan IV (officially the...
by Carole Duff | Sep 25, 2017 | Faith, Family, Local or Human Interest, Writing and Reading |
Crossing the bridge onto Vasilyevsky Island, tour escort Julia pointed out the old Saint Petersburg Stock Exchange and two Rostral victory columns marking the Strelka or spit of the island. “This area is popular, especially for wedding parties taking pictures,” she...
by Carole Duff | Sep 18, 2017 | Faith, Family |
“Friendship … is born at the moment when one man says to another “What! You too?” -C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves This is the first in a series of reflections about our September trip to Russia. The first evening in Saint Petersburg, Keith...
