Ye Olde Local Merchants
Sometime after 10pm. Remember its white night time.
Finally, after midnight and the sun starts to descend
About 12h30 or 1am ... the sun goes down, only to reappear a few hours later
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Russia - the voyage
Some of the colorful locals at the monastery
Ye Olde Local Merchants
Sometime after 10pm. Remember its white night time.
Finally, after midnight and the sun starts to descend
About 12h30 or 1am ... the sun goes down, only to reappear a few hours later
Ye Olde Local MerchantsSometime after 10pm. Remember its white night time.Finally, after midnight and the sun starts to descendAbout 12h30 or 1am ... the sun goes down, only to reappear a few hours later
Rooski Inc.
Along the Volga, Nikki feeding the birds, with some lovely Indian ladies from Chicago that we met. Soon after, an announcement came across the PA system. "Lady and Gentleman. Please do not give food to birds. Birds shit all over deck. Thank you for co-operation". Very direct these russian PA announcers.
A fort at the mouth of one of the inlets. Or rather part of a fort.
We stopped at Goritzy, and went to the renowned Kirillov-Belozersky Monastery, founded by Saint Cyril in 1397
Very nice monastery indeed, in a lovely setting
Way to go Cyril!
A fort at the mouth of one of the inlets. Or rather part of a fort.
We stopped at Goritzy, and went to the renowned Kirillov-Belozersky Monastery, founded by Saint Cyril in 1397
Very nice monastery indeed, in a lovely setting
Way to go Cyril!
Rooski cont'd
This is the church at the island of Kizhi. No nails used in the contruction !!! Beautiful. Now how did that #4 get in my pic? Some over eager guide group jumped in my pic !
Another shot of this church. Truly amazing.
Wowzer. Words fail me.
Icons abound here. Really beautiful they are too. There were a bunch of singing monks here as well and they were quite good.
A family that lived here, in a nearby village. The monk looks very Rasputin like. These would have been fairly well to do people. The woman's hairstylist should be shot, though.
Another shot of this church. Truly amazing.
Wowzer. Words fail me.
Icons abound here. Really beautiful they are too. There were a bunch of singing monks here as well and they were quite good.
A family that lived here, in a nearby village. The monk looks very Rasputin like. These would have been fairly well to do people. The woman's hairstylist should be shot, though.
More Rooski
This was taken while going through one of the 14 or so locks, along the river. Pretty cool for a non-boat guy like myself. My first time going on a boat along a river through locks. Not for Nikki though, as she had plenty of experience in her childhood, going from Michigan down through NY and the Hudson river and onto Washington DC.
We stopped at an island which was built by a F.O.P. as a replica of a russian village in centuries past, and had lots of tschothke's and such nonsense for sale. (fop=friend of putin). Wooden windwill used in ancient times to power the jacuzzi tubs.
Typcial river cruise boat. All of the companies use the same type of boats as they are the only ones allowed to use russian riverways and all are russian made, i believe. The old guy is fishing for tuna. Nice little trick shot that Nikki took. I had no clue when she was telling me to point my finger to the sky (i was thinking i was larry bird at the 88 allstar game in the 3point competition ;-)
This was a traditional style brothel, and on the rear had a slide/escape hatch.
Some of the traditional houses had very bright trim work which may be explained by the elevated levels of lsd in the diet.
We stopped at an island which was built by a F.O.P. as a replica of a russian village in centuries past, and had lots of tschothke's and such nonsense for sale. (fop=friend of putin). Wooden windwill used in ancient times to power the jacuzzi tubs.
Typcial river cruise boat. All of the companies use the same type of boats as they are the only ones allowed to use russian riverways and all are russian made, i believe. The old guy is fishing for tuna. Nice little trick shot that Nikki took. I had no clue when she was telling me to point my finger to the sky (i was thinking i was larry bird at the 88 allstar game in the 3point competition ;-)
This was a traditional style brothel, and on the rear had a slide/escape hatch.
Some of the traditional houses had very bright trim work which may be explained by the elevated levels of lsd in the diet.
Teremok. This is where we had a great lunch, This is a chain. Crepe-like treats. Good borscht. Not expensive. Great food really, and I am pretty picky. 
Land of the bling. God, I love rovers, but only so much. This guy better hope Elton John or Prince does not see this truck or they will be after him/her
Finally evening falls .... and this is after midnight
Even had rainbows. No crock of gold, and don't mention the "L" word.
On the way now .... fortress outside of St.Pete. Woooh ... scary ...
Land of the bling. God, I love rovers, but only so much. This guy better hope Elton John or Prince does not see this truck or they will be after him/her
Finally evening falls .... and this is after midnight
Even had rainbows. No crock of gold, and don't mention the "L" word.
On the way now .... fortress outside of St.Pete. Woooh ... scary ...
Russia encore
More river shots. Looks like a parliamentary building. edit: Actually a courthouse my more intelligent spouse informs me ;-)
The subway in St.Pete. You are not supposed to take pics. I of course was taking pics. The angle of ascent/descent was so steep, it was positively Dutch (if you've been to the Nederlands, you will know what steep gradients they have on their stairs in order to squeeze space). Anyway I was taking pics, and suddenly everyone was looking at me. There was a security woman shouting at me in russian from her surveillance booth on the bottom using the PA system. Of course my russian is very rusty, and so i paid no heed. Friends with us who spoke russian alerted us, and we fully expected KGB to be waiting for us. No such luck. Similar to NY subway system in that no pics allowed. The global war on terruh.
The pink thingy again with the Stock Exchange in the background (see I did listen to my guide).
Church shot. Cool. edit: actually the Church of the Spilled Blood, where Tsar Alexsandr II was asassinated
Canal tour shot .... of same church. Great colors on these buildings around town.
The subway in St.Pete. You are not supposed to take pics. I of course was taking pics. The angle of ascent/descent was so steep, it was positively Dutch (if you've been to the Nederlands, you will know what steep gradients they have on their stairs in order to squeeze space). Anyway I was taking pics, and suddenly everyone was looking at me. There was a security woman shouting at me in russian from her surveillance booth on the bottom using the PA system. Of course my russian is very rusty, and so i paid no heed. Friends with us who spoke russian alerted us, and we fully expected KGB to be waiting for us. No such luck. Similar to NY subway system in that no pics allowed. The global war on terruh.
The pink thingy again with the Stock Exchange in the background (see I did listen to my guide).
Church shot. Cool. edit: actually the Church of the Spilled Blood, where Tsar Alexsandr II was asassinated
Canal tour shot .... of same church. Great colors on these buildings around town.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
St. Pete as seen by boat. We took a little cruise around it. You can actually see the port of Helsinki in the distance. It is that close. Made me think of all those John Le Carre novels what with their cold war nostalgia for cities on the frontline between the Soviets and the West.
Our trusty guide, Olga. School teacher and follower of the party line for the most part. Probably an unfair comment, but she did spout the Putin line in various lectures. We all can attest to the power of the media to shape opinion. Witness the run up to war in this country recently. She was a nice lady though and friendly guide.
Ok, it got to be a bit much, but this was about 9pm at night ... and we were jetlagged on our 1st few days. Remember we arrived on the 21st and it was the season of the White Nights. Daylight until 2am or so, and then bright again in a few hours.
The Venice of the North. If they could only solve their traffic problems by using these canals for public transportation, it would be great. Traffic is a "fookin diseaster", as they say in Dublin.
Beautiful church eh?
Our trusty guide, Olga. School teacher and follower of the party line for the most part. Probably an unfair comment, but she did spout the Putin line in various lectures. We all can attest to the power of the media to shape opinion. Witness the run up to war in this country recently. She was a nice lady though and friendly guide.
Ok, it got to be a bit much, but this was about 9pm at night ... and we were jetlagged on our 1st few days. Remember we arrived on the 21st and it was the season of the White Nights. Daylight until 2am or so, and then bright again in a few hours.
The Venice of the North. If they could only solve their traffic problems by using these canals for public transportation, it would be great. Traffic is a "fookin diseaster", as they say in Dublin.
Beautiful church eh?
Ok, you culture hounds, this is the church of something or other. This is the problem when you post pics, 6 months after you were there. I will probably go back and update these with names, but in the meantime it is a stream of consciousness tour of russia (with regard to names etc)
edit: This is the Peter and Paul Fortress
Traditional scene, minus the cellphone. The army caps are uber-cool. Oversized yet retro.
Inside this church are buried the Tsars. I am on the left listening intently. The people with me are the fellow cruisers ....
Burial site of Tsar Alexsandr III, I believe
Pretty pretty pretty roof, as Larry David would say, if he were on this tour.
Peter the Great, and his knobbly knees ;-)
edit: This is the Peter and Paul Fortress
Traditional scene, minus the cellphone. The army caps are uber-cool. Oversized yet retro.
Inside this church are buried the Tsars. I am on the left listening intently. The people with me are the fellow cruisers ....
Burial site of Tsar Alexsandr III, I believe
Pretty pretty pretty roof, as Larry David would say, if he were on this tour.
Peter the Great, and his knobbly knees ;-)
Russia 2008
It has been a long time coming, but finally i get around to posting pics from our trip to Russia, in particular, from St.Petersburg to Moscow via river cruise.
And Hal, this is for you ;-) I promised you pics, and eventually i have gotten round to it.
Our boat, in St.Petersburg, upon arrival.
Next is the Hermitage museum. They love these eggshell paints! Fabulous museum though. You could spend days here. A wonder of the modern world.
Being a port, they have these bizarre pink penile things. Groovy and over decorative. What they were for, escapes me. With headphone sets, it is difficult to listen to guides for hours upon end.
Mikhail D's
More port shots
And Hal, this is for you ;-) I promised you pics, and eventually i have gotten round to it.
Our boat, in St.Petersburg, upon arrival.
Next is the Hermitage museum. They love these eggshell paints! Fabulous museum though. You could spend days here. A wonder of the modern world.
Being a port, they have these bizarre pink penile things. Groovy and over decorative. What they were for, escapes me. With headphone sets, it is difficult to listen to guides for hours upon end.
Mikhail D's
More port shots
Friday, January 9, 2009
Getting more pics ready for another calendar
Not sure if i loaded these before. I am doing another calendar.
At Lime Rock Park with my buddy, Paul Ripley. We had separate parking at the porsche corral, thanks to Steven Harris who interceded with Prescott Kelly to get us a good spot.
At Lime Rock Park with my buddy, Paul Ripley. We had separate parking at the porsche corral, thanks to Steven Harris who interceded with Prescott Kelly to get us a good spot.
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