Tag: Russia

Cruising Cemeteries around the Globe

Grave marker of Anastasia Romanov at Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia Photo credit: M. Ciavardini

Touring Graveyards for History and Understanding I suppose if you are bashful, a cemetery is a great place to visit given that no one is likely to talk to you much. I like cemeteries for the opportunities they provide to…

Carnegie Culture

Carnegie Hall in Manhattan. Photo credit: A. Ciavardini

The Brawny Sherpa and I bring along a couple of our youthful adventurers for some cultural acclimation. I don’t know what I think I will experience at Carnegie Hall, but traipsing up the flights of stairs to our upper balcony…

Mothers and Marys around the Planet: Red Square

Mother's Day on her mind? A visitor contemplates an image of Mary and Jesus in St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow. Photo credit: M. Ciavardini

Some images are universal: here, Mary and Jesus depicted in St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow. The art of Christianity unites Russians with others here in Red Square. —Lori Tripoli ~Advertisement~ ~Advertisement~ Considering a trip to Russia, with or without your mother?…

Christ of Many Colors

Jesus at the Church of the Spilt Blood in St. Petersburg, Russia Photo credit: M. Ciavardini

On this Palm Sunday, marvel at the varied images of Jesus depicted in churches and other places around the world. Sometimes he is a baby with the face of someone far more mature, sometimes he is an adult, sometimes with…

Nordic Jesus

The Bashful Adventurer learns that Jesus looks like a Viking. Finding Nordic Jesus in Iceland.

Film Glimpse of Moscow and a Famous Defector

For a quick escape, watch Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) featuring Chris Pine (Captain Kirk in the new Star Trek) as the lead character, Keira Knightley as the love interest, Kevin Costner as the fatherly mentor, and Kenneth Branagh as…

Amusement Park Politics

I don’t know how many times I visit Florida’s Epcot before I realize Russia and former Soviet-bloc countries are not represented in its World Showcase pavilions. France and the UK most certainly are on its map, as are Mexico, Morocco,…

Not Shopping

My riffs on street art and graffiti in Germany, Italy, New York City, Mexico, Ecuador, and Russia are not meant to be exhaustive catalogs of either street art or graffiti in any of these places. Instead, they are meant as…

Street Art: Russia

Russia is another society I am intimidated by—its wars, its strength, its vastness, its vodka. As I do in Germany, I expect its street art and graffiti to be fierce, aggressive, bold. As in Germany, I find some of what…

Welcome to St. Petersburg!

Need an eye-opener after a long night’s flight from JFK to St. Petersburg? Just look out the window as you head into the city. I have a “was that what I think it was?” reaction as I head to our…