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 commune with the universe, to learn a bit about history, and to appreciate how other…
Tag: Russia
Carnegie Culture
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 seats on a sweltering Friday reminiscent of New Orleans gives me an indicator that the…
Mothers and Marys around the Planet: Red Square
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? You might like these posts: Moscow Now Chewing It Up in Red Square Russia, Contrariwise…
Christ of Many Colors
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 white skin, sometimes not. I am always surprised that societies try to remake him in…
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 a bad guy named Viktor. Enjoy a few glimpses of Moscow (although much of the…
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, even China. But where is Russia? Czech Republic? Latvia? It turns out that back in…
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 a reminder to travel with your head up. At home, too often, my focus is…
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 I anticipate but also some unexpected lightness. —Lori Tripoli
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 cruise ship. My mind immediately flashes back to what new arrivals to New York might…