During my Viking River Waterway of the Tsars cruise down the Volga-Baltic Waterway between Moscow and St. Petersburg, I captured these panoramic photos of Russia, showing four of the most iconic views in the country. They are not my usual quality, since I shot them with my iPhone, but they do capture a great view … Read more
On any other day, I would have passed by the spartan, crumbling building without a glance. On this day, however, Viking River Cruises had invited me to visit a Kommunalka, a communal living arrangement that is still practiced by a large percentage of residents in St. Petersburg, Russia. Across the interior courtyard, a heavy metal … Read more
“You’re going to Saint Petersburg? It’s such a beautiful city.” Everyone I knew who had visited Russia’s second largest city shared this sentiment, and after a few days of wandering the manicured avenues and placid canals, I agreed. Seeking a port and access to European trade, Tsar Peter the Great founded the city in 1703 … Read more
Freezing rain splashed off the massive stone walls of Belozersky Monastery, pelted my face, and trickled down my neck. I pulled my hood closer and surveyed the leaden surroundings. On my left, the monastery loomed dense and gray, threatening to tip the earth. Ahead of me lay a gray corpse of a lake. The only … Read more
The language of a country is more than the spoken word. Music, dance, theater, art, history, food, and literature combine with language to weave a tapestry that makes every country I visit unique. Though I always try to delve deeply into local cultures, it can be difficult to have those deep, rich experiences that I … Read more
