MONTE CARLO, MONACO History. The first inhabitants were the Ligurian tribe. They settled in the 6-th century and were dubbed the Monokos by the Greeks. The Grimaldis arrived in 1297 – a band of monks from a r5ival Genoese family. It can be well stated that Monaco is not a country – it is a…
DAY 1: BARCELONA, SPAIN Wednesday, August 12, 2009. Today’s Forecast: Sunny 27 degrees C/80 degrees F, depart: 4:00 p.m. Tonight’s dress: formal HOLLAND AMERICA LINE INFO The Ship “OOSTERDAM” IN BARCELONA, SPAIN Look at the slide show “OOSTERDAM INTERIORS” Barcelona is one of the busiest ports in the Mediterranean and the capital of Catalonia. In…
A “taste of Barcelona” we experienced looking around La Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Gaudi’s creation. Larisa was before in Barcelona and that is why she was our guide and excursion planner. What an interesting building is la Sagrada Familia! The real Gothic architecture!For a general introduction to the history of Barcelona one can travel through the…
It was raining for the whole week as if the weather cried with tears about Gleb’s departure home. Definitely, he liked here and he will return. So long, Calgary, and hello, Barcelona! We are meeting with Larisa, Gleb’s mother, in Barcelona in hotel “Indepenza” to stay overnight, look around Barcelona and then the four of…
1.Mr. Gleb, how many times all in all have you traveled abroad? 2. Let me see. Egypt (2 times), Italy (once), London (once), Paris (once), Finland (numerous amount of times), Canada (3 times). 1.How old are you? 2. Twelve. 1. Do you like to travel? 2. Yes, I do. 1. What is your strongest impression…
Listen to Vitas We stopped in front of the too celebrated statue of Peter the Great, placed on its rock by the Empress Catherine, then St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Winter Palace; another mighty result of human will applying human physical powers in a struggle with the laws of nature, severe Northern climate in winters and…
Whether you are a Tsar or a noble person, or a peasant. In times of sorrow, need, sufferings we become as little children before the heavenly thrown, heaven knows not rank, status, position or wealth. It only knows what is in your heart: are you humble or are you charitable, are you caring, do you…
Why you may ask such a poetic opening to describe a week’s vacation? Because we like Kootneys Mountains, very high and majestic. This was planned to be our first Christmas and Janko’s 61-st Birthday on the 27-th of December away from home. Our drive was both unevenful, but very beautiful. The weather was perfect even…
The Kizhi State Museum of Architecture and Cultural History was founded in 1966. The open-air museum is situated in 68 km from Petrozavodsk on Kizhi Island in lake Onega. The core of the architectural collection of 87 buildings is the 22-domed Church of Transfiguration (1714) on photo to the left and the Church of Intercession…
Russia today as well as during its historic past has faced many challenges, the greatest of these has been its vast distances which covered thousands and thousands of kilometers. To meet these challenges was never easy, this was the reason why so few foreigners really saw or understood Russia. Roads that existed in Russia then…