Travel Russia Today

Recently, my colleagues and I returned from a whirlwind trip to Turkey. Eight nights, each at a different hotel, three internal flights and hours of driving, it was an adventure that may not appeal to everyone but I would repeat it in a heart beat. Besides visiting the well known sites such as Ephesus or Pamukkale, we were fortunate enough to have a chance to explore the far corners of Turkey and at one point found ourselves just few yards away from the border with Iran. After the trip, we concluded that Eastern Turkey was the highlight for all of us.

Immediately after our transatlantic flight, we continued to Kars. The three hour Turkish Airlines flight was smooth, food thousand times more delicious than whatever they serve on US domestic flights these days, and with a window seat, I got a sneak peak of the impressive and rugged mountains we were to admire for the next couple days. The airplane made a nice circle around Kars and its Citadel which I guessed must have been purely for our benefit as we were the only plane that was landing there that afternoon.

We were all pretty tired at that point but since time was tight, we had to take advantage of the beautiful weather and decided to go directly to Ani, the ancient capital of Armenia. It’s only recently that this beautiful site opened for tourists, as it used to be within the militarized border zone with the former Soviet Union and now independent Armenia. We were the only visitors which gave us a chance to roam freely within the large territory of mostly still uncovered sites. Of the city, that once was home to up to 200,000 people and was often called the City of Thousand and One Churches, only few partially reconstructed buildings remain today – the Cathedral, few churches, a Mosque, a Citadel and the city walls. It was eerie but beautiful to walk on the grounds of the city knowing that under every heap of soil or hill there was a crumbled house or church more than a thousand years old. Soon enough, our eyes were glued to the ground as we started to notice potsherds and even pieces of frescoed walls. Our guide who used to be an archeologist could not help falling into his old routine turning over a stone every once in a while and very quickly was rewarded by finding a coin! It was fascinating to see him clean it to try and see what is under the layers of dirt.

And this is how it went from Ani on. At every site, after a while of taking in the beauty of the landscape, architecture or statues, we would promptly turn our gaze down to see what piece of history we might find. (All our findings were always handed over to the local museums and that is how it should be!)

Touching down at Sarajevo’s small airport, my mind was flooded with images from news reports from some 15 years ago. How can one forget the horrific scenes of destroyed neighborhoods and entire villages, mass graves, and starving and desperate women and children fleeing their homes in search of safety from the devastation of the Bosnian war?

For many of us, the persisting memories of the brutal war between 1992 and 1995 are the last and only impression we have from Bosnia – Herzegovina, a small Balkan country which was once part of the Yugoslav Federation but declared independence after its break-up in 1991. Is the war officially over? Are foreign visitors safe? Is the countryside still in ruins and strewn with mine fields?

The war has been over for over 15 years now and my recent visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina was a true eye-opener and a pleasant surprise. I encountered warm and friendly people, beautiful mountains and unspoiled countryside, centuries-long and eventful history, diverse culture, and wonderful local food and wine. The capital city of Sarajevo is a surprisingly cosmopolitan place with lively sidewalk cafes and restaurants (which are packed on a sunny day), the picturesque Miljaka river flowing through town, and a curious mixture of Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and Socialist architecture. Even though the city has undergone extensive rebuilding since the end of the war, bullet and shrapnel holes can still be seen on many façades. Of course, each one of our Bosnian hosts had their own personal accounts of the Siege of Sarajevo which took place between April 1992 and February 1996. These vivid and heartbreaking stories of immense hardship, tragedy, survival, and hope are what made each one of these encounters a unique and unforgettable experience.

Under the Dayton Peace Agreement which ended the Bosnian War, the country was split into the Republika Srpska and the Bosnian - Croat Federation - two relatively autonomous entities with their own governments, parliaments, and presidencies.

Following the October 4th general elections, it is now clear that Bosniaks are willing to seek compromise and more moderate political line while Bosnian Croats and Serbs preferred to (once again) support more or less radical nationalist and separatist parties. Is there a hope for a multiethnic Bosnia-Herzegovina, or will the country remain divided and in a political gridlock? Let us all hope for the best as the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina deserve nothing less.

Estonia’s Capital Tallinn has established itself firmly as the charming picturesque town not to be missed on any cruise itinerary through Northern Europe. It is friendly and small enough to manage in one day. However, my visit this past winter proved that there is a lot more to Estonia than what you may discover during that one day shore excursion. It is, for example, one of the most progressive countries as far as the Internet. The Estonians not only gave world Skype that revolutionized the way we think about phone calls to overseas, they also claimed the right to Internet access as the innate right of all their citizens, thus wifi is available all over the country and is free of charge even at 5 star hotels. Driving to the west coast of Estonia, I kept encountering time and again the giant and beautifully sleek windmills that did not in any way disturb the pristine landscape. From what I saw, the country is well on its way to be Eastern Europe’s most progressive and ecologically minded state and hopefully not even the severe economical crises will steer it off this course.

There are three things that I would recommend to any visitor that wishes to take more time to get to know this fascinating country. First, do not miss the KUMU Art Museum in Tallinn. Designed by the Finnish architect Pekka Vappavuori and opened in February 2006, KUMU is the biggest art museum of the country, housing a comprehensive collection of Estonian art. Its sleek and modern design is a great complement to the more historic Art Museum of the Kadriorg Palace in the park of the same name. The collection includes examples of Classical Estonian Art of the 18th century, wonderful pieces by Avant-garde artists of the 1920’s and also works by contemporary artists. Opening hours: May–Sept Tue-Sun 11.00-18.00, Oct–April Wed–Sun 11.00–18.00.

Second, if you have time to venture beyond Tallinn, head west to visit the Islands of Muhu and Saaremaa. Muhu is the perfect base for your exploration as it is home to Estonia’s best hotel and restaurant, the Padaste Manor and its acclaimed Alexander Restaurant (more details about the hotel in one of the next blogs).

Third, and this is something you may have no influence over, but do try to see a moose. This will obviously only happen when you travel to the countryside, but chances of such encounter are pretty high, especially on the above mentioned islands.

In other words, do take more time to get to know Estonia.

Traveling to Stockholm for the first time, I knew I was in store for some new adventures. Strapping myself into a harness and climbing out onto the (very high) rooftop of the former Parliament building was not one I was expecting! After getting acclimated to the height, I began to look around at the scenery but not without first noticing that the majority of walkways did not have any handrails.

The rooftop did offer a fantastic and unique view over Stockholm’s Old Town as well as various other islands. Our guide was a Sarah Palin look-a like complete with the eye winks. She provided a great time line of the city, including the very building we were standing on, while we maneuvered to different positions along the roof. We were strapped to a cable along the narrow metal walkway, requiring one to carry the cable along like a dog leash.

Later that day, I had a chance to view the Parliament building from a different island and was amazed that we actually climbed up there and walked along its pitched roofs.

If you were to ask any Hungarian what not to miss in Budapest, I am quite sure that Budapest Market Hall would be pretty high on their list. I am not Hungarian, but it was definitely one of my priorities during my recent trip to Hungary. Other priorities: a visit to one of Budapest’s baths – done! Coffee and cake at an old time café – done! Castle District, Parliament, Jewish Quarter – all done! So it was time to enjoy some shopping at the Central Market Hall, one of the largest and oldest indoor markets in Central Europe.

My main interest was the food which is sold on the ground floor. The second floor is where you will find souvenirs and kiosks with prepared food. We first browsed through the seemingly never-ending stalls of paprika, garlic, fresh produce and overwhelming variety of meats and sausages. My guide Agi was wonderful and helped me find the best stalls, it was good to see that she actually knew the sellers and was a regular here. In fact, most of the people I saw shopping were locals. On the second floor, I skipped the leather goods and other souvenirs in favor of the Lángos I had been craving ever since landing in Budapest. Lángos [pronounced Langosh] is a deep fried (I know, I know – not good for me!) flat bread that has the most wonderful chewy consistency that works perfectly with the melted cheese you put on top of it. The long line was a good sign and proved to be quite entertaining as I observed my guide cringe with every order of toppings the foreign customers were placing – olives, onions, ham. No, no, no, Agi was truly tortured by the sacrilege committed on her beloved delicacy. You are supposed to eat it with a bit of sour cream, garlic and shredded cheese! I knew better to let her order exactly that for me. And it was delicious!

And the moral of the story is to get a great guide, if not for the enlightening lectures about history and art, then definitely to get the best out of your food experience without making a fool out of yourself.

Budapest Market Hall is open Mon – 6:00AM-5:00PM, Tue-Fri – 6:00AM-6:00PM, Sat -6:00AM-3:00PM, closed on Sunday.

Not many in the US are familiar with Slovakia, but for Europeans, mainly those from Central Europe, it is very popular for its magnificent High Tatra Mountains that lie on the Northern border with Poland. While it may not yet be a destination in itself for Americans, it makes for a great break on your way from Budapest to Krakow, for example. This summer, I was fortunate enough to be able to do just that. My colleague Gwen and I traveled from Budapest to the new Kempinski High Tatras Hotel in Strbske Pleso, a beautiful lake resort set in the Eastern range of the mountains. I was sorry to do the drive at night, because we were missing great scenery – Trnava and Nitra with their impressive castles and the lower mountains of Velka Fatra and Low Tatras. On the other hand, it was wonderful to arrive at night and be surprised by a beautiful view in the morning.

The hotel, reminiscent of a large Hapsburg hunting lodge, is the perfect basis for any type of traveler. Active ones can exert themselves on a number of hiking paths to the surrounding lakes, waterfalls or peaks. Those who prefer a more leisurely vacation can enjoy the scenery while strolling around the lake or taking the ski lift to Solisko and admire the lake from above while sipping hot tea or, better yet, a shot of local herbal liquor.

Not having enough time, I opted for the middle road, taking what was supposed to be a short hike to the Skok Waterfall. It was an ideal afternoon trip, one hour and a half of walking up the hill, picking blueberries and raspberries, spotting mushrooms and hoping to get a glimpse of the chamois that I used to see in Tatras as a kid. In higher altitude the forest receded and I could not stop taking pictures of the peaks around me. I finally arrived to the waterfall and saw that you can climb on top of it. It was getting late but something in me could not resist the challenge, put a waterfall in front of me, I have to climb it! I started to doubt myself when I saw I would have to hold onto chains attached to the rocks along the waterfall, but the adventurer in me won and after few slips and curses, I conquered it. It was worth it for the view and the feeling of accomplishment.

I know that I will go back to spend more time in Tatra Mountains and for those of you who have yet to discover it, I highly recommend it.

Today I want to tell you about one more exciting offer in the Russia's travelling field. It's Russian river cruise.

If you're reading this blog then probably Russian culture is something more to you than matryoshkas and the Red Square. And, in my opinion, river cruise in the countryside of Russia is the best opportunity to discover Russian nature and culture. A culture much more ancient and individual than you can find it in Moscow or Saint-Petersburg.

In the numerous cities and towns that you'll visit during your journey, you'll see ancient orthodox monasteries and churches, conserved monuments of Soviet era and native Russians, not touched by globalization trends, yet.

Some words about tour offers that provoke my post:

The first one, Waterways of the Czars, is a cruise between St. Petersburg and Moscow along the Neva and Volga rivers. It is perfect for those who visit Russia for the first time. You'll have enough time to enjoy the beauty of the two Russian capitals, as well as to visit such ancient Russian towns as Yaroslavl, Uglich, etc.

The cruise lasts 13 days. Total costs from 2396$.

Second, Footsteps of the Cossacks, is a tour on Ukraine. Russian and Ukrainian histories were inseparable from each other for a long time. Ukraine's capital - Kyiv was a capital of Kievskaya Rus from 882 to 1132. There you can completely fall into the traditions of Russian and Ukrainian cossacks, visit famous places referred to lives of Vladimir Lenin and Anton Chekhov. Incredible, majestic southland nature also afford you a lot of pleasurable memories.

The cruise lasts 13 days. Total costs from 1930$.

Hope, this information will be useful for those who interested in Russian culture. Fell free to ask your questions in comments.