Category Archives: Europe

Transport with a splash of color

Most trips overseas for the intrepid traveler involve overland travel.  There’s sometimes unavoidable on small islands in the Philippines and the desert expanses of the Middle East.  The road offers adventure, perspective to a new place and experiencing the local color. Some of us have quickly found that schedules in most places do not goContinue reading “Transport with a splash of color”

Your priced out of a trip destination and a dream, can’t afford Paris? Part Deux

An evening stroll along the Seine/Bospherus.  A room with a view of the sparkling Eiffel Tower/Blue Mosque at dusk.   This is a city where travelers can show up with no plans. Time in both Paris and Istanbul can be spent just walking the streets and spending time viewing art in small and large museumsContinue reading “Your priced out of a trip destination and a dream, can’t afford Paris? Part Deux”

Your priced out of a trip to Moscow? How about Georgia instead?

We all have a vision on how we will spend our precious days away from regular life. For some its traveling far from home to a place where most things are foreign.  An evening stroll along the Volga viewing the red stars that light up the top of the Kremlin, Seven Sisters and St. Basil’s.Continue reading “Your priced out of a trip to Moscow? How about Georgia instead?”

A Far-Flung Silk Road connection – the Great Mosque of St. Petersburg Russia

St. Petersburg’s skyline says it all. From the banks of the Volga the views include the golden cathedral towers of the Peter and Paul Fortress and the pointed towering Minerats and bright blue tiles of the mosque dome just to the right of it. Peter the Great wanted his capital to reflect the cultural makeContinue reading “A Far-Flung Silk Road connection – the Great Mosque of St. Petersburg Russia”

Day 1 and 2: JFK to Shiraz via Ataturk International

Our ride from JFK to Shiraz and here’s how it went down: Airbus from Manhattan to JFK (1 hour) JFK to Istanbul (10 hours + 6 hour layover + 7 hour time shift) Istanbul to Shiraz (3.5 hours + 2 hour delay + 1.5 hour time shift) Shiraz Airport to hotel (longer than normal halfContinue reading “Day 1 and 2: JFK to Shiraz via Ataturk International”

Guide to getting a Tourist Visa at the NYC Russian Consulate

So, going to Russia requires U.S. citizens to fill out a couple of pages of questions, getting a local invite (services usually charge around $30) and handing over some cash which is right now $131.  This can all be done through a service I decided to do as much of it as I can onContinue reading “Guide to getting a Tourist Visa at the NYC Russian Consulate”