|
|
Russian River Cruise: 7 August - 25 August 2009
Would you like to see all these beautiful places?
- fill out a booking enquiry form and join a 50 Plus Travel tour today by CLICKING HERE!
 We started on a high note staying in luxuriouos hotel in Hong Kong. ... and witnessed Chinese wedding in the ball room.  A very unusual Buddha from the Ten Thousand Buddha's Monastery set at the peak of Po Fook Hill in Kowloon (if you don't mind four hundred steep steps to get there).  Viking Surkov was not the only ship in St Petersburg that day. Winter Palace, St Petersburg St Peter & Paul Fortress, St Petersburg View of the Winter Palace from the canal. The Church of the Saviour on the Blood built on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was killed. We all enjoyed the Ballet performance "Swan Lake" (happy ending version) at the Alexandrinsky Theatre. It was awesome. Surprise welcome at the elegant Catherine's Palace. Destroyed during WWII it was painstakingly restored to its former magnificence, including such gem as Amber Room (sorry, not allowed to take photos).  Great Hall - a masterpiece of extravagant decoration, We had our lunch at the lovely Summer Palace Restaurant nearby. Lunch was excellent (glass of vodka was a bonus). ...and we were impressed with the restaurant toilets downstairs. They looked so luxurious. Divined or not Russian icecream appeals to all of us (sorry, could not resist of missing this opportunity). Multi-domed wooden Church of The Transfiguration on Kizhi Island, built without single nail.  Life on Kizhi Island as it was in the 18th century. Russian beauties in national costumes. One of many (18 precisely) lochs we went through. It was very exciting. Some of them so narrow that I managed to touch the wall. Relaxing with friends on the sun deck. Russian tea time. Andrei, our local guide, demostrates how Russians drink tea. Tour to thr Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery in Goritzy. Beautiful churches we passed while sailing on the way to Moscow. The magnificient Church of St Demetrius on the Blood in Uglich, where Dmitry, son of Ivan the Terrible was brutally murdered by Boris Godunov.  We were greeted with lovely sound from this belfry while approaching Moscow. The most photographed St Basil's cathedral next to the Kremlin and is the oldest building in the square. Red Square, Moscow. Enjoying the view over the city. And I enjoyed my view. Tui in my garden the day I came back from Russia. Spring has sprung!
|
|
|
