Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Russian surprises and Georgia Island-hopping


Russia is a revelation. The cold war imbued most of us with images of a cold, dreary Moscow and Kremlin replete with intimidating concrete buildings, foreboding walls, bars and barbed wire.

In winter, the season without sun, it is definitely cold and the sky is gray, but the Kremlin, the Russian word for fortress? Bright, open, treed and landscaped with glorious gold-domed churches,


red brick walls anchored by almost whimsical green-topped towers and tourist-filled grounds.



Outside in Red Square?

A vast expanse facing the glamorous Gum's Department Store (Russians pronounce it Gooms) lit up in twinkling white lights.

At one end, a history museum


and at the other the fairy tale, dizzying domes and towers of St. Basil Cathedral. Lenin's Tomb is inconspicuously tucked away along the Kremlin wall between the two. Inviting, yes; intimidating, no.

It isn't all rosy. As a guide said, "We used to have money but nothing to buy. Now we have everything to buy but no money."

Crowds, even in October, can be crushing in museums like the Tretyakov



Unknown Lady, Ivan Kramskoy, 1883.
a compendium of Russian art,


Clock Egg, Faberge.
 and the Kremlin Armory housing the nation's treasures from court gowns to eight royal Faberge eggs.


The famous Metro is crowded, too, but glorious with its marble, mosaics, paintings and chandeliers.























Increasingly, the 16 million Muscovites have cars and at any given time most seem to be on the roads. The Bloomberg Report listed Moscow as the world's most congested city and I believe them.


Viking Ingvar was moored north of town and it took 45 to 60 minutes to drive the 5-10 miles in each day.


St. Petersburg is everything you expect and more. Peter the Great and his successors built one beautiful city and fortunately, the Communists realized its value soon enough that many of the buildings have been preserved. In the nearby palaces, the people themselves worked to hide, bury and protect the treasures from the ravages and scavenging of war.



The Hermitage,

 















 Catherine Palace 



































 and  

Peterhof Palace and Park


















are the must-sees for most Americans and they should be. Just don't expect to see it all.

Between crowds, Russians as well as tourists, there will be crowds and waits, not to mention the sheer magnitude of riches to be seen. It is said that it would take 12 years to spend one minute before each work on display at the Hermitage and that's just a small portion of its collection of 3 million objects.

There are many more objects of wonder to be seen in St. Petersburg.

Lilies of the Valley Easter Egg, 1898

From the elegant creations at the Faberge Museum to the many cathedrals, especially the Church of Our Saviour on Spilled Blood.


The food is good, too. I can personally recommend an excellent family restaurant (there's an outside playground for the kids), Teplo, with a satin-smooth stroganov and huge portions. For a fine dining experience, Tsar, offers a period decor, elegant presentation and excellent beet salad and chicken kiev. Ladies, don't miss the bathroom.

In between, cruising the Moscow Canal, Volga-Baltic Waterway, Lake Onega, Svir River, Lake Ladoga and Neva River visiting Uglich, Yaroslavl, Kuzino, Kizhi and Mandrogy is a look into smaller cities, tourist villages and dense forests of birch, hardwoods and evergreens.

Try a pre-tour/post tour of Moscow and St. Petersburg if you can. It will be the best part of your trip. Western tourists are invariably greeted by friendly locals but the Russians make it a point to have you leave knowing they personally love the American people. It's the systems that don't get along.

Georgia Island hopping.

Earlier this month I revisited our across-the-border neighbors Little St. Simons and Jekyll Islands. 

Little St. Simons Island, reached by boat from St. Simons Island, is a unique experience.

The Lodge was built in 1917, cottages and the large pool came later.

The newest two feature four en suite bedrooms around a large living area with fireplace and wet bar plus screened porch and open deck.

Explore the beaches,
pristine maritime forests,

pine highlands, marshes, eagles,
ducks, spoonbills, wood storks, egrets and cranes by day, with or without a guide. Bicycle, fish, hike, kayak, swim, go for a picnic, learn about the organic garden or idle away.

After wine and dinner with fellow guests -  occupancy is a max of 32 - go for an owl prowl, learn more about the environment or island history from a naturalist's presentation or chat, play card and board or read a book by your fireplace.

Nightly rates for a two-night minimum range from $450-$700 per double depending on time of year and accommodations, plus 18 percent service fee and applicable taxes. That includes everything during your stay on this 11,000-acre island:  lodging, three meals a day and snacks, soft drinks, beer and wine, all island activities including guided Naturalist excursions and use of all recreational gear (bikes, boats, kayaks, fishing equipment) as well as transfers to and from the island.

You also will have sun block, bug spray, water bottles and the use of umbrellas and slickers. It is the nearest thing to a pure escape you are likely to find.

Meantime at Jekyll Island, by day Driftwood Beach is as spectacular as ever.

Come darkness, the Christmas lights are up in the historic quarter.

The live oak limbs are like overgrown tendrils of white light,

the Christmas tree is a fat mass of color

and you can almost smell the period wreaths and swags on the "cottages."


 The # Westin Jekyll Island offers an cool, oceanfront contemporary vibe with rates of $179-$229 a night through Dec. 29.


The Jekyll Island Club is filled with echoes of nostalgia and days of yore and offers an island exploration package: island club or island cottages accommodations for $169 a night or Ocean Club for $249 a night plus a free half-day bicycle rental.

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Barbados, the Small Caribbean Island that Fueled America's Founders

The Crane Beach
All Caribbean Islands offer visitors sand, sea and sun, but Barbados also gives Americans an insight into their own country.

Washington House
George Washington slept here for six weeks in 1751, the only place outside of America that he ever visited.

Bajan planters successfully demanded no taxation without representation from their British overlords. It helped that the small island was then the richest spot in the world, the equal of Amsterdam and London, but Bajans peacefully instituted the policy generations before Americans did. No doubt the Yanks were inspired by their successful example.

Planters' sons colonized the Carolinas, making Barbados the world's only colony to have a colony. They brought with them slaves, the plantation system and architecture. You can see examples today in Charleston.

The slaves brought their culture and patois we know today as Gullah/Geechee.

Setting up a rum tasting at Mount Gay Distillery
Rum was created here first by a Mr. Rumboll, distilled commercially first by Mount Gay, still a major producer, and was an instant hit in England. It was a hit with young George Washington, too. His favorite drink, a Corn 'n' Oil, is a combination of a good sipping rum, a bit of Falernum, a Bajan rum liqueur, and a dash of Angostura Bitters over ice.

Like other Caribbean islands, Barbados offers sun, sand and sea with luxurious resorts at which to enjoy it.

Chef Jason Howard
Foodies will love it here, the only island in the Caribbean to have a Michelin-starred chef. Bajan Jason Howard has returned from England and operates his own seafront restaurant, Top Deck, near Holetown. Don't be surprised if he garners the first Michelin star for Caribbean cuisine.

At the other end of the food spectrum, but no less delicious, is Cuzz in Bridgetown, a favorite spot for Cutters, freshly cut buns filled with a variety of ingredients.

Cuzz
The day I stopped by its Pebble Beach locale, barracuda was the fresh fish of the day. I recommend it. Other choices are likely to be mahi, egg, cheese or a Bajan favorite, flying fish.

Barbados packs a lot into its 21-mile length, 14-mile width. The people are smiling, friendly and welcoming. They may drive on the left but love Americans and their connections with us.

A few no-nos. Don't wear camouflage-patterned clothing. Don't ask me why but it is against the law even for children and you may be sent home. Don't go from beach to town in bathing attire. Look but don't try to touch the monkeys. Leave your good leather shoes, purses, belts at home; mold will quickly find a home on them.

The Bajan dollar is pegged to the U.S. dollar which is also accepted. Current exchange rate is around two Bajan for one American.

Dawn-Lisa Smith, our Characters guide
Want a cultural walking tour of Bridgetown, the capital? Characters of Town give a good one.


Party like a royal

 You can follow in the footsteps of the actors of "Downton Abbey" with a package offered by Friendly Planet. Four nights in London, attendance at the exclusive Downton Abbey Christmas Ball (sans Crawleys) with an optional Paris day trip or Iceland extension.

Original price of $2,899 per person double occupancy reduced to $2,499 through Oct. 11. Includes round trip air from New York to London (JFK or Newark), transfers, daily breakfast, accommodations, Gala Ball at Highclere Castle, three-course meal with wine, caroling around the castle's Christmas tree, half-day bus tour of London with Champagne tea.

Contact Friendly Planet, 800-555-5765.

Go East, Bargain Hunters 

World Spree has done it again. In March 2019, they are offering a 10-day China Delights tour for $1,299. In September 2019, their special is a 13-day tour of Amazing Vietnam for $1,599. Both are per person, double occupancy.

The Forbidden City
China Delights concentrates on two of China's greatest cities, Beijing and Shanghai with optional day tours to Hangzhou via bullet train, Suzhou and Tongli.

The trip includes round-trio international airfare, eight nights in deluxe hotels, daily American-style breakfast buffet and one lunch, all transportation within China, sightseeing tours and entrance fees, professional English-speaking guides and baggage handling.

Shanghai's Bund on a foggy night
The $1,299 price is from San Francisco. Add $50 from Los Angeles or Houston, $150 from New York or Washington, D. C. Stay in the 4-star Convention Center Grand Hotel in Beijing, the Mercure Century Park in Shanghai.

Statue of Ho Chi Minh in Saigon
During Amazing Vietnam, you will stay in 5-star hotels plus an overnight cruise in Hanoi's famous Hay Long Bay. Included are round-trip international airfare, all transportation and transfers in Vietnam, hotels, daily American breakfast buffets plus four meals, comprehensive sightseeing tours with entrance fees, baggage handling and English-speaking tour guides. Stops include Hanoi, Hoi An, Hue and Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City).

For details, contact worldspree.com or call 1-866-652-5656.

Jekyll island Club's Last minute Deal

You have until Oct. 31, 2018 to take advantage of the island exploration package. Island Club or Island Cottage accommodations are $169 a night, Ocean Club accommodations are $249 a night and both include a free half day bike rental.

Contact sales@jekyllclub.com.