Singing the Revolutionary Blues Wow! Some very fascinating history here, some of which I wasn't familiar with. The Jewish Museum and Centre of Tolerance looks very interesting and a place I'd like to visit. I like how you wove in the music videos too. Splashing out at BB King's House of Blues was great! Was surprised to see the signatures of some legendary musicians scrawled on the wall, but especially Joe Bonamassa's!! Great blog and photos, Dave! P.S. I AM a cruise person even though I love land travel and tours just as much!
An expert story teller I thought we had responded to this one but I guess not. You had an amazing trip and your word pictures paint the scene. Thanks for weaving in the history with your story telling and observations. I can picture you riding a horse... oh wait... I've seen you riding a horse! Eager to get to Russia and follow in your footsteps.
Oh, the memories. Drawn in once again to the memories. You certainly know how to bring them alive again, David. I don't know what I had expected to see in Moscow or anywhere along journey but it would not have been anywhere near as interesting as it turned out to be.
We were a bit cheeky arranging our party and commandeering the tables. Oh the faces when people arrived and had to find a different table to sit at that night. Looking forward to your Moscow Blues.
Oh, the memories. Thank you Liz for spending the time to comment. And thank you to Simon & you for your contribution in making this trip so memorable. We certainly had a blast and it far exceeded our expectations. We hope our paths cross somewhere some place. Keep well and thanks for keeping in touch. Oh the faces come alive...gotta smile!
Bitter sweet... Bitter sweet feelings... here we are 2020 & restricted from travelling even within our own country & there we were 12 months ago immersed in the fabulousness of Russia - how sweet that was - thanks for the reminder .
BTW - The HU - Wolf Totem - OMGoodness now on repeat!
Bitter sweet... Ah my love...how do we capture our dances in Putin's pastures so they endure? I feel a far away look each time our memories of Russia come flooding in...a glass more than full...spilling over with so much to see and offer. And music is so much part of the national psyche. I've got The HU on repeat as well...powerful track from the descendants of the Golden Horde that for centuries terrorised Russia...Enjoy.
The Horseman of Castle Hill! Yeah, interesting to read your childhood fun with the horses, Dave...and it's a nice segue to the blog picturing the history of Moscow. I was actually imagining this to be the first page of a book while reading, trying to place myself as a reader who does not know Dancing Dave, but curious into the history of Russia. I suggested you a long ago and I still hope some day I will be able to order it from amazon for a nice afternoon read! Great blog Dave and will wait for Uzbekistan to come!
The Horseman of Castle Hill! I picture your Calgary as covered in snow Tab, but your climate may not be dissimilar to Moscow where the seasons bring the full range of colours and moods. Thank you for commenting on the personal touch I started this blog, which from your own publications you also employ. Russia really touched our hearts. It was not just a destination...its history, art, music and culture really intrigued. But I cannot finish my Russian blogs without exploring Moscow Blues with some history that must be told.
Great blog... I think that you had a more in depth tour of the Kremlin than I did as you had a professional guide. Mine was still a great experience. After we visited the Kremlin we went to the mall under Red Square and ate lunch at Sbarros. That's where I learned about their economy. At the time there were two economies; one based upon Western standards and one that remained from the Soviet time. Only those who traded with the West were in that economy; everyone else was in the poorer economy. A typical salary for the middle class as $100/month. A nuclear scientist was paid about $400/month. What I paid for pizza for the three of us was way beyond what someone living in the poorer economy could afford. At the time I was Program Manager of the Arctic Military Environmental Cooperation program for cleaning up Russian submarine nuclear reactor core waste in the Kola Peninsula, together with Norway and Russia...interesting times!
Great blog...Part 2 Thanks for more insight Bob. While mine was a dance in Putin's pastures with my eyes ever wide open, your time in Russia would have been thought provoking and revealing in ways I could but dream. Look forward to you telling me more about those times, as your life has been more than interesting. Say Hi to Linda from Denise & I.
Magnificent Moscow Dave, I'm envious of all the sights you were able to see in magnificent Moscow both at day and at night!! I love horses and would have loved to see the horse guards. Your descriptions and photos are wonderful and captured so much that they made me want to visit the Kremlin, the churches with their onion domes, the palaces and fountains and so much more. Great blog!
Magnificent Moscow I also love horses, Sylvia, even if my first lesson was a terrorfest! Russian horse culture is yet another facet of the Russian psyche, the Cossacks a great example. Glad you have been joining my Russian ride. At least another chapter to come as there are still a few more days before our flight to Tashkent is due to depart.
Moscow "Gotta love the Tzars...the common folk may have had no money...but the Tzars always seemed to have plenty!" If the "Tzars" of this world would share more willingly, a lot of the problems of this world would cease to be.
Fun to hear about your gallop through Moscow. So true about how different nationalities are treated differently around the world. I think that the Brazilians are also received rather well! Looking forward to hearing about Uzbek!
Moscow So many things to gotta love in Moscow. Hope my blog inspired you to put Russia on your Wish List, Tommy. It is truly spectacular in so many ways. And I hope the music video captured your inner soul.
(no more) Soviet cartoons Unfortunately, Soyuzmultfilm has recently made the decision to take down all of their Soviet classics from youtube and move them to a (potentially not free) Russian online platform. The real bummer, though, is that access to the collection seems to be restricted to Russian ip addresses only. So no more ? princess for us :-(
(no more) Soviet cartoons That is sad news Yanis. It really opened my eyes and furthered my understanding of the Russian psyche with your links to the abridged and unabridged versions of the Frog Princess and other Russian fairy tale cartoons. You appear to have a great knowledge of all things Russian yet your comment implies you may miss out if you do not have a Russian ip address. May I enquire in which country do you reside?
Great blog... about a fascinating city. In 1998 I toured the Kremlin with my hosts, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Russian Air Force and his wife. They were wonderful people, as are most Russians. So now your time in Russia has ended, and I look forward to your Silk Road adventure.
Great blog... Visiting the Kremlin in 1998 sounds intriguing Bob. I presume Russia was not as affluent as it appears to be now. Having a Lieutenant Colonel and his wife as tour guides should have ensured you received a special showing. Any highlights?
Stalin's highrises There are seven such buildings known as the Seven Sisters, Ake. We stayed in one during our Moscow Blues schmooze as a bit of luxury before hitting the Old Silk Road. They dominate the Moscow skyline.
Moscow in Three Movements Moscow has been on my travel list for some time now. For some reason I've always wanted to go there in either the dead of winter or a bleak November week. Speaks to me about the Russian soul. Moscow is so full of history, isn't it. Thanks to Stalin indeed. I enjoyed your musings on this weighty city. I particularly like the picture of you smiling in front of St. Basil's. If that photo doesn't show a true representation of traveler's delight, then I don't know what does.
Moscow in Three Movements Great to hear from you Tommy. There has to be something special about the Russian psyche that produces such intriguing history, art, culture and gotta say it...onion domes. I also think of the pandemic raging in Russia and how far away it may be before we can get back there. Our favourite times to travel in China is Winter as crowds are down. We kinda think that time in Russia could be wickedly cold but with landscapes like we saw in its Autumn we reckon in Winter would be beyond spectacular. Keep dreaming Tommy. Where there is a will there is a way...and in Russia there is always music!
More airshots Here's some more aerial footage.
Not quite as dramatic, and I could live without the background music - but still quite pretty:
https://youtu.be/S_dfq9rFWAE
Ps. Yanis is the name-o :-)
More airshots Staggering...woooh...what can I say that does them justice? I have just looked at your latest links of aerial drone views of Moscow, Yanis...the 2 min was an absolute mind blower...the 13 min an awakening...the 27 min a confirmation. Moscow has gotta be the prettiest city from the air...in the World. Can't thank you enough Yanis. Inspires me to add to more of my Magnificent Moments to this space!
My wife Denise & I like to travel "on paths less travelled" that capture our imagination, inspire my photography & where we mix with locals & remain safe.
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Singing the Revolutionary Blues
Wow! Some very fascinating history here, some of which I wasn't familiar with. The Jewish Museum and Centre of Tolerance looks very interesting and a place I'd like to visit. I like how you wove in the music videos too. Splashing out at BB King's House of Blues was great! Was surprised to see the signatures of some legendary musicians scrawled on the wall, but especially Joe Bonamassa's!! Great blog and photos, Dave! P.S. I AM a cruise person even though I love land travel and tours just as much!