Dancing Dave's Guestbook

That's beautiful
Pics like this encourage us to talk of returning to Russia, Ake. Oh to have seen as much as you. We are considering a number of other areas in Russia that excite the prospect of a return as well. Thanks for joining the ride...more to come!

Very interesting read indeed
Great to hear from you Wolf. We had an informative local guide at the monastery but sometimes one has to allow one’s surrounds to open themselves to be discovered or otherwise sink in. Now I have done the research and shared my findings and photos, I realise the major thing that stuck at the time was the Russian word "Kirill" sounded like "Cyril"…and actually was!!! We missed you and Glenda when you were confined to your cabin due to illness. We desired more of your company but appreciated your thoughtfulness not to infect others. I hope this blog & in particular the vistas in my “Who are your sharing the sunrises with?” blog enhances your Russian cruise, that other than your confinements had many highlights. Looking forward to some of your pics from Patagonia as I know they will be more than sensational. Hello to Glenda as well from Denise and I. How quickly our worlds can change. Who would have thought we would be in the grip of a virus pandemic that crushes our economic future. I was in China when SARS hit. But that’s another story!

I Feel Educated
With 700 years of history...the frequent mention of Cyril...I figured there had to be more than a simple story, Syl. No one was as surprised as me as to what turned up. With such an eclectic collection of structures...such a plethora of domes...one not like another...pleased the pics turned out all right. Russia has proved to be fascinating. Stay tuned for the next one!

Philosopher, teacher, scholar
Thank you for your inciteful comment MJ. We had an informative local guide for this visit but when one is swamped with information and my way is to wander doing my own thing, there are only bits and pieces that I retain. It was the frequent mention of Kirill that sounded like my great uncle Cyril that stuck. When I discovered that Russian word was actually Cyril the spirit of its past then came to life. I wonder if Peter the Great's disdain for the monastery letting it fall into disrepair was a reflection of a fractured relationship with his parents who were major benefactors of the place. That is the beauty of history...some secrets remain within its walls emerging only for those that wonder.

A history lesson
The monastery was a formidable structure whose story on visiting seemed to me to be the many and varied styles of its church domes and size. It was not until I did some research that the spirit of Cyril and the ghosts of its fascinating past started emerging from the fortress walls and kept coming and coming. Thanks for reading and commenting David & Janice.

Vodka... oh, just one more!
Always nice to reminisce the dancing into the wee hours in the Queens Lounge with Mr Sipp and Dave & you MJ on our Legendary Blues Cruise...no bigger smiles could ever be seen. And not a drop of vodka required to lubricate the moves!!! Ah...so many good times can be had when travelling. All you need are like minded people to share them with.