The Hermitage, St Petersburg

Leg 4 - Russia

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August 28th 2009
Even before I had infiltrated Russian territory I was nearly arrested for taking a photo of a Welcome to Russia sign. This highly photogenic stone-carving was not supposedly posed for photographs. Entering Russia was the bureaucratic, process-driven, lesson in paperwork, that I had been warned to expect. In some ways I'd have been disappointed if it was too straightforward after all that hype. Fi ... read more

Europe » Russia » Northwest

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Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynas... ... read more