Taganrog

Russia – Cossacks & the Dalai Lama – mile 4,194 (8th June)

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June 8th 2012
Where are we – a Buddhist Republic, tea plantations & rice paddies? No its not some exotic Asia destination – its Russia and the European part of Russia at that. On one particular day we start with Buddhist temples in Elista, cross Cossack territory with its golden onion domed churches and end up passing mosques in the snowy Caucuses Mountains. Crossing the Ukraine-Russia border was surprisi ... read more

Europe » Russia » South » Sochi

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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