Russia Trip Report

I just returned from a spectacular journey to Moscow and St. Petersburg. April in Russia can be a little chilly, but perfect for avoiding the heavy cruise crowds that descend upon St. Petersburg June-August.

I first want to rave about Singapore Airlines non-stop service from Houston to Moscow which made this destination an easily accessible one.

In Moscow I stayed at the Ritz Carlton, a perfect location from which to visit the Kremlin, Red Square, Pushkin Gallery and the breathtaking Bolshoi ballet. A little off the beaten path is the Museum of Cosmonautics and the Park of Fallen Sculptures.

From Moscow you can now travel leisurely by train to St. Petersburg. I stayed at the aptly named Grand Hotel Europe. This elegant grand dame of a hotel has generously sized rooms, 5 spectacular restaurants and impeccable service. You can easily spend a week in this safe, beautiful city, exploring the Hermitage, Peter Paul Fortress, city palaces such as Stroganov and Yusupov, the Museum of the Siege and taking day trips to Peterhof and Pushkin to visit Catherine and Pavlovsk Palace. You can fill your evenings with cultural performances from the ballet and symphony to the circus.

The Mighty Amazon

I just emerged from a week navigating the Peruvian Amazon. Well, I did not really do the navigating. The amazing crew aboard the charming Amatista did all of the work, and I just absorbed the beauty, the wildlife and the local culture. The Peruvians are proud and gracious hosts, and eager to share their country with visitors. We were welcomed into local schools, blessed by a medicine man, and mesmerized by the river and over 150 species of animals that we identified (with the help of our local naturalists). Even to a non-birder such as myself, you can not help but be enthralled by the myriad of colorful birds – macaws, parakeets, toucans, hawks, egrets, the list goes on and on.

And each day our skiffs would be escorted by pink dolphins who shyly just give you a glimpse of their fins as they slide through the river. The neon colored frogs and insects added to the rainbow of colors. Even the infamous piranha were stunningly beautiful and a treat, since we were catching and eating them rather than the reverse! And for this primate lover, the monkeys never failed to entertain. The little squirrel monkeys are the most prevalent, and amusing, leaping from tree branch to tree branch. We also saw howlers, spiders, and a rare sighting of nocturnal night monkeys nestled in a tree. Overall, the vastness and remoteness of the Amazon is powerful, as is its importance –without the rainforest we would have trouble breathing. It is one of the few places left on earth where you can escape “connectivity” to the outside world, and step back into a simpler life.