Former USSR It’s remarkable, every ex-Soviet Union country I visit I can still feel the remains of the great empire it once was. The Soviet Union left its mark on these nations’ architecture, politics, food, and even its culture. Scattered across 15 different countries you will find old military equipment, structures reminiscing a villain’s layer, dictator...
Kizhi Island, Russia Hidden deep in Russia’s off the beaten track Republic of Karelia are the UNESCO churches on the Island of Kizhi. This is the real Russia, small remote wooden villages whose locals still primarily make a living from farming and hunting. Kizhi couldn’t feel further from Russia’s glitzy high life in the capital. Hopping aboard a Soviet-era...
Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russia As far as the eye can see is frozen dark blue ice. It’s hard to believe that I am standing on a freshwater lake and not the ocean. Below my feet is some of the most attractive shades of blue I have ever seen and below that over 1km deep of lake. Nearby is Orkhon Island, an island wrapped in mystery and is said to be the heart of...
Moscow, Russia I am not sure what it is, maybe it is the incredible architecture, the colorful domed churches or the massive Soviet monuments, but after all these years dreaming of traveling to Moscow, I finally made it. Entering the Red Square and walking across to the Kremlin was an epic milestone for me, the country with one of the hardest most expensive visas to...