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2019 Nautical Explorations
  • Two to Travel
  • Ahmet Erkun
  • Two to Travel
  • Ahmet Erkun

2019 Nautical Explorations

After our self-drive trip around Ireland, we embarked Oceania's Nautica for 50 days. Our extended voyage consisted of multiple segments that took us to places around Europe ... both new- and old-to-us. Czytaj więcej
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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Across the Archbishop's Palace Courtyard towards Nidarosdomen — Trondheim, Norway.
    Ermine-trimmed coronation robe @ the Royal Regalia Museum @ the Archbishop's Palace — Trondheim.Coronation of King Carl XV and Queen Louise @ the Royal Regalia Museum — Trondheim, Norway.Painting of the royal crowns (inset king's crown) ... @ Royal Regalia Museum — Trondheim.Royal Standard of Norway @ the Royal Regalia Museum — Trondheim, Norway.St Olav Altar Frontal @ the Archbishop's Palace Museum — Trondheim, Norway.Close-up of the Elephant Throne (c. 1250-1300) @ the Archbishop's Palace Museum — Trondheim, Norway.Artifact from excavations @ the Archbishop's Palace Museum — Trondheim, NorwayThese three statues once graced the west facade of Nidarosdomen @ the Archbishop's Palace Museum.Display of armaments @ the Archbishop's Palace Museum — Trondheim, Norway.

    Trondheim: Archbishop's Palace Museum

    10 lipca 2019, Norwegia ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    Dating back to 1153, the Archbishop’s Palace now serves as a museum. Situated across the street from Nidarosdomen, it was easily accessed once we completed the tower climb at the Cathedral.

    One building houses artifacts from excavations at the palace and at Nidarosdomen; a second building exhibits armaments; a third building displays the Crown Jewels. While I found the Royal Regalia Museum the most interesting, the crowns of the king and queen were in a very dark, dungeon-like room ... far in the back ... with a heavy iron gate keeping visitors well away. Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    A "we are here" selfie in Bakklandet — Trondheim, Norway.
    The colorful wharf buildings that line the Nidelva River — Trondheim, Norway.Gamle Bybro (Old Town Bridge) — Trondheim, Norway.Gamle Bybro is one of the ways to cross the Nidelva River to Bakklandet — Trondheim, Norway.Colorful flowers on Gamle Bybro (Old Town Bridge) — Trondheim, Norway.Looking across the Nidelva River ... from behind the Archbishop's Palace — Trondheim, Norway.A delightful streetscape in Bakklandet — Trondheim, Norway.Bakke Bru (Bakke Bridge) is another way to cross the Nidelva River — Trondheim, Norway.Summer brings colorful flowers everywhere in Trondheim, Norway.Colorful flowers near the Art Museum — Trondheim, Norway.

    Trondheim: Bakklandet & More

    10 lipca 2019, Norwegia ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Before and after our visits to Nidarosdomen and the Archbishop’s Palace Museum, we wandered around Trondheim.

    As this was our first time here, we found plenty of sites of interest, especially in Bakklandet, a neighborhood on the east side of the Nidelva River. That the sun eventually came out and blue skies replaced the dreary cloud cover was a bonus that added more pleasure to our day.

    With a scheduled departure from Trondheim at 4:00p, we were back on the ship @ 3:00p.

    Next Port: Hammerfest, Norway ... 586 NM away. But first, a day at sea tomorrow.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations

    Day @ Sea

    11 lipca 2019, Norwegian Sea ⋅ ☀️ 50 °F

    We had a quiet day sailing the Norwegian Sea today as we head north to our next port of call.

    As far north as we are now, it doesn’t get dark at night anymore. In fact, the Currents does not list the sunrise and sunset times. That means keeping the drapes shut at night. Which, in turn, means that we slept in until 7:30a this morning

    Massage appointments; lunch at the Terrace Café ... the Toscana team served an excellent fresh pasta Bolognese; a presentation on Murmansk, Russia ... one of our upcoming ports; afternoon tea @ Horizons; and dinner in the Grand Dining Room with the Gelmans and the Sweets. All this, combined with quiet time reading and writing, made the day fly.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    2Townscape from somewhere along the Sikksakkveien — Hammerfest, Norway.
    We walked around the harbor from where Nautica is docked to hike up Sikksakkveien — Hammerfest.1A "we conquered Sikksakkveien" selfie — Hammerfest, Norway.The Hammerfest Harbor with some floral cheer ... Salen Viewpoint — Hammerfest, Norway.Lower Left: Common Gull ... all others are European Herring Gulls — Hammerfest, Norway.Reindeer near the Mikkelgammen Sami Camp — Hammerfest, Norway.Mikkelgammen ... Sami Camp — Hammerfest, Norway.2Mikkelgammen ... Sami Camp — Hammerfest, Norway.

    Hammerfest: SikkSakkveien & Reindeer

    12 lipca 2019, Norwegia ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    Though this was a short day in port, we squeezed quite a bit into our allotted time, starting with a hike up to the Salen Viewpoint and Mikkegammen.

    SikkSakkveien — which translates as the Zig-Zag Way — is an unpaved and rocky trail that is relatively steep. It apparently follows paths that goats made for themselves as they grazed on the hillside. Deeming these paths dangerous for the townspeople who used them to get up and down the hill themselves, the local council voted in 1893 to make improvements. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction with beautiful views along the way and at the Salen Viewpoint.

    Once we had our fill of the views, we continued on a bit further inland. I’d read that one might see reindeer up here. We were not disappointed. A bit of trivia ... while in the US reindeer is used for domesticated caribou, in Europe, the word is applied to both domesticated and wild animals.

    We also saw a few of the buildings at Mikkelgammen, which is billed as a Sami camp. I believe it is actually a restaurant where one can taste Sami delicacies and learn about the culture and religion of the natives of the North. It’s only open to groups, however, and there was a large number of passengers from Nautica wandering around, so we did not dally.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    The polar bear is the town mascot — Royal & Ancient Polar Bear Society in Hammerfest, Norway.
    Some of the birds of the north — Royal & Ancient Polar Bear Society in Hammerfest, Norway.1Seal-skin furniture — Royal & Ancient Polar Bear Society in Hammerfest, Norway.Fish-drying rack — Royal & Ancient Polar Bear Society in Hammerfest, Norway.

    Royal & Ancient Polar Bear Society

    12 lipca 2019, Norwegia ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    On our way to the harbor area, we took a peek inside a one-room museum with a grand name ... the Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society.

    There’s really nothing royal or ancient about the museum, which is free to visitors. Its significance lies in the fact that the polar bear is the town mascot and is also featured on the heraldic crest.

    It took us all of 15 minutes to check out the few artifacts and historic photographs from the early days of Hammerfest, and take a quick peek at the stuffed animals ... from birds, to seals, to — of course — a polar bear.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Hvaldimir the Beluga Whale — Hammerfest, Norway.
    Hvaldimir the Beluga Whale during his training session/feeding — Hammerfest, Norway.Hvaldimir the Beluga Whale during his training session/feeding — Hammerfest, Norway.Hvaldimir the Beluga Whale during his training session/feeding — Hammerfest, Norway.Hvaldimir the Beluga Whale during his training session/feeding — Hammerfest, Norway.Hvaldimir the Beluga Whale during his training session/feeding — Hammerfest, Norway.Hvaldimir the Beluga Whale during his training session/feeding — Hammerfest, Norway.Seagulls play with Hvaldimir before flying off with their stolen booty — Hamemrfest, Norway.Hvaldimir the Beluga Whale during his training session/feeding — Hammerfest, Norway.Hvaldimir bids us goodbye with a wave of his fluke — Hammerfest, Norway.

    Hammerfest: Meet Hvaldimir!

    12 lipca 2019, Norwegia ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    After the museum, we hurried over to one of the piers in the harbor to meet Hvaldimir, who the volunteer at the visitor center said would likely show up for his noon meal and training to hunt for his own food.

    Hvaldimir is a male beluga whale that is a fairly new “part-time resident” of Hammerfest. He apparently showed up nearby a little earlier this year. He was wearing a camera harness that supposedly had a reference to St Petersburg, Russia. His behavior indicated that he was used to human interaction. Even though the harness was removed, he remained in the area, making frequent visits to the harbor.

    The story goes that he was a “Russian spy whale.” Thus, he was named “Hvaldimir” ... a play on words consisting of hval = whale in Norwegian; and dimir = Vla”dimir” Putin 😉.

    (I later read that he left the area sometime later in July, showing up in Hammerfest infrequently after that. More info at this link if interested ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hvaldimir).     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Spectacular stained glass window @ Hammerfest Kirke ... artist: Jandar Lunde — Hammerfest, Norway.
    1Beautiful painted woodwork and sculptures decorate Hammerfest Kirke — Hammerfest, Norway.Mosaic cross and decorative elements at the altar of Hammerfest Kirke — Hammerfest, Norway.The gallery is decorated with wood carvings, including those of the previous churches — Hammerfest.

    Hammerfest Church

    12 lipca 2019, Norwegia ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    Although Hammerfest did not receive its charter as a market town until 1789, its first church was built in 1620. The five churches that followed were all destroyed by fire. The sixth one, which we checked out today, was built in 1961. It was part of the post-war building effort, with a triangular shape that makes it rather unique. The shape is said to represent the traditional fish-drying racks.

    In fact, it was the shape of the church, which we saw from a distance when we were at the Salen Viewpoint, that caught our attention. It reminded us of the beautiful chapel on the grounds of the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and the very modern church we checked out in Tromsø, Norway several years ago.

    Two things inside the rather simply decorated church struck me ... the beautiful stained glass window and the 1782-pipe organ, the latter designed to mimic the steeply-pitched roofline of the church.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Meridian Column — Hammerfest, Norway.
    Hammerfest Kirke with its shape mimicking traditional fish drying racks — Hammerfest, Norway.Glimpse of the Sikksakkveien that took us to the top of the hill — Hammerfest, Norway.

    Sailaway from Hammerfest

    12 lipca 2019, Norwegia ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    A short day ... an early sail away ... a relaxing afternoon at sea! Perfect after a delightful time sightseeing in Hammerfest.

    Going up on the top deck as Nautica left its berth, we got a glimpse of the Meridian Column which marks the northernmost measure point of the Struve Geodetic Arc ... the first technical and scientific object to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

    We also caught glimpses of some of the places we visited ... which was fun to see from a different perspective.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    1

    Cupcake Tea @ Sea

    12 lipca 2019, Norwegian Sea ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    Most days, afternoon tea is held in the Horizons Lounge on deck 10 forward. Today the theme was “cupcakes.” Yes, we went and sampled a few 😄😋. But not so many that it would ruin our appetite for dinner in the Grand Dining Room with the Gelmans and the Sweets.

    Next Port: Murmansk, Russia ... 296 NM away.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Rosatomflot ... home of the Russian nuclear vessels — Kola Bay ... Murmansk, Russia.
    Two of the older nuclear icebreakers ... I recognize Yamal from its painted bow — Kola Bay, MurmanskAlyosha (on the hill) greets us from afar — Kola Bay ... Murmansk, Russia.Kapitan Dranitsyn, a Soviet-era icebreaker and the shipyard — Kola Bay, Murmansk.Typical skyline of Murmansk with Soviet-era buildings — Kola Bay, Murmansk, Russia.Murmansk skyline as we sail to the sea terminal — Kola Bay ... Murmansk, Russia.Church of the Savior on Waters ... in stark contrast to the other buildings ... Kola Bay, Murmansk.The Lenin ... the first nuclear ice breaker built by the Soviets — Kola Bay ... Murmansk, Russia.Nautica approaches the sea terminal — Kola Bay ... Murmansk, Russia.

    Cruising Kola Bay to Murmansk (Russia)

    13 lipca 2019, Rosja ⋅ 🌧 43 °F

    The last time we were in Murmansk was in July 2014 to embark 50 Let Pobedy, a Russian nuclear icebreaker for our voyage to the North Pole. (The story of that amazing expedition is at this link:http://2totravel.blogspot.com/2014/06/our-goal-….)

    On that occasion, we flew in from Helsinki, Finland on a bright, blue-sky day and was given a sightseeing tour on our way to Rosatomflot, where Russia’s nuclear-powered vessels are based. By the time we were ready to sail up Kola Bay to reach the Barents Sea, the sky was overcast ... and we were shrouded in fog before we reached the mouth of the long bay.

    Today, we sailed down Kola Bay to Murmansk under a thick overcast with occasional drizzle that pretty much was the weather-of-the-day. Not as welcoming without the sunshine and blue skies.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Bundled up ... two degrees north of the Arctic Circle — Murmansk, Russia.

    Welcome to Hero City Murmansk

    13 lipca 2019, Rosja ⋅ 🌧 43 °F

    Our sixth port of call ... Murmansk ... in the Russian Arctic.

    Not only was Nautica docked at Murmansk’s marine terminal and cleared in record time, but our small group was first off the ship for the private tour Sonia had arranged for us.

    By the way, why “Hero City?” This is apparently an honorary title that was awarded to 12 cities during the Soviet era for outstanding heroism during WWII.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Sail of the Kursk, a memorial to submariners who have died during peacetime — Murmansk, Russia.
    Memorial to seamen who have died during peacetime since 1945 — Murmansk, Russia.Church of the Savior on Waters — Murmansk, Russia.Note the anchor on the cross of the Church of the Savior on Waters — Murmansk, Russia.A peek inside the Orthodox Church of the Savior on Waters — Murmansk, Russia.

    Murmansk: Remembering Seamen

    13 lipca 2019, Rosja ⋅ 🌧 43 °F

    The first stop of the tour was a spot Mui and I were familiar with from our brief time in Murmansk in 2014.

    The park-like setting is home to two memorials and a church ... all dedicated to seamen who have died during peacetime since 1945 ... be they fishermen, merchant marine, or military sailors.

    The first memorial is the sail of the Kursk, the nuclear submarine that went down in the Barents Sea in 2000 with all hands aboard. The sail was found in a scrapyard nine years later and now serves as a memorial dedicated to submariners who have died during peacetime.

    The second memorial, a Lighthouse Tower, has an observation platform at the top and a museum inside the structure. But, as was the case in 2014, it was locked up tight again today.

    The Church of the Savior on Waters, sits at the highest point of the park. The gold-domed Orthodox Church was built in 2002, with funding coming solely from the public. When we visited the complex in 2014, one of our naturalist guides told us the story of how, due to restrictive religious practices, the people lied to inspectors and said they were building a community center and not a church.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    A "we are visiting Alyosha" selfie — Murmansk, Russia.
    Alyosha is the diminutive form of "Aleksey" ... and is used in the context of "defender of man."An eternal flame burns on the platform in front of Alyosha — Murmansk, Russia.The pyramidal structure represents a flag at half mast — Alyosha ... Murmansk, Russia.A small memorial on the grounds of Alyosha — Murmansk, Russia.Lake Semyonovskoye & Church of the Savior on Waters ... from Alyosha.

    Murmansk: Alyosha

    13 lipca 2019, Rosja ⋅ 🌧 43 °F

    The next stop on our tour was “Alyosha” — the giant, 5,000-ton concrete soldier that greeted us from atop his hilltop perch as Nautica made its way down Kola Bay.

    The monument, which Mui and I were familiar with from our 2014 visit to the city, is dedicated to the “Defenders of the Soviet Arctic during the Great Patriotic War.” Alyosha is facing towards the Valley of Glory, where “the fiercest fighting of the Arctic Campaign occurred when German invaders were turned back from the approaches of Murmansk in 1941.” Behind it is a pyramidal structure that represents a flag at half mast. Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    A memorial dedicated to the steadfastness of the residents during WWII — Murmask, Russia.
    Easy to see why they call this the "Chimney Memorial" — Murmansk, Russia."In memory of the immortal feat of the Murmansk people during WWII." — Murmansk, Russia.Panels showing historic photos from when the city fell under heavy bombardment — Murmansk, Russia.

    Murmansk: “Chimney Memorial”

    13 lipca 2019, Rosja ⋅ 🌧 43 °F

    The monument is dedicated to the residents of Murmansk, but our ‘escort’ described it as the Chimney Memorial ... referring to the chimneys that were left standing after heavy bombardment of the city during the Great War.

    It consists of a couple of tall blocks — not unlike chimneys; a brick wall explaining about the memorial ... in Cyrillic; and a circle of panels with historic photos of wartime Murmansk. Sonia translated the panels, explaining that the memorial is in honor of the “immortal feat of the people of Murmansk during WWII.”     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    The Lenin Icebreaker (Retired) & Nautica ... side by side — Murmansk, Russia.
    Heading up the stairs to check out the quarters of the senior officers of the Lenin — Murmansk.Captain's wardroom on the Lenin — Murmansk, Russia.Touring the bridge of the Lenin — Murmansk, Russia.Nautica from a window on the bridge of the Lenin — Murmansk, Russia.A peek into the "reactor room" of the Lenin — Murmansk, Russia.Uranium rods like this one fueled the Lenin — Murmansk, Russia.Steam from the reactors operated the four turbines of the Lenin — Murmansk, Russia.Full service medical facilities were available on the Lenin — Murmansk, Russia.

    Murmansk: The “Ленин” (Lenin)

    13 lipca 2019, Rosja ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F

    The next stop on our sightseeing tour took us back to the port. Here, permanently berthed at a pier next to Nautica, is the world’s first nuclear-powered icebreaker ... the Lenin.

    Launched in 1957, this Soviet-era icebreaker was in service between 1959-1989. During that time, it worked to clear sea routes along Russia’s northern coast and pave the way for cargo vessels. Serving in such remote areas, its nuclear power meant it could continue working without needing regular fuel replenishment.

    During the 30 years it was in service, the Lenin traveled over 85,000 miles in the Arctic. Much of it through ice that eventually caused the hull to be worn thin. Hence retirement. Today, it serves as a museum ship.

    It was interesting to wander through the “innards” of the icebreaker and compare it to 50 Let Pobedy, the “working” second-generation nuclear-powered icebreaker that was our ride to the North Pole in 2014.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Tzarskaya Okhota ... the Czar's Hunting Lodge ... fitting decor — Murmansk, Russia.
    1We chose the fish-based menu ... cod served with mashed potatoes ... Tzarskaya Okhota, Murmansk.

    Murmansk: Dinner Time

    13 lipca 2019, Rosja ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F

    Our private tour wrapped up with dinner @ Tsarskaya Okhota, a restaurant whose name translates as “the Czar’s Hunting Lodge.” The decor certainly fit the name!

    The restaurant was hopping — mostly with other private tour groups. With everyone arriving at about the same time, service was adversely impacted. Luckily, we were amongst the first to arrive and had few problems with the serving of our three-course meal. It also helped that we’d pre-ordered our dinner choices — beef-based or fish-based — well ahead of time.

    We were back at the port by 8:00p. Although we would be remaining in Russian waters for the next few days, we still had to go through immigration before embarking the ship. Bureaucracy at its best!

    Next Port: Solovetsky Islands, Russia ... 460 NM away. But first a day at sea tomorrow.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Map showing the bodies of water we have cruised over the years.

    Day @ Sea

    14 lipca 2019, White Sea ⋅ ☀️ 48 °F

    A quiet day at sea. Having rounded the Kola Peninsula, we are now cruising the White Sea ... a new-to-us body of water.

    Guillemots resting on the water and a brief sighting of a fin whale at breakfast while Nautica cleaved through the Barents Sea this morning.

    A walk or two around the outer decks combined with stepercize using the stairs indoors.

    Plenty of reading and writing ... too cold to sit outside so I opted for my personal “window bench” in the cabin.

    Lunch at the Terrace Café with the Gelmans and the Sweets ... the theme at the buffet was Asian.

    Afternoon tea at the Horizons Lounge ... canapés and scones in lieu of dinner.

    A relaxing hot-stone massage to wrap up the day.

    That’s all it took for the day fly by in the blink of an eye.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    The yellow arrow points to the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea of Russia.
    The UNESCO World Heritage site ... viewed from the tender pier — Solovetsky Island, Russia.Map of the archipelago ... our tour took us to the upper portion of the island — Solovetsky Island.

    Welcome to Solovetsky Island (Russia)

    15 lipca 2019, Rosja ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F

    Our seventh port of call ... new-to-us Solovetsky (Solovski) Island, Russia ... a place of beauty that played an important role in a dark and sad chapter of Soviet history.

    Located in Russia’s White Sea Region, the archipelago of islands, which gets its name from the main island of Bolshoy Solovetsky, is perhaps better known as the Soviet-era Gulag Islands.

    Christian monks, seeking a place of solitude and retreat, arrived at the Solovetsky Islands in the 15th century. Stone churches were built, some surrounded by fortified walls ... such at the Solovetsky Transfiguration Monastery. As the islands flourished, they became a place of visitation for tsars and emperors. Bolshoy Solovetsky, the island we tendered to today, was the most popular of the islands.

    Unfortunately, all that changed during the Soviet times. Instead of being a place of retreat, the islands became a place for forced labor camps operated by the government agency known as GULAG.

    The first of the camps — referred to as the Solovski Special Prison — was set up in 1923 in the converted monastery. It was closed in 1939. The exact number of prisoners sent to the camp is not known. Varying accounts give numbers ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands.     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Church of Ascension high on Sekirnaya Hill — Solovetsky Island, Russia.
    The clearing where mass burial sites were found on Sekirnaya Hill — Solovetsky Island, Russia.Simple crosses like this one mark each mass burial site found on Sekirnaya Hill — Solovetsky Island.Church of Ascension on Sekirnaya Hill also serves as a lighthouse — Solovetsky Island, Russia.Church of Ascension on Sekirnaya Hill — Solovetsky Island, Russia.Ceiling fresco in Church of Ascension on Sekirnaya Hill — Solovetsky Island, Russia.When the church housed forced laborers, the warden would spy on them through this peephole.Scenery from the overlook on Sekirnaya Hill — Solovetsky Island, Russia.294-steps to a mosquito-infested trail through the forest ... Sekirnaya Hill — Solovetsky Island.Outhouses ... then and now ... on Sekirnaya Hill — Solovetsky Island, Russia.

    Solovetsky: Sekirnaya Hill Monastery

    15 lipca 2019, Rosja ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F

    An interminable, bumpy, back-killer, 30-minute drive on a heavily potholed road, took us to the first stop of the private tour Sonia had arranged for us ... the Minor Monastery on Gora Sekirnaya [Sekirnaya Hill] ... the highest spot on Solovetsky Island ... and home to the Church of Ascension, which was built in 1862 as a lighthouse. The church does double duty as a lighthouse today.

    The road to the top of the hill was too steep for the vehicles to negotiate, so we had to hoof-it up to the top. That wasn’t the worst part of this visit. It was the mosquitoes and biting gnats that tried to make a meal of us whenever we stopped for any length of time. Our guide later told us that staking naked prisoners outdoors to be biten by mosquitoes was one means of torture here!

    As was the case with the other monasteries and retreats, this one also served as a forced labor camp. It was here that, in addition to the church where the prisoners were housed, we visited what was later discovered to be mass burial sites. Crosses erected since have numbers on them to designate the number of bodies found in a particular site.

    Beautiful scenery ... beautiful church ... very sad history!     Czytaj więcej

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  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    1Savvatevsky Monastery ... active and welcomes pilgrims — Solovetsky Island, Russia.
    Ruins along the road — Solovetsky Island, Russia.One of the many lakes that dot the north end of the island — Solovetsky Island, Russia.No easy way to get through the brush to what looks like a log-cabin type church — Solovetsky Island.Beautifully carved Orthodox cross — Solovetsky Island, Russia.Solovetsky Transfiguration Monastery across Svyatoe Lake ... in sepia — Solovetsky Island, Russia.The Solovetsky Transfiguration Monastery is heavily fortified — Solovetsky Island, Russia.

    Solovetsky: Circling Back

    15 lipca 2019, Rosja ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    From Sekirnaya Hill, we continued around the north end of the island, making occasional stops for photo ops as we bumpity-bumped our way back to the main settlement. This portion of Bolshoy Solovetsky Island has many, many, many lakes and ponds and inlets of all sizes. And is heavily forested as well.

    We didn’t dally long at any of our stops ... for a couple of reasons — the mosquitoes were vicious and we wanted to have plenty of time to visit the fortress-like main monastery. Too, despite our layers, we were all chilled to the bone. So much so that we canceled the boat ride out to Big Zayasky Island. A mistake? In hindsight, I’d say, yes. At the time, however, it was the right decision.     Czytaj więcej

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