Lance, Jenny, Douglas, and Matthew's Travels - Travelogue

May 30, 1997

Hey all,

Eugene and I are now in a Cyber Cafe in Dublin, getting our internet fix after a horrible withdrawal period (you know, two weeks without email is almost deadly :) ). So far, we've had a really good time and have enjoyed really good weather so far. We were able to spend over a week in England and Scotland in May without rain!!! The history has been incredible... there are no churches in America to compare with the York Minster; the largest Gothic Cathedral in Britain, built on an older Norman cathedral built over the Roman headquarters where Constantine the Great was coronated! (just one example)

The trip has been fun, but this has been the easy part. Soon the locals won't speak English, the cities won't be over-Americanized, and the trains won't be so safe... We'll have to see what happens..

Well, I hope to be able to get internet access every once in a while, and if it's not too Narcissistic, I'll send occasional updates.

Cheers!

June 7, 1997

Hey everybody,

So, Lance continues on his trip, and he continues to be amazed. The artwork, history, and culture we have found on the trip is quite a difference from what we would have found in St Louis :)

After Ireland, we took a 21-hr ferry ride to France. The best part of the ferry ride was sleeping on the Helipad under a perfectly clear sky on the English Channel. The worst part was listening to a clown lead a bunch of Irish and French school children in "Hands, shoulders, knees and toes." Oh well.

Once in France, we learned that Eugene's French was sufficient to get us food and shelter, and there was much rejoicing. In Normandy, we saw the Bayeux Tapestry and the American Cemetery from D-day. Going directly from a monument to the last successful English-speaking invasion of France to a monument to the last successful French-speaking invasion of England was amazing. That contrast was nothing, however, to the emotions that the American cemetery brought out. Seeing the sacrifice made by 10,000 men, mostly boys younger than I am now, shook my world.

After a quick stop at Mont-St-Michel, we came to Paris. We're staying in a cheap hotel, drinking wine all over the place, and we have enjoyed the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Picasso Museum, and many other sights.

We're going to Versailles tomorrow, and then on to Brussels and Amsterdam. I'm having the time of my life (and losing weight from hiking in the process). I can't wait to share more stories with you later.

Take care

Lance

June 13, 1997

Hey all,

Get me out of this place! For the first time on this trip, I found a city I didn't like: Amsterdam. I suppose if legal drugs and prostitution are your equivalent of heaven, this would be Nirvana. I just didn't get into the atmosphere. Anything you've heard about this city is true. And while I did enjoy "window shopping" in the Red Light District for a while, the whole experience left me just feeling disgusted. We escaped to a small coastal town in Northern Holland yesterday, Den Helder.

It was much better.

A city I really enjoyed was Antwerp. I rented a bike and roamed the city on my own, visiting the Cathedral, the old town, the castle, the pedestrian shopping malls. I even had a run-in with a cop for riding my bike on the sidewalk! But he let me go quickly on my way, and my mood wasn't spoiled.

In a couple hours, we're headed to a small town near Hanover, Germany, to spend a night or two with some of Eugene's family. It's going to be really nice to have private showers, laundry, and real food for the first time in a while. I'll probably email next from Berlin, which will be our next stop.

Take care all,

Lance

June 24, 1997

Hey all!

Well it's been a very interesting couple weeks since I last wrote you. For those of you looking for the juicy news, I sadly report that there were no police reports, near-death experiences, or feats of amazing courage. If you are still interested, please continue.

After Amsterdam, we spent a couple days with Eugene's Uncle near Hanover. It was, as I expected, nice, relaxing homelife with excellent sausage. From there, we went to the urban metropolis of Berlin.

Berlin was an incredible experience for me. To casually walk through the Brandenburg Gate , the remnants of the Wall and Checkpoint Charlie, and the former East Berlin was fascinating. To be in those places just a few years ago would probably meant instant death for a good capitalist like me. We met up with Americans the first night we were there, and hung out with them a lot. In some ways, it was strange to be experiencing such a monumental and beautiful city (and a city under construction. You've never seen so many construction cranes in your life!) with a bunch of people I didn't know from New York and Ohio. Also, while we were in East Berlin, a guy from Chicago let us into the Planet Hollywood without tickets to see the auditions for a new German Spice Girls group. So, if you ever hear of the "Girlies", I heard them first!

Eugene and I decided to split up for a couple days (things were ok; we had just spent every minute together for a month and needed a break). I was going to go to Wittenberg (yes, a good Lutheran like me needs to see Martin Luther's home). In the train station, I saw Stephanie and Tonya, two of the Americans with whom I had been exploring Berlin, in a train compartment with a bottle of wine on their way to Prague. Well, they invited me to join them. I wasn't going to Prague quite yet, but when two attractive, fun American women invite you to an exotic city accompanied by wine, you just kinda go. :)

It actually turned out to be a mistake. We got in at midnight without accommodations, and the only offer we had was from a known criminal. So, we went to a bar until 4 am, when they kicked us out, and then watched the sunrise and played pool. The two companions didn't actually like each other, and so I ended up tired and cranky in a strange city. A quick train to Dresden helped. Oh well.

I then went to Luxembourg, which is a small, rich, beautiful, Michael Jackson-crazed postage stamp. You should go.

After that, we met up in Cologne, and then went to a beautiful hostel in a castle on the top of the Rhine valley. I think inspiring is a good word. The view was a nice plus, but our real reason to be there was to see a Phish concert (for those who don't know, Phish is a jamming band that is somewhat inaccurately compared to the Grateful Dead). The concert was in an amphitheater with a view of the Rhine Valley, and we managed to grab a front row spot in dead center. Tears came to my eyes during several jams, despite my best attempts at appearing disinterested (ummm... actually, I was dancing like a fiend, but it's close enough).

Don't worry, this email is close to being done.

Our next stop was in the city of Erlangen, near Nuremberg. This stop filled me with great trepidation. We were staying with Louise, a Liverpudlian friend of mine studying in Germany whom I haven't seen in 7 years, since I met her at Space Camp! Basically, we were staying with a woman I practically didn't know. It turned out to be really cool, though. We went to an English-speaking Irish pub on a jam night, and we met a lot of Louise's friends. When the bands were playing, we were in the perfect position; I was able to play bongos and bodhran with the band, and Eugene sang his favorite song, "Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows, in a sexually charged duet with the band leader (female). All in all, a good night.

After a quick tour of Nuremberg (where they are surprisingly reticent about their Nazi past), we came to Munich. We have no idea what comes next. Our next set date is in almost a month in St. Petersburg, and all of Europe is open to our plunder. Wish us luck (and thanks for bearing with this epistle).

Take care.

Lance

July 2, 1997

Hey everybody!

So, we are making our way across Europe, headed unstoppably for the cold, unexplored frontiers of Siberia. Well, maybe not, but it's been quite a trip.

After I sent the last update from Munich, I went on a bike tour of the city. There were 26 Americans riding through the Bavarian capital, ringing our little bells whenever we saw lions (and there are surprisingly many of them in Munich), trying not the kill pedestrians. That pursuit for the sanctity of life was made even more challenging by a stop at a Beer Garden for a liter of really good, dark beer. Yes, seeing the nude parks of Munich from a 15-speed while working off a buzz is an experience I shan't soon forget. I tried to forget it that night, though, with another 2.5 liters of good beer at a different beer garden. I promise there is more to Germany than beer, and I saw much of the country not under the influence, but the influence is good.

After Munich we spent an entirely boring day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a town nestled in the Bavarian Alps, carpeted by the Black Forest. It would have been much better if the sky had refrained from raining for a moment, and the clouds obscured our view of the mountains all day. Grrr...

We next went to the Austrian town of Feldkirch and stayed in a hostel that was an infirmary during the Black Plague. I think they've cleaned it since, although I did get a cough soon after... Feldkirch was only chosen as a launching point into the exciting nation of Liechtenstein. Yes, I've been to a nation of 65 square miles and fewer than 30,000 inhabitants. The best part of Liechtenstein (and trust me, you only need 15 minutes to see it all) was that we crossed a covered bridge that spanned the Rhine, and we were in Switzerland! There was no border control of any kind. We thought about standing there and demanding to see passports, but thought better of it.

Our next stop was Zell am See, a resort town in the Austrian Alps that was memorable to me because of the Grossglocknerstrasse. I took a bus up this road and saw some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in my life. At the end of the bus ride, I was able to walk down to a glacier under the Grossglockner (Austria's highest mountain) and sit on a boulder in the middle of this river of ice and enjoy the sun on my face, the cold wind ripping through my coat, and the sound of the spring runoff racing down the valley to a warmer home somewhere. The beauty and surreality of the moment introduced me to my own bit of heaven.

After a relaxing stop with some of Eugene's family in Salzburg, we arrived here in Vienna. We'll be here until the 5th (including my first Independence Day outside the US!), and then on to Budapest!

I hope you all are doing well!

Lance

July 7, 1997

Hey all,

Not so much has happened since the last update, so this one should be short.

After I wrote the Vienna update, we went out and saw the city. It's a very beautiful city, full of imposing marble buildings, quaint shops, and Palmer's stores. We didn't actually do all that much there, just visiting the old Hapsburg Palaces, the Opera, and the Natural History Museum. The last stop mentioned was probably the freakiest place I have ever been. It was lovely room after lovely room of death. Having 100 fish in bags of formaldehyde looking back at you is not a good thing right after lunch.

We also spent a lot of time at a little Viennese restaurant almost devoid of tourists not far from our hostel. The food was good, but I think the greatest attraction was Daniela, a beautiful Slovak waitress who unfortunately had to babysit the evening of the 4th. Oh well.

We're in Budapest now, which might just be the most interesting city I've seen on the trip. Of course, it has the lovely castles, incredible history, amazing churches that every European city has (it sadly gets old after a while. How many awesome churches can one see in a summer?). What really makes this city fascinating is the mix of East and West. Except for my unfortunate evening in Prague (see "Letter from Munich" for details), this is the first time we've been in a city that was entirely communist. Additionally, the language is completely incomprehensible, not even Indo-European. The strange mix of Viennese, Turkish, and Russian influences gives the city a true feeling of chaos. It's exhausting, but I love it. We're going to a Turkish thermal bath later today, and then on to Krakow tonight.

The trip is more than 1/2 done! Wish us luck!

Lance

July 9, 1997

Hey all,

So, we're in lovely Krakow, Poland. Hopefully, we are heading to Prague tonight on a night train, followed by Warsaw, the Baltic states, and then Russia!!! The trip is just over half over, and my mood is a strange mixture of exhaustion and elation that is likely due to too little sleep, too much beer, too incredible sights, and hitting my head too hard (more on the last one below...).

Our last day in Budapest was almost entirely dull. We had too little time or energy to go to a thermal bath or caving, so we walked around town a bit. Our lunch was in a nice little pizzeria, which would be not at all noteworthy except watching the mob deals going down in the corner was entertaining. The best part of the day, though, was the mechanical bull. That's right, a mechanical bull. We went to a really cheesy amusement park in the City Park, and almost rode the bumper cars, and then almost the roller coaster, etc. until we saw the mechanical bull. I hope you can see the picture of Eugene reliving his Western roots...

The night train from Budapest to Krakow was perfectly nice and comfortable, except for the 2 AND 4am border crossings with oh-so-friendly guards. Well, at least we got passport stamps.

The highlights of Krakow are in the following list: the cathedral, the salt mines, Auschwitz, and my cracking my head open.

The cathedral here is in the old Wawel Castle, which used to rule all of Poland. So, about 400 years of Polish kings are buried here, with sarcophagi everywhere. The Wieliczka salt mines were something of which I had not heard before I came to Krakow, but I'm very glad I went. The mine is on UNESCO's list of 12 World heritage sights, along with things like the Pyramids, Versailles, and the Taj Mahal! Most of the tour was nondescript - walking though tunnel after tunnel hewn from solid salt. However, some of the chambers were incredible. The best was the Chapel of the Blessed Kinga. It's about 170 ft by 55 ft, and it looks like a ballroom. It has 5 chandeliers made of pure rock salt, and the decoration is exquisite; the walls are adorned with bas-relief carvings of stories from the New Testament, but they take nothing from the pure salt altars and statues. Wow. And the Polish Oom-Pah band in the next chamber was an unexpected treasure.

Auschwitz was an awing experience. I was familiar with much of Auschwitz, from film and studies in America, but actually seeing the bunkers, the gas chambers, pictures of smiling children unknowingly being led to their deaths... I don't feel comfortable putting the experience into words like this. I hope to be able to talk to you about it in person when I return.

Finally, yesterday, exiting a basement restaurant, I decided to not look up where I was going. The door open over the stairs decided to not move respectfully out of my way, and my head decided to slam at high speeds into an immovable object. Owwwwww.... Luckily, the cut was in the hairline, so any scarring will not be visible, and I lost no consciousness, just pride. Ouch...

Well, that's all with this netlag-addled email experience. I hope you enjoyed!

Lance

July 12, 1997

Hey all,

You know, I just looked at my first update, from Dublin, and I realized these updates are getting much more frequent and lengthy. Oh well.

Getting out of Krakow turned out to be quite a production. We had tickets for a train direct to Prague, but we had heard rumors that there might be problems due to the flooding here, which is the worst flooding in about 100 years and is really taxing the local economies and emergency support structures. We got to the station, and the signs said that the train was going to Prague. However, when the train showed up, it only had one sleeping car. I showed my ticket to the conductor, and we had a lovely conversation (in Russian) in which he assured me that my ticket was worthless, the train was going to Vienna and just skipping Prague, and that he had no clue how I could get to Prague. At this point, my mood improved.

I'm not kidding actually. I was running between the platform and the ticket counter (where the cashier assured me (again in Russian) that the train was going to Prague and she refused to help us, even if we weren't allowed on the train) excited that I was using my language skills in a productive way, helping lost Norwegians, Californians, and Australians by translating for them, and generally enjoyed the mayhem that naturally occurs while traveling. I was well and truly annoying.

After we watched our train leave the station, I had to fight through the line in order to get tickets for a train leaving in 40 minutes to Dresden, from which we could get to Prague (we hoped). Fortunately, I got a reservation, a partial refund, and we were off.

The train was packed, hot, and we had no tickets. We ended up paying 4 times through the night for tickets, at least one of which was likely a bribe. The train was uncomfortable, and I ended up cuddling up trying to get comfortable for about 3 hours with a lesbian exotic dancer from San Francisco. Quite a strange night.

So, Prague was relief after the silliness needed to get here (both times I've come here have been under strange circumstances, and I've had no trouble with any other city. I don't understand). This city is possibly my favorite on the trip so far. The city has incredible beauty in its architecture, from the castletop cathedral looking over the city to the Old Town Square surrounded with church spires where one is likely to hear a professional-quality string quartet, to the famous Charles Bridge. Even better than the beauty is the feeling this place exudes. It has shaken off the communist yoke extremely well, and feels completely western compared with Budapest and Krakow. There is music everywhere (you can't walk down some streets without being badgered by people selling tickets to Handel, Bach, Mozart...), and there are people everywhere. There are a thousand conversations at night on the Charles bridge, and each one is relaxed and feels so right. The only negative part of this city this time were the overly-pushy prostitutes, but if you avoid the lower part of Wenceslas Square after midnight, you can avoid them, too.

Last night, I went to my first Opera. Don Giovanni is playing its opening night tonight at the Liechtenstein Palace courtyard open-air theater, and we got half-priced tickets last night to see the final dress rehearsal (hopefully, we'll be in Warsaw tonight, so we had to miss that). Because it was a rehearsal, the audience was almost empty, and we had whatever seats we wanted. We chatted with some chorus members before the show, and during the intermission, Eugene chided Loperello for smoking (why ruin such a fine instrument!?). We took the very front seats in the second act, and at one point, Loperello was right above us as Eugene lit up a cigarette. Without breaking his music or character, Loperello put two fingers to his lips, asking to bum a cigarette! That was a classic moment in Opera right there, baby. I didn't know if I would like Opera, but I really enjoyed it. I'll have to try it again sometime...

Well, we're headed to Warsaw via Dresden tonight. We should be in Russia in 3 days, and I am excited. These updates have gotten pretty frequent, but that might change as we move east (a sigh of relief from mail servers everywhere).

Take care

Lance

July 16, 1997

Hey all,

Well, we finally made it. We are in the land of my dreams. I am tired, but excited. We'll be here for about 5 days, then on to Moscow, and the Trans-Siberian...

Getting out of Prague was an adventure. Because of the floods, we again had to go the long way around, this time to Warsaw. He got tickets to Dresden, but on the train decided to go through Berlin instead to completely avoid the floods. I think our decision was aided by meeting 2 guys from Kentucky and a group of 4 very attractive, but oh-so-17-years-old women from Finland. I think the conductor on the line from Dresden to Berlin was tired by the time she got to us, because all we had to say was "From Prague!" and she didn't even ask for tickets. That was a nice amount of D-marks saved...

Once in Berlin, the fun continued. The train station was full of refugees from the Love Parade, a 1,000,000-person strong techno party that occupies Berlin every summer. Hundreds of drunken, half-naked youth running around while I was told that the trains to Warsaw that evening were full. We were full of determination, though, and went to the lines anyway. When the train arrived, it was a Russian train, and we realized that a combination of my language skills and some cold, hard, American cash might get us aboard. Funny thing, it worked! We probably didn't pay too much anyway, and we had a lovely conversation with a Russian man who was going to Kiev. Things were going well.

The only aspect of the ride which wasn't good was the sleep issue. Neither of us are yet used to sleeping in trains, so when we got into Warsaw the next morning, Eugene just crashed. Driven on by a quest to see what can be seen, I explored the city. It turned out to be nowhere as interesting or as beautiful as Prague or Budapest, but I think a lot of that is due to the fact that none of the city was left standing in 1945. Everything there was built by a Stalinist regime, and the architecture really suffers, except for the rebuilt castle and town square.

We took another night train that night, this time a 21-hr job to Tallinn, Estonia. We got our tickets too late to get a sleeping cabin, so we had to fight for sleep in uncomfortable chairs while bad Baltic muzak was piped into the car. Not the best situation for sleep, by any means. The best aspect of that trip was high-fiving the Lithuanian border guard from the train window as we entered the former Soviet world. I'm just glad we didn't get shot.

Tallinn was a beautiful town that apparently had a supermodel convention going on. Either that, or there's something in the water. I just don't know. The city center is very beautiful, with my first Russian Orthodox church of the trip, and the oldest city hall in Europe. I'll have to visit for longer someday.

Our final night train (at least this week) was to St. Petersburg. The border entry was more complex than any other of our trip, but apparently our visas were legitimate, and they let us in! Yea! When we got into St Petersburg, oh so early, we couldn't check in to sleep or shower (either would have been our first in three days), and we couldn't get money until the American Express office opened. Maybe it was my tired, hungry state which influenced my emotions, but I almost broke down in tears when I saw the Bronze Horseman, the Winter Palace, the square where the 1905 and 1917 revolutions took place, St. Isaac's Cathedral... I've known of these buildings and sights for so long, it was overwhelming to finally see them in the summer morning light.

We've been in St. Petersburg about 36 hours now, but have done little other sightseeing. We have slept. That's pretty much it. I figure after one more night's sleep, I'll be ready to attack this city with a vengeance. And I will. Yes, I will...

Hope you are all doing well.

Lance

July 20, 1997

Hey all,

Well, our train for Moscow leaves in a couple hours, and I find myself back in the Internet Cafe, so I'll say "Hi!" (I acknowledge it's a long "Hi").

St. Petersburg is an absolutely interesting city. There is a level of history here that is intense, yet artificial. The city was built by Peter the Great to be Russia's window to the west, and it is still struggling to define its soul: Russian or European? With the fall of communism, there is a great level of opportunity and pockets of incredible wealth, but the average citizen is only struggling to survive. The residents and the government take great pride in the upkeep of the great monuments of Russian history, but the side streets are messes of decay, poverty, and desperation. It is a combination I have never seen anywhere else in the world.

Over the last few days, I have seen a fantastic number of sights, and it would surely bore you all to tears if I tried to related them all. So, I'll try to limit myself to the highlights... I said try...

Hopefully, I can share more with you when I return.

If any of you have been to Versailles, I am sorry to say that you have missed out. A few days ago, we went to Petrodvorets (also known as Peterhof) which was just one of the palaces of the imperial family. The gardens are beautiful in a way that make the gardens of Versailles look like I had been the master gardener. Secluded spots for quiet contemplation, 200-year old fountains that are more complex in their actions than anything I've ever seen, secret fountains that spray unwitting tourists with a cool blast (except, of course, that the children flock to fountains and destroy any surprise), a cascade of gold, water, and marble leading out to the ocean... I could go on.

The Hermitage lived up to its billing as one of the world's great museums. We spent hours there, and were too exhausted to see it all, even though only 15% of the collection was on display. Fantastic.

For all you literary fans, you might be interested to know that the flat where Raskolnikov killed the old woman in "Crime and Punishment" is still standing, and is in no way a tourist trap. It's a smelly apartment building with no hawkers of Dostoevsky memorabilia (as one would expect in America), but merely a sense of awe that this was the spot chosen for the pivotal moment in one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written. It's simple, yet stunning.

A special joy in all of this was that I was able to share much of it with Christina, an old friend from Wash U. We were in Russian classes together, and would often sit for lunch and discuss Russian, family, religion, etc. for hours. Well, she just finished her two years of the Peace Corps in Kazakhstan and just happened to be in St. Petersburg at the same time as we. It was really good to see an old friend, hear stories of poverty that make everything I've seen on this trip seem posh in comparison, and just reconnect.

Take care, and wish me luck in Moscow... The excitement continues.

Lance

July 26, 1997

Hey All,

Well, in 2 hours we'll be on our train out of the city, leaving behind civilization as we know it. Ok, fine, it's not that bad, but when we get off the train in 50 hours, we will be deep in the heart of Siberia, in the beautiful city of Novosibirsk. For the first time since our plane landed at Heathrow, we will not be in Europe. Strange.

Well, I'm kinda tired. After 4 days of seeing the historical and cultural aspects of Moscow and the surrounding communities, we let loose. By that, I mean we went clubbing. It was quite an experience. Our first stop was an Irish pub where we met up with Peter, the guy with whom I lived in Siberia 6 years ago. He now has a good job with an investment bank, so we ended up partying with the Noveau Riche of Moscow. Very interesting. A whole different attitude from the beggars on the streets everywhere. It seems as if it's a different world. We went with them to 4 Rooms, a Discotheque across the river from the Red Square, but got bored and struck out on our own to the infamous Hungry Duck. Not long after the techno version of the Soviet national anthem was played, I was dancing on the bar to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" and other wonderful songs. It was quite an experience. Not as many people took off their clothes as we were told to expect, and luckily no one fell off the patio (which was only accessible through the windows). I think I also got a few dances with women simply because my hair is like nothing that exists in Russia. Hmmm... Well, we got home at 6 am, and all is well.

Besides the revelry last night, Moscow was an interesting city. It's the first city on my trip that was a return visit for me, and the 6 years that have passed since I was here last have been monumentous. Streets that were formerly dominated by art markets, street performers, and black marketeers are now dominated by over-priced cafes. I often see elderly women begging directly in front of stores like Tiffany's and Gucci. Neither effect of capitalism was here in 1991. It's a very strange feeling to watch a city change so dramatically so quickly. It's also sad.

The sights, museums, churches, buildings, and all the tourist attractions here are as amazing as you can imagine, but I think the effects of the last 6 years of changes will be what sticks with me most.

Well, I gotta get to the station. We'll be in Siberia soon, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to email again in Russia. Take care.

Lance

August 10, 1997

Hey all,

Well, it's been an interesting few weeks since I last was able to write, and I must say that it's nice to be back in America. The culture shock of having pancakes and scrambled eggs this morning in a greasy dive in Anchorage after months without a good American breakfast was almost overwhelming...

The last few weeks have been dominated by traveling on Russian trains. We had rides of 50, 13, 19, and 60 hours each. It's strange how those trains work. They run on Moscow time, but operate on local time. Basically, time quickly loses all meaning, except for an occasional opportunity to get off the train in a remote Siberian village to find edible food among the hordes of babushkas violently waving smoked fish. Also, at those stops, it is advisable to avoid the Azerbaijani businessmen waving liter bottles of vodka invitingly...

We spent four days in Novosibirsk with the family that hosted me for 2 1/2 weeks six years ago. It was really nice to stay with a family, see old friends, and save money on room and board for once. Also, I was amazed by how much better my Russian was this time compared with 1991; I was the only person in the house with knowledge of both Russian and English. So, I was doing considerable duty as a translator. It was a lot of fun, but quite tiring. It was very fortunate for us that we knew people in Novosibirsk, because it is an exceedingly boring and ugly city. It was only a village in the pre-Soviet era, so all construction was in the communist era. It will take decades for the architectural resurrection of that city to even make a dent.

One of the strongest impressions we had of Russia was of the hospitality, which sometimes reached near-lethal levels. We stayed one night in Krasnoyarsk, and anything more would have been too much. Our housing was arranged by a friend of mine (Zlata) in Novosibirsk, and we ended up staying with the neighbor of a friend of her sister. As we toured the city with our gracious hosts, we ended up at a scenic lookout where Russian newlyweds traditionally tie a ribbon to a branch of the nearby bushes for good luck with children. I helped a groom back up to the lookout after he had tied his ribbon, and in apparent thanks, he gave Eugene and me 2 1/2 shots of Vodka each. In fact, we were lucky to escape with only that much imbibing: we later found out that we had also been invited to their reception!

That encounter, however, was only the beginning. That evening, the son of the friend of the sister of Zlata had a first date. In this family, couples never go out on a first date alone, so Eugene and I ended up being the chaperones for Andrei and Lena's little gathering. Since Krasnoyarsk has absolutely no social life, the four of us went to Lena's mother's apartment, where the mother was already through a half pint of cognac that evening. Personally, I don't like cognac, but I knew I'd have to be polite, so I had a couple shots of it (yes, Russians apparently shoot fine cognac). Well, that wasn't enough for Lena's mother. She had Andrei buy another liter of Remy Martin VSOP, and we were obliged to help with that, too. If we took too long in drinking our share (after 5 shots, I was sipping it as slowly as I could), Lena's mother asked us "What's wrong? Is my daughter not pretty enough? Is my house that terrible?" Yes, we were being cajoled into shooting the fine cognac of the mother of the date of the son of a friend of the sister of my friend, Zlata. We thought freedom had arrived when the liter bottle was finished, but that was only the sign that a new bottle needed to be purchased. Luckily, two of Andrei's friends showed up (and they spoke English, finally relieving me of translation duties for the evening), I was able to retreat to the relative safety of a beer, and we were able to escape at 3 am. I know that we offended our hostess greatly by not shooting her cognac at the rate she did, but I don't know if I would have survived such an evening. Russian hospitality can be lethal...

We next went to Irkutsk with 2 Britons and 2 Aussies we met on the train (we also shared time on the train with Yuri, a Russian businessman who loved having people touch his large belly and sang Russian pop songs loudly at 3 am, even after the police had been called to keep us quiet). We caught up sleep the first day in Irkutsk, and then went to the beautiful Lake Baikal the next. Baikal is easily the world's greatest lake, and it has a beauty that amazed even this jaded Minnesotan. The true purity of the water, the 2000 species of flora and fauna unique to this lake, and the extreme coldness upon a little swim will all stick in our memory for quite a while.

By that point in the trip, we were tired. We had been traveling for 2 1/2 months and just had nothing left in Siberia that could hold us back from the temptation of IHOP. We went to Khabarovsk, caught a flight a week early, spent a night in Anchorage, and then came to Seattle. This is Eugene's home, and I can finally rest. Thanks to the International Date Line, we had 42 hours of August 9, and I am very tired. I'll be going to my home in Minnesota in a couple days to spend time with my family, and then finally returning to St. Louis to start my life as an engineering consultant. It will be a life much different from backpacking around Europe and Russia, seeing glaciers, beer gardens, palaces, trains, museums, and different strange languages at every turn. I'm going to miss traveling, but I think it's time to join the real world.

Thanks for listening.

Lance

P.S. Take my advice: don't walk through a Siberian nude beach.

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World's largest rutabega at State Fair in Palmer

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At entrance to State Fair in Palmer

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Russian Church in Kenai

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Russian Church in Ninilchik

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Old Ninilchik, ruined by the 1964 earthquake, with Mount Iliamna

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Cemetary, church, and Mount Iliamna in Ninilchik

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Boat stranded in Ninilchik by 1964 Earthquake with Mount Iliamna in distance

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Leaning on the Exit Glacier near Seward

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Kenai Nat'l Park's Holgate Glacier from a boat

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Small glacier near Kenai Nat'l Park's Holgate Glacier

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Exit Glacier from the air near Seward

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Kenai Nat'l Park's Holgate Glacier from the air

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Kenai Nat'l Park's Harding Ice Field, the source of glaciers

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Kenai Nat'l Park's Bear Glacier from the air

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Truck in Portage destroyed by 1964 earthquake

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Portage, a town ruined by the 1964 earthquake

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Whittier, a glacier, and a train

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Horsetail Falls near Valdez

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Russian Lake on the Kenai Peninsula

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Denali (Mt. McKinley) seen from the Parks Highway

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The sunset over the Alaska Range near Denali

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A grizzly bear in Denali National Park

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Denali (Mt. McKinley)

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Denali (Mt. McKinley)

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Our Denali bus driver, John

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Denali (Mt. McKinley)

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Denali (Mt. McKinley)

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Denali (Mt. McKinley)

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A moose in Denali National Park

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A caribou in Denali National Park

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Talkeetna's infamous Fairview Inn

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My wife and parents in Talkeetna

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Salmon spawning in Troublesome Creek in Denali State Park

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Musk oxen at the univeristy farm in Fairbanks

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Standing under the Alaska Pipeline with my parents near Fairbanks

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Admiring the Alaska Pipeline bridge over the Tanana River with my dad

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The Alaska Pipeline disappears over the horizon

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My father overlooking the Copper River where the Richardson Highway used to be

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Liberty Falls near Chitina

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Fish wheels on the Copper River

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Confluence of the Copper and Chitina Rivers

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Jenny, my parents, and me on the Matanuska Glacier

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I loved scampering about on the Matanuska Glacier

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Matanuska Glacier along the Glenn Highway

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Our cruise ship, Holland America's Veendam, docked in Seward

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A puffin near Seward

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A humpback whale feeding near Seward

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A humpback whale breaching near Seward

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Kenai National Park's Aialik Glacier

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Ice calving from Kenai National Park's Aialik Glacier

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A group of orcas near Seward

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An orca up close near Seward

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My parents enjoying seeing sealife near Seward

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Bryn Mawr glacier in College Fjord

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Harvard Glacier and the Chugach Mountains

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Harvard Glacier at the head of the College Fjord

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College Fjord

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A College Fjord glacier seen from the Veendam

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Hubbard Glacier

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Holland America's Osterdam near Hubbard Glacier

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Humpback whale sculpture near Sitka

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St. Michael's Russian Orthodox church in Sitka

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Cruise ships and seaplanes in Juneau

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Taku Glacier glistening in the sun, near Juneau

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A glacier on Taku Inlet, near Juneau

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The huge Taku Glacier, near Juneau

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Kayaking into mist near Juneau

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A bald eagle very close to our kayak route

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Jenny and me kayaking in front of the Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau

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The famous Golden Roof of Innsbruck

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Hostel in Feldkirch

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Zell Am See, a lake in the Alps

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On the Grossglockner glacier

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Tourists drinking the glacial melt

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Runoff from the Grossglockner glacier

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Grossglockner, the tallest mountain in Austria

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Odd sculptures on the back of Hofburg Palace, Vienna

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Daniela, a Slovakian waitress in Vienna

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Front of the Hofburg Palace in Vienna

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Upper Belvedere Palace in Vienna

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Interior of Vienna's St. Stephens Cathedral

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Exterior of Vienna's St. Stephens Cathedral

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Central Square in Vienna's Hofburg Palace

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Vienna's City Hall

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Austria's Parliament

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Hundertwasser Haus in Vienna

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The City Gates of Ponta Delgada - most of the architecture is this distinctive black and white stone

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The natural volcanic beauty of Sao Miguel Island

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Lake Santiago and Blue Lake in a volcanic crater on Sao Miguel

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Green Lake and Blue Lake in a volcanic crater on Sao Miguel

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The cathedral of Bruges (aka Brugge)

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The Stadhaus of Antwerp

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The cathedral of Antwerp

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Ruins of part of the Stavelot Abbey

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A protected cove at Horseshoe Beach

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Horseshoe Beach

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The old naval Victuals Yard at West End

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The Grand Princess in dock at the West End

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Sunset over Bermuda

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View of Asens Monument from our hotel room in Veliko Tarnovo

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Ruins of the Tsarevets fortress in Veliko Tarnovo

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Inside the Tsarevets ruins in Veliko Tarnovo

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Ruins of Roman thermal baths in Varna

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Bars on the Black Sea beach in Varna

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Book market in Sofia

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The massive Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia

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Roman Amphitheater in Plovdiv

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Ethnographic Museum in Plovdiv

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Horse-drawn carriages in the center of Plovdiv

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Center of Koprivshtitsa

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Sofia City Garden and Vazov National Theater

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Dolac Market under Zagreb's Cathedral

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Tkalciceva Street in Zagreb

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St. Marks Church and its Patriotic Roof in Zagreb

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Art Pavilion and King Tomislav in Zagreb

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President Tudjman's tomb in the Mirogoj Cemetery in Zagreb

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A Fun Room in the Zagreb City Museum that has the city map painted on the floor with models of the important buildings

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City Tower in Rijeka

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The Nugent Family Tomb in the old Trsat Castle in Rijeka

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The Trsat Ruins overlooking Rijeka

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The Capuchin Lady Of Lourdes Church in Rijeka

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The wonderful Charles Bridge of Prague

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Vistula River in Prague

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Prague's Magic Lantern Theater

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Wenceslas Square in Prague

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Prague's Staremesto Square

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Municipal House in Prague

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Prague's Powder Tower

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Mosaic on Prague's St. Vitus Cathedral

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Prague's Old-New and High Synagogues

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Jan Hus statue in Prague

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Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Vysehrad

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Cesky Krumlov Castle's tower

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Cesky Krumlov

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St. Vitus Cathedral in Cesky Krumlov

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Cesky Krumlov Castles and canoes

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The Old Town Hall, composed of many buildings fused together over the years

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A satirical take on the prominent statue of "King" Wenceslas

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Prague Castle from the Vltava River

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Tyn Church overlooking Old Town Square

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The "New" Town Hall (built 1377 – 1418)

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The Art Nouveau Viola Building (note the name of the city, "PRAHA," wrapped around the top windows)

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Prague Castle from the Strahov Monastery

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Interior of Prague's National Museum

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Viking ships in a museum in Roskilde

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Copenhagen's Little Mermaid statue

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Copenhagen Radhuset (note flying gymnast)

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Copenhagen's Borsen and Christiansborg at sunset

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Fredensborg Slot Palace in Fredensborg

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Fountain at Frederiksborg Slot Palace in Hillerod

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Windmill rotor in Copenhagen Radhuspladsen

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Vor Frelsers Kirke in Copenhagen

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Inside of Copenhagen's Vor Frue Kirke

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Copenhagen's Rosenborg Slot Castle

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Copenhagen's Nyboder Neighborhood

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Changing of the Guards at Copenhagen's Amalienborg Palace

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Jenny and the Little Mermaid

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Copenhagen's Nyhavn

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The Tower of the Borsen (Stock Exchange) in Copenhagen, made of Dragon's Tails

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Inside the Copenhagen University Library

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Frederiksborg Slot Palace in Hillerod

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The Great Hall of the Frederiksborg Slot Palace in Hillerod

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Kronborg Castle in Helsingor, setting of Hamlet

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The Door of a Ferry Closing

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Eugene and me standing with Robin Hood in Nottingham

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The narrow Shambles in York

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Clifford's Tower in York

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Pubs on the Ouse River in York

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The York Minster

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The decaying St. Mary's Abbey in York

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Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square

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Big Ben, the London Eye, and Parliament

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British Parliament

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The Globe Theater, the Tate Modern Museum, and the Millennium Bridge, from St. Paul's

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Parliament Tower from Westminster Abbey's College Garden

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The Cloisters of Westminster Abbey

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Westminster Abbey From its Cloisters

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Tower Bridge from Within the Tower of London

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Jenny and Her Parents at the Tower of London

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A Beefeater Giving a Tour at the Tower of London

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The Prime Meridian in Greenwich

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National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

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Official Clock of England in Greenwich

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The Millennium Dome from Greenwich

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Jenny at the Royal Observatory

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Queen's House in Greenwich

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The Royal Observatory in Greenwich

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Harrod's of London

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The Central Library of Manchester

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A taxi stand in Manchester with a colorful Pink Taxi

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A chocolate shop in Manchester that we visited for our friends Rob and Leeann (good truffles)

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Manchester's old Cathedral in the rain

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The start of the Great Manchester Run (an important 10k run)

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The Imperial War Museum North in Manchester, which has very interesting displays on war in the 20th Century

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Humped Zebra Crossing (what kind of wildlife uses this???)

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The pitch of Old Trafford, home of Manchester United

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Manchester United's impressive Trophy Room

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The Salford Quays outside Manchester, with the Imperial War Museum North in the distance

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A Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Tallinn

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Orthodox Cathedral with a Lutheran church in the distance in Tallinn

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Old Town Hall in Tallinn

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Oleviste Church steeple in Tallinn

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Anti-EU graffiti in Tallinn

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Fresh fish at the central market in Helsinki

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Lutheran Cathedral in Helsinki

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Icebreakers docked in Helsinki

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The Japanese Emperor at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki

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Uspensky Orthodox Cathedral in Helsinki

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Esplanade park in Helsinki

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The American Cemetery at Omaha Beach

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Bayeux, Normandy

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Le Mont St. Michel, Normandy

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Parisians named a street after my birthday!

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Palais de Chaillot from the Eiffel Tower

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Arc de Triomphe in Paris

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Eiffel Tower

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The Louvre Pyramid in Paris

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Sacre Coeur in Paris

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Villefranche sur Mer near Nice

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Russian Cathedral in Nice

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Beach in Nice

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Promenade des Anglais in Nice

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Me on the Massif de L'Esterel in Cote d'Azur

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Roman Arena in Frejus

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St. Francois Church in central Frejus

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Trigance Chateau in Provence

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Gorges du Verdon

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Upper Gorges du Verdon

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Gorges du Verdon

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Gorges du Verdon from the rim

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Roman Arena in Arles

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Les Baux des Provence

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Pont du Gard

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Pont du Gard

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Palace of the Popes in Avignon

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Cathedral in Avignon

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St. Benezet bridge in Avignon

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Avignon

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Roman Theater in Orange

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Clermont-Ferrand's Cathedral

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Cathedral in Blois

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Staircase in the Blois Chateau

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Blois Chateau

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Chapel in the Blois Chateau

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Cheverny Chateau

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Chambord Chateau

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Chambord Chateau over the moat

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Pinnacle of Chambord Chateau's Staircase

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Staircase in Chambord Chateau

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Chambord's Double Staircase and Coffered Ceiling

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Beauregard Chateau in the Loire Valley

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Chateau in Amboise

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Chapel and castle wall in Amboise

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Troglodyte (underground) house in Amboise

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Chateau in Amboise at dusk

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Chenonceau's Grand Hall

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Chenonceau Chateau

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Chenonceau's Garden seen from inside

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Azay Chateau in the Loire Valley

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Usse Chateau

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Chinon Chateau's Clock Tower

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Chinon ruins from across the river

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Langeais Chateau

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Villandry Chateau and Gardens

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Jenny at the Sacre Coeur

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Paris's infamous Moulin Rouge

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Sacre Coeur overlooking Paris, as seen from the Eiffel Tower

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The Louvre, seen from the Eiffel Tower

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Paris's Statue of Liberty seen from the Eiffel Tower

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Eiffel Tower and Pont Alexandre III over the Seine

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Kids playing with sailboats near the Louvre

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Eglise St. Germain l'Auxerrois in Paris

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The original Foucault's Pendulum at the Musee des Artes Et Metiers in Paris

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Notre Dame de Paris

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St. Sulpice in Paris

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The Eiffel Tower during a night rain

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The inverted pyramid in the Louvre

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Inside the Louvre's pyramid

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Courtyard of the Louvre in Paris

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Madeline church in Paris

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Sacre Coeur in the evening light

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Amelie's Cafe in Monmartre, Paris, the Cafe Des DeuxMoulins

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Sacre Coeur at Night

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Eugene and his uncle in Buckeburg

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Berlin's Reichstag under reconstruction

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A monument to the Soviet Army in old West Berlin

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A bit of the Berlin Wall

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The East Berlin TV Tower

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Brandenburg Gate in Berlin

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Phish in concert at Lorelei

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Our hostel above the Rhine in Oberwesel

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The Rhine running past St. Goar

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Louise, Eugene, and I in the Erlangen pub

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The band jamming in an Irish pub in Erlangen

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Louise and me looking over Nuremburg

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Street scene in Munich

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A dreary day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

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Marienberg Fortress in Würzburg

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Johannisburg Castle in Aschaffenburg

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Stifts museum and church in Aschaffenburg

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Pompejanum and Castle in Aschaffenburg

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Interesting house in Aschaffenburg

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Statue of Carolus Magnus on the Alte Mainbrücke bridge in Würzburg

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Würzburg from the Fortress Marienberg

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Marienkapelle in Würzburg

GermanyWurzburgAlterKranenAndFestungMarienberg.jpg
Old freight crane on the Main river and the overlooking Marienberg Fortress in Würzburg

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Stift Haug church in Würzburg

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Rothenburg Castle Gardens

GermanyRothenburgHafenGasse.jpg
Typical street in Rothenburg

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Rothenburg from the Castle Gardens overlooking the Tauber River

GermanyRothenburgPlonlein.jpg
Famous Plönlein square in Rothenburg

GermanyBambergKlosterStMichael.jpg
St. Michael Cloister in Bamberg

GermanyBambergKlosterStMichaelFromRosengarten.jpg
St. Michael Cloister in Bamberg from the palace rose garden

GermanyHamburgHerbertStrasse.jpg
The gates of the Herbertstrasse brothel in Hamburg

GermanyHamburgRathaus.jpg
Hamburg's City Hall

GermanyHamburgNikolaiKirche.jpg
Ruins of Nikolaikirche in Hamburg, a church destroyed in World War II and left as a memorial to war

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St. Michelis church in Hamburg

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The Hafengeburtstag, or Harbor Birthday, the biggest party of the year in Hamburg

GermanyHamburgHafengeburtstagStreet.jpg
Street vendors at the Hafengeburtstag

GermanyHamburgHafengeburtstagSedov.jpg
The Sedov, a Russian tall ship at the Hafengeburtstag

GermanyHamburgHafengeburtstagKruzenshtern.jpg
The Kruzenshtern, a Russian tall ship at the Hafengeburtstag with other tall ships in the distance

GermanyHamburgHafengeburtstagParty.jpg
A German cover band partying at the Hafengeburtstag

GermanyHamburgFischMarktBreakfast.jpg
The breakfast party at the weekly Fischmarkt (fish market) in Hamburg

GermanyHamburgSpeicherstadt.jpg
The Speicherstadt warehouse district of Hamburg

GermanyHamburgHafengeburtstagKruzenshternLeaving.jpg
The Kruzenshtern leaving Hamburg at the end of the Hafengeburtstag

GermanyHamburgHafengeburtstagSedovLeaving.jpg
Sailors on the masts of the Sedov as it leaves Hamburg at the end of the Hafengeburtstag

GermanyHamburgBinnenalster.jpg
Binnenalster lake in the evening in Hamburg

GermanyHamburgWorkingHarbour.jpg
Hamburg's Container Port

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Stade's old Wooden Crane overlooking Alter Hafen

GermanyStadeAlterHafen.jpg
Alter Hafen in Stade

GermanyStadeAlterHafenBoat.jpg
Alter Hafen in Stade

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Hamburg Harbour

GermanyBerlinKaiserWilhelmGedaechtniskirche.jpg
Kaiser Wilhelm Gedaechtniskirche in Berlin, a shell left as a memorial from WWII

GermanyBerlinRathausAndNeptune.jpg
The Rotes Rathaus, the old City Hall of Berlin

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Marienkirche, the site of some of East Berlin's important anti-Communist meetings

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East Berlin's TV Tower, which dominates the city

GermanyBerlinMarxEngels.jpg
Statue of Marx and Engels, obviously in the old East part of Berlin

GermanyBerlinCheckpointCharlie.jpg
The madness around what used to be Checkpoint Charlie

GermanyBerlinCheckpointCharlieCrosses.jpg
Memorial to those who died at the Berlin Wall

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The last existing guardtower that watched the Berlin Wall

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A Turkish festival in the Tiergarten park in Berlin

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The World Clock in Berlin's Alexanderplatz (seen in The Bourne Supremacy)

GermanyBerlinHolocaustMemorial.jpg
The new Holocaust Memorial in Berlin

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The new Holocaust Memorial in Berlin

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The new glass dome of Berlin's parliament building, the Reichstag

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Brandenburg Gate from the top of Berlin's Reichstag

GermanyBerlinReichstagSpree.jpg
Berlin's Reichstag overlooking the Spree River

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The stained glass in the Gothic choir addition of Aachen's catherdral

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The core Octagon of Aachen's cathedral

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Fountain in Aachen explaining the circulation of money

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The view of the Aachen cathedral from Hühnermarkt (the Chicken Market)

GermanyAachenGranusturmAndChickenThief.jpg
A tower of the Aachen Rathaus and a statue of a chicken thief

GermanyAachenGaststaettePostwagenInRathaus.jpg
An old restaurant in the side of the Aachen Rathaus

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Aachen's Rathaus with a statue of Charlemagne atop a fountain

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The view of Aachen's cathedral from the Rathaus

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The Coronation Room in Aachen's Rathaus

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Aachen's Markt square from the steps of the Rathaus

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A movable fountain and a String trio in Aachen

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The Palace Gardens behind the Prince-Elector's palace in Trier

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The Roman Imperial Throne Room in Trier, which is now a Protestant Church

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The Trier Cathedral and another church, the Liebfrauenkirche

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Rotes Haus and Steipe, two medieval buildings in Trier's main market square

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Trier's Thermen Am Viehmarkt, ruins of Roman baths that can be rented for parties

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Trier's Barbara Thermen, one of the largest public baths in the Roman Empire

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Trier's Kaiser Thermen, another set of ruined Roman baths, with the Roman amphitheater in the foreground

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Trier from a hill, with the Roman Throne Room, the Liebfrauenkirche, and the Cathedral visible

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Trier's famous Porta Nigra, the "Black Gate" of the Roman walls

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A sign in the Mosel Valley for the speed limit for tanks. These are common across Germany. Our guess is that they are a holdover from the Cold War, but we're really not sure.

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A typical scene on the Mosel River: a cute town (Niederemmel) on a bend in the river, laid out under vineyards

GermanyMoselBernkastelKuesFromBurgLandshut.jpg
Bernkastel-Kues, viewed from the Landshut Castle above

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The Grevenburg ruins above Traben-Trarbach

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Burg Metternich, one of many castles overlooking the Mosel

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The beautiful, but fake, Castle Cochem

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The Stuttgarter Weindorf wine festival in front of Hamburg's Rathaus.

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The Anne and Margot Frank memorial at Bergen-Belsen in front of the main memorial

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The entrance memorial sign at Bergen-Belsen with remembrance stones

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Half-timbered houses and a fun fountain in Celle

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The Castle in Celle

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Messages on the Half-Timbered Houses of Celle

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Church and old Rathaus in Celle

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Windmills and a Russian church in a museum in Gifhorn

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The Hundertwasser Train Station in Uelzen

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The platform at the Hundertwasser Train Station in Uelzen

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Baumkuchen, the tasty pastry from Salzwedel

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Lüneburg's Rathaus

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Old warehouses in Lüneburg turned into restaurants over the Ilmenau River

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A few of the tilting buildings of Lüneburg

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Fun handles on the doors to the Marienkirche in Lübeck

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The ruined bells of Marienkirche in Lübeck (left where they fell after Allied bombing)

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Talking to the devil outside the Marienkirche in Lübeck

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The Holy Ghost Hospital in Lübeck

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Beach in Travemünde

GermanyLuebeckTravemuendeLifesavingChampionships.jpg
European Lifesaving Championships in Travemünde

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A public events room in Hamburg's Rathaus with leather wall-covering

GermanyHamburgRathausOrphanDoor.jpg
Seal of the city of Hamburg, just part of one of several doors hand-carved by children in the Rathaus

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The Great Hall of Hamburg's Rathaus

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The fountain in the courtyard of Hamburg's Rathaus

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Wittenberg's Market Square, with statues of Melanchthon and Luther

GermanyWittenbergThesesDoor.jpg
The church door to which Luther might have nailed his 95 Theses in Wittenberg

GermanyWittenbergKircheTower.jpg
The tower of Wittenberg's Schlosskirche

GermanyWittenbergMarienInterior.jpg
Interior of Wittenberg's Marienkirche, where the first mass in German was performed

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Wittenberg's Lutherhaus, now the Luther Museum

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The Hundertwasser School in Wittenberg

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Wittenberg's Schlosskirche tower at night lit in green for a party

GermanyDessauBauhausAuditoriumLights.jpg
Auditorium of the Bauhaus Building in Dessau

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The Bauhaus Building in Dessau

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Dessau Rathaus

GermanyMagdebergJohanniskircheInside.jpg
The rebuilt Johanniskirche in Magdeburg: a church before the war, a concert hall now

GermanyMagdebergFromJohanniskircheToTrain.jpg
Uninspiring Soviet Architecture in Magdeburg

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Hundertwasser Shopping Center in Magdeburg, under construction

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Political Campaigning in front of a church in Eutin

GermanyEutinSchlossAngle.jpg
The castle in Eutin

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Cute old street with many courtyards in Flensburg

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The Flensburg harbor

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A triathlon in Flensburg

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Nordertor, one of the gates of the old city wall of Flensburg

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Wind farm in Schleswig-Holstein with dozens of windmills; a typical sight

GermanySchleswigVikingShip.jpg
Rebuilt Viking Ship in the Viking Museum in Schleswig

GermanySchleswigStPetriSchlei.jpg
Schleswig's St. Petri Dom from the ferry

GermanySchleswigHolmRoses.jpg
Rose-covered houses in Holm, an old fishing village in Schleswig

GermanySchleswigHolmCemetery.jpg
The cemetery in Holm, an old fishing village in Schleswig

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The amazingly intricate carved wooden altar of the St. Petri Dom in Schleswig

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A strange skeleton carving in the St. Petri Dom in Schleswig

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Schleswig Castle

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A fountain in Forchheim which has a runoff that extends the length of town, meaning you need to be very careful where you step

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Town Hall Square in Forchheim

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Fun fountain in Ebermannstadt

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Working wooden waterwheel in Ebermannstadt

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Green Party poster we saw in Forchheim (the text says "Yes to healthy food, Yes to the Greens)

GermanyNurembergCastleTower.jpg
Nuremberg Castle

GermanyNurembergMarriageFountain.jpg
A fountain in Nuremberg with seven depictions of marriage. The one visible on the left shows two lovers in bliss, and the one visible on the right shows a couple of skeletons trying to kill each other.

GermanyNurembergVirtuesFountain.jpg
The seven virtues, spurting water from their breasts (in Nuremberg)

GermanyNurembergBikeRace.jpg
A major bike race in front of the Nuremberg train station

GermanyHamburgGreensForPrivacy.jpg
Racy Political Ad for the Green Party

GermanyHamburgFernseturm.jpg
View of the Alster Lake and TV Tower from near our Apartment in Hamburg

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Hamburg's Rathaus and Lakes seen from the Tower of Nikolai's Tower

GermanyHamburgPoliticalSigns.jpg
Typical Street in Hamburg During the Elections

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Strange Statues near the Train Station in Westerland (Sylt)

GermanyWesterlandJennySeaSeagulls.jpg
Jenny Playing with the Seagulls in Westerland (Sylt)

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Some of Germany's Many Windmills

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Husum's Harbor

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Husum's Castle

GermanyFriedrichstadtMarkt.jpg
Central Square in the cute town of Friedrichstadt

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Ahrensburg's Castle

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A Cute Church in Kobern-Gondorf, on the Mosel

GermanyKoblenzAreaCastle.jpg
Marksburg Castle and Church near Koblenz

GermanyBerlinReichstagAtopDome.jpg
Into the Parliament Chamber from the Dome at the Reichstag in Berlin

GermanyBerlinRamps.jpg
The Surreal Ramps and Mirrors of the Reichstag Dome in Berlin

GermanyBerlinCharlottenburg.jpg
Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin

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Panda at the Berlin Zoo

GermanyBerlinKathyPanda.jpg
My Mom and her Friend, the Panda

GermanyBremenStadtMusicantenHistorischerMarkt.jpg
The Ubiquitous Bremen Town Musicians

GermanyBremenRolandRathaus.jpg
The Roland Statue in Freimarkt Spirit in front of the Bremen Town Hall

GermanyBremenHistoricherMarktKircheUnserLiebeFrauen.jpg
Bremen's Historischer Markt, Part of the Freimarkt

GermanyBremenGreatHall.jpg
The Great Hall of Bremen's Town Hall

GermanyBremenGreatHallShip.jpg
One of Four Model Ships in Bremen's Town Hall

GermanyBremenHistorischerMarktFromRathaus.jpg
The Rainy Roofs of Bremen's Historischer Markt

04GibraltarStraitGibraltar.jpg
Gibraltar seen from a cruise ship

61GibraltarStraitSunset.jpg
Sunset from the Strait of Gibraltar, with our first view of Africa in the distance

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St. Mathias church in Budapest

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Budapest Castle

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The fantastic Parliament in Budapest

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Monument Celebrating 1000 Years of Budapest History

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Eugene on a mechanical bull in Budapest

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With my wife and father in front of Budapest Castle

HungaryBudapestFolkMusiciansDancers.jpg
Folk musicians and dancers at a wine festival in Budapest

HungaryBudapestSzabadsagBridgeGellertHotel.jpg
Szabadsag Bridge and Gellert Hotel in Budapest

HungaryBudapestMatthiasHiltonBastion.jpg
St. Mathias church, Hilton Hotel, and Fisherman's Bastion in Budapest

IcelandKeflavikSculpture.jpg
Sculpture outside Keflavik Airport

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Canale Di Cannaregio in Venice

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Bridge and Basilica in Venice

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Jenny in front of the San Marco Church in Venice

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Palazzo Ducale from Venice's Grand Canal

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Basilica Di Santa Maria Della Salute in Venice

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Venice's Rialto Bridge

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Baptistry Doors in Florence

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Duomo in Florence

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Basilica Di Santa Croce in Florence

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Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo

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Vecchio Bridge in Florence

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Glassblowers in Murano

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Venice's Grand Canal

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Venice at sunset

ItalyVeniceIsolaDiSanGiorgioMaggiore.jpg
Isola Di San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice

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Prato Della Valle in Padua

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Basilica Di Santa Giustina in Padua

018ItalyRomeForumAntoniusAndFaustinaViaSacra.jpg
The Roman Forum

025ItalyRomeForumArchOfTitusAndColosseum.jpg
The Arch of Titus and the Colosseum in Rome

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Rome's Trevi Fountain

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Michelangelo's Pieta in St. Peter's Basilica

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Beautiful light streaming through St. Peter's Basilica

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Pope Alexander's Tomb in St. Peter's Basilica

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The Map Room in the Vatican Musuem

172ItalyRomePalazzoSenatorioMarcusAurelius.jpg
Palazzo Senatorio in Rome at Night

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The Vespasian Temple, the Arch of Septimus Severus, and the Saturn Temple in the Roman Forum

179ItalyRomeForumTempleOfSaturnTempleOfVespasianMoon.jpg
The Temple of Saturn and the Temple of Vespasian under the Moon

180ItalyRomeForumTitusInsideSeptimusSeverus.jpg
The Arch of Titus seen through the Arch of Septimus Severus

220VaticanPapalAudienceBenedictStPeters.jpg
Pope Benedict XVI giving an audience in front of St. Peter's Basilica

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St. Peter's Basilica over the Tiber River

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Jenny and me in the Roman Forum

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The Arch of Constantine and the Coloseum

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Loggia della Signoria in Florence

307ItalyFlorencePonteVecchioFromPiazzaDegliUffizi.jpg
Florence's Ponte Vecchio seen from the Uffizi Museum

LatviaRigaCathedralSquare.jpg
Cathedral Square in Riga

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Central Market in old dirigible hangers in Riga

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Where to go in Liechtenstein when you're bored: Switzerland

LithuaniaVilniusCathedralFront.jpg
Vilnius's Cathedral and its Bell Tower

LithuaniaVilniusTapDancers.jpg
Talented Dancers at an Arts Fair on an Interesting Stage in Vilnius

LithuaniaVilniusDinnerAtZhemaiciuSmukle.jpg
Jenny with a lot of Lithuanian Pork and Potatoes at Vilnius's Žemaičių Smuklė

LithuaniaVilniusCathedralAtNight.jpg
Vilnius's Cathedral Lit Up for a Concert

LithuaniaVilniusNerisRiver.jpg
The Relatively Unused Riverside in Vilnius

LithuaniaVilniusComfortableBusStop.jpg
A Surprisingly Comfortable Bus Stop in Vilnius

LithuaniaVilniusFestivalMasks.jpg
Masquerade Parade at an Arts Fair in Vilnius

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A Tea Shop in Vilnius's Old Town

LithuaniaVilniusGatesOfDawnInside.jpg
Vilnius's Gates of Dawn, with its Icon Chapel

LithuaniaVilniusOutside.jpg
Vilnius's Gates of Dawn from Outside the Old Town

LithuaniaTrakaiIslandCastleBoats.jpg
The Island Castle of Trakai Surrounded by Sailboats

LithuaniaTrakaiIslandCastleCourtyard.jpg
Inside Trakai's Rebuilt Island Castle

LithuaniaVilniusStAnnesAndBernardine.jpg
St. Anne's and Bernardine Churches in Vilnius

LithuaniaVilniusUzhupisRepublic.jpg
The entrance sign for the "Uzupis Republic" in Vilnius

Luxembourg.jpg
The fortifications of Luxembourg

LuxembourgBankMuseum.jpg
The Bank Museum at Sunset

LuxembourgNotreDame.jpg
The Cathedral of Notre Dame towering over the Petrusse Valley

LuxembourgFortificationsAtNight.jpg
The fortifications of Luxembourg at night (same spot as the first picture in the gallery, eigt years later)

LuxembourgCliffAtNight.jpg
The ghostly city at night

LuxembourgGrundAndBock.jpg
The Bock Casements - the holes in the cliffs. Also note the mix of old and new in the city.

LuxembourgDucalPalace.jpg
The Grand Duke's Palace

LuxembourgHistoryMuseum.jpg
The City History Museum

LuxembourgBockCasementsAlzette.jpg
The Bock Casements overlooking the Alzette River Valley

MonacoPortHercule.jpg
Monaco's Harbor

MonacoPalaceRock.jpg
Prince's Palace from the hills

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Guards at the Prince's Palace

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Jenny and me in front of the Palace

MonacoCasino.jpg
Monte Carlo's Casino

NetherlandsAmsterdamShipMuseum.jpg
"Amsterdam" Ship Museum

PolandKrakowStatues.jpg
Statues along a church in Krakow

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Church of the Virgin Mary in Krakow

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The Wawel Cathedral in Krakow

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Eugene playing with the birds in Krakow

PolandAuschwitzGate.jpg
The gate to Auschwitz I: "Work will make you free"

PolandAuschwitzTower.jpg
The guard tower of Auschwitz II

PolandAuschwitzBarracks.jpg
The barracks of Auschwitz II

PolandWarsawCenter.jpg
Old town square in Warsaw

PolandWarsawCastle.jpg
Warsaw's rebuilt castle

01PolandWarsawPalaceOfCultureAndScience.jpg
Warsaw's Stalinistic Palace Of Culture and Science

04PolandWarsawSaxonGardens.jpg
Saxon Gardens in Warsaw

05PolandWarsawTombOfTheUnknownSoldier.jpg
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw

26PolandWarsawCityWallsBarbican.jpg
The Barbican on the old City Walls of Warsaw

29PolandWarsawUprisingMemorial.jpg
The Uprising Memorial in Warsaw, commemorating the WWII Warsaw Uprising

20PolandKrakowWawelCathedralHolyCrossChapel.jpg
The Holy Cross Chapel in Krakow's Historic Wawel Cathedral

60PolandKrakowClothHallHorses.jpg
The Cloth Hall and Horse-Drawn Carriages in Krakow

61PolandKrakowCheeseLoafsAndPretzel.jpg
Traditional Cheeses from the Mountains of Southern Poland

PortugalCoimbraValley.jpg
A picture of me over the Mondego Valley in Coimbra

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A Coimbra prison we thought was a church

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Street scene during a festival in Coimbra

PortugalLisbonExpo.jpg
The "Mother Ship" Arena at the Lisbon World's Fair

29PortugalLisbonCarmoConventRuinsFromCastle.jpg
Ruins of the Carmo Convent from Lisbon's Castle

32PortugalLisbonCastleFortress.jpg
Lisbon Castle

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A Cat on a Fountain in Lisbon's Castle

45PortugalLisbonIgrejaDaSaoVicenteDeForaFromLargoDasPortasDoSol.jpg
Igreja da Sao Vicente de Fora Church in Lisbon

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Monument to the Discoveries in Lisbon

71PortugalLisbonBelemTower.jpg
Belem Tower in Lisbon

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Trumpeter's Tower in Brasov

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Palace of Parliament in Bucharest

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Church in Bucharest's Village Museum

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Jenny and me on Rasnov Castle

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Rasnov Castle from the town

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Sucevita Monastery

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Fresco of Last Judgement on the Voronet Monastery

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The Admiralty in St. Petersburg

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The Bronze Horseman, a statue of Peter the Great in St. Petersburg

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Where the murder happened in Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment

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Christ of the Spilled Blood Cathedral in St. Petersburg

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At Petrodvorets with Eugene and Christina, a college friend

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Petrodvorets, an imperial palace outside St. Petersburg

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Statue of Fyodor Dostoevsky in St. Petersburg

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The famous St. Basil's in Moscow

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A very Soviet statue in Moscow

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Sergiev Posad, the center of Russian Orthodoxy

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A small obelisk along the Trans-Siberian Railway marking the border between Europe and Asia

RussiaNovosibirskVladimirAndTamara.jpg
Eugene with Vladimir and Tamara, our hosts in Novosibirsk

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A wedding party near Krasnoyarsk

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Partying on the Trans-Siberian with Yuri

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New friends in Irkutsk: Simon, Steve, Sam, and Sue

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A Siberian church near Lake Baikal

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The amazing Lake Baikal

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St. Petersburg Circus

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St. Petersburg's Kazan Cathedral

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A wedding near the Bronze Horseman

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Lenin Statue near St. Petersburg's Finland Station

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Griffon Bridge with cathedrals and my parents in St. Petersburg

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Milk truck in St. Petersburg

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Moscow's Kremlin

RussiaMoscowNovodevichyTombstone.jpg
Tombstone of a Aleksandr Bakulev, a surgeon, in Moscow's Novodevichy Cemetary

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Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow

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Obelisk at Moscow's Space Museum

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All-Russia Exhibition Center in Moscow

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Ascension Church in Kolomenskoe, Moscow

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Edinburgh at dusk

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Castle Urquhart overlooking Loch Ness

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Skadarlija Street in Belgrade, a funky restaurant district

012SerbiaBelgradeZemunStDmitriCemetery.jpg
St. Dmitri Cemetery in the Zemun neighborhood of BelgradeZemun

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Belgrade's Zemun neighborhood

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St. Sava in Belgrade, the world's largest Orthodox church

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Old fortifications in the Kalemagdan fortress, Belgrade

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Petka church in the Kalemagdan fortress, Belgrade

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Old fortification gate in the Kalemagdan fortress, Belgrade

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Stambor Gate above old Military Hardware in Kalemagdan fortress, Belgrade

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Bratislava from the Danube

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Presidential Palace in Bratislava

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Michael Gate in Bratislava

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"The Peeper" in Bratislava

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Bratislava's controversial UFO Bridge

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The Impressive Ruins of Devin Castle

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A breadmaker at the market in Ljubljana

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The Castle looming over Ljubljana's market

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The Dragon Bridge, the Castle, and the Cathedral in Ljubljana

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Slovenian Folk Dancers in Ljubljana

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Steps in Ljubljana's Castle, with the mythical dragon

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Ljubljana's beautiful Presernov Square at night

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The Dragon Bridge in Ljubljana

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Bled Castle and St. Martin's

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Bled Lake, Castle, and Church

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Soccer played on San Sebastian's beaches

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San Sebastian's harbor

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Sunworshippers on San Sebastian's beaches

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Street in San Sebastian's old town

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Columbus Statue at the end of Barcelona's Las Ramblas

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View from our hostel of Barcelona's Placa Reial

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A Barcelona apartment building by Gaudi

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Angle view of Barcelona's Sagrada Familia Temple

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Cross on Barcelona's Sagrada Familia Temple

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Barcelona's Sagrada Familia Temple

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Barcelona's Sagrada Familia Temple under construction

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Cathedral in Lund

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Train hostel in Lund

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The "Turning Torso" Tower in Malmo

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Hundreds of Bicycles in Malmo

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Relaxing on the Rhine across from Liechtenstein

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Zurich's Gross Muenster

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Zurich seen from Lake Zurich

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Limmat River in Zurich

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A caricature of me drawn in Moscow

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Moscow State University

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Statue in front of St. Basil's in Moscow

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Moscow's Red Square

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Protesters in Moscow

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Shrine to Lenin in a Siberian military school

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My group on a tank in a Siberian military school

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An ancient Siberian church

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Icons in new Siberian church