My husband and I daydream on a regular basis about all of the places we want to see. One of those places is Russia. But, with so much to see in a short amount of time, we figure a mode of transportation that can get us from one city to the next while we sleep is probably the best way to go.
I'm not going to lie, before my husband's insistence, I would have had zero interest in this kind of trip (well, aside from the cruise ship part). In fact, all I know of Russia I learned from the movie Anastasia and, while I can vouch for its riveting plot, the fact that it was animated suggests its accuracy may be questionable.
Nevertheless, at his suggestion, I started looking into this 'trip of a lifetime' and, I must admit, I'm pretty excited about doing it... someday...
So, since we're still in the dreaming stage, I figure I might as well go all out and plan for top-of-the-line everything. In this situation, I would probably choose Viking Cruise Lines above all others. Why Viking? One look at their website should tell you all you need to know, but for those who wish to get right to the point, I'll elaborate here:
1. Their river cruise ships are small, accommodating 120-260 guests at a time. I imagine you leave your vacation feeling like you've actually gotten to know many of the people on your ship.
2. The crew and tour guides all speak English. I have nothing against anyone that doesn't, but if I couldn't communicate with the cruise line's employees, I'm not sure how enjoyable my trip would be.
3. Viking offers something truly unique in its guided tours. In addition to the typical sights, museums, historical places, etc, it includes stops at a children's school and a family's home for tea. Sometimes the most interesting part of a vacation is getting to see what life is actually like for the people who live there.
4. Unlike most other cruise lines, Viking's rates include all meals (including wine, beer and soft drinks) and tours (most cruise lines charge separately for each excursion).
So, back to the planning...
For our cruise, I'd probably take the Waterways of the Czars cruise, which is 13 days and includes a 7 day cruise, 3 days in Moscow and 3 days in St. Petersburg. Additional stops include Uglich, Yaroslavl, Kuzino and Kizhi. I won't pretend to know anything about these cities, but that's sort of the point of going there, isn't it?
During our stay in Moscow, I think I'd be most interested in checking out The Kremlin. I'd love the chance to see how the Czars and Patriarchs lived and to see some of the places that have been around for hundreds of years. While it's impressive that some buildings in the U.S. date back to the 1600s, this area of Russia has a history dating back to the the second century, with churches built as early as the 1300s that still stand today.
Another place that interests me is the Lubyanka Building, which was seized by the government and used as the headquarters for the KGB. The building now has a museum that is open to the public, which I imagine would be pretty interesting.
One place I could skip would be Lenin's Tomb. While I understand the draw this sort of place might have, I usually keep my cemetery visits limited to people I actually know... and, for the most part, it's only on the day they were buried. The idea of seeing a body that's been around since 1924 holds very little appeal for me. However, for those interested in this popular sightseeing stop, keep in mind that you are not allowed to take any kind of camera inside, you are searched by armed police or military guards before entering, and you are forbidden to smoke, talk, wear hats or keep your hands in your pockets during your visit. Sounds friendly, right?!?
For our stay in St. Petersburg, I'd like to check out the Yusupov Palace (owned by five generations of the Yusupov family and the place where Grigory Rasputin was murdered [this fascination might stem from my previously mentioned interest in Anastasia]), Peter and Paul Fortress (the birthplace of St. Petersburg), The Church of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood (because it looks incredible), and Peterhof (and its amazing fountains - but watch out for the trick fountains, one of which is a bench meant to surprise anyone that sits down to enjoy the surroundings and another disguised as several flowers that sprays only when someone gets close enough).
In looking at the Viking Fleet, it doesn't appear to matter which ship you're on. They don't bother with all the bells and whistles that some cruise ships boast (you won't find a rock climbing wall or a water slide on these ships), but because the ships are so much smaller, one of the best features is that you can be seated in the middle of the dining room and still appreciate the view of the passing scenery. They all seem to have a library, observation lounge, restaurants and bars, open air promenade, in-room refrigerators and internet service. What more could you ask for?
And, since it's the vacation of my dreams, I think we'd have to upgrade to a Veranda stateroom (the Suite AA and Jr. Suite are lovely, but just because I'm being frivolous doesn't mean I have to go overboard with my pretend spending). From past cruise experience, I would have to choose a room that had its own private outdoor space. I'm not a fan of small, enclosed spaces, and the ability to relax on your own veranda goes a long way in easing those claustrophobic moments.
So, I guess that's it... our dream vacation to Russia. If you've ever been there, please share your thoughts on what to see and what to skip.
Happy traveling!
No comments:
Post a Comment