Transnistria: Visit to Breakaway Region ”Back in the USSR” is what one Moldovan tour guided calls his one-day car excursion to Tiraspol, the capital of Transnistria, a Moldovan breakaway region. That tour guide’s title is probably... Continue reading →

Moscow: Epiphany Celebration If there is one Russian religious event that captures Western imagination, it is perhaps Epiphany, which recalls the baptism of Jesus by John in the Jordan River. The Russian Orthodox faithful remember... Continue reading →

Moscow: Cold, Sunny Winter Days Like many foreigners living in Moscow, I dreaded the long Russian winter. The thick grey skies, the short days, the constant snow, the ice-covered sidewalks that make walking a sport.... Continue reading →

Moscow: New Year’s Celebration Unlike in the US and Europe, New Year’s is Russia’s main winter holiday with plenty of gift giving, food and decorated trees. Many Russians take off on Dec. 31, which in any... Continue reading →