Moscow, Russia Travel Guide

Moscow is Russia’s capital, and it is also the country’s richest and largest city. Grandiose, spectacular, and opulent, Moscow has been at the epicenter of some of the most pivotal moments in history. It echoes with stories of innovation, tragedy, and triumph. Stories of literary greats and legendary tsars as well as political revolutions that have forever changed the world. It has a population of over 11 million people, the highest concentration of billionaires in the world, and an attitude befitting of a great city. Here are the top must-see attractions in Moscow, Russia.

Red Square

There is no better place to hear the whispered tales of this city’s past than in its very heart – Red Square. The Kremlin is a Moscow icon and has been the home of the ruling class for many years. Visit the Ivan the Great’s Bell, the Cathedral of the Annunciation, and the Cathedral of Archangel, all within the red walls. Many of the most famous stories of Moscow have been forged in the fires of war. Take a trip to the Alexander Garden which is the home of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and pays tribute to this city’s unbreakable spirit.

Victory Park

Victory Park is nearby, and it also pays tribute to the heroes of the city, including the Soviet soldiers who died in World War II. As the cold war between Russia and the US intensified, a different battled began – the race for supremacy of the heavens. Visit the Monument to the Conquerors of Space, a memorial that celebrates the Soviet people aerospace triumphs.

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonauts

Learn more about the epic contest and space race between these superpowers at the Memorial Museum of Cosmonauts. Immerse yourself in one of the proudest stories of Moscow, when Yuri Gagarin shocked the world and became the first man in space.

Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts

In Moscow, literary greats and artists are honored just like adventurers. Visit the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts to see some works of art by European and Russian masters. Watch a performance at one of the most renowned and oldest theatres in the world. Walk on the same street as some of the greatest writers in the world including Chekhov, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy.

There is a proud literary tradition in Moscow that many parks are named after some influential authors and poets such as Pushkin square and Gorky Park. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many evocative monuments were pulled down and dumped in the Fallen Monument Park. Recently, public artworks and modern sculptures have been added.

The Moscow Metro

Taking a trip underground will let you understand how the old and new coexist in this city. The Moscow Metro is more like an art and history museum than one of Europe’s most efficient public transport. With heroic artworks, grandiose chandeliers, opulent marble walls, each of the train stations has its own story to tell of Russia’s technology, heroism, and culture.

Moscow has a proud café culture and the city’s restaurants and coffee houses remain a place where the locals come to enjoy their rich traditional foods while sharing their own stories. As your time in Moscow draws to a close, you will come to realize this city is one of the great stories of the world. From epic sagas that changed the world to tales of happiness, luck, and loss.

How To Travel Spontaneously

Traveling is almost always a pleasant and carefree experience. But the large amount of planning and preparation can make the whole process seem much more exhausting than it actually is. That being said, if you would like to travel without putting so much time and effort into the planning process, you should definitely try to travel a bit more spontaneously. Why should you do this? The answer is actually very simple! When you make spontaneous travel plans, so many new possibilities and experiences occur – possibilities and experiences that you wouldn’t even be aware of otherwise. Although making spontaneous travel plans is always an exciting experience, you need to be prepared for the occasional misadventures. What you also need to do is learn how to act if you get lost in an unfamiliar city, as well as how to ask for local advice or assistance.

The First Step
When it comes to making spontaneous travel plans, the very first thing that you need to do is decide what place you want to visit. This is very important because it can end up saving both your time and money later on. While buying a ticket on the spot may sound fun to you, it is usually much more expensive than booking one in advance. You also need to think about your current financial situation. How much money can you afford to spend on your adventures?

Don’t Pack Too Much Stuff
Nothing can slow a spontaneous trip down as much as a large amount of luggage. With that said, try to put all of your items in just one bag. You can take another bag or backpack with you, but you should only do so if absolutely necessary. Not having too much stuff will allow you to move quickly from one region to another, and on top of that, you will be able to use almost every type of transport that there is.

It Is Okay To Get Lost
Feel free to spend some of your time simply wandering through an unfamiliar city. This will lead you to all sorts of interesting places. It is a spontaneous travel after all, isn’t it? But what to do if you end up getting seriously lost? Well, one thing that you certainly don’t want to do is panic! Instead, use the map to find your way back to your hotel.

 

5 Must-See Festivals in Asia

Asia is a mixing pot of different cultures and religion, each countries have its own festivities to celebrate. Tourists are already noting these special dates because they’re including it on their itinerary. The experience of witnessing these festivities firsthand doubles the fun for every visit. Here are the 5 must-see festivals in Asia.

HOLI FESTIVAL (INDIA)
Holi Festival is, also known as, the Festival of Colors because everybody will be, literally, colorful. People throw paint, dye and colored powder in celebration of the arrival of spring and the triumph of good versus evil. Each color has its own representation with red as the primary color for it symbolizes love and fertility. Green represents spring, nature and new beginnings. Blue is a holy color because it signifies the Hindu God Krishna. Yellow is mostly from turmeric which is very abundant in the country and symbolizes knowledge, happiness and peace.

BOUN BANG FAI / ROCKET FESTIVAL (LAOS)
A three-day festivities complete with music, dancing and merry-making, but on the third day is where the climax is, because locals will showcase their homemade rockets. A healthy competition arises for whoever can fire the highest rocket up in the sky. This festival may seem too be ruckus but this actually has a spiritual connotation because the rockets are a wake-up call to the God of Rain to water down their dying crops during dry season.

NYEPI (BALI)
Unlike other festivals which is loudly celebrated with lively music and partying, Nyepi is commemorated with utmost silence. Nobody is exempted on this “Day of Silence”, even tourists are required to stay in their rooms and contemplate in silence. From 6 AM until 6 AM the next morning, everyone is obliged to reflect, meditate and fast.

LOI KRATHONG (THAILAND)
This Festival of Lights is a majestic occurrence in the Kingdom of Thailand every November. Loi means to float and Krathong is a piece of banana trunk decorated with candles, flowers, and incense. Originally, they let banana trunks float in the river but in modern days, they substitute it to bread since it is eco-friendly. They, usually, include a photo, a token or any remnant of the past which they want to forget and say goodbye to. These is done annually to, also, give thanks to the goddess of the river for their agricultural blessings.

PING XI LANTERN FESTIVAL (TAIWAN)
Thousands of magnificent paper lanterns inscribed with sincere wishes light up the sky during the Taiwanese Lantern Festival, this is ritually done in the hopes that their ancestors will read their well-wishes and, eventually, answer their prayers. This northern village in Taipei is the only place where the lantern festival is allowed because its waters and mountains provide a safety harness and prevents the lanterns to stray too far away.

Hiking With Your Kids

There is no doubt that hiking with kids is one of the best ways to get them connected to the outdoors at a young age. Living in close proximity to the mountains has allowed the owners of a Calgary garage floor coating company to enjoy hiking with their kids at a very early age.

Although hiking with kids is never a bad thing to do, it can be a pretty tough task for many parents out there. When it comes to preserving wilderness for future generations, one of the best things that you can do is teach your kids to appreciate and enjoy nature. In order to do this, you have to keep the whole trip both easy and feature-friendly. What does this mean? This means that you need to select a hike that is not too strenuous or too hard, because for kids, hike is about the experience.

It would be great if you could find a trail that has some interesting features, such as a stream, waterfall, lake, or pretty much anything else that would keep your kids occupied and give them a goal to reach. One thing that you need to keep in the back of your mind at all times is that hike is about the journey, not the destination. With this in mind, if your kids are more interested in getting down on their hands and knees to explore an otherwise unreachable area, let them do just that, even if you had other plans in mind.

Prepare For Anything
It is safe to say that this rule applies to every kind of hike out there. Regardless of whether or not your kids are going to be involved in the experience, one thing is certain – you need to be prepared for anything and everything. If your kids are going to be involved in the experience, make sure to pack some kid-friendly items, including binoculars, tissues, cameras, and safety whistles.

Time Is Your Friend
When hiking, time is your friend, so make sure to use it wisely. Kids are natural explorers, which is one of the main reasons why they always want to touch pretty much everything. That being said, make sure to give your kids some time to explore the surrounding area. It will make the whole trip much more interesting for them.

Have Fun
The key to having a successful hike is to keep the kids motivated. Come up with a game or two that you can play with your kids without having to return to your camp. What we are trying to say here is that you need to make the trip fun for your kids – no matter how you do it!

The 3 Least Visited Counties in the World – Tuvalu, Marshall Island and Kiribati

Ever wonder what life is if you’re in the middle of the world’s largest ocean? Let’s discover 3 island countries in the Pacific – Tuvalu, Marshall Island, Kiribati. These 3 are the least visited countries in the world, the reason I can’t simply fathom because they are such beautiful places to experience.

 

TUVALU

Tuvalu only receives less than 2,000 tourist yearly but that doesn’t mean the people are less friendly, in fact, they are very hospitable and most of them speaks English. You can have a guided tour not by a certified travel guide but by locals who are just willing to show you around. The country only has a 10km highway from north to south and you can rent a motorbike to travel the area or you can hitch a ride from any of the enthusiastic natives. When you’re done exploring their waters you can bond with the locals in the airstrip of the island which doubles as a park. Late in the afternoon when the sun is not too hot already, the locals gather there to talk, play sports or just chill around, and it is the best spot to observe these kindred spirits. They are also devout Christians so prepare to be invited to church during Sundays. Prepare to give up modern comforts, especially WiFi, because this place is just ideal for relaxation and retreat.

 

MARSHALL ISLANDS

This little country is composed of volcanic islands and atolls, with its northwestern side used as a WWII’s ship graveyard. These shipwrecks are now popular sites for diving and most of the yearly 6000 tourists who visit here are scuba divers awaiting to see the biggest shipwreck, the USS Saratoga. If you’re not into diving, you can do a yacht cruise or go fishing in any of the fishing vessels roaming their waters. The WWII relics are not only seen underwater but also on dry land, and guided tours to see these historical artefacts can be reserved with the island’s tour provider. There are atolls here that are considered as a birdwatcher’s haven and a green sea turtles refuge. Unlike Tuvalu, Marshall Islands’ capital, Majuro, is a busy little city with an international airport and bustling seaport so hotels are abundant and local tourist centers can be easily seen.

 

KIRIBATI

Another small island country which is famous for its pristine beaches, crystal clear lagoons and teeming marine life. Kiribati boasts stunning coral gardens that is part of the one of the world’s largest marine reserves. The underwater ecosystem is so healthy because of the country’s remoteness and unspoiled waters. You can even rent boats for whale watching activities especially during December to April. Game fishing is another activity that can spike your interest with a chance to catch a tuna, marlin or bonefish. Aside from the species of fish that populate the blue waters, this little republic is also famous for orinthologists because of the hundreds of bird species that is seen here. At night, after the encounter with the wildlife and marine creatures, be with the locals and imbibe the local vibe by visiting a manaeba or local community house where you can hear stories and listen to folk songs.