“Russian Icon”

June 11 - June 27, 2010

The Russian Icon tour is the first comprehensive study tour that includes all of the major and many less famous, but important monuments and collections of the Russian Sacred Art

If you are interested in joining this tour or have any questions, please contact us!

The “Russian Icon” tour is the first comprehensive study tour that along with all of the major collections of Russian Icons will include many generally overlooked, less famous, but yet very important monuments and collections of Russian Medieval Sacred Art. The itinerary for the current tour is fully and personally prepared by Fr. Ilya Gotlinsky. The itinerary includes visits to Moscow, most cities of the Golden Ring, Vologda, Ferapontovo, St. Petersburg, Novgorod and Pskov. Travelers will get a real in depth course not only on the History of Russian Sacred Art and Architecture, but also on the History of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian State. Another benefit of this trip is the fact that we will work directly with museum staff and clergy along the way. We have a longstanding and personal friendship with many of them and that enable us to see and to do much more than you would with a tour prepared by any travel agency.

Russian Icon

This trip is intended as a comprehensive educational course on the development, tradition and various historical schools of Russian iconography presented in frescoes, stone and wood carvings, but most importantly in icons. Along with most of the major museum collections, containing masterpieces representing the very beginning of Russian iconography through the eighteenth century, we will visit several restoration workshops and icon/fresco studios where modern Russian iconographers are working on resurrecting the centuries-old tradition of the Russian Icon. The emphasis of our tour is definitely on the Icon, and for that we concentrate most of our trip on exploring numerous places where religious art is most brilliantly and explicitly present. Along our tour we will see a lot of sites in both world famous and very secluded locations of rural Russia. Sometimes it will be done at the expense of not having “enough” free time for “souvenir shopping” or by overlooking the major tourist attractions. Knowledgeable travelers have to understand that it is impossible to cover everything along our way, but even under such circumstances group members will, in addition to a comprehensive study of the Russian Icon, get a good idea of the Russian Church and secular history that impacted religious art. Although we’ll be dealing for the most part with realities of Eastern Christian Church Art, every iconophile is welcome aboard. The only forewarning for a prospective traveler is to be prepared for a lot of walking during incredibly interesting and educational, but long, days.

 

Day 1.

Friday, June 11, 2010.

Meals: Dinner.

Group arrives to Moscow. Transfer to the hotel for Dinner and o/n.

 

Day 2.

Saturday, June 12, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

We will start our day with a morning visit to Visoko-Petrovskiy Monastery that serves as a wonderful example of the restoration where various styles of iconography are organically co-exist. Then we will continue to the magnificent Moscow Kremlin. While all of the cathedrals are interesting and significant for our exploration, special attention will be devoted to the Dormition Cathedral - important for its age and its role in Russian church and state history. It is also very important as a museum since it houses a very fine collection of the earliest Russian icons. After a short break for lunch we will visit the Red Square with its famous Cathedral of the Protection of the Theotokos, more famously known as St. Basil’s, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan, rebuilt just 15 years ago and the Chapel of our Lady of Iveron. Then we will explore the main church of the Sretenskiy (Holy Meeting) Monastery with some fine 17 century frescoes and modern Iconostasis.

Day 3.

Sunday, June 13, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

Today we’ll tour the best icon collection in the world that is housed in the Tretyakov gallery. We plan to spend several hours here, with some free time for lunch at the museum’s cafeteria. In the afternoon we will visit Novodevichiy Convent, with its magnificent iconostasis and frescoes that are preserved undisturbed from the 17th century. We’ll end our day with a visit to Arbat Street for some book and souvenir shopping.

 

 

Day 4.

Monday, June 14, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

We will start our day with a visit to the church of St. Simeon, one of the most perfectly restored medieval gems of Moscow. Then we will explore the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. This Cathedral is marked in all tour books as a “must see” attraction. And it is indeed so. But few people know that along with its mammoth glory it contains some of the nicest modern icons in its lower church and fascinating collection of the Medieval Byzantine and Russian Icons in one of its galleries. After lunch we will visit Andronikov Monastery, home to the second largest (and probably second best) collection of Russian Medieval Art and Novo-Spasskiy (Savior’s “New”) Monastery, another significant religious site in Moscow, also adorned with an iconostas and frescoes from the 17th century. Later in the evening, we will transfer to the town of Sergiev Posad where we will stay overnight.

 

Day 5.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010.

Meals: Brunch and Dinner.

Sergiev Posad is famous for its astounding Holy Trinity Lavra that needs no introduction. Holy Trinity Lavra, being a functioning monastery for several hundred years, also became a museum under the open sky with lots for anyone to see. Its Holy Trinity Cathedral contains not only the relics of one of the most beloved Russian saints and Lavra’s founder – St. Sergius of Radonezh - but also has the only surviving iconostasis attributed to Andrei Rublev. The main church of Lavra, Dormition Cathedral strongly resembles the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, and has some fine icons and frescoes painted by masters from the city of Kostroma. After brunch we will continue our day with the exploration of Pereslavl’- Zalessky, the home town of the Russian Duke Alexander Nevsky. Here we will visit the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral (dated back to 1152-1157) and Goritsky Monastery (museum now) with its fascinating baroque cathedral and art museum with a collection of Russian icons. After Dinner we will travel some two hours south for an overnight at the “crown jewel” of the Golden Ring – the town of Suzdal. In route we will stop to see Yuriev Pol’skiy, a small and for the most part neglected town that nevertheless has some spectacular sites to offer. We will explore St. George’s Cathedral (built in 1152), in age and quality of artistry rival to that of St. Dimitry in Vladimir; then the Archangel Michael Monastery neatly situated in between medieval earthen ramparts.

 

Day 6.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

This morning, we will explore very important and interesting medieval Russian city of Vladimir that is situated some 20 miles south of Suzdal. Here, our plans are to visit Dormition Cathedral with frescoes by Andrei Rublev, St. Dimitry Cathedral with its fantastic stone bas-reliefs, Cathedral of Knyaginin Convent, with frescoes dating back from 1649 and the newly restored/rebuilt Bogoyavlenskiy Monastery. After the tour of Vladimir we will visit the complex of the convent in Bogolyubovo, built on the spot of one of the earliest residences of the Russian dukes. At the end of the day, we will walk through the pristine fields to explore the world-renown monument - church of the Protection of the Theotokos on Nerl’ River. For overnight we will return to our hotel in Suzdal.

 

Day 7.

Thursday, June 17, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

It is practically impossible to try to describe Suzdal’ - that miracle little town, doubtlessly the jewel of the Russian Golden Ring and of all Russia. Multiple churches and monasteries always leave something new to explore for an attentive visitor, no matter how many times you have been in Suzdal’. Here we will visit the Suzdal’ Kremlin with its fascinating Cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos, built in 1220’s. Along with the cathedral we will see the collection of church artifacts and the icon museum in the former archbishop’s palace. After lunch we will explore the architectural ensemble of Spaso-Ephymiev (St. Ephymius) Monastery. The latter is especially famous for its magnificent cathedral adorned with splendid frescoes by Guriy Nikitin.

 

 

Day 8.

Friday, June 18, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

After an early breakfast we will transfer to yet another “jewel” of the Golden Ring, the “fairy tale” city of Rostov the Great. Being small, it nevertheless fully lives up to its name “the Great” due to its stunning monuments – Kremlin, monasteries, churches and museums filled with ancient artistic treasures. After lunch in the restaurant in Rostov Kremlin, we will transfer to the city of Yaroslavl’ that will be our home for next couple of nights. In the evening, weather, time and strength permitting, you’ll be offered an optional tour to a little town of Tutaev some 25 miles away from Yaroslavl’.

 

Day 9.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

Today we will explore the city of Yaroslavl’ – the greatest icon center of medieval Russia. Its artistic treasures easily can compete with those of Moscow and Novgorod. Holy Transfiguration Monastery, our starting point for today, with its 16th century cathedral, houses an important icon collection, with some of the most ancient and most splendid pieces of Yaroslavan’ art. Then we will continue to some of the most famous churches that will give us a good overview of the history and splendor of the Yaroslavl’ fresco school. Among them: Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos, St. Nicholas Church (“Nikoli Nadeina”), St. Elias (perhaps most famous of them all), ecclesiastical complex of St. John in Tolochkovo, and Church of the Holy Theophany.

 

Day 10.

Sunday, June 20, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

In the morning we will visit Tolga Monastery on the outskirts of the city, to honor, to admire and to adore the Tolga Icon of the Mother of God. We will have a brief tour of the monastery as well. There isn’t anyone who was not moved by the site of the efforts that the sisters made to bring this desecrated convent to its former glory. After a visit to Tolga convent we will spend some three hours getting to the city of Vologda that Russian Tsar John the Terrible envisioned to be the northern-most capital of Russia ever. That city at times is justly called the “sleeping beauty of Russia”. Vologda will “treat” us with its monumental Kremlin Cathedral, collection of church antiquities, icon gallery that can compete with the world famous icon collections of St. Petersburg and Moscow, and the splendidly decorated churches of St. John in Roschenie and St. Dimitry of Priluki in the city center.

 

Day 11.

Monday, June 21, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (on train).

Today we’ll be spending in rural Russia – the legendary Belozerye or country of the White Lake. Being remote and distant from all major Russian cities, this land still is invaluable in Russian state, church and art history. Our trip here will be rewarded with visits to the town of Kirillov and the village of Ferapontovo. Kirillov is the location for one of the most famous and important Russian monasteries in all of Russia, that of St. Cyril of Beloozero or of the “White Lake”. It is functioning as a museum now, although the faithful are allowed to worship in a little church on the monastery grounds, where the relics of its founder St. Cyril are. Besides being a place for pilgrimage, the monastery has a very important icon collection on display in the museum and in two churches that are converted into exhibition halls. This remote place has magnificent collection of icons that makes visit here absolutely “a must”. In the village of Ferapontovo, another monastery still has awe-inspiring and well-preserved frescoes by Dyonisios, one of the most famous and talented medieval Russian iconographers. The state of art and quality of preservation of these frescoes earned Ferapontovo the name of Northern Sistine Chapel.

 

 

Day 12.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Upon arrival to the Northern Russian capital - the glorious city of St. Petersburg we will explore a number of churches, tracing the architectural and iconogrpahic development of the Russian Sacred Art and Architecture in 18th the and 19th centuries. We will start our exploration with a visit to a bran new church, dedicated to the victims of a 900 days siege of Leningrad by German forces. This building, that looks very much like it much older and venerable predecessors, still relates very special feeling of a distinct architectural style of the Northern Russian capital. From there we will proceed to the historical Vasilievskiy Island for a visit to two oldest surviving churches of St. Petersburg, one dedicated to the Apostle Andrew and another one to three Holy hierarchs – St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory the Theologian.

After that, we will cross the river and will come to St. Nicholas Cathedral, the most illustrious example of the Baroque style in Russian Church Architecture. Just before Lunch, we will visit the largest church of St. Petersburg - St. Isaac’s Cathedral, a museum now. If you’d like, you’ll be given a chance to climb up some several hundred stairs to see St. Petersburg from the observation deck that surrounds mighty cupola of the Cathedral. After Lunch, we will stop to see Alexander Nevsky Lavra, monastic foundation of Peter the Great that he established to “sanctify” the newly initiated Northern Russian Capital. Later in the afternoon we will transfer to the Ancient City of Novgorod.

 

Day 13.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

Novgorod for centuries was the rival center to all of the Russian capitals and cultural centers. The magnificent remnant of this splendid glory can be seen till the present day. We will start our exploration of the city with several surviving churches on the former site of Novgorod’s market place, after that we will see the Grand Icon museum, perhaps with the most icons on display anywhere in Russia. After a visit to St. Sophia’s Cathedral, also in Novgorod Kremlin, you’ll be given a choice to visit Novgorod Treasure Gallery at Granovitaya Palata or to go back to study the treasures of Novgorod Icon Museum some more. In the afternoon we will see Transfiguration Cathedral with some Theophane the Greek frescoes, Znamenskiy Sobor, with some good 17th century frescoes, the Church of St. Theodore the Stratylates, also with frescoes from the 14th century and the Church of St. Simeon the God-receiver in the former Zverin Monastery.

 

Day 14.

Thursday, June 24, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Today we will start our day with a visit to the restorers’ workshop. People from that workshop literally saved dozens of square feet of frescoes from the churches in and around Novogorod that were ruined during WWII and that were considered to be lost forever. We will see some restored churches, among them Church of Our Savior on Nereditsa, Church of the Nativity on the Red Field (Rozhdestva na Krasnom pole), the Annunciation Church (Blagovescheniya na Myachine). Besides that we will see St. Anthony of Rome Monastery, St. George’s Monastery with its famous 11th century cathedral and the Museum of Wooden Architecture “Vitoslavlitsi”. Following that we will transfer to another ancient Russian city of Pskov, in medieval times the western-most outpost of the Russian Lands.

 

Day 15.

Friday, June 25, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

After transferring to the ancient Russian city of Pskov, we will start with a visit to the Holy Trinity Cathedral with its fascinating 17-18th century iconostas, historical museum with its excellent icon collection, and special chambers where many more icons that are never seen on general display are stored. Then we’ll continue to explore the treasures of Pskov – among them two splendid jewels – Snetogorskiy and Mirozhskiy monasteries with 13th and 14th century frescoes. Mirozhskiy Monastery also hosts the monastic icon workshop and a church with another white stone frescoed iconostasis completed by contemporary iconographer Fr. Zenon. After that we will visit the most ancient church in Pskov – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (12th century) where another famous Russian iconographer – Fr. Andrei Davidov tried to recreate icons and frescoes in a style that would be contemporary to the cathedral’s founding age.

 

 

Day 16.

Saturday, June 26, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

This morning we will transfer to St. Petersburg for further exploration of that grand city. Today we will explore the State Russian Museum and the Cathedral of the Savior “on the Spilled Blood” (a splendid example of 19th century Russian mosaic art). From there we will continue to the Modern Icon Gallery, where you’ll be able to purchase some modern icons and iconographical supplies. From the gallery we will go to the Cathedral of our Lady of Kazan. There, those who desire may stand for the All-Night Vigil, go shopping or just enjoy a leisurely night in the heart of St. Petersburg.

 

Day 17.

Sunday, June 27, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast.

Departure back home.

OPTIONAL EXTENSION IN ST. PETERSBURG:

Day 17, Sunday, June 27, 2010

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

Today, after breakfast we will start with the exploration of SS. Peter and Paul Fortress that is located in the very heart of St. Petersburg. The day when the ground was broken to build this first stronghold in the newly regained Russian lands became the birthday of St. Petersburg. After a visit to the fortress - which also serves as a final resting place for the Russian Rulers of Romanov dynasty - we will travel by hydrofoil for about one hour to Peterhoff - yet another splendid suburb of St. Peterburg. From there we will continue onto the State Hermitage, once the Winter Palace of the Russian Tsars, which houses one of the world's largest collections of Fine Arts. Countless artifacts on exhibit cover the evolution of Art from the Neolithic time and Ancient Egypt up until the beginning of the 20th century.

Day 18, Monday, June 28, 2010

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

After breakfast we will transfer to the State Historical Park "Tsarskoe Selo" (Tsar's village), one of the summer residences of the Romanov dynasty with the splendid Catherine's Summer Palace. Built in the second half of the 18th century, it represents the glory of Russia's "Golden Age". The interiors of the palace are fully restored after they were savagely destroyed in WWII. The most recently restored amber now once again conquers the imagination of visitors. Just before lunch, we will visit St. Sophia's Cathedral, a unique architectural monument from the beginning of 19th century. Abandoned and partly destroyed during the Communist Era, this Cathedral welcomes visitors in its restored glory. After lunch we will continue the exploration of St. Petersburg's suburbs with a visit to Pavlovsk. Here you will see a country residence, the Palace of Paul the First, the son and successor of Catherine the Great. This Imperial getaway is surrounded by a Romantic English-Russian Park with spectacular landscapes.

 

Day 19, Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

After breakfast we will transfer by hydrofoil to the Historical State Park "Peterhoff" with its world famous Golden Palace that is surrounded by a Park with arcades of golden fountains. We will finish our day in Peterhoff with a stop at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, an Orthodox Architectural Masterpiece build in Neo-Russian style. This church is also famous for an interesting ceramic iconostasis and rich decoration of the interior.

 

Day 20. Wednesday, June 30, 2010.

Meals: Breakfast.

Departure back home.

The price of optional extension in St. Petersburg

(per person in double accommodations) :

500 USD in a group of 15+

550 USD in a group of 10+

630 USD in a group of 5+

Price includes:

• Accommodations (same hotel where we will be staying upon arrival to

St. Petersburg)

• guide for three days (full day each day)

• transportation (van or minibus for all transfers and hydrofoil tickets)

• entry tickets (to the State Hermitage, Pushkin/Pavlovsk and Peterhoff Palace Museums)

 

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOUR:

Price does include:

• Accommodations in "***" hotels in Moscow, cities of the “Golden Ring”, Vologda, St. Petersburg, Novgorod, and Pskov.

• Most of the meals: two or three meals daily, as noted in the itinerary

• Private bus transportation whenever required

• An overnight sleeper train trip from Vologda to St. Petersburg.

• All admissions to the scheduled museums*.

• Professional tour guides at all of the tour places

• English speaking guide/escort during the entire tour

* Some museum churches containing fragile ancient frescoes may be closed if the weather will be too damp. We’ll try to do our absolute best to visit those places anyway, but we hope for your understanding if such visits won’t be possible.

Visits to the restorers’ workshops and studios are subject to availability.

 

Price does not include:

• Personal health/accident insurance

• Transportation to and from the airport in Russia if traveling separately from the group

• Fee for Russian visa

• Private transfers, additional (optional) tours and tickets to unscheduled show/concerts or museums.

• Some newly introduced fees that may occur in certain places (monasteries or churches)

• Bed sheets on the train if not included in the ticket price

• Tips to bus drivers and tour guides (Minimal suggested amount per person is $2 per day for bus drivers and same for local tour guides. Your generosity will be always greatly appreciated)

Group Air Fare:

Group Air Fare out of Boston Logan Airport was arranged. If you are interested, please let us know. Tickets at $1350 per person are available for the following itinerary:

Departure: Boston, June 10 at 4:30pm, Flight Lufthansa 423 to Frankfurt.
Arrival: Moscow, June 11 at 12:20pm (local time). Flight Lufthansa 3180 from Frankfurt.
Departure: St. Petersburg, June 27 at 2:20pm, Flight Lufthansa 3217 to Frankfurt.
Arrival: Boston, June 27 at 8:15pm (local time). Flight Lufthansa 420 from Frankfurt.

 

 

 

Financial arrangements:

The current cost of the trip is USD 3800/EUR 2700* per person, based on double occupancy. The price might change due to the constantly changing prices and taxes and fluctuating exchange rate of ruble vs. US Dollar and Euro. Our hope is that the price of the tour will remain essentially the same. In any case you'll be informed right away of any possible financial changes or adjustments.
As itinerary is prepared very early in the season and at this time not all of the prices for 2009 are confirmed, please note that price may change either way.
All payments should be made by check to: Russian Icon Museum. Any returned checks are subject to $20 fee.
We would request $750.00 deposit at the time of signing up for the trip. Deposit is non-refundable, unless group is canceled by organizers. The entire amount is requested 90 days prior to the departure (March 11, 2010). The deadline for signing up for the tour is March 11, 2010.

In the unlikely event of cancellation, the charges in addition to the full amount of the deposit are*:

• 25% of the tour cost, 90 to 30 days prior to the departure

• 50% of the tour cost, 30 to 15 days prior to the departure

• 100% of the tour cost 14 days prior to the departure

*Air travel cancellation policies (if you will choose to travel by air as a part of the group) are in force in accordance with the regulations of the particular airline if the tickets have been issued. All cancellations must be in writing and sent directly to coordinator – Tara Young of the Russian Icon Museum and must be received for reimbursement by the dates shown in the cancellation schedule.

If visa is denied for any reason, the above cancellation fees still apply.

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Passport and Visa:

A valid passport and Russian visa are necessary for travel to Russia. The passport must be issued at least three months prior to the departure and must be valid until your return.

The visa may be obtained through the Russian Embassy in Washington D.C., your regional Russian Consulate General or at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in your country. You may apply for visa personally or via mail. You must have an invitation from an agency in Russian to obtain Russian entry visa. To receive such invitation you must provide us with your full name, date and place of birth, number of your passport and your permanent address. Upon receiving the invitation all the necessary forms for the visa (invitation, visa application, instructions on how to file for the Russian visa and the list of the Russian official offices where you can obtain visa) will be mailed to you directly. We are willing to help you to apply for the Russian visa. If you apply for the Russian visa yourself, please make sure that the data (name and dates) on your visa is accurate. All possible discrepancies must be corrected while still at home in the US, prior to the departure.

Rules on the road:

• It is strongly suggested for a traveler to obtain insurance covering medical needs and coverage regarding personal property;

• be aware that all medical needs will be sole responsibility of the traveler;

• act in a manner consistent with the surrounding environment;

• make arrangement to have sufficient funds to cover personal needs and unexpected happenings.

The places that we will be visiting may not have the same amenities that one is accustomed to. Medical facilities in most areas are limited. Because of the difference in language and customs, it is expected that the traveler will follow the directions of the Tour Director at all times.

The Director reserves the right to restrict a person’s participation in the group’s activities, including exclusion from the group, when, in the opinion of the Director, such action is appropriate.

Please note: The coordinator (Tara Young) or director of the trip (Fr. Ilya Gotlinsky) do not hold any legal responsibilities concerning any of the arrangements. They plays only the role of agents/coordinators.

 

 

SOME RUSSIAN TRAVEL TIPS BY AN EXPERIENCED AMERICAN TRAVELER:

LUGGAGE — I recommend packing as compactly as possible. Take only as many pieces of luggage as you can manage yourself. There will be several times on the trip, especially going through Russian customs, when a luggage cart may not be available. Large luggage pieces (larger than 24") also may create an inconvenience while traveling on the trains since the train compartments have very limited space available to store your belongings.

MEDICATION — Bring whatever medications (including medicines for colds, sore throats, nausea and diarrhea) that you think you may need. While most medicines are available in the larger cities in Russia, the quality may be questionable and you need a doctor's prescription for antibiotics.

BE SURE TO BRING - an alarm clock (very few hotels provide room clocks); alcohol-based hand sanitizer or wet wipes (to clean your hands while touring and for those emergency trips to the restroom); your own toilet paper, if you chafe easily; Kleenex; film/memory cards and extra batteries for your camera; comfortable shoes (do not start the trip with new shoes). Russians don't have the smaller wash cloths we are used to when bathing. Bring your own, if you won't feel clean without using one. Bug/mosquito repellant is recommended. You are most likely going to use it at night in the provincial towns. A portable fan may be of use at night since most of the hotels do not have air conditioning systems. An electric outlet adapter is necessary if you plan to use any electric gadgets from non-European countries. We are going to visit a lot of churches and monasteries. While the dress code is getting looser, especially in larger cities, I want to encourage all to show moderation and respect. Russians prefer women to wear head-coverings in churches, even if it is something symbolic. Skirts are also necessary, especially at the monasteries. People in shorts and open shouldered outfits will not be allowed in the monasteries and churches.

RUSSIAN FOOD - is excellent, although calorie content is obviously not a major concern. Generally dairy products are only available at breakfast, and sugar substitutes and powdered creamer are not provided - so bring your own if you must use these. In case you would like to buy something in a store, use caution, check the expiration dates and don't buy anything that is easily spoiled. Avoid buying anything from the street vendors.

CHURCH AND SERVICES - Church services in Russia are absolutely magnificent. There are two services scheduled during the trip. They are open to all who want to attend, but are not mandatory. Those Orthodox travelers who would like to receive Holy Communion during the Divine Liturgy must come for confession on that day, prior to receiving the Holy Communion.

WATER - Since a major upgrade in the water system in Moscow for its 850th anniversary in 1997, the tap water in the city is fine. In any case, in Moscow or in especially in the smaller cities I would either filter the water before I drink it or just buy bottled water, which is not expensive and is widely available.

SECURITY - Don't keep all of your cash in one place, and carry important documents (like your passport and visa) with you in a hidden pocket or secure bag. You don't want to be in a foreign land without money or travel documents. Expensive jewelry and fancy are best left at home.

CURRENCY – There are more and more places in Russia that accept credit cards (mostly Visa or MasterCard, no Discover or American Express). The easiest way to obtain cash is to use the ATM machine. For ATMs use your debit card because you won’t be charged any interest on cash withdrawals. On your credit card purchase or with your debit card cash withdrawal you get the best exchange rate of the day. It is a good idea to let your bank or credit company (the one that you’ll be using a card of) know that you are traveling overseas. Without such a notice some companies may “freeze” your account to prevent foreign card fraud. If you still feel more comfortable with cash, there are numerous currency exchanges in hotels, banks, stores - even in the smaller towns. You're rarely very far from one and it's easy to exchange dollars for rubles. But try to obtain clean, recently printed U.S. bills. Russian banks are VERY particular about the dollars they will accept and don't want dirty, torn or defaced bills. If you are exchanging cash money please use larger bills, since it always take a while for the bank clerk to check the bills. The exchange of a large number of small bills may slow down the process and the pattern of the day in general.

Russia is a beautiful country full of friendly people. But like traveling anywhere in the world, it's best to be prepared and to take precautions that will keep you and your possessions safe.

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