Is Russia a scarey place?

Yesterday We attended the document meeting for our upcoming trip -- A Russian River Cruise. We leave Sept. 21, which is only a few weeks away.

 Part of the purpose of the meeting is to give us info about currency, weather, and places we'll visit. I have had one question at every meeting like this that we've attended. Will we have internet availability? Sometimes our trip representative doesn't know, but mentions internet cafes, which I've used.

One time in Scandinavia, I paid for an hour of internet time and then realized that the keyboard wasn't in "English"-- duh! why should it be? Had a hard time with that post. Most of the letters were in the same places, but not all. Anyway the answer to my question about internet availability on this trip was that there are computers available on board the boat, but the Wifi is spotty. I'm guessing when we're in the middle of Lake Onega,  we won't have any connectability.

Why am I concerned about this? I like to write about our adventures on a daily basis and post them soon after they are written. I can wait a day or so, but I enjoy the communication I receive from folks reading the blog "in real time".

 The weather in late Sept. in Russia is supposed to be in the mid 50's to 60's. It will be cold at night on the deck of the boat. I say boat, not ship, because it is a smaller vessel than we've been on before, having only about 180 passengers. The crew is Russian, and the meals are expected to be Russian and European, with Russian delicacies included. I may have to taste caviar, even tho' I do not enjoy fishy foods.

 We will spend 1 1/2 days in Moscow touring Red Square, the Kremlin, St Basil's Cathedral, Tverskaya Street. We then travel on the Volga river to Uglich and Goritsky. At Lake Onega, Europe's 2nd largest lake, we visit Kizhi Island and its museums and architecture. The Church of the Intercession is famous for its 9 domes and is an ultimate example of Russian architecture.

 Leaving Lake Onega, we travel on the Svir river for 119 miles stopping to inspect a riverside settlement. At Lake Ladoga we travel via the Neva river to St Petersburg, where we will spend some time in the Hermitage Museum, containing crown jewels and masterpieces by Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Rubens and Picaso.

 While in St Petersburg, we travel to Tzarskoye Selo (formerly Puskin) where we'll see the Catherine Palace. Should be a great get-away. Maybe all the hassle with getting (and paying for) the Russian Visa will be forgotten in the charm and beauty of the country.  And maybe we could settle our national debt if we charged travelers to our country $150-$200 for the privilege of visiting us.

 I hope you will join me on this adventure by reading and commenting on my blog, if and when I'm able to post it.