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UK. Day 1. Cotswolds. Around the World in 80 Days reunion

UK. Day 1. Cotswolds. Around the World in 80 Days reunion

On the first morning in Cotswolds we slept in. What woke us up was a light but ceaseless chatter coming from outside of our window. It reminded me of the May Day parades that walked under my bedroom window in Moscow. Sans festive music. Last 

Sicily to UK. Departure Day — Arrival Day.

Sicily to UK. Departure Day — Arrival Day.

We woke up in Trapani, in beautiful comfortable La Casa di Andrea, bright and early and went outside. Mediterrania — to the left of us… Monti di Trapani — to the right… Here we are — driving to Palermo airport… Good bye, Sicilia! Hello, foggy 

Sicily. Day 4. Trapani. Erice. Museo del Sale. Cinisi. Terrasini.

Sicily. Day 4. Trapani. Erice. Museo del Sale. Cinisi. Terrasini.

And we lived to tell the tale. No one came after us in the middle of the night, no kidnapping took place. We woke up to the delicious pizza leftovers from Salemi. I love having dinner leftovers in the hotel room in the morning — 

Sicily. Day 3. Palermo. Segesta. Salemi. Trapani.

Sicily. Day 3. Palermo. Segesta. Salemi. Trapani.

In the morning of our day three, we planned a breakfast with Charlotte and her friends. The weather was fine, we woke up early and went around our neighborhood. We were staying next to Chiesa di San Domenico, a baroque-style church that is regarded one 

Sicily. Day 2. Palermo. Monreale: Monreale Cathedral. Back to Palermo.

Sicily. Day 2. Palermo. Monreale: Monreale Cathedral. Back to Palermo.

The next morning started with a reunion on our balcony. The sleep-in was not as dramatic as the morning before and we almost flawlessly fit into Charlotte’s Italian timing. It was her day off and Tom made plans. The little balcony of our room felt 

Sicily. Day 1. Palermo: Ballaro Market. Palermo Cathedral. Marina.

Sicily. Day 1. Palermo: Ballaro Market. Palermo Cathedral. Marina.

The first morning in Sicily started slow. We slept in without tracking time. It was nice not to have any plans and enjoy the time, the open balcony, sounds coming from the street, slow shower. Our affittacamere had four units. Three of them were vacant. 

Sicily. Departure Day — Arrival Day. From Ridgewood to Frankfurt, to Milan, to Palermo.

Sicily. Departure Day — Arrival Day. From Ridgewood to Frankfurt, to Milan, to Palermo.

— Small or large? Barista at the Newark Airport’s Terminal C was a broken record. So were the travelers ordering beer at her counter: — Large. An airport bar, a starting point of a journey, it hands a legitimate excuse to do nothing and choose 

Russia. The Last Day in Moscow and Departure

Russia. The Last Day in Moscow and Departure

Our last day. We visited my mom and my brother. This has been their place for the last ten years. Maybe because mom and I have lived apart for so long I do not completely accept her relocation. It feels like she is still around 

Russia. Day 10. Saint Petersburg. Peterhof. Hermitage

Russia. Day 10. Saint Petersburg. Peterhof. Hermitage

The previous day, we probably walked the most on this trip. Naturally, we slept, as they say in Russia, without our hind legs. Worked out horses sleep with their hind legs so relaxed that, once awake, they can only get on their front ones and 

Russia. Day 9. Saint Petersburg. Along Nevsky Prospect to Vasilyevsky Island

Russia. Day 9. Saint Petersburg. Along Nevsky Prospect to Vasilyevsky Island

“If the weather is so good, Petersburg is so unfamiliar to you that you certainly want to walk, you will not regret. I advise you to always start from the Lavra…”