Stockholm, Sweden September 22 This morning we awoke to somewhat choppy seas, which made it all the better, during a morning lecture, to imagine ourselves aboard a Viking dragon ship, raiding Baltic river towns and pillaging for gold and silver. Anthropologist/historian Olga … [Read more...]
Archives for September 2009
Estonia: Singing Revolution update
Tallinn, Estonia September 19, 2009 On the way to Estonia, aboard the Explorer, we watched a remarkable documentary called “The Singing Revolution,” about the history and independence of that little country. I suppose I was reading the New York Times around the time of … [Read more...]
St. Petersburg, Russia and on to the Baltic Sea
St. Petersburg, Russia Helsinki, Finland Sept. 14-18 2009 Landing in St. Petersburg after southern Italy was a shock—a huge difference in culture, weather, fashion, faces. I was awed, walking around town the first evening, at how grand everything is. Wide avenues, enormous, … [Read more...]
Favorite restaurants in Italy this trip
Ciao, Italia! I left Italy this morning and heard my last “arrivaderci.” I was sad to go, not only because I had a wonderful month doing stories there, I was starting to feel at home in Italy, and my Italian improved over the month, but because I have to leave that glorious … [Read more...]
Medieval tuna factory in Sicily: mattanza
Sicily: Tonnara di Scopello Sicily and Sardegna have a long tradition of mattanza, a ritual that takes place every May and June, where they catch the giant tuna that swim past the coasts. Today, because of over-fishing, only a few mattanza remain, off Sicily’s Egadi … [Read more...]