Rasputin, royalty, opulence and intrigue: murder at Yusupov Palace

 After a closure of nearly three months, Yusupov Palace is again open. Its opulent rooms and appointments reflect
the grandeur of royalty in pre-revolutionary Russia. The mystic Rasputin was killed here in 1916.

Yusupov Palace, or Moika Palace, is a grand 18th Century royal house.

Editor's Note: As Baltic countries reopen, St. Petersburg, Russia, is slowly opening up, too. Cruise lines are once again booking for stops in this beautiful coastal city, as early as spring of 2021. Get on an e-mail list with your favorite cruise line and check the web for good rates as cruise lines recover from the financial devastation of Covid. We sneaked in our latest Russia visit just before the travel industry went south.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

Grigori Rasputin had peasant
origins but rose to power
as he charmed royalty.

ONE OF history's most talked about characters might well be that Siberian mystic, who charmed his way into the Russian court, but was killed by enemies who believed he'd gained too much power.
Yes, Grigori Rasputin was a real guy, and elegant Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg is where he was murdered. The Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man befriended the family of Emperor Nicholas II, the last monarch of Russia and was invited to dinner by Felix Yusupov, who did not approve of his influence on Nicholas and Alexandra.
So in the winter of 1916, the influential and wealthy  playboy Yusupov plotted to poison him in the bright, yellow three-story 18th century building on the Moika River embankment in downtown St. Petersburg.
When he failed to die expediently, he was shot multiple times. Still he didn't succumb so his writhing, bullet riddled body was bound and thrown in the river. It was discovered several days later. Autopsy revealed death by drowning!

The story of Rasputin's murder is told with
documents, photos and a tableau.

WE JOINED an international group of tourists fascinated by the gory story. It's colorfully told by guides -- the Russians are great story tellers, after all -- and illustrated with a tableau of the dining table and its doomed guest. The building is remarkable not only because of its intriguing -- if shady -- history but because it survived the Revolution and Soviet years relatively intact.

Its owner, Felix Yusupov, had several other palaces, but this was supposedly his favorite. Its well known facade only hints at its lavish interior, a unique architectural complex with a dizzying number of halls and living quarters. They illustrate the pampered life of the nobility before the Bolshevik Revolution -- and explain why their excesses were resented by the struggling masses.

The gilded halls and stairways lead to ornate bed chambers
and banquet rooms in the Yusupov Palace.

THE LAVISH digs also  reflect the city's life as the capital of the Russian Empire, from 1703 to 1918, when Moscow became the capital. Construction began in 1770 and renovation continues today. It was originally used by Andrei Shuvalov, a privy councilor to the court of Catherine the Great.

 Christene "Cookie" Meyers approaches Yusupov's second floor reception hall. 

Personalities to dine in the palace include Queen Elizabeth II, actress Liza Minelli, singer Sting, model Naomi Campbell and Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones.

Rasputin's "last supper" is depicted in a lifesize diorama.

      While the guest list is impressive, its fame today is primarily because of the murder there.  Rasputin, Russia’s infamous “Mad Monk,” is the fodder for a great historical tale that blends fact and legend. Our guide said the death of the controversial holy man and faith healer had a combustible effect on the tense state of affairs in pre-revolution Russia when he was killed on Dec. 30, 1916 in the basement of the Palace, the St. Petersburg residence of Prince Yusupov, husband of the Czar’s only niece, Irina.
 IN THE DECADE prior, Rasputin had risen rapidly through Russian society, starting as an obscure Siberian peasant-turned--holy-man and becoming a prominent figure in the Czar’s inner circle. Born in 1869 in the village of Pokrovskoye, on the Tura river of the Ural Mountains, he seemed destined for an ordinary life -- marriage, three children, work on a family farm.

Frescoes, statues, gold and silver adorn
the palace's many halls, corners and rooms.

That changed when in his 30s, he spent time at a monastery, continuing to see his family, odd for a potential monk. According to our guide, Rasputin's religious fervor, combined with an appealing personal charisma, brought him to the attention of some Russian Orthodox clergymen and then senior members of the Imperial family, who
introduced him to Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra. Nicholas wrote to one of his ministers in October 1906, “A few days ago I received a peasant from the Tobolsk district, Grigori Rasputin, who brought me an icon of St. Simon Verkhoturie. He made a remarkably strong impression both on Her Majesty and on myself..."

Rasputin would have walked these stairs
to meet his host and begin his final meal.

The Imperial couple   consulted unconventional spiritual advisors but Rasputin filled this role by his ability to read their inner hopes and tell them what they wanted to hear. He encouraged Nicholas to have more confidence in his role as czar. Alexandra found that his counsel soothed her anxieties. By the First World War, Rasputin was also providing political advice and making recommendations for ministerial appointments, much to the dismay of the Russian elite. Rasputin cemented his relationship with the czar and czarina when he supposedly helped alleviate their only son Alexei’s hemophilia. Rasputin’s alleged healing powers continue to be debated today, but legend says he employed peasant folk medicine to treat internal bleeding in horses, and passed this knowledge on to help Alexei.

A visit to San Diego Zoo is possible again, after the longest closure in the
zoo's proud history. Here, Cookie in red, visits with her sister Olivia, left,
  niece Amarylla, and her children Peny and James. It opened this week.

 UP NEXT: As travel cautiously resumes, and some areas "re-close," there's news in 
 southern California. Some of its internationally known theme parks
zoos and other attractions are opening as well.  But not Disneyland or SeaWorld. Why? We'll explain. Meanwhile, precautions at newly reopened San Diego Zoo and Safari Park are carefully in place  
 with social  distancing, smaller crowds allowed  and serious hygiene protocol.   
 Families yearning for freedom  to travel and enjoy again, have promising news. Still, there is much to be accomplished as we slowly regain our former lives and desperately await a vaccine. So explore, learn and live, and catch us Fridays for a novel look at travel, the arts, nature, family and more: whereiscookie.com

  

St. Petersburg: to Russia with love in a city of palaces, art, history

St. Petersburg's architecture reflects its glory days as a city in Imperial Russia. The Hermitage Museum is home to one of
the world's great art collections and the building itself is worthy of a leisurely stroll to inspect its many graceful nuances. 

Bruce Keller and Christene Meyers explore St. Petersburg,
in a trip taken just before Covid curtailed travel.

Editor's Note: Most foreign tourists visit St. Petersburg by ship, and while cruising is temporarily on hold, officials tell us it's returning soon. The cruise industry is spending billions outfitting ships with state-of-the-art protective air filtering systems in each stateroom plus many more "Covid-proofing" features. Bookings are being taken for winter of 2020 and into 2021 and 2022. So grab the brochures, get on the internet for your favorite cruise line and plan a trip. Here's our report from our recent visit just before the world -- and travel -- changed.

Churches, palaces and museums greet the eye at nearly
every corner of St. Petersburg. 

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

STROLLING PAST the famous if intimidating Hermitage, that row of impressive museums, the tourist is dazzled. How does one tackle the entire complex, if only in a couple of days, the average stay. We've returned four times to do it justice.
The myriad state rooms of the Winter Palace are known worldwide as the Hermitage.  Regarded as an international museum, it boasts one of the world's most varied and impressive art collections.

Lovely canals and baroque residences mark St. Petersburg, concepts borrowed
 from the French and other Europeans during Peter the Great's visits.

The mark of Peter the Great is everywhere in St. Petersburg. The traveling monarch created a grand port city, inspired by the architecture he enjoyed in his travels through Europe. He created Russia's "Window to the West" beginning in 1703 when he erected the first fortress on the River Neva.
Neo-classical facades, domed cathedrals and baroque residences were built along the city's canals.  Peter favored the long, straight boulevards he'd walked in Paris. He loved its vast spaces and gardens and created his dazzling Winter Palace from 1754 to 1762, bringing the concept of "stately grandeur" from France to over 600 rooms.
THE CITY is a great one for sight seeing. Its lovely canals were also the inspiration of Peter, who hired Dutch engineers to drain the marshland and cut the neat design that we know today.

Tourism is coming back to St. Petersburg, and this guide
is ready. Here, she ushers a group into a palace.

We spent time outside the museum, enjoying art-filled galleries, admiring Peter's brilliant architecture as we explored. Our stroll along the Nevsky Prospekt included a stop for coffee at a charming cafe, and a subway trip. The city's colorful, art-filled metro, or off-street railway, came into its present design in 1955.  But the idea dates to 1820 when the Russian Empire commissioned engineer Torganov to design a tunnel under the Neva.

We visited the crowded Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, whose grisly name belies its graceful lines and intricate facade and interior.

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
offers an ornate interior. 

It was built to honor tsar Alexander II of Russia, who was assassinated at the site, thus its moniker. This trip, our ship stayed two nights, so we had nearly three days, time for a day trip to the summer palace of Peter, named after himself: Peterhof Palace and Garden. Once again, he showed his love of Paris, modeling the place after after France's Versailles.

 The canals of St. Petersburg are fun to explore.
One can take a tour or rent a small boat.
 

We stopped for a picnic in the park there, designed to give families a place to escape their crowded homes. Our guide told us that even today it is not uncommon for as many as 10 to 13 people to share a single bathroom so the parks provide a haven and space for relaxing.

THE HERMITAGE demands at least two days of a traveler's time -- as we found on our last too-short visit. For like the Louvre and Prado, it spans many centuries and periods.

A strangely proportioned Peter the Great.

Highlights range from a unique collection of seventh-century BC Scythian gold to some of Picasso’s great Blue Period paintings.
We were impressed by the number of Rembrandts, and many paintings by Titian, Giorgione and Leonardo. Don't miss Michelangelo’s unfinished sculpture of a crouching boy, and what many consider the best collection of English art in  Europe – including Gainsborough’s "Woman in Blue."
 The museum is also rich in my favorite Impressionist period, along with post-Impressionist and modernist paintings, including works by Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin,

Time for a Matryoska doll or two before catching the ship. 

This Russian soldier
offers a faint smile.

and Matisse.
There are Faberge Easter eggs, too, and if you want a larger Faberge hit, a separate museum showcases art crafted by Carl Fabergé.

If you're lucky enough to sail out at night, enjoy the beautiful lights of the city.

MUSEUMS ARE  not St. Petersburg's only enticement. You'll want to stop by the busy Square of the Arts, or "Ploshchad Isskustv,"  and Peter and Paul Fortress, where you'll find an interesting sculpture of Peter the Great. Its small head, massive torso and oversized legs invite critiquing. Still, it's a striking work of the founder of the fortress and the city, a man who loved his country and convinced the people to reform. Sculptor Mikhail Shemyakin defends his art, saying it is based on the death-mask and wax figure of Peter kept in the Hermitage. It resides in front of the main guardhouse of the fortress, a reminder of Russia's pre-Communist days.

 Matryoshka dolls, from
Cookie's first visit, 1979.

WE FELT safe in this city of romantic ambiance, bridges and imperial spirit. Its love of theater, ballet and opera is attractive.
We also noticed less loitering and more smiles than on earlier visits -- probably because the people seemed more welcoming. Still, we were warned about crime and pickpocketing.
Alcoholism continues to be a problem. And the country's young people -- not unlike those in Europe or the U.S.-- don't want to pursue the hard-working options their forebears tackled.

This week, on June 16, dentists, museums, sporting events and accounting, legal, consulting, and advertising firms opened; restaurants began to offer outdoor seating to guests. On June 23, restaurants, cafes, gyms, libraries, saunas, swimming pools, day care, playgrounds, social welfare offices, and sports facilities will reopen in Russia. Masks and distancing are being practiced. If you stick strictly with ship's tours, you don't need a visa. For more, including independent travel visa requirements: https://europe.russia.travel/

Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg boasts grand rooms and antique furnishings,
and is the place where mystic Rasputin spent his last evening.

UP NEXT:  Remember the tales of Rasputin? Yes, he was a real guy and elegant Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg is where he was murdered. The Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man befriended the family of Emperor Nicholas II, Russia's last monarch. He was invited to dinner and poisoned in the bright, yellow three-story 18th century building on the Moika River, downtown St. Petersburg. Construction on the Neo-classical palace began in the 1770s; we'll take you there 250 years later. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each Friday for a fresh look at travel, the arts, nature, family and more: whereiscookie.com

Baltic treats abound with history, art in beautiful Tallin, Estonia

 Tallinn's Old Town is one of the best preserved of any city in the world. Tourism opens up there this week.

A stunning 19th Century Church, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, stands as a proud 
beacon to the Russian Orthodox religion in Tallin, Estonia, with travel returning.

GET OUT THE BROCHURES, START PLANNING A TRIP AS THE COVID FOG BEGINS TO LIFT

Editor's Note: On June 1, travel restrictions resulting from Covid19 were eased and travel opened up with caution and new rules in many countries, including the Baltic Republics. We bring our story and photos, taken on our most recent international trip before the world of travel changed. We highly recommend Estonia. 

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

STROLLING FROM the ship in Tallinn, Estonia's modern harbor is a trip back in time, from contemporary 21st Century architecture, to centuries old churches, squares and monuments.

Arriving by ship, one walks past a modern harbor into the Old Town.

One enjoys the 20-minute walk to the picturesque Old Town, past modern sculpture and hundreds of welcoming marigolds. Slowly, the pavement shifts to cobblestone and the time travel begins.  One is greeted by lively cafes, bustling shops and kiosks with eye-catching folk art. Embroidery, lace-making, woodwork and knitwear are proudly displayed, all practiced for generations by the people. The blue cornflower, "rukkilill," is the national flower and you'll see it in beautiful scarves, tablecloths and wall hangings.

The Old Town of Tallinn is one of the world's best
preserved medieval cities, clean and bright.

IF YOU FANCY a bite or a drink, you'll find tasty beer and vodka, rye bread, potato rolls and ham sandwiches. Estonia is firmly part of Europe's "pork belt" and is also famous for its candy, with many flavors including liquor laced delicacies.
We'd arrived in Estonia’s capital on a 16-day cruise to ports on the beautiful Baltic Sea.

Tallinn is a blend of  old and new, with many influences
from its time as part of the Russian Empire. 

We were excited to visit Estonia because it has so recently emerged from Soviet control, and we had long anticipated photographing this Unesco World Heritage site.
THE HISTORIC old town of Tallinn is known for its wonderfully preserved medieval architecture and its part in the "Struve Geodetic Arc," which Estonia shares with nine other countries: Belarus, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Moldova, Russia, Sweden and Ukraine.

Its charming walled  Old Town is also home to a 15th-century defensive tower, a  Gothic Town Hall and impressive places of worship which withstood Communist control.

Bruce Keller poses near
an Estonian knight's armor.

St. Nicholas Church is a 13th-century landmark exhibiting ecclesiastical art. The newer Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with its obvious Russian influence reminds of the time Estonia was part of the Russian Empire then controlled by the Communist Party which had quite a run, from 1940 to 1990. While blockish apartments and offices are a result of that 50-year period, the grand 1894 Nevsky Cathedral reflects the ornate Russian Revival style one sees in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

A grand bronze of Estonia's most famous musician, Gustav Ernesaks, 
attracted Cookie, also a musician. Ernesaks is revered by his countrymen.

This stately cathedral is Tallinn's largest orthodox cupola cathedral, dedicated to Saint Alexander Nevsky who in 1242 won the Battle of the Ice on Lake Peipus, in the territorial waters of present-day Estonia.
ONLY 43 MILES south of Helsinki, Estonia has long been a destination for Finns in search of a bargain, but our guide said she and other Estonians now find many goods cheaper to acquire in Helsinki than in Tallinn.
While convents, museums, theaters, parks and a bustling market are part of Tallinn's charms, this musician's favorite spot is the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, on which a giant choral festival is staged every five years.

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers in Tallin.

 A huge bronze monument to Estonia's beloved composer and choral director Gustav Ernesaks is a highlight of the huge park. Ernesaks lived from 1908 to 1993 and played an integral role in the country's famous non-violent "Singing Revolution" which led to Estonian independence in 1991.
He also helped engineer the Estonian Song Festival and helped establish the country's world renowned vocal tradition.
The Festival Grounds is a beautifully located outdoor venue, resting on a gentle hill near the sea offering lovely breezes and gorgeous views.
The enterprise has hosted a mix of global stars, ranging from Tina Turner and the Rolling Stones, to Elton John, Snoop Dogg and Metallica. The Michael Jackson concert there in 1997 broke records with 200,000 star-struck spectators.

Beautiful sounds come from this Tallinn busker, playing his kannel for euros.

Choral singers the world over praise the acoustics of the space which resounds with the sounds of Ernesaks' Song Festival which attracts thousands of singers. 
ESTONIANS LOVE music, and host dozens of world class festivals for the organ, female vocal groups opera, ballet, theater and even Oriental dance. We were thrilled to find a young student playing Estonia's oldest string instrument, the kannel. It's plucked and played with a bow, and has the sound of a zither.
  visitestonia.com/en/
Check individual cruise lines and get on their mailing lists if you want to cruise the Baltic. Many cruises are resuming in July-August. Risk is still a consideration with no vaccine yet. Many changes are in store.

St. Petersburg is up next, a must for arts loving travelers. 

UP NEXT: With travel opening up in Europe and the Baltic Republics, we're happy to note that Russia is cautiously resuming tourism, too. So St. Petersburg beckons.  Come with us to explore this magnificent city, founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, subject of the city's iconic “Bronze Horseman” statue and much more. St. Petersburg is Russia's cultural center, with venues including the Mariinsky Theatre and ballet, and the world famous Hermitage, the State Russian Museum. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fresh look at travel, nature, the arts, family and more: whereiscookie.com

Up and running: Whales,wonders as California's Channel Islands resume tourism

It's thrilling to be back on the sea, after a near three-month absence. There are plenty of rules for boating in these
"Covid times," but for our travel dollar, it's worth it to be cautious, careful, and doing what we love again.

Island Packers in Oxnard and Ventura offers many options for enjoying
the beautiful and varied Channel Islands, here in Oxnard's marina.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

The approach to Anacapa is thrilling, dolphins aplenty. 

AFTER BEING deprived of boating's pleasures for nearly three months, we feel like we're "walking on water" to be back on the sea.
Boarding a boat bound for whale watching is one of life's loveliest pleasures. We've watched whales here in California and around the world, and love the opportunities around Oxnard, Calif. So with joy we announce that two of our favorite California boating enterprises have weathered the Covid storms are are back in business.
ISLAND PACKERS cruises the beautiful and varied Channel Islands, and is based in Ventura and Oxnard, less than 10 miles from Channel Islands National Park. Channel Islands Sportfishing is also in Oxnard, a perfect home base for an excursion.
 The summer months are the best times to see humpback whales and blue whales, which are attracted by abundant krill. But because of Oxnard's jutting placement on the water, and the deep channels, there are whales and dolphins all year long. Seeing a magnificent sea creature, knowing you're sharing the planet with this magical being, is a thrill we share whenever we get the chance.

Channel Islands Sportfishing offers myriad options for adventure by sea. 

We've watched whales in Alaska, Mexico, Hawaii, Iceland, Russia and Norway, always with admiration and awe.
So three days with the whale-watching and fishing boats in the Channel Islands was a treat.
We researched the options and decided upon these two highly rated outfits, both well established and regarded.
 Island Packers and Channel Islands Sportfishing

If you want to catch a fabulous fish, here's your ticket.

have been around since the 1960s, known for their interesting rides and excursions to Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and even Santa Barbara and San Miguel in the Channel Islands.
A variety of activities awaits -- from whale, dolphin and seal spotting to camping, sport fishing, energetic hiking and user-friendly family treks. Naturalists with vast knowledge of the area are part of the entertainment.
AFTER A LONG Covid delay, both outfits are back in business with masks required, extreme hygiene standards and limited capacity. Staff are constantly wiping down the boats and offices and passengers are asked to avoid moving around excessively. We're intrigued by the Painted Cave Exploration, high on our bucket list with Island Packers.
Channel Island Sportfishing puts its emphasis on catching beautiful white sea bass, yellowtail and halibut.

"Captain Keller" piloted
his first boat as a 10-
year old boy.

Both businesses are well respected by locals, and have excellent well informed commentary to accompany your beautiful journey into the Channel Islands.

Cookie and Keller enjoy a snuggle near Anacapa, where they
saw whales, seals, dolphin and a beautiful coastline.

Clouds move about invoking the spirits
of seafarers and sailors of yore.

NOT TO BE confused with the European Channel Islands, west of France, famous for the German occupation during World War II, the U.S. Channel Islands are off the coast of lower southern California.  Beautiful to approach and largely uninhabited -- except for forest service naturalists -- they form an eight-island archipelago along the Santa Barbara Channel in the Pacific Ocean. Five of them are part of Channel Islands National Park and the beautiful waters surrounding these make up Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.
Whale watching trips include both southbound whales going south to birth their calves, then migrating north with their calves, back up to their feeding grounds in the Arctic.  Whatever your choice, Oxnard's a good place to visit uncrowded waters with friendly staff -- a fruitful learning experince with appropriate Covid precautions.
islandpackers.com
ciscos.com 

History and heritage offer a wonderful opportunity to learn about the
people and culture of the Baltic Republics, here in Tallin, Estonia.

UP NEXT: While travel in the U.S. is opening up, so is international travel. We feature our visit to Tallinn, Estonia, our most recent international trip before Covid changed the world -- and travel. We loved our time there, for its history, modernity, friendly people, fine hearty food and beautiful coastal terrain. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fresh look at travel, the arts, nature, family and more: www.whereiscookie.com