travel – Page 2 – Kari Neumeyer

Leo wants to do fun things, too

I have a T-shirt from Dog is Good that reads: “To my dog, this I promise you: I will love you unconditionally; for who you are, not who I’d like you to be. I will protect you and keep you safe. Always.” I love this sentiment so much that I bought the shirt despite theContinue reading “Leo wants to do fun things, too”

So this is what they mean by Voice Control

I haven’t brought Mia to work in so long I forgot her leash today. Amazingly, I didn’t have a spare in my car or my office. I considered buying a cheap one for our lunchtime stroll, but decided instead to take her someplace we could “get away” with being off leash. Now, I don’t condoneContinue reading “So this is what they mean by Voice Control”

One last thing about my severe cough and cold

I’m not really a germaphobe. I tend to think, “Meh, that’s what my immune system is for.” Until I get sick, and wonder about the trail of germs that led me here. It’s like that movie Contagion. (It used to be like that movie Outbreak, but I try to stay current.) I had an itsyContinue reading “One last thing about my severe cough and cold”

Hazy shade of autumn

I apologize to my new readers and old friends who grew accustomed to my daily postings. I surprised even myself with how often I blogged during my trip. Now that I’m back home, my goal is to post at least once a week, but I’d love to find as much wonder in my daily lifeContinue reading “Hazy shade of autumn”

Airport security and a missed opportunity

Long ago, my mother taught me that if you see something you really want during your travels, buy it. Don’t wait. Because you might not see it again, and then you spend the rest of your trip searching in vain for the clear umbrella with matryoshka dolls on it. Oh, sure you’ll see lots ofContinue reading “Airport security and a missed opportunity”

The evolution of my travel journal

Before email, it was all about the travel journal. Sometimes I went through more than one and had to acquire another abroad. Record every sight, every meal, what I paid for each souvenir, what my traveling companion had done to get on my nerves. Before blogs, assuming I wasn’t traveling with her, it was allContinue reading “The evolution of my travel journal”

I chose our lodging because of the Vampire Diaries

The Petrovka Loft is in quite an upscale Moscow neighborhood, which turns out not to be the good thing it would seem. The entrance is near a porn store in an alley, which is dark and sketchy at night, and there’s no place nearby to buy a candy bar and a bottle of water beforeContinue reading “I chose our lodging because of the Vampire Diaries”

I like dogs better than communists anyway

One of the highlights of my last trip to Moscow was seeing Lenin’s embalmed corpse. When I told my guide (a friend of a friend) that I wanted to see it, he scoffed. “That is not the real Moscow,” he said. I’m still wondering what the real Moscow is. This morning, we woke early toContinue reading “I like dogs better than communists anyway”

Has Moscow changed, or have I?

I’m starting to wear down and look forward to the end of the trip when I can be reunited with my doggies. It’s not that I don’t like Moscow; I actually like it more than I did when I was here before. It seemed grittier 11 years ago, and I didn’t feel as safe onContinue reading “Has Moscow changed, or have I?”

Homage to the Hermitage

The other day when it rained on us outside the Peter and Paul Fortress, I was briefly overtaken with traveler’s fatigue (and a touch perhaps of seasonal affective disorder). “I just want to curl up on the couch with a warm dog and watch a movie,” I said over bliny. Fortunately, the rain was briefContinue reading “Homage to the Hermitage”