garment travel bag

Russia

 
 Having made river cruise through the European part of Russia one can explore this part of the country. Cruises from Moscow to Saint Petersburg and routs along the Volga River are also offered. Volga is the biggest river of the European Continent. It is mentioned in national songs and legends. The river runs through the fields and hills of the Central Russia and flows into the Caspian Sea. Volga is called the Great Russian River. Since the old days, Volga has been the major transport and trading artery of Russia. The cities founded on its banks in different centuries have become the largest cultural and industrial centers of the country. Having made travel along. Volga you can explore the cultural heritage of Russia and enjoy the beauty of its nature.

     Cruise over Volga starts from Moscow. The ship goes to the north through Moscow Canal and then stops in some towns of the Golden Ring - Uglich, Myshkin, Tutaev, Yaroslavl, Kostroma. Some of the cruises go through Tver. This old Russian town was rebuilt after the great fire in the 18th century. It is known with beautiful temples and manors of the 18th-19th centuries in the styles of baroque and classicism.

     Ancient Russian village Krasnoe-na-Volga is known for the jeweller's art. Picturesque small town on the bank of the Volga River is known for the outstanding Russian artist Levitan who lived there. He has reflected the beauty of local places in this pictures.

Volga River

   

  Moving to the east down Volga, we will come to Nizhni Novgorod. Old wood carving and painting traditions were carefully kept in Gorodets -- a small town located not far form Nizhniy Novgorod. Nizhniy Novgorod is the third large city in Russia a big industrial and cultural centre. It is worth visiting a magnificent monument of Russian arcitecture -- the Kremlin in Nizhniy Novgorod. Ancient stone fortress with 13 towers -- the Kremlin of Nizhniy Novgored - raises on the bank of Vloga. Each of the fortress towers has its own name and history. Local authorities, art museum, philharmony and park are located on the territory of the Kremlin. The city is rich with theatres and museums. Many cultural festivals are held there.

   

     The next point of the route - city of Kazan - is located at the place where Vloga flows from the east to the south. Kazan is the capital of Republic of Tatarstan. It is 1000 years old. This city is the capital of the Tatarstan Republic and the centre of the Muslim culture in Russia. The Kazan Kremlin is included into the list of the World's Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.   

     The Kazan Kremlin is the main sight of the city. Main and the brightest Kremlin sight is seventier Tower Suumbeki, Kazan spiritual symbol and historical pride. The tower name is connected with the name of the last Kazan tsarina. According to the legend she fell from its peak after Kazan invasion by Ivan the Terrible.

   
    Suumbeki Tower is recognized as the falling tower. Its peak deviates from the vertical line almost for 2 meters. The town of Sviyazhsk is located on the the small island of the Volga River near to the capital of Tatarstan. The town was founded by tsar Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century. Originally Sviyazhsk was built as an important military town, then became a big centre of trade, but by the 20th century it became a silent town-monastery. The town has been neglected for a long time.

     Today Sviyazhsk is a reserve rich with beautiful monuments of church architecture of the 16th century.

     Moving south along Volga we are to Samara -- one of the largest cities of the Volga Region. Historically it was the city of merchants. Important commercial roads passed through the city.
     Perfect collection of Russia avant-guard of the 20th century beginning is exhibited at the Regional Art Museum of Samara. Picturesque views of the Volga Rivet open from the river embankments. Old towns of the Volga Region -- Syzran and Saratov are rich with architectural monuments and museums -- are located down the river. The bridge over Volga near Saratov is one of the longest bridges in Europe. On the 12th of April, 1961 the first cosmonaut - Yuri Gagarin - landed near Saratov. The main cities of the southern Volga region are the cities of Volgograd and Astrakhan.
    

 Firstly Volgograd was called Tsaritsyn, later from 1925 till 1961 it had been called Stalingrad. The city of Volgograd is inseparably tied with the most important events of the Great Patriotic War. In 1942-1943, in the city then called Stalingrad, a series of crucial and forest combats between Soviet Army and Nazi troops took place. Grandiose memorial complex of Mamaev Kurgan was erected in honor of the defenders of the city. Its dominant is the monument of the Motherland, which is one of the tallest statues all over the world made of reinforced concrete (the height of the statue is 85 meters).
   

   Astrakhan is located in the top part of the Volga River delta. It is the farthest point of the cruise down the Volga River.This old town on the south of Russia has been the large trading and industrial centre for a long time. The trade routes from Asia to Europe passed through Astrakhan. The city is located on the islands of the Volga delta and divided with branches and channels of the river. Valuable monuments of architecture were kept in the central historical part of Astrakhan. Main of them are Astrakhan Kremlin with white stone walls and towers and also the Assumption and Troitsky Cathedrals of the 16th century. The farmsteads of the east merchants,the mosques and Catholic church are well preserved in the central part of the city. Each of the Kremlin towers has its own name and history.
  

     

garment travel bag

India's North East

Sikkim 'The Vally of Rice'. But its original inhabitants - the Lepchas understood this land best - for them it was simply 'Nye-mae-el lang - abode of the Gods.

Spread over 7096 sq km, it enfolds the upper valley of the Teesta River, the major tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra River. Its southern borders with West Bengal are shared with the Rangit and Rangpo Rivers; Singhalia Range acts as a natural barrier with Nepal in the west and the Dongkhya Range runs along the borders from the north to the north east. Elevations range from 270 m above sea level in the south to over 8589 m in the north and north-western region.

The land of intense natural beauty, imbued with a mystic aura, is steeped in legends and history. The profusion of lofty peaks, holy lakes, ancient monasteries, orchid nurseries, heli-tours and stunning trekking routes make Sikkim a multidimensional holiday destination.

Gangtok (1572 m), the capital city in the east district, is the seat of governance and the primary hub of commercial activity. The drive up the Teesta gorge to this prettily located first town of Sikkim is spectacular. The pile of white water rafting equipment near the river bank, at one point, reminds you know popular this tumultuous waterway is becoming for adventure sports enthusiasts. Situated a short distance from it is the ancient Rumtek Monastery. The town is convenient base for trips to the enthereal environs of the mystical Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La.

Flower-filled meadows and hot springs, splendid vistas and tribal culture lure travellers to the north district just perfect for cultural tours and tribal village visits.

The stunning environs of the west district are adventure sports country. There's white water rafting down the Teesta and Rangit Rivers and trekking through rhododendron forests amongst the mountainous tracts. The misty, fairytale-like village of Pelling, the great tourist attraction, has sensational views of Mt Kanchendzonga. Close by is the sacred, prayer-flag encircled Khecheopalri (wishing) Lake. Some of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim are located its south district, which is the starting point for treks of Maenam and Tendong Hill. This is mountain biking country and a haven for naturalists. 

GANGTOK: Perched at a height of 5500 ft. Gangtok 'top of hill' lures visitors with its fabulous views of magnificent Mt. Khangchendzonga. Its strategic location, a strong Buddist presence and heady cultural offerings are a tempting insight into this stimulating land. Sample some of its treasures before heading out of town to savour Sikkim's other delights. One of the most delightful ways to do this is to sign up for one of the heli-tours. A good time to be here is around Buddha Purnima (May) to enjoy the famous Saga Dawa festivities. Walking in colorful pro-cession, the holy monks carry the holy books of Buddha's teachings from the Tsuklakhang Monastery in the palace to different parts of town. 

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology: This world renowned centre for Buddhist philosophy and religion, the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology is the world's largest treasury of invaluable old Tibetan books and manuscripts on science, medicine, astrology, etc. It attracts Buddist scholars form around the world.

The centre also has a wide range of Lepcha and Sanskrit manuscripts and scrolls of ancient vintage. The museum attached to it contains over 200 icons, old tankhas and some ritual vessels amongst the various objects d art on display. Upstairs you can observe the cataloguing and restoration of these treasures

Directorate of Handicrafts and Handlooms: You can spend a leisurely time at the Directorate of Handcrafts and Handlooms. You can see craftsmen in the process of weaving, woodcarving and painting typical Sikkimese designs. Handsome souvenirs to take home are hand-woven carpets, blankets, shawls and carved magnolia-wood tables.

Himalayan Zoological Park: Covering an area of 205 hectares, the Himalayan Zoological Park (8 km) is the semi-natural habitat of the endangered red panda, barking deer, spotted deer and bear.

Enchey Monastery: One of the most important monasteries of Sikkim and the Nyingma order of Buddhism, the Enchey Monastery (5 km) is constructed on a site blessed by Lama Druptob Karpo, a revered tantric master reputed for his power to fly. Over 200 years old. Enchey has within its precincts many icons and religious artifacts of great veneration and antiquity.

Khangchndzonga Viewing: Tashi View Point (8 km) is a popular picnic spot offering grandstand views of Khangchendzongs. The Enchey Monastery too has one of the best views of the entire mountain range.

the holdovers

The Holdovers Movie

The Holdovers review - Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti reunite for charming comedy.

The director makes a welcome return to form with a warm and melancholic 70s-set comedy drama led by a trio of note perfect performances.

As annoyingly cliched as it might be when someone (usually after a deep, dramatic sign) complains that they just dose not make them like they used to, it dose not make any less true. I fact, It is truer than ever fight now, with streamers focused more on smartphone content than movies for cinema screens, When someone actually does make one like  they used to, it is hard not to get a little moony.

So, indebted to his noble nostalgic mission, director and cinema restoration enthusiast Alexander Payne has made a film set in the 70s that could also have been made in the 70s, from the more gimmicky vintage idents at the start right down to the overall aesthetic from camera angles to fades to casting choices to film stock. But The Holdovers, which premiered at this year's Telluride film festival in Colorado before heading to Toronto film festival is far from pastiche; it is a sensitively acted and delicately written comedy drama that has a life all of its own. Not only it does it recall intimate, character led films of the time but also the sorts of 90s and noughties Miramax indies that broke out at Sundance and charmed all those who saw them on their route to the Oscars (it was in fact acquired for distribution by the once-illustrious ex-Weinstein company before production).

It is simplicity is one of its many aces, especially after the uncharacteristically convoluted silliness of Payne's last film, 2017s high-concept, low-reward escapade Downsizing. He is on far less precarious ground here, a film closesr to Nebraska or The Descendants that makes for a welcome return to the fold.

For only the second time in his career, Payne is working from a script he has not written himself. TV writer David Hemingson makes for an idealpartnet, modulating the sweet with the sad without indulging in sentimentality in a way that feels as if Payne did write it. His story of three characters forced to spend Christmas together also has the texture of a great American novel, a world that you imagine existing in full before the start of the film and carrying on without us for a long time after.

Payne's Sideways right hand man, Paul Giamatti, plays Paul a history teacher with a strict moral compass wrangling rich kids at a well-to-do boarding school, aware that he is disliked but unafraid to continue his mission to prioritise fairness over financial sway. He is froced into being a holdover an adult tasked with overseeing students who have nowhere else to to over the Christmas period and is lumped with a smart yet rebellious teen, Angus (newcomer Dominic Sessa). The pair are left alongside a grieving mother and cafeteria manager, Mary (Da 'Vine Joy Randolph), and the three create an unlikely unit.

Paul is a longer focused on his job and very little else, constantly aggrieved by school politics and choosing to soak his concerns in Jim Beam while disappearing in pulpy mystery books. Angus has been abandoned at the very last minute by his mother and her new husband who have demanded a honeymoon over the festive period and he is itching to play up, Mary's son died not long ago after being sent off to fight in Vietnam and she is facing her first Christmas without him, again choosing whiskey but pairing it with reruns of The Newlywed Game.

The ways in which the trio come together apart and back together again are far subtler and less conflict and monologue driven than they could have been in the hands of a less talented writer. There is no makeshift family created here, just three lost people finding commonalities at what fells like the end of the world hunkered down at a snowy New England school as every else enjoys what is allegedly the most wonderful time of the year.

Payne understands that there is a great sadness to the Christmas period for many people and that is felt most poignantly by Mary, a deservedly more substantial role for Randolph, an actor who has been impressing on the outskirts since breaking out in 2019's Dolemite is My Name. She is excellent here given far more to do than what she is usually afforded and gives so much more even during scenes in which she is working with very little. A shot of the tipsily reminiscing at a Christmas party thinking of her son as an Artie Shaw record plays and a brief scene where she unpacks her son's baby belogings are both shattering enough to secure her a best supporting actress nomination come next year.

She is one of three moving parts that move effortlessly together: an A-game Giamatti is convincing as a certain teacher, easily judged from a far but with unseen vulnerabilities close up; and Sessa, a genuine knockout in his first film role confidently going toe-to-toe with his more experienced co-stars, a believably petulant teen in search of something to moor him. There is an emotional restraint in both the performances and the film surrounding them, despite the time of the year and when a light sprinkling of sugar does come in the last act it feels earned. The recent churn of Christmas films, more than ever it seems year by year, has yet to offer us one worth revisiting but there is something about The Holdovers and its misty-eyed melancholy that feels worth adding to the rotation.

The Holdovers is screening at the Toronto film festival  and will be released in the US on 10 Noverber in Australia on 11 January and in the UK on 19 January.