The Moving Concept

17/10/2023

DID YOU KNOW...? 😱😱😱
Random fun facts about cities around the World...
Get you free share of knowledge and fun here now 🥳



(first and last one leave you really 😮)

13/10/2023

Random facts you didn't know about US landmarks.
To start the day with some curiosities 😊🗽😮

12/10/2023

Interesting facts about some European Landmarks.
Learn something new about your next potential travel destination 😉

10/10/2023

Free Fun Facts for Everyone!
Here are some interesting facts from all over the world:
Did you know... 😉?

06/10/2023

My personal list of 10 gems, 10 wonders you might not know around the world that will take your breath away.
How many have you visited? How many did you know already?
How many are on your bucket list?
And how many are going to be in your bucket list after watching these spectacular images?

Join us on an extraordinary journey as we unveil the world's best-kept secrets - the 10 Lesser-Known Hidden Wonders of the World that deserve a spot on every...

02/10/2023

So many pages still to read... 🌎🌍🌏

29/09/2023

It's Friday...
We're almost there... the weekend is so close!
Why not relieving these last few hours of work and routine with a journey of the mind?
Sit back, press play and enjoy the journey to one of the most fascinating destination worldwide: JAPAN! 🌏

Take a 3 minutes break to travel with your imagination, guided by a soothing narrating voice and by the mesmerizing shots of this wonderful country.

Embark on a mesmerizing journey through the heart of Japan, where life's true essence is found in the unexpected. As we wander through the remote countryside...

27/09/2023

Be humble.
Be kind.
Travel.
Open your mind.

25/09/2023

What is travelling?
Mr. Andersen couldn't find a better way to explain it... ❤️🌍

22/09/2023

Ready to fly? ✈️
Sit back, hit play, and let your journey begin.



Don't forget to like and subscrive not to miss on the next adventure! 🌎🌍🌏

Embark on a soul-soothing journey to the heart of the Andes in our latest short story adventure, 'The Majestic Guardian'. Let the tranquil melodies of the pa...

19/09/2023

Do you feel like you need a break from the ordinary?
Do you feel like you should travel more often but you can't?
Would you like to escape to beautiful destination without leaving your office/room/apartment/house?

This is what you need: subscribe to the channel, there are many new adventures on the horizon...

Next stop: The Andes 😉🌎✈️

Do you like to travel? Do you find yourself sometimes in the middle of your day dreaming, eyes open, about your next journey or a destination on your bucket ...

18/09/2023

14/09/2023

Need a break from today's routine? Come with me to visit the stunning Antelope Canyon and discover a gem hidden in those beautiful passages. Take three minutes of your time to close your eyes, relax and travel with your mind, guided by the voice of a fellow adventurer. 🌎

Embark on a serene journey through the enchanting Antelope Canyon in Arizona. In this tranquil two-minute video, our soothing narration guides you through th...

11/09/2023

Evade your daily routine on this short narrated journey into a mesmerizing cave in the other end of the world. Relax while travelling. More short narrated journeys to come 😊🌎

Join us on a mesmerizing two-minute journey to the enchanting Glowworm Caves of New Zealand, where nature's magic comes to life! 🌟Experience the serene beau...

06/07/2023

🇪🇨 ISABELA- GALAPAGOS ISLANDS 🇬🇧 In Galapagos, you can move from island to island with speedboats. After a few hours' ride (which was pretty rough for us as we encountered rough seas) from Santa Cruz, we arrived at Isabela Island, the largest and second youngest of the archipelago.

As soon as we arrived, we went straight to a kayak and paddled to the Tintoreras Islets, where we could observe many bo***es (don't be dirty-minded, that's what the blue-footed birds are called) up close. Then, we stopped at a rocky beach to put on our snorkeling gear and swam with the smallest species of penguin in the world (in addition to being the only penguin found in the Northern Hemisphere) and, of course, marine iguanas (I was right behind one of those swimming, and believe me, it seemed like a miniature Godzilla).

On the second day, we had a full-day hike around the Cerro Azul volcano. There, you can still see an immense wasteland of young lava with holes here and there on the ground, remnants of previous volcanic eruptions. It looked a bit like hell, you would think.

We also decided to go on a private tour to the Trillizos volcano, which is another mouth of the Sierra Negra, where you can rappel your way down into this hole (this time, filled with plants and flora, as it's not as young as Cerro Azul) and explore the interior of the place. It's not very touristy, and you really feel like Indiana Jones.

A place you must visit is the Tuneles, another group of lava formations with islets and bridges where underneath you can find a vast variety of marine life. While we were snorkeling there, we swam with plenty of sea turtles, saw seahorses, crabs, and got a close-up view (very close) of a bunch of sharks resting in the shadows beneath one of these lava formations.

The island used to be a penal colony back in the day, and the prisoners sent here were obligated to forced labor. One of the results is the Wall of Tears, built by the prisoners and obviously named so due to the pain and suffering of those who built it. It's a very suggestive place, and you can reach a small panoramic viewpoint by following a path next to it.

To get there, you can rent a bike (a very useful thing to do here) and ride to the place, stopping on the way forward or back at El Estero (a mangrove forest, very suggestive), Playa del Amor, and the Mirador Cerro Orchilla.

Another place I suggest you visit is Co**ha de Perla Bay (where we had a really close encounter with a bunch of stingrays).

All in all, I think Isabela was my favorite island of the three main ones we visited. It's less touristy than the others, definitely wilder, and somewhat calmer. You won't find fancy hotels or restaurants, but you'll eat delicious fresh food and sleep like a baby. Isn't that more important? Most of the island is not allowed to be visited by tourists, and that surely keeps its beauty intact.

With Isabela, the journey in Galapagos ends, probably the most beautiful place I've seen on the planet. If you ever plan a trip to South America, try to squeeze in a week or two there. It's definitely worth it.

15/06/2023

🇪🇨 SAN CRISTOBAL - GALAPAGOS ISLANDS 🇬🇧 The oldest of the main Galapagos islands is San Cristobal. You can notice it because it's the greenest of them and the one with the most vegetation, as the eruptions created this island longer than 2 million years ago.
It is a beautiful island, full of hidden places to discover so we thought that it was worth getting a full-day tour by boat around the place, so we could get to see many of the beaches and spots only reachable by sea. We weren't disappointed: the immaculate sands of some corners scattered around the place were definitely worth to be seen, and it would have been impossible to get there by land. On the other hand, it was very enjoyable to rent a bike and go explore the inner land: from Puerto Baquerizo (the main town, located on the west side of the island, facing Santa Cruz) it was easy to bike to La Loberia, and then walk to the "acantilado", a cliff at the end of a rocky path full of iguanas and blue-footed birds. Just a walk away from town were pretty beaches like Playa Mann and Carola Beach, while you could do some snorkeling at Muelle Tijeretas, where I found myself in the middle of a pack of sea lions...AMAZING! Talking about sea lions, they're the official owners of the islands. You find them everywhere and it's nearly impossible not stopping and just look at them because they're the cutest thing, especially when they're little. But don't bother them, keep a respectful distance or they might get angry and then you could get in trouble.
If you feel adventurous you might want to cross the island and get to Puerto Chino. They'll tell you that you can do it by bike, but be sure to be in shape because I had a not nice experience and I was about to be left there by myself at sunset... On the way to the wonderful beach of Puerto Chino, be sure you stop to hike up to El Junco (a laguna at the top of a mountain in the middle of the island) and enjoy the view of the island and visit the Galapaguera Cerro Colorado (a reserve for tortoises) before spending the rest of the day at the beach.
The best thing we did tho was the excursion to Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido). The amount of sealife around this rock is unbelievable. The water is deep and below you, you can see sea turtles, stingrays, and sharks (like... hammer sharks!!!!) with of course all kinds of colored fish around. The most beautiful experience for me was right here, right before going back to the boat, I stayed behind the group, mesmerized by everything around me. I wanted to feel a bit alone in that place and a young sea lion approached me and started to swim around me, looking right at me. So I started to swim around him, playing with him and we kept going for a while, then he swam away. At that very moment, I felt alive. 🌎

07/08/2022

🇪🇨 SANTA CRUZ - GALAPAGOS ISLANDS 🇬🇧 When you fly to Santa Cruz you land on Bartra, a small island right above it, connected to the main one by a small ferry. So basically you get off the plane, you get to a bus that brings you to a ferry that crosses a little channel and then again on a bus (travel light, you don't want to do this with 2 big suitcases each) that brings you to Puerto Ayora, the main town on the island. The town is quite touristic but keeps a low profile. This is the most important feature of these islands: they put a limit on tourism. They understand that nature, sealife, and bio-diversity are key to their survival so they do what's in their power to preserve it. Many would say they are doing a great job, many others have a different opinion. I find their philosophy and their actions worth my deepest respect.
On our first day, we went on an excursion to San Bartolomè Island, where you can clearly see the phases of different eruptions just by looking at where you're standing. You can see what part of the island was created by the first eruption and then the extension made by the following ones. You can admire "The Pinnacle", a tall tower made of compressed ashes around which penguins are building their colony.
Oh, yes... we swam right next to them. They're small and cute and they're the only penguins living in the northern hemisphere.
Walking distance from the main town there are Las Grietas. After a walk through rocks and cacti, you get to this breach in the ground, with walls of rock on either side and a creek of clear water at the bottom. In that heat was a pleasant surprise to discover that the water was cool and perfect for a swim. The water gets there through rocks so it's basically "filtered" and in there you can't find much fish, but it's definitely a place worth visiting.
Same as the Charles Darwin scientific center, where you can learn more about all the species that changed and were born on those islands thanks to evolution, the ones that disappeared (thanks to ass***es humans), and the ones that remain unique to those places. Also, you can visit the giant tortoises and learn more about how they're trying to help them survive and reproduce.
I could stay here listing all the places you gotta see in this island (Los Gemelos, the Giant Tortoise Reserve "El Rancho") but there are TWO things I want to be sure you'd do once you're there.
You're here for the beach, right? So go to Tortuga Bay: you know when you see a picture or a movie with a beach as long as the eye can see, white sand, and a perfect sea? That's the one. Bring a sun-protector, or even better...cover-up. Sun isn't kind around here.
If you like the sea: GO DIVING.
You might have dove around the world but I feel pretty confident in telling you that the amount of sea life you can see in these areas is unmatched anywhere else.
Around Seymour island, I've swum next to stingrays, eels, and sharks (yes, sharks. Not small sharks, some of them were freaking big... and some were hammer sharks!) plus an uncountable number of other fish.
I must say one of the top experiences I've ever had.
So get your diving gear, take a deep breath, and... don't be afraid! The world is beautiful 🌎

15/09/2021

🇪🇨 GALAPAGOS 🇪🇨
I know, it has been a long time since my last post. But I come back with a BANG! There are many awesome places in the world, and I have probably emphasized the beauty of some of them in my previous posts. But a few months ago I have visited one that really took my heart and placed itself at the very top of my list. They're about a thousand kilometers far from the west coast of Ecuador, deep in the middle of the Pacific Ocean: they're the Galapagos Islands.
The history of these islands isn't pretty at all. They were used by colonizers as prisons, by whale
hunters as a place where to hide goods, and by pirates as safe port away from land. I guess
the real treasure of these islands wasn't discovered until Charles Darwin got there and observed
how the species changed and evolved on those unwelcoming vulcanic lands. Finally, the
Galapagos was recognized worldwide as a site of scientific interests, but it took over a hundred years to protect them and make them a National Park.
Everything in these islands is special. It's a combination of geological, climatic, and
geographical conditions that makes it a place you won't find anywhere else in the world. Screw the world. In the universe.
There are 18 main islands: only 4 are inhabitated by humans and 3 of which are the biggest by far: Santa Cruz (where the main airport is), Isabela (the largest of the archipelago), and San Cristobal (the oldest of all with around 5 million years of age). But how did they form? Basically, near where now is the island Fernandina (west side of the archipelago) there is a "hot spot" (an active volcano) that now and then erupts lava and other hot stuff. The bigger eruptions created the islands, right? Just like the Hawaii or Canary Islands. But how could this single hot spot create the three big islands that are now several kilometers apart? Fun fact: the islands are located on the Nazca Plate, which is moving towards the East and underneath the South American plate (pushing up the Andes). So after an eruption, the island formed by it moved towards the east with the plate and then made space for another separate island at the following eruption. FASCINATING!
But the best part of the islands is definitely the marine life. Tell me another place where you can swim in blue crystal open waters with sea lions, sea turtles, stingrays, sharks (yes, sharks), and penguins! Did you
know penguins could be found in the northern hemisphere too? The equator passes right through the Galapagos and there are penguins in the northern part of Isabela so...YES! You can!!.... wait a sec... you didn't even know you could find penguins on the equator??? But where have you lived all these years??? Ahahah :)
I am so looking forward to telling you more about all of it in the next posts, but so far I just leave
you with this quote by Charles Darwin: IF EVERYONE WERE CAST IN THE SAME MOLD, THERE WOULD BE
NO SUCH THING AS BEAUTY. ✨
Be different. Be unique. Be yourself. TRAVEL! :)

01/09/2021

If you're a traveler and you love to wear ethnic clothes from around the world, you've got to check out this website 💓

04/06/2021

Available soon also in UE!

22/04/2021

Hey everyone! My apologies for being away so long and not posting on travels and beautiful places... As you can see I've bee busy marrying the one and only woman who can stand me and makes me a better person! 🥰
But good news is: I have some wonderful pictures and experiences to tell you about two new places I've recently visited in this last trip to Ecuador.
Coming soon on The Moving Concept: THE AMAZON and THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS.
Stay tuned and... keep moving! :)

10/01/2021

03/01/2021

Not all trips go smoothly as planned. This post is not about fancy pictures and historic monuments, this post is about the story of a couple who found themselves in a quite sh*tty situation in the middle of Ecuador. Let me start by putting you in our mindstate: visiting my girl in Quito, we planned to go one afternoon to a hotel-spa in Papallacta, stay there overnight, enjoy the thermal pools and come back lunchtime the next day. Great. Early afternoon we went to buy stuff to eat that same night and the traffic in Quito was horrible, it took hours to do few simple things so we left the house a bit later than what we planned. Quito-Papallacta was 2 hours drive top (so it said our friend Google Maps), but it all went wrong when halfway we had to switch off google maps and then re-set the trip on the app. One of us (I'm not saying whom...but it was her fault) set as destination Papallacta Thermal Office instead of Papallacta Thermal Hotel. The office was in Quito. SO halfway I found myself driving back to Quito (we were not fully outside the city so with the whole traffic etc believe me I had no sense of direction of where we were going). When we realized we were going to the wrong place, we set once again the destination right and we headed to Papallacta. But it was late. It was getting darker. And soon enough...it was dark (over there it gets dark at around 6:30 pm). Anyway, we were on the main road - a bit in a hurry because we didn't want to get there too late as we paid for the whole evening - when Google tells us to turn left. But passing by the turning point I see no deviation, so I do a U-turn and slow down and look again. It was dark and foggy (like...UK foggy) and you could barely see anything, but I noticed a dirt road at the point where Google advised to go. The map showed we would save nearly half-hour of driving, so we decided to take the detour and get into the dirt road. We drove an SUV, but oh dear the road was bumpy! First, we descended a steep bit before getting to a plain and follow the road. I could not see what was around us. The more forward we went, the more intense the fog got. I could not turn the car so we went on and on. The navigator was clearly saying at the end of this dirt road we would reconnect to the main one, so we went on. The path got smaller, the trees got bigger, the branches were all over the car, we could see animals crossing right in front of us...we were almost there... I could see the light of the main road when... a gate. The end of the dirt road was closed by a gate. At that point there was one only option (even tho I thought about driving into the gate with the car "Fast and Furious" style): turn the car around and drive back. We drove about half an hour in the dirt and now we had to do it all again. It was getting very late, we started to be nervous but we only had to drive the same dirt road and get to the main and that's it. So we turned the car and we went again throughout the narrow part all the way till the steep descent, that now we had to climb up. The road was muddy, it had rained before and the fog kept it humid, so the car had no grip on the road. I tried to go slow, and slower, but the tires were slipping. And the car was going back... and back... and back. Until both left tires fell into the ditch next to the dirt road. NOW we had a problem. The mobile phones had no network and were low on battery. It was completely dark around. We could see the light of the main road far away, blurred by the fog. I can admit with no shame that we were afraid. I don't exactly know of what (although I could list a series of reasons), but we were. So we did the only thing that was left to do: we walked. We took a few things with us, left the car in the ditch, and walked up the steep road. We took each other's hands while after few steps we already felt exhausted (Quito is at nearly 3000m) and we walked, with the hope that once we reached the main road the phones had some coverage or some car would stop and help us or...I don't know. We had walked only a few meters when a light shined in front of us. It was blurry and coming towards us. It was torchlight and a man was walking down the dirt road. It was nearly 10 pm, who in hell needs to be walking here at this time? The worst thoughts came through our minds (I mean, so far it's just like a horror movie. We just needed a villain.). When we got close enough we addressed each other and the guy was an operator of the hydraulic station at the bottom of the steep road (a little hut there barely noticed on our way to nowhere) and it was there to change a valve that broke down. So relieved that he wasn't dangerous we asked him for help explaining the situation and this man with a calm that I never saw in my life told us that all would be okay and that he would help us. He came to see the car in the ditch and told us to wait in the car, that he would go and fix the valve, and then come back with help. So we went in the car. And we waited. In the middle of darkness. Ana thought that he would never come back...or that he would come back with some help to mug us. And kill us. And hide our bodies in the swamp. Me? I fell asleep. 20 minutes passed by and then he came back, with a guy who was the security of the place (swamps in Ecuador have security?) and they started moving rocks and mud and dirt to fill the ditch so that the car would have some grip to get out of it. I was looking at them and I couldn't believe what these two guys who we've never met before were doing to help up, with no reward promised, no questions whatsoever. They had mud all over them and moved rock after rock after rock until the car finally got out of it. Then they came with us and pointed to a closer exit to the main road and there I offered them some wine or anything as a "thank you". They asked if we had some change and I gave about 30 dollars each (that's most of what I had, I needed to keep some money) and they were super happy with it.
We arrived at the hotel at around 11 pm or later... I don't remember. What I do remember is how much I enjoyed the spa after that experience.
I am not a believer in God or whatever, but I can assure you those two guys were the closest thing to an angel I've ever experienced. Bottom line: don't trust Google Maps.

23/12/2020

17/12/2020

🇬🇧 Russians know how to get s**t done. They don't talk much and they may be a bit rough around the edges, but they do get straight to the point. And when a great Russian man decided to bring to his country a bit of western culture and art... a city like St. Petersburg gets done.
Founded by Tsar Peter the Great around 300 years ago, in these 3 centuries the city has developed a history that much older worldwide metropolis can only dream of: known as the "Cultural Capital of Russia", it's a wonderful mix of the northern climate, western art, and eastern customs.
Differently than many other ports, in this one, our ship stopped for two nights and during the whole summer, we happened to be there many times. So we had the chance to visit it properly and have a taste of its life. The first thing I wanted to see was the Hermitage. I'm not a museum fan, but I do enjoy some good artworks. The museum includes 6 buildings – one of them, the Winter Palace, it's a former residence of Russian emperors - and hosts allegedly the largest painting collection in the world. But is not the quantity, is the quality that impressed me. Can you imagine walking through these rooms, where the Russian highest authorities of the 18th century were living and enjoying their daily routines? It's impossible to describe the amount of...EVERYTHING you see in there! Every corner has something to admire! My favorite room was one containing dozens of statues in white marble, some of which made by the master Antonio Canova (including "Kiss of Cupid and Psyche"). The number of people in there and the brief time at my disposal didn't let me enjoy at the fullest the place, but that's a good reason to come back.
The whole city seems to been made to be seen on foot. There's something on every street. A view of the Neva River, the drawbridges, the Church of Spilled Blood (in the picture, taken at 3:00 am, I was coming back from a night out and I couldn't believe that the sun was already up and out. It was pretty confusing considering my conditions at that moment) which is a must-see being the most iconic Orthodox church in the world or the St. Isaac's cathedral with its gigantic dome. But that's not it. Just outside the city, you can go visit the summer residence of the Tsars: Peterhof Palace. They say Peter the Great commissioned the palace after visiting Versailles, that's why took the name "The Russian Versailles". Architects from Switzerland, France, and Italy worked on the main building and the following expansions, creating the three main parts of this complex: the Great Palace, the lower garden, and the upper garden. The thing you don't want to miss is the moment they turn on the fountains at the lower garden. 64 fountains alone constitute the Grand Cascade and right in the middle of the pool, there's the Samson Fountain, which depicts the moment when Samson tears open the jaws of a lion, representing Russia's victory over Sweden in the Great Northern War. There are over 170 fountains in total around the gardens and guess what? No pumps. Water is supplied from natural springs and collects in reservoirs in the Upper Gardens. The elevation difference creates the pressure that drives most of the fountains of the Lower Gardens, including the Grand Cascade. Wow.
Once again, impossible to sum up properly such a rich place in just a post. What I want you to remember is that if St. Petersburg isn't on your list of to-see places, you have to put it in. Now. Do it.

🇮🇹 I russi sanno come fare le cose. Non parlano molto e a volte risultano un po' di modi bruschi, ma vanno dritti al s**o. E quando un grande statista russo decise di portare nel suo paese un po 'di cultura e arte occidentale ... nacque una città come San Pietroburgo.
Fondata dallo zar Pietro il Grande circa 300 anni fa, in questi 3 secoli la città ha sviluppato una storia che altre metropoli molto più antiche possono solo sognare: conosciuta come la "capitale culturale della Russia", è un meraviglioso mix di clima nordico, arte occidentale e costumi orientali.
A differenza di molti altri porti, in questo la nostra nave si fermò per due notti in ripetute occasioni durante l'estate, dandoci la possibilità di visitare adeguatamente ed conoscere un po' sulla vita in questa meravigliosa città. La prima cosa che volevo vedere era l'Hermitage. Non sono un fan dei musei, ma mi piacciono le belle opere d'arte. Il museo comprende 6 edifici - uno di loro, il Palazzo d'Inverno, è un'antica residenza degli imperatori russi - e ospita presumibilmente la più grande collezione di dipinti del mondo. Ma non è la quantità, è la qualità che mi ha colpito: provate a immaginare queste immense stanze, dove vivevano le massime autorità russe del XVIII secolo e si godevano la loro routine quotidiana. È impossibile descrivere la quantità di ... TUTTO quello che vedi lì dentro! In ogni angolo c'è qualcosa da ammirare! La mia stanza preferita è stata sicuramente quella contenente decine di statue in marmo bianco, alcune delle quali realizzate dal maestro Antonio Canova (tra cui "Il bacio di Amore e Psiche"). Il numero di persone lì dentro e il breve tempo a mia disposizione non mi hanno permesso di godermi appieno il posto, ma questo è un buon motivo per tornare.
L'intera città sembra fatta per essere vista a piedi. C'è qualcosa in ogni strada. Una vista del fiume Neva, i ponti levatoi, la Chiesa del Sangue Versato (nella foto, scattata alle 3:00 di mattina, tornavo da una nottata di festa e non potevo credere che il sole fosse già alto in cielo! Ero piuttosto confuso considerando anche le mie condizioni in quel momento) che è assolutamente da vedere essendo la chiesa ortodossa più iconica del mondo o la cattedrale di Sant'Isacco con la sua gigantesca cupola. Ma non è tutto. Appena fuori città, puoi andare a visitare la residenza estiva degli Zar: il Palazzo Peterhof. Dicono che Pietro il Grande abbia commissionato il palazzo dopo aver visitato Versailles, ecco perché ha preso il nome de "La Versailles russa". Architetti provenienti da Svizzera, Francia e Italia hanno lavorato all'edificio centrale e ai successivi ampliamenti, creando le tre parti principali di questo complesso: il Palazzo Grande, il giardino inferiore e il giardino superiore. Da non perdere è il momento in cui accendono le fontane nel giardino inferiore. 64 fontane da sole costituiscono la Grande Cascata e proprio al centro del laghetto, c'è la Fontana di Sansone, che raffigura il momento in cui Sansone dilania le fauci di un leone, rappresentando la vittoria della Russia sulla Svezia nella Grande Guerra del Nord. Ci sono oltre 170 fontane in totale intorno ai giardini e indovina un po '? Niente pompe. L'acqua è fornita da sorgenti naturali e si raccoglie in bacini nei Giardini Superiori. Il dislivello crea la pressione che aziona la maggior parte delle fontane dei Giardini Inferiori, inclusa la Grand Cascade. Wow.
Ancora una volta, impossibile riassumere adeguatamente un posto così ricco in un solo post. Ma voglio che sia chiaro che se San Pietroburgo non è nella tua lista di posti da vedere, metticela. Adesso. Fallo.

🇪🇸 Los rusos saben hacer las cosas. No hablan mucho y, a veces, se muestran un poco bruscos, pero van directo al grano. Y cuando un gran estadista ruso decidió traer algo de cultura y arte occidental a su país ... nació una ciudad como San Petersburgo.
Fundada por el zar Pedro el Grande hace unos 300 años, en estos 3 siglos la ciudad ha desarrollado una historia con la que otras metrópolis mucho más antiguas solo pueden soñar: conocida como la "capital cultural de Rusia", es una maravillosa mezcla de clima nórdico, artes occidentales y costumbres euro-orientales.
A diferencia de muchos otros puertos, en este nuestro barco se detuvo dos noches en repetidas ocasiones durante el verano, dándonos la oportunidad de visitarlo adecuadamente y conocer un poco la vida en esta maravillosa ciudad. Lo primero que quería ver era el Hermitage. No soy fanático de los museos, pero me gustan las bellas obras de arte. El museo consta de 6 edificios, uno de ellos, el Palacio de Invierno, es una antigua residencia de los emperadores rusos, y presumiblemente alberga la colección de pinturas más grande del mundo. Pero no es la cantidad, es la calidad lo que me impresiona: trata de imaginar estas inmensas habitaciones, donde las más altas autoridades rusas del siglo XVIII vivieron y disfrutaron de su rutina diaria. Es imposible describir la cantidad de ... ¡TODO lo que ves allí! ¡En cada rincón hay algo que admirar! Mi habitación favorita era sin duda la que contenía decenas de estatuas de mármol blanco, algunas de las cuales fueron realizadas por el maestro Antonio Canova (entre ellas "El beso de Cupido y Psique"). La cantidad de personas que había allí y el poco tiempo a mì disponible no me permitieron disfrutar plenamente del lugar, pero esta es una buena razón para regresar.
La ciudad entera parece hecha para ser vista a pie. Hay algo en cada calle. Una vista del río Neva, los puentes levadizos, la Iglesia de la Sangre Derramada (en la foto, tomada a las 3:00 a.m., regresaba de una noche de fiesta y no podía creer que el sol ya estuviera alto en el cielo. Estaba bastante confundido considerando tambièn mi condición en ese momento) que es una visita obligada siendo la iglesia ortodoxa más emblemática del mundo o la Catedral de San Isaac con su gigantesca cúpula. Pero eso no es todo. En las afueras de la ciudad, puedes ir a visitar la residencia de verano de los zares: el Palacio Peterhof. Dicen que Pedro el Grande encargó el palacio después de visitar Versalles, por lo que recibió el nombre de "El Versalles ruso". Arquitectos de Suiza, Francia e Italia trabajaron en el edificio central y en las ampliaciones posteriores, creando las tres partes principales de este complejo: el Palacio Grande, el jardín inferior y el jardín superior. No se puede perder el momento en que encienden las fuentes del jardín inferior. Solo 64 fuentes forman la Gran Cascada y justo en el centro del estanque está la Fuente de Sansón, que representa el momento en que Sansón destroza las fauces de un león, lo que representa la victoria de Rusia sobre Suecia en la Gran Guerra del Norte. Hay más de 170 fuentes en total alrededor de los jardines y ¿adivinen qué? Sin bombas. El agua proviene de manantiales naturales y se recoge en cuencas en los Jardines superiores. La elevación crea la presión que impulsa a la mayoría de las fuentes en los jardines inferiores, incluida la Gran Cascada. Guau.
Nuevamente, es imposible resumir adecuadamente una ciudad tan rica en una sola publicación. Pero quiero dejar en claro que si San Petersburgo no está aùn en su lista de visitas obligadas, colóquela. Ahora. Simplemente hazlo.