The elections in Russia are over, and to no one’s surprise Vladimir Putin has won another six-year term as president. I recently sat down in Moscow with Valya, a young activist, member of the LGBT …
On March 18th, Russia will hold presidential elections with the largest field of candidates since 2000. Seven opposition hopefuls ranging from avowed Stalinists to free-market reformers will go up against Putin in hopes of bringing …
“I heard all you have to do to vote for Putin is nod in front of the TV.” The comment was made by Andrei as we drove by a large billboard of Vladimir Putin urging …
It’s that time again when nationalistic fervor and kitsch uniforms are strangely appropriate, where a blond-haired and blue-eyed man holding a torch isn’t cause for alarm. Yes, it’s time for the Winter Olympics. And what …
It seems every town in Europe these days has its own Christmas market. This 14th-century German tradition has spread across the continent faster than Santa in a subsidized Airbus sleigh, drawing visitors from around the …
It was five in the morning at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. I had already passed through two security checkpoints on my way back to the States and now was standing in line for a third. A …
One of the great things about travel is that it allows you to be someone you’re not. Feel like being an archeologist? Then grab your fedora and head for some ruins. Want to explore new …
Привет товарищи! It’s time to fly your red banners high and turn up L’Internationale because next week marks the 100th anniversary of “The Great October Socialist Revolution!” (November 7 according to Pope Gregory XIII and …
Last month, I wrote a post exploring what it means to be cosmopolitan and whether Berlin exemplifies the idea of a cosmopolitan city. Since then, Germany has held federal elections that saw the rise of …
“And this is where they buried the Chinese.” “Chinese?” I asked, wondering how anyone from China would have found themselves in this place, no less die in it. “Yes, all 14 of them,” said Olga, …