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Summertime in Moscow and its surrounding area, 2020

Arkhangelskoe

Arkhangelshoe museum-estate consists of a palace with terraced park which has one of the biggest collections of park sculptures in the world, a landscape park, a theatre built in 1817-18 on the project of famous Italian architect and painter Pietro Gonzago, a small palace “Caprice” and pavilion Small Tea House. This is a great place to spend summer day walking among beautiful buildings and sculptures surrounded by the forest and close to the Moskva river.

In the 19th century a number of great Russian writers, poets and historians visited the estate. Among them were Pushkin, Gertsen and Karamsin. A.S. Pushkin monument was also designed by P. Gonzara.

Archangel Michael’s Church is the oldest surviving building on the estate dating from the mid-17th century.

Kuskovo

Kuskovo museum complex in Moscow is a summer estate of the Sheremetev family built in 18th century and includes Summer palace, Grotto, Italian house, Kuskovo Church and Tower bell, Hermitage in English landscape garden, the Dutch house and Orangeries. Grotto pavilion was constructed between 1755 and 1761 and was intended to represent the palace of the King of the Seas. Interior was made of whorled seashells of 24 different types which were delivered from the Mediterranean, Red, Black seas, the Sea of Japan, and reservoirs of the Moscow region.

Izmaylovo

Izmaylovo Estate was a country residence of the House of Romanov. The present-day Court retains two sets of palace gates, a cathedral and a barbican tower built in the 1670s-1680s.

Intercession Cathedral (Храм Покрова Пресвятой Богородицы) was build between 1671 and 1679, replacing an earlier wooden church. The four-pillar, red-brick cathedral features five black domes and upper section is decorated with colorful porcelain tiles.

Peter the Great Statue was unveiled in 2008. Peter The Great discovered a boat at the Izmaylovo estate which lead to young Peter’s passion of sailing and later he would found Russia’s first navy.

Izmaylovo Kremlin is a cultural center with Russian Revival-style museums, workshops & markets, located near the Izmaylovo estate.

Bykovo

Picturesque gothic style Bykovo mansion hidden in the beautiful forest was home to a number of notable families and is an example of 18th and 19th century taste and style. Bykovo forested park is an oasis untouched by development along the small Bykovka River.

Church of Vladimir Icon of Mother of God was built in 1789 by Vasiliy Bazhenov and is located in the village of Bykovo. The architecture is very beautiful and unusual for most Orthodox churches, it may be the only one of its kind in Russia.

Moscow Botanical Garden

Ostankino

Church of the Holy Trinity in Ostankino.

The first wooden Trinity Church was built in 1585 and was destroyed in the Time of Troubles. In 1625-27 Prince Cherkassky built a new wooden church. In 1692 a stone church in the name of the Trinity was build which with some modifications survives to this day.

Ostankino Palace is a former summer residence of Sheremetev family build in 1798. Currently the Palace is closed for massive restoration work but still stays one of great monuments of architecture of the 18th century.

Ostankino Television and radio Tower – the tallest free-standing structure in Europe- is surrounded by beautiful park and located near to tram station.

VDNKHa

Golden Spike is one of the most famous fountains at the biggest Moscow Exhibition center VDNKHa.

Beautiful jasmine blossom.

Muranovo

The small country estate of Muranovo is located on the high bank of the Talitsa river, 60 km from Moscow. The landscape is charmingly simple and nice.

Holy Spring. Святой источник Казанской Иконы Божьей Матери.

Muranovo Museum is also called the House of Poets because its history is bound with the names of two famous Russian poets Fedor Tyutchev and Evgeniy Baratynsky. In the past Muranovo was an average country estate which consisted of the main house, a church, different residential buildings, a garden and a park. The estate and the surrounding landscape make up an inseparable harmony. The estate was built in 1816 and its main house was build in wood in 1842 by Evgeniy Baratynsky. In 1920 the estate became a museum.

Mytishchi

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London, March 2020

One Tree Hill View Point at the Greenwich Park

Prime Meridian, Royal Observatory and Peter Harrison Planetarium

Greenwich Park

National Maritime Museum

Old Royal Naval College

Early cherry blossom at the Kensington Gardens

Royal Albert Hall

Beautiful magnolias

The Albert Memorial

Kensington Palace

Round Pond at Kensington Gardens

Italian Gardens

Peter Pan Statue

Tropical green parakeets can be found in London

Cozy streets of London

Hampstead Heath

Kenwood House

The Brew House

The Dairy at Kenwood

Gwendwr Gardens

Sunset at the Prospekt Hill

The O2 arena

Canary Wharf district on the Isle of Dogs

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Music for Marsden, London, 03 March 2020

Music for Marsden is an amazing event for raising funds for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity with a formidable lineup of musicians performing their greatest hits at the O2 Arena, London.

The concert started with the great John Illsley, a founder member of Dire Straits, who performed classics such as “Money For Nothing” and “Sultans of Swing”.

Paul Carrack, a longtime member of Clapton’s touring band, and the singer of songs for several bands, performed his hit with Ace, “How Long”. He then invited Mike Rutherford to play “Over My Shoulder” and cover Genesis “I Can’t Dance”.

Paul Jones, amazing singer, blues harmonica player, actor and a very charismatic person! Paul was singing 2 great songs: “Flamingo” and “Do Wah Diddy”.

Paul Young and Zucchero playing “Senza Una Donna” and Zucchero singing “Miserere” joined by Gary Brooker of Procol Harum as a tribute to Luciano Pavarotti. Very moving moment!

Beautiful Bonnie Tyler was singing her hits “Holding Out for the Hero” and “Total Eclipse of the Heart” supported by thousands of people at the venue singing along and switching on the lights.

Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall performed “Stars” and “Something Got Me Started” followed by amazing duet with Tom Jones singing “Ain’t That a Lot of Love”.

Nick Mason took the stage for quite unusual version of Pink Floyd’s fantastic song “Comfortably Numb” supported by amazing band of Guy Pratt, Andy Fairweather Low, Graham Broad, Geoff Whitehorn, Gary Brooker and Olivia Keast.

Yusuf Cat Stevens and Rick Wakeman playing “Morning Has Broken” on stage together for the first time since they recorded it in 1971, what an amazing experience it was! Also Rick Wakeman played the Beatles cover “Eleanor Rigby” and Cat Stevens performed his great timeless song “Wild World”.

The one and only Eric Clapton performed three songs: “Key to the Highway”, “Stormy Monday”, “Crossroads”. The last time Eric performed Stormy Monday was with the Allman Brothers band at the Beacon theatre in New York City in March 2009.

The highlights of the evening included Van Morrison and Eric Clapton jamming on “Help Me”, “Three Chords and the Truth” and “Does Love Conquer All”. They were also joined by Paul Jones playing the harmonica.

Tom Jones got everyone in the place dancing with “Delilah”. He also performed his greatest hits “Green, Green Grass of Home” and “Strange Things Happening Every Day”. Paul Wickens joined Paul Jones playing the accordion.

Gary Brooker was Musical Director of the show. He assembled a stellar house band: Paul ‘Wix’ Wickens (keyboards), Andy Fairweather Low and Robbie McIntosh (guitars), Dave Bronze (bass), Graham Broad and Ian Paice (drums & percussion).

Gary also performed Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade of Pale”.

The final song “All you need is love” was performed by (from left to the right): Andy Fairweather Low, Nick Mason, Robbie McIntosh, Graham Broad, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Tom Jones, Paul Young, Paul Carrack, John Illsley, Zucchero, Bonnie Tyler and Paul Jones.

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Chicago, January 2020

South President’s Court Garden

Seated Lincoln

Jay Pritzker Pavilion and a view from BP Pedestrian Bridge

Frozen Lake Michigan

Field Museum

Icy 12th Street Beach and a flock of migratory geese

Shedd Aquarium

Grant Park

DuSable Bridge

Foggy Jane Addams Memorial Park and Ohio Street Beach

Foggy city

Beautiful Chicago at night

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Lil’Ed and the Blues Imperials, Chicago, 23 January 2020

If you have never heard of Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, I would highly recommend to check them out! They are not only playing the blues but living the blues. Their live shows are full of energy, joy and electrifying sound. They are performing everywhere around the USA and worldwide, but I have seen them in their hometown Chicago at Buddy Guy’s Legends. It was a night full of smiles, great music and fun! I really hope to see them again!

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2020 from Moscow

Beautiful Christmas trees on the streets of Moscow.

Bolshoi theatre looks very festive.

Christmas market on the Manege Square.

New Year performances everywhere on the streets of Moscow.

Christmas market on the Red Square.

New Year lights on Tverskaya Square.

Zaryadye Park

VDNKHa

Ostankino Park

Gingerbread City exhibition at the Moscow Botanical Garden

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Colorful autumn in Moscow, 2019

September

Moscow Exhibition Center VDNKHa

A monument to Ivan Michurin who was a Russian practitioner of selection to produce new types of plants.

Ostankino TV and radio tower.

Aptekarskiy Ogorod.

October

Храм-часовня Святителя Василия Великого.

Ostankino TV and radio tower.

Moscow Botanical Garden.

Aptekarskiy Ogorod.

Храм Святого Мученика и Чудотворца Трифона.

Ekaterininskiy Park.

Muzeon park is a unique open air museum of sculpture.

Park Gorkogo.

Neskuchniy Sad which literary means “not boring garden” is the oldest Moscow park the history of which dates back to 1756.

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

Red October chocolate factory and the Peter the Great Statue which is 98-metre-high (322 ft).

Novoandreyevskiy Bridge.

November

Aptekarskiy Ogorod.