Travels in the 2nd half

  The Kremlin As COVID numbers continue to be high, I am spending time revisiting old trips. For the next few weeks, I will be looking back at a 2006 trip I took to Russia. This week it is Moscow’s Red Square. In 2006, The Amazin’ Ms D participated in a month long writers workshop in Saint Petersburg, Russia. I decided to take the opportunity to visit some places that I have always wanted to see, the sites of the three battles that, in my opinion, changed the course of World War II. My first stop was Moscow. The Battle of Moscow took place from October 1941 through January 1942, although fighting continued in the area until 1943. Russian Troops during WWII via wikicommons Stopping the German army in Russia forced the Nazis to maintain a second front, at a huge cost in materials and lives. It stopped the Germans from expanding their takeover of Europe, saved England from a Nazi invasion, but there were over one million Russian casualties during the six months of this battle.  ...

  Statue by Joan Miró outside MNAC The winter spike of COVID has prevented me from getting out and traveling. Even trips into my wonderful New York City have been on hold for over a month. So, I have dug into my archives. Today, I take a trip back in time to last trip to my favorite European city, Barcelona.  Communication Tower at Tibidabo Barcelona is a city that speaks to my heart. It was the base of the Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War. Today it offers a home to lively discussions and struggles around progressive issues. Most of all, Barcelona is a beautiful city, and one that is fun to walk around. Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor at Tibidabo St. Antoni Market Much of Barcelona was developed in the middle of the 19th century, planned by Ildafons Cerdà . Cerdà’s idea was to provide modern places for people to live and work. Newly constructed buildings were designed with open courtyards to provide fresh air to all rooms, and limited those buildings in height, t...

  Many years ago, New York City had two beautiful train stations. Grand Central Terminal, which is still with us, and received a major renovation a few years ago, was the terminal station for the New York Central Railroad. The other was Pennsylvania Station , which served the Pennsylvania Railroad. Both were grand architectural celebrations of train travel. Old Pennsylvania Station via Wikicommons Then, fifty-five years ago, the greed of the real-estate industry wiped out one of them ( almost the other). Pennsylvania station was subsumed under the rationale of using the space above the station to make a profit. So the old building was torn down, and replaced with the latest Madison Square Garden and a large office tower. Travelers and commuters were relegated to a warren of tunnels running underneath the buildings.  Interior of the Old Pennsylvania Station For fifty years many people have decried the destruction of Pennsylvania Station. The outcry led to development of “landma...