World Map

This map keeps track of all places in the world that members of our family (be it as a family, or individually) graced with their presence during our lifetimes. The initial display is centered on Europe, but other parts of the world (most notably, North America and the Caribbean) are also annotated. Clicking on a country, wherever available, or on a location target, will bring you to a synopsis of the nature of our visit(s) to that state, city or region, and the timelines. Further links to articles within this digital Travelog are provided from within the synopses, whenever such articles exist.

Since this online map started as the digital representation of the physical 1:6,200,000 map of Europe on which we long charted our travels, several conventions in “pin placement” are followed herein:

Every city, town and settlement (and, in one case, a point of interest) that appeared directly on the physical map is marked with its own “pin”. This helps to explain some of the more obscure locations that could never be considered “destinations” on their own.
A smaller town may still have its own “pin”, as long as it was an explicit destination for us.
A region centered on a town that is marked on the physical map has that town as the entry, with the other nearby destinations mentioned only in the synopsis.
A region that was a target for a trip, where no town that we visited appeared on the physical map, has a region “pin”.

Hope that explains how some of the entries came to be on this map.

Go ahead, zoom in, click around!

Austria

The only destination visited by us in Austria is the capital, Vienna, twice in 2005.

Vienna (Wien)

In summer of 2005, Natalie and the girls had a 24-hour layover in Vienna on their way back from a trip to Russia, which they used for a quick introduction to the city. Later that year, we left kids in the care of their grandparents and went to Vienna for several days to explore the city in detail. Vienna notes are found here.
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Belarus

In her travels with her Father in the 80′s, Natalie visited one city in Belarus, Brest.

Brest (Брэст)

Natalie: My Father and I went on a number of long-weekend trips organized by his work in the 80′s. One of such trips was to Kyiv and Brest. We traveled by train during the night and spent daytime sightseeing in each place.
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Belgium

We went for several targeted trips to Belgian destinations between 2007 and 2009. In addition, we drove through the country several times on our way to places in Germany and Netherlands, making a detour to Brussels once.

Antwerp (Antwerpen)

In summer of 2007, we targeted Antwerp and Ghent for a long-weekend getaway, while one of our visiting parents minded the children. We stayed 2 nights in Antwerp, with a day and a half devoted to exploration. The notes are found here.
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Bruges (Brugge)

In summer of 2007, the entire family spent a long-weekend in Bruges. Two years later, a day-trip to Brussels resulted in a detour to Brugge for lunch. The notes are found here.
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Brussels

During the winter half-term break of 2007, we went to Brussels all together as one of our very first continental destinations while living in London. That choice was made mainly because of the Eurostar’s direct link with Brussels. We saw quite a lot of the city on that trip. In spring of 2008, we made a brief detour from our tulip-watching trip to Holland, for literally 45-minutes-long visit to the Mini-Europe park. We returned to the park in spring of 2009, although our plans to spend a full day in Brussels got derailed. Brussels notes are found here.
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Ghent (Gent)

In summer of 2007, we targeted Antwerp and Ghent for a long-weekend getaway, while one of our visiting parents minded the children. Most of the weekend was spent in Antwerp, while Ghent was an intraday long stop on our way back to London. Ghent notes are found here.
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Canada

We have visited our northern neighbor a grand total of three times, twice to Toronto and once to the skiing resort of Mont-Tremblant.

Mont-Tremblant

In December of 2005, with the family of our closest friends, we went for a skiing holiday in Mont-Tremblant. Never left the village except to go to the nearby spa or on a dog-sledding tour. Spent majority of the time on the slopes, even though the local union strike made it slightly less enjoyable.
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Toronto

In 1998 and in 2004, we drove up to Toronto area to see our relatives who live there. On the first trip, we took some time for sightseeing in downtown area. On the second occasion, on our way back, we stopped on the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls, as well.
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China

Only one member of the family, Becky, has been fortunate enough so far to set foot in China, on a school trip in spring of 2009. She and her group toured major sights in Beijing, made a trip to the Great Wall, and stayed overnight in Xi’an. Her impressions are found in this entry on her personal blog.
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Czech Republic

Only the capital, Prague, has been visited by us in the Czech Republic thus far.

Prague (Praha)

In autumn of 2004, we presented a birthday gift to Becky: Her very first sightseeing trip to Europe. Prague was chosen since it was at the top of our standalone-city target list at the time. In spring of 2010, we made a symmetrical gift to Kimmy, which allowed Becky and Ilya to come back to the Czech capital. The notes are found here.
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Dominican Republic

We have been to Dominican a couple of times on all-inclusive resort stays.

La Romana

In December of 2003, we spent a week at the Iberostar resort in La Romana. Since we flew in via Santo Domingo, we had an ample opportunity to observe local life on 2-hr-long airport transfers each way. Other than that, the only time we were outside of the resort boundaries were during beach walks and disastrous attempts to sail a catamaran.
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Puerto Plata

In December of 2001, we spent a week at the Iberostar resort in Costa Dorada, near Puerto Plata. Long walks along the beach qualify as the only time we were outside of the resort, not counting airport transfers.
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France

France was the target of our very first “big voyage” in spring of 2002. We came back to Paris for a half-week stay in 2005. During the time of our residence in UK, we have been to Paris multiple times, made a targeted trip to Loire Valley, stopped overnight at several towns on long drives to locales in other countries, and spent two weeks on the Riviera as the middle leg of our Grand Summer Holiday of 2008.

Aix-en-Provence

In summer of 2008, we carved out half a day from our Riviera stay to explore Aix. The notes are found here.
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Arles

In 2002, we stayed in Arles for 2 nights, spending just a few hours on the day of arrival to see a couple of sights. The notes are found here.
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Avignon

In 2002, we spent a full day in Avignon, doing some sightseeing, but mostly just walking around. The notes are found here. Pont du Gard is in a reasonable proximity, and we made a point to stop there for a couple of hours on a different day. The brief Pont du Gard notes are here.
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Blois

As one of the major towns in the Loire Valley, Blois signifies our explorations of the region. During the Loire Valley leg of our big trip in 2002, we visited Blois itself and toured its castle, in addition to points of interest such as Chambord and Amboise. In 2007, on our return to the valley, we revisited some of the familiar destinations as well as others, such as Cheverny, but did not visit Blois again. Loire Valley notes are found here.
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Boulogne-sur-Mer

Becky visited this town in Nord-Pas-de-Calais region on a day-trip with her school in 2007.
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Cannes

During the Riviera leg of our big trip in 2002, we visited Cannes for a couple of hours. The notes are found here. The perfume capital of Grasse was a similar destination on that trip. Grasse notes are found here.
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Chartres

In 2002, we made an intra-day stop in Chartres to visit its famous cathedral. Chartres is mentioned in our Loire Valley notes.
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Clermont-Ferrand

On two different occasions, in 2002 and 2008, we made Clermont-Ferrand a lay-over stop on long drives. The first time around, we even tried to do some sightseeing. The notes are found here.
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Monaco

During the Riviera leg of our big trip in 2002, we spent one full day on a fairly in-depth tour of Monaco. The notes are found here.
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Nice

During the Riviera leg of our big trip in 2002, we stayed in Nice for 4 nights and spent portions of three days exploring the city. The notes are found here.
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Paris

We’ve been to Paris on half a dozen different occasions since 2002. It is undoubtedly the city that we know the best among all that we have not had a pleasure to reside in. And love the most as well. Paris notes are found here.
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Reims

On the drive back from our Swiss skiing trip in winter of 2008, we stopped overnight in Reims and spent some time exploring the town and its sights. The notes are found here.
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Saint-Tropez

Saint-Tropez signifies our stay on the French Riviera during the Grand Summer Holiday of 2008. We spent several hours in the town itself, as well as visited a number of other nearby locales during our two weeks by the sea. Saint-Tropez notes are found here and additional Riviera notes appear in the same article.
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Strasbourg

Strasbourg was our overnight lay-over on the way back from the Grand Summer Holiday of 2008. We took the briefest of looks at the city center. The notes are found here.
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Tours

We stayed near Tours during our Loire Valley trip in autumn of 2007 and only went into the town for a dinner at a restaurant once. Several of major points of interest in the valley, such as Chenonceau, Villandry, Langeais, are located in the near vicinity to it. Loire Valley notes are found here.
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Versailles

We visited Versailles twice, in 2002 and 2008, on day-trips from Paris, managing to see its beautiful fountains on the latter visit. The notes are found here.
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Hungary

Aside from being driven from Cracow through a bit of Hungarian countryside, we only have been to the capital of the country.

Budapest

We spent several days on a detailed exploration of Budapest during our central-European trip in spring of 2009. The notes are found here.
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Georgia

The Black Sea coast of the former Soviet republic of Georgia was considered virtually an extension of the Russian Greater Sochi resort area when we were growing up in 70′s and 80′s. Our parents have a considerably more extensive familiarity with the area, but we have some as well.

Batumi (Батуми)

Natalie: One of the long-weekend trips organized by my Father’s work in the 80′s that he and I went on was to Sukhumi and Batumi. We traveled by train during the night and spent daytime on a bit of sightseeing, but mostly on the beach.
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Gagry (Гагры)

Ilya: In summer of either 1977 or 78, my family vacationed on the Abkhasian coast of the Black Sea. We visited quite a number of various destinations, of which I mainly recall the caves at New Afon and the dramatic Lake Ritza. Gagry, as the major town on the coast, signifies that entire stay.

Natalie: One of the long-weekend trips organized by my Father’s work in the 80′s that he and I went on was to Abkhasian resorts, including Gagry. It was spent mostly on the beach.
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Sukhumi (Сухуми)

Ilya: During our Abkhasian vacation in the 70′s, we undoubtedly went to Sukhumi for a day, but I do not have any specific recollections of that.

Germany

We criss-crossed Germany on a “big voyage” in spring of 2005. We came back only once so far, in late 2007, to browse Cologne’s Christmas markets.

Berlin

In 2005, we stayed 3 nights in Berlin, with plenty of sightseeing and several museum visits thrown in. The notes are found here.
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Cologne (Köln)

In 2005, we spent several hours in Cologne to tour its cathedral and to catch up with a childhood friend who now resides there. In 2007, the four of us went for a long-weekend visit to Cologne specifically in regard to its fantastic Christmas markets. The notes are found here.
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Dortmund

Dortmund is a rare “we-stayed-there-but-never-seen-it” city in our recent travel experience. We visited our relatives who live there during our big trip in 2005, arriving at their apartment late one night and departing to our next destination the following morning without as much as a glimpse at the city center.
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Dresden

We stayed 3 nights in Dresden in 2005, fitting a fairly comprehensive exploration of the main sights and a couple of excursions further afield (Meißen, Königstein) into that time. The notes are found here.
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Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Our visit to Garmisch-Partenkirchen was limited to a single dinner at a guidebook-recommended restaurant, but it mainly signifies our day of exploring Bavarian royal castles, Neuschwanstein and Linderhof, on our big trip in 2005. The notes on castles and a quick mention of the town are found here.
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Mainz

Mainz was our base for two days of touring the Rhine Valley in 2005. We explored the town itself a bit, and spent a full day going up and down the river via various modes of transport, stopping off at several points of interest. Rhine Valley notes are found here.
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Munich (München)

We stayed 4 nights in Munich in 2005, exploring not only many of the central city sights, but also going for a full-day journey through Bavarian castles and countryside. Munich notes are found here.
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Nuremberg (Nürnberg)

We stayed overnight in Nuremberg in 2005, catching up with old acquaintances who resided there and doing some light sightseeing. The notes are found here.
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Potsdam

On our way from Berlin to Dresden during our big trip in 2005, we stopped for half a day in Potsdam to tour Sansoussi palace and gardens. The notes are found here.
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Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber

We stayed overnight in Rothenburg in 2005, covering practically the entire city center on foot. We then drove a good portion of the Romantic Road, of which Rothenburg is one of the main points. The notes on town and the route are found here.
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Wernigerode

Wernigerode was an intra-day stop for a few hours on our way across country during the big trip in 2005. The notes are found here.
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Iceland

Only Becky, alone in the family, have been to Iceland so far, on a school trip in autumn of 2008.

Reykjavik

Becky and her group stayed in Reykjavik in 2008 and traveled to Iceland’s most famous sights, such as the Blue Lagoon, the black-sand beach, and various geysers and waterfalls.
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Ireland

We’ve been to Ireland only once, in early 2008, for a long-weekend reunion with a cousin who was there on an extended business trip.

Dublin

We stayed in Dublin for 2 nights in 2008. In addition to long walks around town center, we went to a couple of points of interest outside of the city, most notably Glendalough National Park. The notes are found here.
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Italy

Italy was the target of the “big voyage” in autumn of 2003. We came back to our most favorite region in the world, Tuscany, for a week-long holiday in spring of 2007, and then for two weeks as the final leg of our Grand Summer Holiday in 2008. IN spring of 2009, we also made a targeted voyage to Venice and Rome.

Amalfi Coast

We stayed in the village of Minori on the Amalfi Coast for 2 nights in 2003. We explored a couple of points of interest in the area, such as Amalfi and Ravello. In addition, on the way to the coast, we stopped at Pompeii for a tour of the Roman ruins. The notes are found here.
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Bologna

Bologna was an intraday stop during our big trip in 2003. A few hours of light sightseeing is all that we managed. The notes are found here.
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Florence (Firenze)

We made Florence our base for the Tuscan leg of our big trip in 2003, staying for 4 nights. We explored the city quite a bit in a day and half exclusively devoted to it. Then, on both our Tuscan holidays in 2007 and 2008, we stayed at a villa in the town of Montespertoli, less than 25 kilometers from the center of Florence. We made several day-trips into the city, covering a number of previously unvisited sights in the process. Florence notes are found here. Montespertoli notes (lodging/eating) are found here.
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Milan (Milano)

Milan was planned as a 2-nights stay at the end of our big trip in 2003, but we ended up with only minimal sightseeing in the city itself, opting instead to go to Geneva to see old friends on what was originally supposed to be the full day of Milan exploration. Milan notes are found here.
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Orvieto

Orvieto was a spur-of-the-moment intraday stop on our way from Amalfi to Florence in 2003. The notes are found here.
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Pisa

On each of our extended stays in Tuscany in 2003, 2007 and 2008, we made a trip to Pisa for a look at its breathtaking cathedral square. The notes are found here.
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Rome (Roma)

We started our big trip in 2003 with 4 nights in Rome. We did quite a lot of sightseeing during that time, including Vatican and a trip further afield to Tivoli. We flew through Rome on our way to/from the Tuscan holiday in 2007, and managed to squeeze in an hour-long jaunt around central squares on our way back from that. In 2009, we came back to Roma for 3 nights on a return exploration trip. And in 2012, Ilya went on a solo trip to Rome for over a week. Rome notes are found here.
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San Gimignano

We first visited San Gimignano during the Tuscan leg of our big trip in 2003 and then made multiple return visits to it on both our extended Tuscan stays in 2007 and 2008. It also symbolizes all of the other “lesser” points of interest in Tuscany that we visited over the years, such as Volterra, Certaldo, Greve, Monteriggioni, etc. San Gimignano notes are found here and other Tuscan destinations are listed elsewhere in the same article.
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Siena

On each of our extended stays in Tuscany in 2003, 2007 and 2008, we made at least one trip to Siena for a look at its main sights and a stroll along its medieval streets. The notes are found here.
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Vatican City

We devoted a large portion of one day to a visit to Vatican Museums and the St Peter’s Cathedral during our stay in Rome in 2003 and then again in 2009. The notes are incorporated into article on Rome.
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Venice (Venezia)

We stayed 3 nights in Venice in 2003. Walked pretty much all over the city during that time. Repeated the amazing experience with 4 nights in 2009. The notes are found here.
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Liechtenstein

In the late fall of 2010, when Ilya was touring Switzerland, he made a 30-minute detour into Vaduz to check off another country on the been-to list.

Vaduz

Ilya: I spent no more than half an hour in town, during the Swiss trip in 2010. This feat is also noted in the general Switzerland article.
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Mexico

Three trips to the resorts in Quintana Roo state comprise our entire familiarity with Mexico.

Cancun

In November of 2002, Natalie and Ilya spent a few days at a resort on Cancun Hotel Zone Strip. The deal was not all-inclusive, so we spent some time around the area, including browsing markets, riding on water-skies around the lagoon, para-gliding, etc. In April of 2012, we again stayed in Zona Hotellera, this time at an all-inclusive resort, with minimal forays beyond its boundaries.
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Chichen-Itza

During our Cancun stay in 2012, Ilya went on a tour of the Mayan city ruins.
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Riviera Maya

During our Cancun stay in 2002, Natalie and Ilya went for a day-trip to Cozumel, which included a couple of hours of free time in Playa del Carmen. We browsed both to a certain degree. In December of 2004, with the family of our closest friends, we stayed a week at the Iberostar resort on Riviera Maya. We took a day-trip to the park in Xcaret (where the children swam with the dolphins), but otherwise stayed within the resort.
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Moldova

Only one person in the family, Ilya, has been to this former Soviet republic. My father hails from here and in the 70′s and 80′s we made annual – and, sometimes, semi-annual – pilgrimages to his birthplace to visit with relatives and friends.

Beltsy (Bălţi)

Ilya: Beltsy is one of the bigger towns in Moldova, one where several members of my Father’s extended family lived up until late 80′s. We often came to Beltsy for visits and even overnight stays.
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Kishinev (Chişinău)

Ilya: The capital of Moldova was one of our main gateways into the republic in the 70′s and 80′s. My Father had a cousin and several close friends who lived in Kishinev, and we often stayed overnight there.
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Yedintsy (Edineţ)

Ilya: Yedintsy is a little town in the northern part of Moldova where my Dad is from. My paternal grandfather lived there his entire life, along with a number of extended family members. I used to know the town quite well. Yedintsy, which is too small to be included on most maps, also signifies other villages and towns in Moldova that I visited in years of coming to then Soviet republic.
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Tiraspol

Ilya: A childhood friend of my Father’s lived in Tiraspol in the 70′s and 80′s, and on a couple of our trips to Moldova, we went to visit their family there.
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Netherlands

We made two trips to Netherlands, a week centered on Amsterdam in spring of 2007 and a long-weekend journey to see tulips at the well-known Keukenhof Gardens in spring of 2008.

Amsterdam

We explored Amsterdam in depth in 2007, including not only all major sights in the city, but also trips to nearby destinations such as Delft and Zaanse Schans. In 2008, when we came to see tulips at Keukenhof Gardens, but stayed in Delft instead of Amsterdam and did not go into the city. Amsterdam notes are found here. Notes on other places of interest around Amsterdam are found here.
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The Hague (Den Haag)

We did not see much of The Hague on our trip to Netherlands in 2007 beyond the visit to Madurodam park and the views from car windows. The brief notes are found here.
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Utrecht

We stopped by in Utrecht for a few hours on both of our trips to Netherlands, in 2007 and 2008. The brief notes are found here.
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Poland

We only visited one destination in Poland, Cracow, and then saw glimpses of Polish countryside on our way to Budapest.

Cracow (Kraków)

We spent three days exploring Cracow in spring of 2009 during our central-European trip. The notes are found here.
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Puerto Rico

We have been to Puerto Rico twice. On both trips, which were before Kimmy or Emily were born, Becky stayed home with grandparents.

San Juan

In Spring of 1996, we used our then-new membership in an interval ownership network to book a “getaway” week in Puerto Rico. We stayed in Isla Verde and explored San Juan in quite some depth, in addition to excursions to the famous Liquillo Beach and El Yunque tropical forest, which covered considerable distances away from the capital. In November of 1997, we went for a shorter getaway, staying practically next door to our earlier hotel. This time, the only excursion was a catamaran trip to an island beach.
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Russia

During the 70′s and 80′s, when we grew up in Russia, frequent travel for pleasure was an option not available to everyone. Our respective families were fortunate enough to be able to afford regular journeys, but they were most frequently of two straight-forward varieties: Either to resorts on the Black Sea or to visit relatives in distant locales, such as Moldova or Gor’kiy. This helps to explain the limits of our reach in the vast and fascinating country.

Certainly, Moscow and St-Peterburg were places to see in our lifetimes. The rest of Russian destinations that we are familiar with can be broadly divided into 4 “clusters”: the Rostov and Azov Sea region, where we are from; the Black Sea coast where we vacationed practically every summer; the Volga river banks, visited by Natalie on two month-long river cruises in 1986 and 1989, and by Ilya only a little; and the North Caucasus areas, very lightly visited over the years by either of us.

Anapa (Анапа)

We both have been to Anapa at least once, Ilya at a summer camp in 1981, Natalie as a camp counselor in 1992. We cannot recall seeing much of the town, although the beaches left quite an impression. Natalie, beside camp activities, went to browse through the town on free days.
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Azov (Азов)

Ilya: My family once vacationed at a resort on Azov Sea, not far from the city of Azov, in early 80′s. I have vague recollections of the resort and the sea, and I doubt that we actually saw the town.

Natalie: My Mother’s work organized several one-day getaways for families to destinations on Azov Sea in the early 80′s. One of those was to Azov, where we mostly picnicked on the beach.
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Bataysk (Батайск)

Natalie: A friend of mine from one of the summer camp trips lived in Bataysk, where I visited her many times in late 80′s. I did not see much of the town beyond the distance between the bus station and her house.
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Cheboksary (Чебоксары)

Natalie: Cheboksary was one of the stops on Volga cruises that I took in 1986 and 1989. We sailed at nights and explored major cities on the banks of the river during the daytime.
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Cherkessk (Черкесск)

Natalie: In late 70′s, I accompanied my Father several times on his summer expeditions to a mountain-climbing camp in the Caucasus Mountains. The route took us through Cherkessk, where we stayed overnight between connecting buses.
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Dagestan mountains

Ilya: A part of the Dagestan holiday that my family took in summer of 1990 was in the mountain region, at the tourist camp called Termen-lik near Shamkhal settlement. I have some very good recollections of that particular part of the trip, especially of one mountain climb and descent during a thunderstorm.
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Derbent (Дербент)

Ilya: In summer of 1990, my family went on a holiday to Dagestan, which consisted of several parts. The first part was Derbent. I joined the family a few days after the beginning of the tour, on account of having student theater responsibilities that I needed to fulfill first, at the very end of the Derbent leg. I saw nothing of the town, as a result, beyond the route from the train station to the resort that we were at, and later whatever I could see from the bus window on the way to the next part of the holiday.
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Eysk (Ейск)

Natalie: My Mother’s work organized several one-day getaways for families to destinations on Azov Sea in the early 80′s. One of those was to Eysk, where we mostly picnicked on the beach.
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Gelendzhik (Геленджик)

Natalie: I went to summer camps in Gelendzhik a couple of times in the 80′s. On our visit to Russia in 2005, Becky and I, with other family members, stayed at a seaside camping site near Divnomorsk, not far from Gelendzhik.
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Kazan’ (Казань)

Natalie: Kazan’ was one of the stops on Volga cruises that I took in 1986 and 1989. We sailed at nights and explored major cities on the banks of the river during the daytime.
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Kislovodsk (Кисловодск)

Natalie: My Father and I went on a number of long-weekend trips organized by his work in the 80′s. One of such trips was to Kislovodsk and Pyatigorsk. We traveled by train during the night and spent daytime sightseeing in each place.
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Kostroma (Кострома)

Natalie: Kostroma was one of the stops on Volga cruises that I took in 1986 and 1989. We sailed at nights and explored major cities on the banks of the river during the daytime.
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Makhachkala (Махачкала)

Ilya: The last part of the Dagestan trip with my family in 1990 was in the region’s capital. I have virtually no recollections of what I might have seen or done there, beyond the mental pictures of the wide beaches.
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Mineral’nye Vody (Минеральные Воды)

Ilya: In 1979 or 1980, I spent a couple of weeks at a children sanatorium in this acclaimed region of medicinal waters. I am pretty sure that the stay included a tour of the city.

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Moskva (Москва)

Ilya: I’ve been to the Russian capital a few times in the 80′s and three times in 1991 prior to our emigration. I also passed through the city on my trip to Rostov in 2000. I’ve seen most of its major sights, I’m sure, but a someday refresher would be quite welcome.

Natalie: Moskva was the final stop on the cruises along river Volga that I took in 1986 and 1989 (even though it is not itself sits on the banks of Volga, but rather its tributary). We stayed overnight on both occasions and did a fair bit of sightseeing. After that, I’ve been to the city several times in conjunction with our emigration. I also passed through Moskva on my trips to Rostov in early 00′s.
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Nal’chik (Нальчик)

Ilya: In 1980, the chess club to which I belonged organized a “training camp” at the mountain resort of Tashly-Tala in Kabardino-Balkariya. I have very vague recollections of that trip, but I’m positive that we spent some time in the republic capital before boarding the return train home.
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Nizhniy Novgorod (Нижний Новгород)

In summer of 1991, we went to visit Natalie’s relatives in then still Gor’kiy. We did a bit of sightseeing and swam in the Volga, of which I now have very indistinct recollections.

Natalie: In addition to that, I visited with my relatives in Gor’kiy many times in 70′s and 80′s. It was also one of the stops on the Volga journeys that I took in 1986 and 1989. I’ve been to the major sights in the city quite a number of times over the years.
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Novocherkassk (Новочеркасск)

Ilya: I had classmates in college in Rostov who hailed from Novocherkassk, and I once or twice went there for visits in 1989. Walked around town a little bit as well.

Natalie: I’ve stayed overnight a couple of times in Novocherkassk with my summer camp friends in the 80′s. Did not do much of sightseeing.

Novocherkassk also signifies several villages in Rostov Oblast, such as the most well-known Cossack settlement of Starocherkassk, that we dropped in during our school years, but that are too small to be marked on most maps.
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Novorossiysk (Новороссийск)

During our college years in Rostov, we went a couple of times to the university “resort” on the Black Sea coast, not far from the village of Abrau-Dyurso. Getting to and from there meant going through Novorossiysk train station, and on at least one occasion, we had enough time to explore the main city sights a bit.

Natalie: I took a couple of long-weekend trips that included Novorossiysk, among those organized by my Father’s work in the 80′s. We traveled by train during the night and spent daytime sightseeing in each place. I also went to the same summer camp near Novorossiysk at least twice in the late 70′s and 80′s.
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Novoshakhtinsk (Новошахтинск)

Natalie: I’ve stayed overnight a couple of times in Novoshakhtinsk with my summer camp friends in the 80′s. Did not do much of sightseeing.
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Petrozavodsk (Петрозаводск)

Natalie: In 1990, I joined a school trip to Petrozavodsk and Kareliya. We stayed for almost a week and went on excursion to the city and beyond.
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Pushkin (Пушкин)

The erstwhile Tsarskoe Selo (Tsar’s Village) signifies three main suburban attractions of Sankt-Peterburg, the other two being Pavlovsk and Petergof. The latter has a magnificent palace and gardens complex, built to exceed the opulence of Versailles on which it was modelled. Pavlovsk and Pushkin each boast nice parks with royal palaces of their own. We visited each at least once on different occasions in the 80′s.
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Pyatigorsk (Пятигорск)

Rostov-na-Donu (Ростов-на-Дону)

The city of our birth, where we grew up and spent the first two decades of our lives. Natalie returned several times in the last few years, even taking our American-born children with her for extended stays on a couple of occasions. Ilya only returned once, for a week in 2000 that left very mixed impressions.
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Samara (Самара)

Natalie: Then Kuybyshev was one of the stops on Volga cruises that I took in 1986 and 1989. We sailed at nights and explored major cities on the banks of the river during the daytime.
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Sankt-Peterburg (Санкт-Петербург)

The “second capital” of Russia is verily its greatest city, which we visited a few times in the 80′s. When we decide to go to Russia as tourists, this will be our first stop, for a few days at least.
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Saratov (Саратов)

Natalie: Saratov was one of the stops on Volga cruises that I took in 1986 and 1989. We sailed at nights and explored major cities on the banks of the river during the daytime.
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Sergiyev Posad (Сергиев Посад)

In early 1991, Natalie’s Father, a mining engineer by trade, obtained two places for us at a Mining Industry sanatorium in Moskva Oblast. We had a great time there, and included a day-trip to Sergiyev Posad in the proceedings.
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Shakhty (Шахты)

Natalie: In late 80′s, I participated in a couple of youth conventions staged in Shakhty. No sightseeing was involved, only the convention activities 24 hours non-stop for a few days.
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Sochi (Сочи)

Most likely anyone living in the southern parts of Russian Federation during Soviet times has been to Sochi on multiple occasion in his or her life. It was the resort to go to. Greater Sochi consists of a string of settlements and towns along the Black Sea coast, and in the 70′s and 80′s we’ve been to quite a number of them, including the city itself.
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Taganrog (Таганрог)

Natalie: I vaguely recall going on a school field trip to Taganrog once in mid-80′s, which included museum visits.
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Tuapse (Туапсе)

Ilya: Tuapse can be considered the westernmost edge of the Greater Sochi Black Sea resort area. We once, in early 80′s, had a lengthy summer holiday with my extended family at the seashore village of Gizel’-Dere, a few kilometers out of the town.
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Uglich (Углич)

Natalie: Uglich was one of the stops on Volga cruises that I took in 1986 and 1989. We sailed at nights and explored major cities on the banks of the river during the daytime.
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Ulyanovsk (Ульяновск)

Natalie: Ulyanovsk (or Simbirsk, which is the historical name that I am unsure has been restored) was one of the stops on Volga cruises that I took in 1986 and 1989. We sailed at nights and explored major cities on the banks of the river during the daytime.
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Volgograd (Волгоград)

Ilya: My Father taught at the regional college for railway engineers in Rostov, and often went on business trips to the institution’s branches in other cities. One of his frequent destinations was Volgograd, and he took me along once in early 80′s. We managed to fit some sightseeing into his work schedule.

Natalie: Volgograd was one of the stops on Volga cruises that I took in 1986 and 1989. We sailed at nights and explored major cities on the banks of the river during the daytime. In addition, I also went on a targeted trip to Volgograd in 1988.
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Yaroslavl’ (Ярославль)

Natalie: Yaroslavl’ was one of the stops on Volga cruises that I took in 1986 and 1989. We sailed at nights and explored major cities on the banks of the river during the daytime.
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Slovakia

On our central-European trip in spring of 2009, we crossed all of Slovakia north to south on our way from Cracow to Budapest. In addition to admiring some of the beautiful scenery, we stopped for a little over an hour in the attractive town of Banská Bystrica, whose great main square would do honor to any more famous tourist destination.
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Spain

We visited several most popular destinations in Spain on a “big voyage” in 2004. In 2008, we first returned to Andalusia for a week on Costa del Sol in late spring, and then spent two weeks on Costa Brava as the opening leg of our Grand Summer Holiday. Costa Brava also hosted us for two weeks in the summer of 2009. In 2011, we spent several days re-visiting Madrid and environs.

Barcelona

We stayed 4 nights in Barcelona in 2004 and explored the city in quite some depth. During the Costa Brava leg of the Grand Summer Holiday in 2008, and also in summer of 2009, we came to Barcelona for half a day for a stroll through central area. And in the summer of 2011, Barcelona was the site of the Ilya’s long solitary retreat, which included a trip to Montserrat. The notes are found here.
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Cordova (Cordoba)

We stayed overnight in Cordova in 2004, visiting Mezquita and exploring the historic center. During the Costa del Sol holiday in 2008, we made a day-trip to the city, with pretty much the same targets in mind. The notes are found here.
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Figueras (Figueres)

Figueras signifies our two weeks on Costa Brava in both 2008 and again in 2009. Our base was in the seaside town of L’Estartit, from where we visited half a dozen other villages and towns. We went to Figueras itself, solely to visit Dalí Museum. Costa Brava notes are found here.
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Granada

We stayed 2 nights in Granada in 2004, not only visiting Alhambra, but exploring the city in some detail. During the Costa del Sol holiday in 2008, we made a day-trip to Granada, primarily with Alhambra in mind. The notes are found here.
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Madrid

We started our big trip in 2004 with 4 nights in Madrid, exploring the city for a couple of days and journeying to nearby destinations such as Toledo and El Escorial as well. In 2011, we re-visited the city and its nearby destinations, spending 5 nights there. The notes are found here.
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Marbella

We spent a week at a resort in Marbella in 2008. We went into the town for its market, and took strolls along its beaches. The notes are found here.
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Ronda

We stayed overnight in Ronda in 2004, taking in the town’s sights. Ronda is the biggest of the Andalusian Pueblos Blancos, a few of which we additionally toured. On our Costa del Sol holiday in 2008, we drove to Ronda for a quick reintroduction and a dinner one night. Ronda and Pueblos Blancos notes are found here.
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Segovia

During our stay in Madrid in 2011, we spent most of one day in Segovia. The notes are found here.
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Seville (Sevilla)

We stayed 3 nights in Seville in 2004, with a fair bit of sightseeing done in that time. The notes are found here.
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Toledo

During our stay in Madrid in 2004, we spent most of one day in Toledo. The visit was repeated in the same fashion in 2011. The notes are found here.
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Switzerland

We first set foot in Switzerland in 2003, when we drove from Milan to Geneva to visit with friends. We also greeted New Year 2007 with the same friends near Geneva. In winter of 2008, we came for a week of skiing in the Swiss Alpes. And in the late fall of 2010, Ilya by himself made a week-long voyage to Switzerland, finally managing to do a reasonable round of sightseeing.

Bern

Ilya: On the Swiss trip in 2010, I explored the country’s capital in some detail. Notes are found in the general Switzerland article.
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Fribourg

Ilya: On the Swiss trip in 2010, I spent a couple of hours walking the streets of this attractive town. I also visited a cheese dairy and a chocolate factory, which are within Fribourg’s area. Notes are found in the general Switzerland article.
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Geneva (Genève)

During our stay in Milan on the Big Italian Trip in 2003, we took a day for a drive to Geneva to visit our old friends who lived there. They showed us the city center a bit. We returned for the New Year 2007 and also did some minimal sightseeing then. On the skiing trip in 2008, we took time to visit with our friends again in Nyon, several kilometers away from the city. Notes are found in the general Switzerland article.
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Lausanne

Ilya: On the Swiss trip in 2010, I spent one evening in city center. Notes are found in the general Switzerland article.
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Locarno

Ilya: On the Swiss trip in 2010, I spent one day around Lake Maggiore, with a few hours in Locarno, a few in Ascona, and a bit of driving along the coastline. Notes are found in the general Switzerland article.
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Lucerne (Luzern)

Ilya: On the Swiss trip in 2010, I spent half a day exploring this town’s architectural delights. Notes are found in the general Switzerland article.
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Solothurn

Ilya: On the Swiss trip in 2010, I visited this attractive town among other destinations. Notes are found in the general Switzerland article.
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Villars-sur-Ollon

During our New Year 2007 stay in Switzerland, our friends took us to Villars for a stroll and a meal. We then spent a week skiing at Club Med in Villars in 2008. The notes are found here.
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Zurich (Zürich)

Ilya: During our skiing trip in 2008, I took a day to drive to Zurich to see some old friends. I had a fair chance to walk around the city center. On the Swiss trip in 2010, Zurich was my base for a week-long stay, during which time I explored the city in some detail. Notes are found in the general Switzerland article.
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Ukraine

Ukraine, whose border with Russia lies only about 80 kilometers from our birthplace of Rostov, is the former Soviet republic that we visited a lot in the 70′s and 80′s. Ilya’s family annually traveled across the entire country by train on their way to Moldova; we also had relatives in different parts of Ukraine, whom we occasionally visited. Natalie and her Father made a couple of targeted long-weekend trips to some cities. In addition, each of us had an extended stay in Crimea, Ilya at a sanatorium in 1982 and Natalie at the famous international camp of Artek in 1988.

Alupka (Алупка)

During our respective stays in Crimea, in 1982 and 1988, we went on excursions to Alupka, to its famous Vorontsov Palace and beyond.
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Alushta (Алушта)

During our respective stays in Crimea, in 1982 and 1988, we are quite positive that we went on excursions to Alushta, even though we have very vague recollections of that.
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Cernivtsi (Чернiвцi)

Ilya: My family had both paternal and maternal cousins living in this city, whom we occasionally visited in conjunction with our annual journeys to Moldova in the 70′s and 80′s.
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Donetsk (Донецьк)

Ilya: I have no direct recollections but a faint notion that I once went with my Mother to visit our relatives who lived there. Early 80′s, it must have been.
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Feodosiia (Феодосiя)

Natalie: My Father and I went on a number of long-weekend trips organized by his work in the 80′s. One of the destinations was Feodosiia. We traveled by train during the night and spent daytime sightseeing in each place.
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Kharkiv (Харкiв)

Ilya: In 1991, several months before our emigration, my Mother and I traveled to Kharkiv to buy some stuff that we could not obtain in Rostov. Our distant cousins who lived there spent some time showing me the city.
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Kherson (Херсон)

Ilya: In 1980 or 1981, my Father and I, with his friend and the friend’s son, took a road trip across all of southern Ukraine with Moldavian destination of Glodeni in mind. My memory suggests that we stayed overnight in Kherson (although my Dad thinks it was elsewhere). I have very indistinct memories of the overall trip.
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Kyiv (Киïв)

Ilya: Traveling by train from Rostov to Moldova was a complicated exercise in the 70′s and 80′s, requiring change of trains somewhere along the way. Most often, we did it in Kyiv, frequently having several hours to spend in the city. My exact recollections of the Ukrainian capital are not very clear, unfortunately.

Lviv (Львiв)

Ilya: I believe that on one single occasion in early 80′s, we modified our normal train approach to travel between Rostov and Moldova and, instead of changing trains in Kyiv, somehow traveled through Lviv. As always on these trips, we had several hours between trains to see the city, of which I have minimal memories.
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Mohyliv-Podil’s'kyi (Могилiв-Подiльський)

Ilya: This town on the Ukrainian border with Moldova is the birthplace of my Mother and her Father. My Uncle, after marriage, moved to live there. On several occasions in mid-80′s, we visited with him and his family in conjunction with the overall trip to Moldova.
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Odessa (Одеса)

Ilya: Close relatives on my Mother’s side lived in Odessa. Several times in the 70′s and 80′s, we went to visit with them, sometimes in passing on the way to Moldova, sometimes to stay for a few weeks in this beautiful city by the sea.
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Sevastopol’ (Севастополь)

Natalie: 1989 was when I went on my last of those long-weekend trips organized by my Father’s work. Sevastopol’ was the destination, alongside Novorossiysk. We traveled by the train during the night and spent daytime sightseeing in each place.
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Vinnytsia Oblast

Ilya: I was a sickly child in my infancy, and the doctors at some point recommended that my parents take me for a summer in the countryside. Preferably, to a place surrounded by pine forests, where I could enrich my diet with wild strawberries and drink plenty of fresh milk. In 1975, I spent almost the entire summer in the village of Yurkovtsi somewhere in Vinnytsia Oblast. Surprisingly, I have some very vivid memories of that holiday; maybe, because it was almost literally my only such experience in my entire life.
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Yalta (Ялта)

Ilya: During the couple of months that I spent at a sanatorium in Crimea in 1982, we went to visit Yalta and the famous Livadia Palace. We also went to several other major attractions on Crimea’s Black Sea coast, such as Swallow’s Nest and Fairy-Tale Meadow. At the end of two months, my grandparents and I stayed in Yalta for a couple of days; of that, I have very vague memories.

Natalie: On my Artek stay in 1988, we went on an excursion to Yalta, including the Livadia Palace, as well as other interesting places along the coast.
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Zaporizhzhia (Запорiжжя)

Natalie: My Father and I went on a number of long-weekend trips organized by his work in the 80′s. One of the destinations was Zaporizhzhia. We traveled by train during the night and spent daytime sightseeing in each place.
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United Kingdom

Ilya first came to London on a business trip in 2000, managing to get a fair amount of sightseeing into the week. Between 2006 and 2009, the family has resided in London. In that time, we made a considerable number of day trips as well as several targeted longer excursions to places in England, Wales and Scotland.

Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth was one of our overnight stays on the Welsh trip in spring of 2008. We managed to see a little bit of the town. Aberystwyth also signifies other points of interest that we stopped at while in Wales. Wales notes are found here.
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Bath

We went for Bath and Stonehenge combo on a long-weekend trip in autumn of 2007. We had quite some time to explore Bath. The notes are found here.
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Brighton

We made day-trips to Brighton a few times in 2006 and 2007, exploring the town center quite a bit. The notes are found here.
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Cambridge

We made a couple of day-trips to Cambridge in 2007 and 2008, strolling around town and touring some of the attractions. The notes are found here.
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Cardiff

Cardiff was our first overnight stay on the Welsh trip in autumn of 2008. We did some reasonable sightseeing, visiting a couple of major attractions. The notes are found here.
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Cotswolds

We went for a targeted trip to Cotswolds in spring of 2007, touring several points of interest in the process. We stayed in the sleepy village of Mickleton, and traveled to towns such as Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water, Stratford-upon-Avon, Broadway, etc. None of the towns in the area are marked on the physical map that this digital version is based on, so Cotswolds are entered as a region. The notes are found here.
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Dover

We toured Dover Castle in autumn of 2006. The notes are found here. Dover also signifies various attractions reachable from Greater London in England’s Southeast: Rochester, Canterbury, Hever Castle, Leeds Castle, etc. Articles on these and other attractions are found in this category.
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London

We resided in London from 2006 to 2009. In that time, we visited most of its major attractions, some more than once, and very much became familiar with this great city. London notes are found here.
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Northern Wales

Conwy was our last overnight stay on the Welsh trip in autumn of 2008. We explored the tiny town a bit. We also went to nearby Caernarfon to see one of the most imposing Northern Wales castles. Conwy and Caernarfon notes are found here.
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Oxford

We stopped in Oxford for a few ours on the way to Cotswolds in 2007. Strolled around town and toured a couple of sights. The notes are found here.
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Reading

Our good friends live in the Reading suburb of Wokingham. We’ve been to their house several times and went out with them to Reading on one occasion.
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Scottish Highlands

Ilya: I joined a short guided tour of Scottish “whisky trail” in February of 2009. The natural beauty was seen mostly through the bus windows, and no historical or architectural sites were visited. The notes are found here.
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Stonehenge

Stonehenge is the only non-town that is marked on the physical map which gave birth to this digital one, so it merits a separate entry. We visited it in conjunction with a long-weekend trip to Bath in autumn of 2007. Stonehenge notes are incorporated into Bath article.
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Windsor

We toured the royal castle and strolled through both Windsor and nearby Eton in summer of 2008. The notes are found here.
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United States of America

Our adopted homeland.

Dauphin Island, AL

On the January 1997 trip that was centered on New Orleans, we made a road trip to Alabama to see old friends. It was the start of the Mardi Gras season, with one of the earliest parades being staged on the Dauphin Island. We drove there for a day, participated in activities, walked on the beach a little.
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Mobile, AL

A high-school friend of Ilya’s lived in Mobile in mid-90′s, so when we came to New Orleans for a few days in January of 1997, we made a road trip to see their family and spent a couple of nights with them. Not much of touring was done, aside from going to popular eateries.
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Anaheim, CA

Disneyland. We went there on our very first trip to California in 1994, returned with Becky in 1998 and later again in 2000.
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California Coastal Drive

In April of 2006, we made a multi-part voyage to California that included a two-day drive up the scenic coastal route between LA and SF. It started in earnest after Santa Barbara, with numerous stops at various lookouts and some points of interest. We stayed overnight in Cambria, toured Hearst Castle, stopped for a few hours in Carmel-by-the-Sea, drove the 17-mile Drive, and had a splendid overall time.
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Camarillo, CA

One of our “LA” cousins and family live in this town, and we often stay with them on our visits to the area. We went to a few nearby points of interest with them, such as the seaside town of Ventura.
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Concord, CA

In 2006, I worked for a while on a project that took me to several offices of the company country-wide. One of the offices was in Concord, where I spent a couple of days.
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Los Angeles, CA

We have cousins in LA area on both sides of the family, and we have been coming here regularly over the years, starting in 1994. Many of the main sights we toured only on that first trip, but some of the top attractions – such as Hollywood Boulevard, Rodeo Drive, Universal City Walk – our kids have seen as well.
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Malibu, CA

We have been to Malibu proper a couple of times, but it also signifies a stretch of coastal and near-coastal “exurbs” of Los Angeles, where some of our cousins reside or resided in the past (Malibu, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, etc).
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Mountain View, CA

Cousins live in this Silicon Valley town. We visited with them on our big California trip in 2006.
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Palm Desert, CA

An Aunt on Natalie’s side and a cousin on Ilya’s side both own summer houses in the desert (the latter, in Rancho Mirage). We stayed there for a few days with both, in 2003 and 2006, respectively.
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San Diego, CA

On our very first trip to California, in 1994, we drove down to San Diego for the SeaWorld. In 2000, we came for a day to visit old friends who moved to live in the area. We spent a short time looking at some sights (including Coronado), and then went for an evening stroll in La Jolla.
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San Francisco, CA

Our first joint visit to San Francisco, in 2004, coincided with Ilya’s business trip. We stayed for the weekend after and had enough time to enjoy some major sights. Over the next couple of years, Ilya came to the city a few more times on business. In April of 2006, the last leg of our multi-part California trip consisted of a couple of days in the city, in which we included trips to places like Muir Woods and Sausalito.
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Santa Barbara, CA

We came to Santa Barbara for intraday visits with our California relatives several times between 1998 and 2006. Not very far from here is the Dutch village of Solvang, which we visited in 1998.
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Hartford, CT

Old friends live there and we visited them a couple of times, with park outings comprising the entire outdoor program each time.
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Mystic, CT

We stopped at Mystic Seaport and Aquarium a couple of times on the way from our drives further north. Also, in 1996, with another couple – who happen to be our oldest friends – we spent two night in the vicinity of the Foxwoods Hotel and Casino, availing ourselves of various entertainment.
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New Haven, CT

On the college visit itinerary in 2011, New Haven was one of the stops for Becky and Ilya. We had limited time for exploration, but managed to stroll around a bit.
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Stamford, CT

Stamford was one of the locations for synchronized skating competitions in Becky’s time with a synchro team, in 2006. We drove by the town many times on our way further north, but only Natalie and Becky can claim actually having been in Stamford for any length of time.
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Daytona Beach, FL

In 1995, we came to Daytona Beach for a couple of days on a “timeshare-presentation” deal. Ended up buying a week in the nearby New Smyrna Beach. Since then, we only came back once, for a week of stay at “our” resort, in 2003. Otherwise, we deposit the week with the exchange network and let our friends and relatives use it when they feel like it. Ilya’s parents have taken advantage of this several times, including a stay in Daytona, where Becky accompanied them.
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Orlando, FL

We have first been to Orlando in 1995, on the first leg of two-part “timeshare-presentation” deal. We spent a lot of time in Disney parks, but also explored some other attractions in town. In 2003, while staying in New Smyrna Beach, we made a couple of trips to the Disney parks as well. In late 2010, Ilya and Kimmy went for an Orlando vacation, visiting all major Disney parks and a couple of others.
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Titusville, FL

In late 2010, Ilya and Kimmy visited Kennedy Space Center, located in Titusville, as part of their Florida vacation.
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St Petersburg, FL

In 2001, Natalie, Becky and Kimmy, accompanied by Ilya’s parents, spent a week at a resort here.
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Atlanta, GA

During a synchronized skating competition trip in 2006, Becky and her teammates, accompanied by parents, Natalie among them, had enough free time for a visit to the Aquarium in Atlanta.
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Duluth, GA

Duluth was the farthest Natalie and Becky had to travel for a synchronized skating competition, in 2006.
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Chicago, IL

Since 1998, we have been to Chicago many times, some on business, some to visit friends and relatives who live in the area. Toured quite a number of the city’s attractions in the process.
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Glenview, IL

Northern suburbs of Chicago is where Ilya’s brother, who relocated to the area sometime in 1998, as well as several family friends reside. On private trips, we always stay with Ilya’s brother and travel to other nearby destinations to see people and tour sights (such as Baha’i temple or the Botanic Gardens). Glenview signifies the entire area (including Aurora, to the west of Chicago, where a friend used to live at one time).
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New Orleans, LA

The primary destination on the “timeshare-presentation” trip in January 1997 was New Orleans, where we spent several days enjoying jazz and doing sightseeing stuff.
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Baltimore, MD

On our first and only Greyhound trip to Washington, DC, in 1993, the bus stopped at Baltimore and then drove so close to then recently-built Camden Yards that it remains one of the most vivid, if the fleetest of, impressions from anything we’ve done in the 90′s. But that was the extent of our “having been to Baltimore”.
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Boston, MA

We only managed to set foot in Boston a couple of times. Natalie accompanied Ilya on an overnight business trip in 2005; Natalie managed to explore the city a little, Ilya much less so. On the college visit itinerary in 2011, Boston was one of the stops for Becky and Ilya. There was some time for exploration which we spent in Beacon Hill area, in addition to visiting two university campuses.
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Cape Cod

In June of 1997, we exchanged our timeshare week for a week on Cape Code and went with Ilya’s parents and brother. We explored several locations in the area, including Provincetown, spent a day on Martha’s Vineyard, but mainly just kicked back at the resort. In 2000, Becky returned to the same resort with her grandparents for another week.
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Biloxi, MS

In January of 1997, we drove from New Orleans to Alabama via the scenic Gulf coastal route. We only made one stop, for lunch, which must have been in Biloxi. It signifies that entire journey.
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Las Vegas, NV

We’ve been to Las Vegas two times, in 1994 and 2001, in conjunction with California visits. Explored all of the fanciest hotels on the Strip, went to shows, played in the casinos a little bit. Drove the distance to/from LA, as well.
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Atlantic City, NJ

We first came to Atlantic City in 1994, on an organized “casino tour”. In the next ten years or so, we regularly came back either with guests, to see shows or just for a brief getaway. We never ventured far from the Boardwalk, preferring to either check out various hotels or stay on the shore.
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Central Coastal New Jersey

Between 1999 and 2006 years, Old Bridge in Middlesex County was our home. Our mailing address, due to quirks of the US Postal Service, was in neighboring Matawan, in Monmouth County. The two counties eventually saw us pretty much everywhere within their borders. Beyond, too, as we made trips to places – and beaches – in Ocean County as well. Upon our repatriation in 2009, we settled in the area again, close to many friends and relatives.
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Northern Jersey

New Jersey is not a big state, and we have a number of friends who reside in the northern parts of it. In our years living in New Jersey, we visited with many of them, covering a considerable number of places in the process.
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Princeton, NJ

Princeton was one of our favorite day-trip destinations during our years of living in New Jersey. We’ve been in town and on campus many times.
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Trenton, NJ

Becky is the only member of the family who can claim having been to Trenton, on the strength of a school trip in 2005.
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Ithaca, NY

On the college visit itinerary in 2011, Ithaca was one of the stops for Becky and Ilya. We had slightly more time for exploration than elsewhere, and managed to spend some time around the city central area.
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Long Island

In our years of living in the Tri-State Area, we’ve been occasional guests on Long Island, with visits to friends, parties at different banqueting halls, one day spent at US Open at Bethpage Black, and numerous picnics at our favorite Hempstead Lake State Park.
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New York City

We lived in Brooklyn for almost 8 years and Ilya studied and worked in Manhattan from 1991 to 2006. We have been to almost all major points of interest in the five boroughs (the Bronx Zoo and the Statue of Liberty remain notable exceptions) and even took our early-years visitors from elsewhere on tours of the City, acting as guides. Saying that we have been everywhere in the huge metropolis would be an exaggeration, but we certainly can lay claim to having set foot in most of the neighborhoods of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Staten Island, at the very least (the Bronx – not as much).

Jersey City and Hoboken on the other side of the Hudson River are considered parts of the City for the purposes of this annotated map.
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Niagara Falls, NY

Twice on our way to/from Toronto, we stopped at Niagara Falls, in 1998 and 2004, the first time on the US side, and the second time on the Canadian side. On the first occasion, we took a guided tour of the town and the waterfalls, which included a boat trip into the falls horseshoe.
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Poughkeepsie, NY

On the college visit itinerary in 2011, Poughkeepsie was one of the stops for Becky and Ilya. We had limited time for exploration, but managed to stroll around a bit.
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Rochester, NY

On the college visit itinerary in 2011, Rochester was one of the stops for Becky and Ilya. Our schedule precluded any exploration beyond the campus of U of R.
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Rockland and Westchetser Counties, NY

Our oldest friends have lived in several places in these two New York State counties, ever since they immigrated from Russia at the same time as we did. We visited with them numerous times and had occasions to set foot in a number of towns in the area.

West Point (which is in Orange County) is included here as well. We once took a targeted trip to see the area, sometime in 1997.
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Chapel Hill, NC

Ilya: Our alma mater in Russia has a fraternal relationship with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Less than a year after my arrival in the States, in 1992, one of our college friends from Russia came to UNC for a year of exchange studies. I took a long-weekend trip (traveling on Amtrak and getting off in Durham) to see him. I must have seen a fair portion of the campus then, but my recollections are concentrated around the all-night reverie in line for the basketball game tickets (which I could not go to anyway on account of having to travel back to New York).
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Charlotte, NC (plus a bit of South Carolina)

Ilya: I have been to Charlotte uncounted times on business between 2002 and 2006. Friends in the office occasionally took me out for dinners outside of its financial district, but it is that that I know the best. In addition, on one such business trip I joined the corporate outing to a baseball game; the local Triple-A team actually plays across the state divide in South Carolina, which is how I count that state among visited as well.
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Lancaster, PA

On one occasion in 1999, we drove to Lancaster to see Natalie’s California cousins, one of whom was spending a semester at a college there. We ended up not having much time to explore the surrounding Amish Country, unfortunately. Natasha and the kids changed that in 2009, spending 3 nights in a company of friends around the Amish Country, including a visit to the Hershey Park.
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Longwood Gardens, PA

A favorite destination for a day-trip, even though it was good 100 miles away from where we lived in New Jersey. We went to Longwood Gardens at least half a dozen times between 1999 and 2006.
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Philadelphia, PA

Despite its relative proximity to our residence in New Jersey, we only went to Philadelphia once in 2004 for a day trip, exploring a few of the central sights in the process, and once in 2010 for a targeted visit to a flower show. Becky and Kimmy each had school trips to the city in various grades, managing to explore a bit more. On the college visit itinerary in 2011, Philadelphia was one of the stops for Becky and Ilya, with very minimal exploration outside of college campuses both in the city proper and in the suburb of Swarthmore.
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Pittsburgh, PA

In summer of 2011, we drove to Pittsburgh area with our friends, primarily for a look into famous Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses several dozen miles outside of the city, but also for a relative in-depth visit to some major Pittsburgh’s attractions. Prior to that, the entire familiarity with the city was through several business trips Ilya made to Pittsburgh in the summer and fall of 2001. This location also signifies a few small towns to the east and to the north where we had stop-overs during the car trip to Chicago in 2009 and where we stayed for the nights during the visit in 2011.
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Pocono Mountains

Over the years, we have made a number of journeys to the Poconos, for long-weekend stays at mountain resorts, for skiing day-trips and for river rafting day-trips.
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Providence, RI

Ilya spent a day on business in Providence without seeing anything of the city in 2005. Natalie and Becky came to Providence for a synchronized skating competition during 2005/6 season.
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Ascutney, VT (plus a bit of New Hampshire)

Our very first extended skiing trip happened in December of 2001, when we left Kimmy with grandparents and went to Ascutney Mountain resort with a family of friends. We weren’t interested in exploration much, although I recall that we had to cross the Vermont/New Hampshire state borders in search for a place to have dinner one night.
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Fairfax County, VA

Our good old friends have resided in Fairfax County for many years, and since 2000, we visited with them on many occasions. We toured some neighboring sights with them, concentrating on DC, but also going to places such as Great Falls or Alexandria, for instance.
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Williamsburg, VA

In 1998, we bought a half-week package to the Busch Gardens in Virginia, spending most of the time in the amusement parks. On the day of our departure, though, we drove to Colonial Williamsburg for half a day and explored it a bit. On the college visit itinerary in 2011, Williamsburg was one of the stops for Becky and Ilya. We had limited time for exploration, but managed to stroll around a bit.
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Burlington, WI

On one of our trips to see relatives in Chicago, in 2006, they took us to a Renaissance Fair across the border in Wisconsin. This entry signifies that particular experience and approximate location.
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Washington, DC

Our only targeted trip to DC was in 1993, when we took Greyhound to meet with a friend there. We went to see quite a number of sights and museums in a fairly short time during the two-day visit. In the years since, we regularly came to Washington for a few hours during our visits with friends in Fairfax County, VA, but refrained from any focused sightseeing. On the college visit itinerary in 2011, Washington was one of the stops for Becky and Ilya. We managed to explore some of Georgetown area.
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Delaware

When we drive down to Virginia, we invariable pass through the state of Delaware. I don’t believe we stopped even once, though.
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Ohio and Indiana

Ilya: In 2009, I made a car trip to Chicago from New Jersey with my parents. We crossed three states first westward, then eastward. Overnight stops both happened in Pennsylvania, and we only stopped at the service areas in Ohio and Indiana.
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