#Baltic Flour Mill

[enoughofthoughtphilosopher-blog]

Seven Stories of Bridges

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Baltic Flour Mill

[ltwilliammowett]

The unknown Dalarö wreck

I have found another very interesting wreck again, the so-called Dalarö wreck. The ship itself is one of the best preserved wrecks of the 17th century. It lies in a depth of 30m in the Stockholm archipelago in the baltic sea and was found in 2003. Unfortunately the water there is very cloudy and green so there are barely good and clear pictures. On and around the wreck there are many objects - ceramics, glass bottles, tools, weapons, parts of the rigging, baskets and boxes.  What kind of ship was she and where did she come from?

It is a rather small ship, about 20 metres long but with a continuous hull, intact deck and two masts still standing, with a hold and six gun ports. Two guns were found on board; one is still in the carriage on the afterdeck, and one broke into the fore ship. Several hand weapons were found: two rapier handles, a musket and two pistols, one of which has a flintlock and was probably made in Holland in the 1660s.

This led to the conclusion that it might have been a Dutch civil ship that was also equipped with weapons, as was customary at that time. The galleon figure in the shape of a lion could speak for both Sweden and Holland. But then it would probably have been a royal ship because the lion was only carried under special conditions.

After an analysis of the wood it was concluded that it came from the north of England. A British lady, perhaps?

Another discovery on the wreck were glass vessels of a certain type known as Bellarmin or Bartmann jugs. A large number of such jugs were produced in the German town of Frechen in the 17th century. They are comparable to the return bottles of later periods and were used to transport all kinds of liquids, such as wine, oil and chemicals. The jugs are decorated with a bearded face at the neck of the bottle. In German "Bartmann" means "bearded man".

Archaeologists have found 15 Bellarmin in the cabin. They were probably used for the officers' wine. Looking down into the hold, divers could make out many more bell mines besides coal. Since the hold was not excavated, it was not possible to get more precise knowledge about its contents. It is possible that the ship was carrying valuable liquid cargo from the continent when it sank. A merchant ship after all ?

For a long time it was simply not clear what she is and where she really comes from. It was not until 2017 that Niklas Eriksson, a post-doctoral fellow at the Centre for Maritime Studies and the Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies, succeeded. In the preserved protocols and letters of the Swedish admiralty, which are kept in the military archives, a possible answer can be found. In 1659 Karl X Gustav of Sweden ordered to use a number of small ships to transport horses and soldiers in his war against Denmark. After the unexpected death of the king, the campaign against Denmark was abandoned and the unfinished ships ordered before his death were rebuilt in various ways.

One of them was the Bodekull, which was built between 1659 and 1661 under the supervision of the newly recruited English shipbuilder Thomas Day. As the design was changed during the construction, the preserved correspondence between the shipyard and the admiralty mentions several unique details, which are also visible on the wreck.

In 1675 the war with Denmark broke out again. In the autumn of 1678, the Swedish fleet sought winter quarters north of Kalmar instead of returning to Stockholm to take advantage of the earlier ice break in the southern harbour. Bodekull was sent to grind grain in a mill along the coast under the command of Olof Styff. Despite his instructions he sailed to Fagerholmen in the Stockholm archipelago. On the way back the ship hit a rock and sank. 20 barrels of water-soaked flour were sent to Stockholm. The story of Bodekulls' sinking was written down in the documents thanks to the extensive discussions within the admiralty about how bread could be made from the soaked flour. Everything points to the fact that the Bodekull is a converted Swedish transport ship. The investigations are still going on, but when the divers go down again and look at the storage room, it might be confirmed if it is really the Bodekull.

[autodidact-adventures]

Siberian History (Part 5): Khanate of Sibir

By the end of the 1500s, a large part of the world had been mapped well, but not Siberia – its ice-laden seas along the northern coast had hindered mariners who were searching for China or “Cathay”. Map-makers labelled Northern Asia as Tartary or Great Tartary, but gave it no geographic detail.  The Ob River (thought to have its source in the Aral Sea) was as far east as people had got from the west.

When shown on maps, Tartary was filled in according to the stories and legends the mapmakers had heard – Asiatic nomads among camels and tents, or worshipping idols and pillars of stone.  Sometimes there were accompanying inscriptions identifying them as cannimals, or claiming that they “doe eate serpentes, wormes and other filth”. Other customs ascribed to them were copied from Central Asian tribes that the mapmakers knew about.

Siberia was also seen as an other-worldly, mythological land that extended even as far as the sunrise.  From one contemporary source, “to the east of the sun, to the most-high mountain Karkaraur, where dwell the one-armed, one-footed folk.”

However, a little was known about Siberia.  The Russian Chronicles (chronological records kept by monasteries since the beginning of Russian history) mentioned the territory.  Russian merchants who traded in furs with tribes along the Ob River had long been familiar withYugra (meaning “the land of the Ostyaks”, a local tribe now known as the Khanty).  This was a collective name for the lands & peoples between the Pechora River (west) and the Ural Mountains (east).

In 1236, an itinerant Brother Julian mentioned a “land of Sibur, surrounded by the Northern Sea”.  In 1376, St. Stephen of Perm established a church in the Kama River Valley (west of the Urals), where a former missionary had earlier been skinned alive.

Russia began to give the missionaries military backing in 1455, and soldiers swept along the frontier in 1484.  They captured some tribal chieftains, who were then forced into a treaty that acknowledged Moscow's suzerainty and made them pay tribute.

Khanate of Sibir

The Khanate of Sibir had been established in 1420 when the Mongol Empire was breakking up.  It was a semi-feudal state just east of the Ural Mountains.  It was dominated by the Siberian Tatars, who descended from one of the Mongol fighting groups, or “hordes”. The khanate included Siberian Tatars (Turkic & Muslim), Bashkirs, and various Uralic peoples (including the Khanty, Mansi and Selkup peoples).  Its ruling class was Turco-Mongol.  The khanate's territory stretched east of the Urals to the Irtysh River, and south to the Ishim steppes.

Approximate extent of the Khanate of Sibir in the 1400s - 1500s.

Now it came within the orbit of Muscovite political & military relations.  Moscow had become familiar with the northern sea route from Archangel, although only as far as the northern end of the Ural Mountains.  But there wasn't a southern route into Sibir until Kazan (another Mongol succession state on the Volga River) was captured in 1552.  In 1555, the Taibugid Khan Yadigar acknowledged Ivan the Terrible's suzerainty; Ivan immediately began calling himself the “Tsar of Sibir”.

But Russia still didn't known that beyond the Ob River, Siberia stretched as far as Northern Asia, from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.

Sibir was a coherent, loosely-confederated state, with trade along ancient caravan routes to western China.  However, it was beset by internal problems as was basically living on borrowed time.  The Siberian Tatars (who had converted to Islam in 1272) clashed with other ethnic groups.  There were inter-tribal hostilities, particularly between the Khanty and Mansi (or Ostyaks and Voguls, as they were called at the time).  From the founding of Sibir, there had been a dynastic struggle between the Shaybanids (descendants of Genghis Khan) and the Taibugids (heirs of a local prince).  Until 1552, the Kazakh Khanate (also Tatar) stood between Sibir and Russia, but now that was not the case anymore.

Along with acknowledging Russia's suzerainty, Yadigar also agreed to pay annual tribute (in the form of furs) to Ivan.  This was an unpopular decision.  It may well have been the reason that in 1563, he was desposed and killed in on the banks of the Irtysh River, in his capital of Qashliq (also called Isker), by Khan Kuchum, who claimed descent from Genghis Khan.

Kuchum then surrounded himself with a palace guard composed of Uzbeks, purged the local leadership of opponents, and tried to impose Islam on the pagan tribes (with the help of mullahs from Bukhara, now in Uzbekistans.

By 1571, Russia was struggling and appeared to be in the process of falling apart.  Kuchum took the opportunity to renounce the tribute to Moscow.  In 1573, he sent a punitive expedition against the Khanty people in Perm (west of the Urals), who had recognized Russian suzerainty.  Moscow gave no response, so in 1579 he also intercepted and killed a Muscovite envoy that was en route to Central Asia.

The Stroganovs

During the Livonian War (1557 – 1581), in which Ivan the Terrible tried to force his way to the Baltic, Moscow's government had handed the defence of their eastern frontier and Urals dominions to the Stroganov family.  They were a powerful family of industrial magnates and financiers.  According to legend, they were descended from a Christianized Tartar called Spiridon, who had introduced the abacus to Russia.  Their wealth was founded on furs, ore, salt and grain (the mainstays of the economy).  They had accumulated a great deal of assets & properties over the past 200yrs, extending from Kaluga and Ryazan eastwards to the current Vologda Oblast.  They traded with the English & Dutch on the Kola Peninsula, established commercial links with Central Asia, and had foreign agents who travelled as far abroad as Antwerp and Paris for them.

They were originally centered on their saltworks at Solvyechegodsk (Russia's “Salt Lake City”), but a rapid series of land grants secured their absolute commercial domination of the Russian north-east.  In 1558, Ivan the Terrible authorized a charter giving Anikey Stroganov and his successors large estates along the eastern edge of Russian settlement, along the Kama and Chusovaya Rivers – this gave them access to much of Perm, on the Upper Kama River almost to the Urals.

Map of the Kama River Basin.  A black diamond shows the location of Perm; grey rectangles show the Kama and Chusovaya Rivers.

The 1558 charter served as a model for future dealings with the Stroganovs.  In each case, the Stroganovs pledged to fund and develop industres; break the soil for agriculture; train and equip a frontier guard; prospect for ore and mineral deposits, and mine whatever was found.  In return, they were given long-term tax-exempt status for themselves and their colonists.

The Stroganovs had jurisdiction over the local population, and had the right to protect their holdings with garrisoned stockades and forts equipped with artillery.  A chain of military outposts and watchtowers was soon growing along the river route to the east.

Colonization was advancing to the foot of the Ural Mountains, and the Stroganovs tried to subject a number of native tribes to their authority, including the Khanty and Mansi peoples, who lived on both sides of the Urals.  The native peoples fought back – they destroyed crops; attacked villages, saltworks and flour mills; and massacred settlers on the western slopes of the Urals.  Soldiers were sent to deal with uprisings, but they couldn't be spared for very long from the tsar's western fronts.

Meanwhile, prospectors had found silver and iron ore deposits on the Tura River, east of the Urals.  It was assumed (correctly) that the districts it was found in also had sulphur, lead and tin.  Also, scouts had seen the rich pastures by the Tobol River where the Tatars' cattle grazed.

In 1574, the Stroganovs petitioned for a new charter “to drive a wedge between the Siberian Tartars and the Nogays” (a tribe to the south), by means of fortified settlements.  In return, they would be given a licence to exploit the region's resources.  Moscow (in response to Kuchum's aggression) agred.

Because the Livonian War meant that soldiers couldn't be spared for long, the Stroganovs were also given permission to enlist runaways or outlaws in their militia; and to finance a campaign against Kuchum “to make him pay the tribute”.  The campaign would be spearheaded by “hired Cossacks and artillery”.  The government promised that those who volunteered would be rewarded with the wives & children of natives as their concubines & slaves.

Cossacks

“Cossacks” were independent frontiermen who lived along the empire's fringes.  Some were solitary wanderers, or mixed-race peoples.  There was also a turbulent border population of itinerant workers, tramps, runaways, bandits, adventurers and religious dissenters, who had been forced to move to this no-man's-land of forest & steppe by taxation, debt, repression, famine, or refuge from Muscovite law.  Here they mingled and clashed with the Tatars, adopted Tatar terminology, and created a new independent life for themselves.  The term “Cossack” comes from the Turkish kazak, meaning “rebel/freeman”.

Some Cossacks had banded together under elected atamans (chieftains) into semi-military groups along the Volga, Dnieper and Don Rivers, in order to protect their homesteading communities. They raided Tatar settlements, poached on Tatar land, preyed on Moscow river convoys, and ambushed government army patrols who had been sent to catch and hang them.

Vasily “Yermak” Timofeyevich was the leader of a Cossack band. He was a third-generation bandit, and the most notorious pirate on the Volga River of the time.  He was powerfully-built, medium height, and had a flat face, black beard and curly hair.  According to the Siberian Chronicles, “his associates called him 'Yermak,' after a millstone.  And in his military achievements he was great.”

Regular army patrols (with gallows built on rafts) attempted to enforce the tsar's authority along the Volga trade route.  There was a series of expeditions intended to crush or subdue outlaw bands, culminating in 1577 in a great sweep along both sides of the Volga. Many Cossacks were forced to flee, with the tsar's cavalry after them – some fled downstream to the Caspian Sea; some scattered across the steppes.  According to legend, a third group under Yermak raced up the Kama River into the wilds of Perm, where they joined the Stroganovs' frontier guard and were enthusiastically welcomed into it.

The Expedition

A few years later, the Stroganovs organized an expedition to secure the Kama frontier, bring part of the Siberia within their mining monopoly, and gain access to Siberian furs.  This did not fall under the tsar's commission.

The expedition began on September 1st, 1581.  A Cossack army of 840 men (including 300 Livonian POWs, two priests, and a runaway monk impressed into service as a cook) assembled under Yermak's leadership on the banks of the Kama River near Orel-Gorodok, south of Solikamsk.  According to the Chronicles, they set off “singing hymns to the Trinity, to God in his Glory, and to the most immaculate Mother of God,” but this probably didn't happen.

The military force had a rough code of martial law.  Insubordination was punished by being bundled head-first into a sack, with a bag of sand tied to your chest, and being tipped into the river.  About twenty people were tipped in at the start.

It is not certain whether the Stroganovs voluntarily provided full assistance to this expedition, or were coerced into it.  However, they always drove a hard bargain, and intended their aid to be a loan “secured by indentures”.  The Cossacks rejected this, and agreed to compensate them from their plunder; or if they failed to return, to redeem their obligations “by prayer in the next world”.  The Siberian Chronicles portrayed this military expedition as a holy crusade against the infidel, so this sarcastic promise was reinterpreted as genuine and as religious fervour.  One passage in the Siberian Chronicles states, “Kuchum led a sinful life.  He had 100 wives, and youths as well as maidens, worshipped idols, and ate unclean foods.”

The army was organized into disciplined companies, each with its own leader and flag.  Although they were vastly outnumbered by the khanate's troops, it wasn't as bad as it seemed.  They were well-led, well-armed, and well-provisioned (with rye flour, buckwheat, roasted oats, butter, biscuit and salt pig).  It was their military superiority through firearms that would prove decisive.

They moved along a network of rivers in doshchaniks (flat-bottomed boats that could be rowed with oars, mounted with a sail, or towed from the shore) to the foothills of the Urals (from the headwaters of the Serebryanka River to the banks of the Tagil River, at a site known today as Bear Rock).  This was a distance of about 29km.  Yermak then stopped and pitched his winter camp.

In spring, Yermak dammed the water with sails so that he could float the boats over the river's shallows.  He boarded his boat downstream, swung into the Tura River, and for a some distance advanced without resistance into the heart of Kuchum's domain.

There was a costly skirmish at the mouth of the Tobol River.  Then downstream, where the river surged through a ravine, the Tatars had laid a trap.  There was a barrier made of logs and ropes, and hundreds of warriors hiding in the trees on either side of it.  The first of Yermak's boats hit the barrier at night.  The Tatars attacked, but in the darkness most of the boats managed to escape upstream.  The Cossacks disembarked at a bend in the river, made mannequins out of twigs and fallen branches, and propped them up in the boats, with only skeleton crews at the oars.  The others (half-naked) crept around to surprise the Tatars from behind.  At dawn, they opened fire just as the flotilla floated into view.  It was a complete rout, a great success for Yermak's men.

Kuchum resolved to destroy the Cossacks before they could even reach the capital of Qashliq.  Yermak knew that he had to capture the town before winter, or his men would die from the cold.  Their provisions were low, and ambush & disease had reduced their force by half. But they kept going towards Qashliq.

The decisive confrontation was in late October, at the confluence of the Tobol and Irtysh Rivers.  Here, the Tatars had erected a palisade at the base of a hill.  The Cossacks charged, firing their muskets into the densely-massed defenders, killing many.  Many of the Tatars, conscripted by force, immediately deserted.  More fled as the palisade was stormed.  The battle continued until evening with hand-to-hand fighting.  107 Cossacks died, but they won the battle.

Kuchum is said to have had a vision on that day: “The skies burst open and terrifying warriors with shining wings appeared from the four cardinal points.  Descending to the earth they encircled Kuchum's army and cried to him: 'Depart from this land, you infidel son of the dark demon, Mahomet, because now it belongs to the Almighty.'”

The Cossacks arrived at Qashliq a few days later.  It was deserted, with few of its fabled riches left behind.  However, they found stocks of flour, barley and dried fish.

Soon afterwards, Yermak began accepting tribute from former subjects of the khan, and there were scattered defections to the Cossacks' side.  Yermak needed reinforcements & artillery to consolidate his position, so he sent his second-in-command Ivan Koltso (also a renowned bandit) to Moscow with 50 others.  They took the fabled “wolf-path” shortcut over the Urals (up the Tavda River to Cherdyn), travelling on skis and reindeer-drawn sleds.  This path was shown to them by a Tatar chieftain who acted as their guide.

But the tsar was not pleased with the expedition (he didn't yet know of Yermak's success).  In response to the invasion, the Mansi had been burning Russian settlements to the ground in the Upper Kama Valley.  Apparently on the day Yermak set out, they'd attacked Cherdyn and burned neighbouring villages.  The military governor of Perm then accused the Stroganovs of leaving the frontier undefended, as they'd stripped the frontier guard for their expedition.

In a letter from November 16th, 1582, the tsar reproved the Stroganovs for “disobedience amounting to treason”.  And the Livonian War, as it drew to a close, was being lost by the Russians.  Narva had fallen to the Swedes, and the Poles were tightening their blockade on Pskov.

Koltso arrived in the capital, where the tsar was planning to hang him.  He prostrated himself before Ivan, announced Yermak's capture of Qashliq, and proclaimed Ivan lord of the khanate. Then he displayed his spoils before the stunned court – these included three captured Tatar nobles and a sledload of pelts (2,400 sables, 2,000 beaver and 800 black foxes).  This was equal to five times the annual tribue the khan had paid.

Ivan immediately pardoned Koltso, and Yermak in absentia.  He promised reinforcements, and sent a suit of armour embossed with the imperial coat of arms to Yermak.  Koltso kissed the cross in obedience to the tsar.

Failure

Back in Siberia, Yermak was struggling to extend his authority up the Irtysh River.  He forced the native peoples to swear allegiance by kissing a bloody sword.  The penalty for resisting was to be hanged upside-down by one foot, an agonizing death.

Yermak also tried to Christianize the tribes.  In one contest of power, the local wizard ripped open his stomach with a knife, then miraculously healed the wound by smearing it with grass. In response, Yermak simply tossed the local wooden totems onto the fire.

By the end of summer 1584, Yermak had managed to extend his jurisdiction almost as far east as the Ob River.  One sortie had surprised and captured Mametkul (Kuchum's nephew and minister of war).  Things appeared to be going well.

Meanwhile, however, the Tatar raiders who had been attacking the Russian settlements returned.  Yermak's strength declined by attrition.  500 Russian reinforcements tramped into Qashliq on snowshoes in November, but they'd brought no provisions of their own, and rapidly used up Yermak's resources.  During the long winter, part of the garrison starved; some were forced to resort to cannibalizing their dead companions.

Kuchum's followers were aware of all this, and in the spring they increased their attacks on foraging parties.  There were two major blows to the Russians: 1) 20 Cossacks were killed as they dozed by a lake, and 2) Koltso and 40 others were lured to a friendship banquet and killed.

Then in early August 1585, the Tatars laid a trap for Yermak himself.  Yermak was told that an unescorted caravan from Bukhara was nearing the Irtysh River, so he hurried to meet it with a company of Cossacks.  He found that the report was false, and the men had to bivouac on an island in midstream for the night.  There was a wild storm during the night, which drove the watchmen back into their tents.

A party of Tatars disembarked without being seen, and managed to kill nearly all of the Cossacks.  Yermak struggled into his armour and fought his way to the embankment, but the boat floated out of his reach.  He plunged into the water after it, but sunk beneath the waves due to the weight of his armour.

1,340 Cossacks had started out on the expedition to Siberia, and now only 90 remained.  They retreated to the Urals, and as they made their way through a mountain pass, they met 100 Russian streltsy (musketeers) with cannon moving east.

Reconquest

Whatever the Stroganovs intended, Yermak hadn't intended to conquer Siberia, merely to carry out a typical Cossack raid for spoils.  He'd probably not intended to hold Isker, just to sack it and withdraw before deep snow & ice prevented him from escaping upstream.  But despite this, the way had been shown.  The Khanate of Sibir had been dealt an irreversible blow, and it would never be able to pull itself back together.  Within two decades of Yermak's death, the “colourless hordes” of Russia (as the natives called them) would have taken much of Western Siberia.

The Livonian War ended with an armistice with Poland and Sweden, which allowed Russia to plan an organized reconquest of the territory Yermak had taken.  They used river highways to make their advance easier, and immediately retook Isker and destroyed it.

In 1586, they founded Tyumen to consolidate Russia's position on the Tura River.  In 1587, Tobolsk was established where the Tobol and Irtysh Rivers met, about 19km from where Isker had been.  Now no tribe could doubt that the Russians were there to stay.

By 1591, they'd extended southwards down to the Barabinsk Steppes.  There, they founded Ufa (between Tobolsk and Kazan), to secure a new trans-Urals route for the movement of troops and supplies.  For the next decade, Russian outposts continued to be built further and further eastwards.

In 1593, Pelym and Beryozov were founded, in order to control and Khanty and Samoyed population in the north.

The historical town of Pelym is in the modern-day Garinsky District. Beryozov is now Beryozovo.

In 1594, the fort of Tara was founded between the Ishim and Barabinsk steppes.  The largest expedition ever sent to found a new Siberian fort was sent – 1,200 cavalry soldiers and 350 foot soldiers, including Tatar auxiliaries, and Polish & Lithuanian POWs.

In 1596, Surgut, Obdorsk and Narym were founded, in order to strengthen Russia's hold.

Obdorsk is now called Salekhard.

Verkhoturye was established in 1598 on the Tura River as a gateway to Siberia.

Verkhoturye is in the middle Ural Mountains.

In 1600, Turinsk was established as an ostrog (a small fort usually made of wood), in place of Yepanchin, which Yermak had razed to the ground.

Verkhoturye, Turinsk and Tyumen are marked with grey rectangles.

Also in 1600, 100 Cossacks sailed down the Ob River in four ships, from Tobolsk to the Arctic Coast.  From there, they went north-east towards Taz Bay.  They had a shipwreck, and then an ambush by Samoyeds, reducing their party by half.  However, they still found a spot near the Taz estuary that was suitable for building the fort of Mangazeya.

By 1600, Russia had a fortified route into Siberia, with Verkhoturye, Turinsk and Tyumen standing guard over it.  They had secured the Lower Ob basin (in the north) with Berezov, Obdorsk and Mangazeya. Its middle and upper courses were secured with Surgut, Narym and Ketsk (a fort built a few miles above the Ob in 1602).

The forts were headquarters for the army of occupation, and bases for further expansion.  Giles Fletcher, the English ambassador to Russia at the time, wrote: “In Siberia, [the tsar] hath divers castles and garisons...and sendeth many new supplies thither, to plant and to inhabite as he winneth ground.”

In 1604, the major outpost of Tomsk was established, in order to guard the Ob River basin from Central Asian nomads raiding across the borders from the south.  Now “the cornerstone of the Russian Asiatic empire had been laid.”

Results of the Conquest

The Stroganovs received more trading privileges, and new grants of land west of the Urals, where their empire of trading posts, mines and mills could grow.  But they weren't given any of the lands Yermak had advanced into, and got less out of his conquest than they'd hoped. The government realized what a great opportunity Sibir was, and its reoccupation became a state venture.  Blockhouses and forts were built to dominate the rivers and portages (paths where craft or cargo are regularly carried between bodies of water).

Russia chose sites for their outposts that had previously been used by Tatar princelings to wield their own authority, thus helping them with native recognition of their legitimacy.  They also exploited local enmities – for example, the local Khanty helped the Russians to subdue the Mansi in the neighbourhood of Pelym.  For the most part, the Khanty were consistent allies of the Russians (apart from a considerable uprising of their own in 1595).

However, for the most part the natives were not happy with Russian rule, and the Tatars least of all.  Khan Kuchum had escaped south to the steppes before the capture of Qashliq, and continued to harass them for the next 14yrs.  The Russians undertook campaigns against him in 1591, 1595 and 1598.  Most of Kuchum's followers and family were eventually captured or killed, but he refused to be defeated.  He continued to fight a futile rear-guard action, attacking isolated Russian companies and posts.

Kuchum offered to negotiate a just peace at one point, one that would allow his followers to live according to their ancient ways in the Irtysh Valley.  Instead, Russia tried to tempt him with money, property, and recognition of his royal rank.  In response, Kuchum burned a Russian settlement.

Kuchum died in 1598.  He was almost blind by then, and he was kiled by the Nogai assassins whom he had turned to for help.

After Kuchum had died, Moscow took steps to prevent his heirs from trying to take the khanate's throne.  His heirs had settled in Russia, where they were indulged as royal exiles, and adopted by the Muscovite elite as their own.  Kuchum's daughters were married to young nobles, and the sons were given noble rank.  One grandson was given the town of Kasimov on the Oka River (this had long been a showcase for puppet Tatars).  Kuchum's nephew Mametkul was recognized as a prince, and became a general in the Russian Army.

Yermak became an important figure in both Russian and Tatar folklore.  The Cossacks who fell in the battle for Sibir had their names engraved on a memorial tablet in the cathedral of Tobolsk.

There is a legend that sometime after Yermak's death, a Tatar fisherman dredged his body up from the Irtysh, recognizing him by the double-headed eagle emblazoned on the chainmail hauberk.  Upon removing the armour, it was found that Yermak's flesh was uncorrupted, and that blood gushed from his mouth and nose.  His body and clothing could work miracles, and mothers & babies were preserved from disease.  The natives buried him at the foot of a pine tree by the river, and for many years afterwards the spot was marked by a column of fire.

[i-o-u-a-e-blog]

Baltic Centre of Contemporary Art, Newcastle (The artist's grandmother lived 2006 - 2008) Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b23AjeRBXSU tatu - nas ne dagonyat (not gonna get us) image- lewdjaw.com

[archiweekend]

Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts

Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts

The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts is a cultural and Arts Centre in Newcastle, England. In 1994, Gateshead City Council opened an architecture competition with the aim of transforming the Baltic Flour Mill building on the edge of the River Tyne into a centre for Contemporary Art. The competition was won by a proposal from Ellis Williams Architects, a Manchester-based architectural office.

[travelingblog59]

Top Guidelines Of Vacations In London

The Basic Principles Of London Holidays

Hostels in close-by Bournemouth Brighton pier is attractive in any kind of weather svenjasparkling Brighton recommended by K&H from KH Trips Brighton is great for everyone, whether you're a pair searching for a charming getaway, a household looking for some seaside fun or a group of pals intending to event the evening away.

Watch out for events when you're intending to visit-- Brighton Pride being among the most significant ones of the year. We love a classic fish and also chips along the coastline or strolling via The Lanes where you'll come across a series of little eateries. A couple of our much-loved places to consume consist of the renowned Choccywoccydoodah which any kind of delicious chocolate lover would certainly seethe to miss out on delighting in! Dos Sombreros is another favourite, an independent Mexican with a large option of scrumptious food and also mixed drinks.

Be planned for them to be hectic on a weekend break however they are charming to discover as well as take in the Brighton society which has lots of quirkiness. Brighton Pier has a selection of arcades, rides, and other uniqueness fun whilst still maintaining its historical ambience. We such as delighting in a cider and sitting back and also unwinding with the sight of Brighton's picturesque, vibrant seafront bursting with beach huts as well as lovely rule style.

Rock homes, flowing streams, winding roads and also pretty villages make The Cotswolds a postcard excellent destination for a Terrific British escape. With a driving time of just 2 hrs from London, it's not also much for a weekend break, plus you can quit off in Bathroom if you want to make the most out of your trip. You can go through an unit loaded with lemurs hopping from tree to tree and snap pictures of the rhinos grazing easily before the Chateau Residence. An additional terrific place to browse through is Sezincote Estate which is a 4,500 acre estate with a 200-year-old Mogul Indian royal residence. For me, The Cotswolds is without a doubt the most stress-free place for a vacation as well as it's no surprise this location has actually motivated so numerous authors and poets throughout the years.

Fascination About London Vacations

Hostels in close-by Bristol The coolest road art can be located in Shoreditch yousef_4s A unicorn treat at Cereal Killer Coffee Shop @sophialeesteinLondon advised Samantha Wragg from Coco Journeys It could be touristy, however often I just enjoy being a traveler in my own city! I assume one of the most effective ways to see London is by river with a hop-on-hop-off river cruise.

Starting at Westminster Pier, the cruise goes all the means to Greenwich where adrenaline junkies can climb up the O 2 Arena and also you can ride the Emirates cord auto to obtain an amazing sight of the city from the sky. The last time I rode the wire vehicles was pretty windy which makes for an, erm, exciting trip! As soon as you have actually done the well-trodden visitor track, head eastern to the stylish Shoreditch-- house of the hipster and also the background for an incredible Instagram photo or more.

If you like grain then you have to take a look at the Grain Awesome Café where timeless grains get on offer at any kind of time of the day and for a dynamic lunch try Bounce where you can play ping pong in between drinks. Hostels in London Albert Dock on a sunny day @j 1llj 0nes Free songs events such as this one at Sefton Park are a regular incident in Liverpool @visitliverpool_Liverpool advised by Olivia Mc Donald from Liv On A Shoestring Allow me think, when you consider Liverpool your mind instantly goes to the notorious Scouse foursome, The Beatles? This UNESCO maritime city has A Lot more to provide and is the best addition to any type of UK trip.

I enjoy Liverpool for having among the wildest nights out (believe: The Hangover), specifically if you enjoy dance music. Head to Heebie Jeebie's for some bangers. Hatters Hostel is fantastic, as is Tavernco, which is just the most effective breakfast to nurse the hangover. They use an impressive stack of fluffy American-style pancakes for just ₤ 3.95.

Our London Statements

Then, take a walk along the riverside as well as go across the Centuries Bridge to The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, which is without program. Housed in a converted flour mill, The Baltic has featured musicians such as Anthony Gormley as well as Damien Hirst, and has fantastic views from the balcony on degree 4.

Take a cozy layer as it's damp and also cold down there and make certain to publication scenic tours (around ₤ 7) ahead of time! If you elegant an evening out, see Madame Koo, a hidden treasure with cosy booths as well as Asian vibes. But bear in mind, if you want to assimilate with the locals, leave your coat behind.

For an incredibly friendly remain, Albatross is right in the center of the city and the team will certainly make you feel right at residence with cost-free tea, coffee, as well as toast. Hostels in Newcastle upon Tyne Chilling on Porthgwidden Coastline, St Ives, Cornwall @whoiskristylai Cornwall suggested by Simon from Simon's Jam Jar It still surprises me the number of people have yet to go to Cornwall.

The South West Coastal path is a gem for treking enthusiasts, as well as a number of the bays on the North shore give a few of the finest searching places in the UK. Every community, despite how large or small, will have its very own concealed pubs, walks and coastlines. There is also a whole lot of background in Cornwall as well.

[jamiegladstone]

The not so International Food Festival in Gateshead.

On 23rd September 2017 the Sage Gateshead held their first International Street Food Festival. Loving an opportunity to sample food from around the world, I just couldn’t resist. So Sarah and I took the girls on a road trip up the A19 to Gateshead. Upon arrival, the queue was short leading to the aptly nicknamed ‘slug’, so we grabbed our passes and entered the building. I purchased a few tokens (used to make purchases quicker) and we were good to go.

Once inside the scale was revealed to us. Now being the first year, my expectations weren’t super high but as the Sage were hosting the event I expected more. Inside were around 7 stalls, most selling various curries and a single vegetarian stall selling… curry. I thought the best options would be outside. Unfortunately outside there were no more than 15 stalls. Once there I discovered, pizzas, pasta, some Greek food and, more curries. Now I love curry and I could eat one on most occasions. This festival, however, if named as a curry festival would’ve brought in a different crowd, and likely would’ve been more successful. Advertising as an International Street Food Festival was a stretch of the imagination. As far as Internationalism goes, some regions were represented, although, France, Spain, South America, Africa, China, The Caribbean and many others were notably missing. The advert had promised craft beer stalls, the only beers outside of the Sage bars I could find were plastic PET bottles filled with cheap commercial lager. Hardly ‘craft’ but there were plenty of people drinking them so someone made money that day.

As a vegetarian visiting a street food festival was always going to be a risk, but the options were just so poor even from the dedicated veggie and vegan stalls that Sarah and I split a few vegetarian dumplings and cashed in the rest of our tokens.

I’m not disappointed that we visited but I do feel they could massively improve for next year. Perhaps they should check out the local calendar as the hugely popular Festival of Thrift was happening the same weekend and most of the food vendors will already have booked into there.

The day wasn’t wasted though, we decided instead to cross the Tyne Bridge and take a stroll along the River Tyne. Normally we follow the river toward the city but today we walked in the opposite direction, heading for the Port of Tyne and South Shields. We had no intention of going so far so after 45 minutes we turned around to head back into Newcastle to cross the Millennium Bridge back to the Gateshead side. The river is an interesting place, and on the day the water level was low exposing the deep muddy banks on either side. This section is fairly flat and slow moving, the viscous brown water slowly meanders along leaving such deep deposits the Herons sink in as far as their knees. Unfortunately being a river running through a city you see the standard shopping trolleys, cones and the occasional bicycle peering out from the banks.

On the Gateshead side I spotted an abandoned building, formally the Ovoline lubricant company. I thought to myself that a canny entrepreneur could redevelop the property and convert the building into something new and exciting. Maybe a quirky hotel that boasts a great location by the Sage and access to other local amenities, perhaps a restaurant with a beautiful riverside seating area or even a small music venue, ample parking and no neighbours to disturb! Unfortunately, this will likely be another building that will be left until bored people find their way in and begin the destruction from within.

This side also has one of the nicest Weatherspoon’s pubs I’ve seen in a long time! A quaint old building that has been converted and modernised. The pub was pretty full (I know the pic says otherwise!) so we kept on going, on past a brand new Travelodge being built on the river, an existing Copthorne, Premier Inn and to complete the set a Jury’s Inn can be seen on the other side of the river. The choice of hotels is fantastic and the prices are reasonable too.

When we reached the Millennium Bridge we were faced with the awesome Baltic Mill, details of what they have on can be found here www.balticmill.com . The Mill used to produce flour here and did so for decades before closing in 1982. Once inside the building, we took the glass elevator (very Willy Wonka lol) to the 5th floor where we took in the view of the River Tyne, looking over to the Millennium Bridge, Tyne bridge and the rail bridges. On this level we also got our first glimpses of the art installations on the 4th floor. I’m not massively knowledgeable about contemporary art installations so I will leave this to those of you that do! I enjoyed discussing them with Sarah and the girls though so we got from them what we wanted.

Level 4 sent us out to a viewing platform. Interestingly, the Mill now offer a zip wire experience where you can take a trip from the top of the Mill over to a platform on the Newcastle side of the river. To be honest this looks great fun and something I plan on doing the next time I am up here.

So an interesting day in Newcastle as always and certainly not wasted. The International Street Food Festival was an unfortunate bust and I hope they can improve this drastically by next year, if not they’ll find that yet another bright idea has been underdeveloped and not supported. The rest of the city shows charm and some interesting architecture. Today I didn’t visit much more than the river but I will write another blog in the future discussing some of the bulidings and their history.

If you’ve never visited Newcastle I would take this as a chance to do so, and as winter approaches the International Christmas Market is coming soon. This market is fantastic and the last time I attended many nations were well represented, there are some awesome crafts, and of course, the food!

I hope you will visit Newcastle and if you’d like to discuss this city more, or book yourself a cheeky trip here please do not hesitate to contact me via VibesDestinations@gmail.com

Take care

Your Friend in Travel

Jamie

[strience]

“On the Gateshead side of the river… the brick bulk of the BALTIC towers above the quayside – once a flour mill, it’s now a centre for contemporary art exhibitions. Next door, The Sage Gateshead concert hall reflects the river in its curvaceous glass panels and beyond it stretches the unmistakable panorama of those seven bridges that span half-mile stretch of water. So far, so good.” The Travel Editor, #baltic #gateshead #newcastle #sage #rivertyne #tyne #toon #bridge #river #newcastle #newcastleupontyne #tynebridge #milleniumbridge Share, like and follow #strience_media (at BALTIC Centre For Contemporary Art)

[wikitopx]

In northern Gironde, where the Isle River merges with the Dordogne, Libourne is a venerable bastide town with mythical wine labels in its backyard.

In medieval times the wine from Pomerol, Fronsac, and Saint-Émilion was brought to Libourne’s river harbor to be exported to England, the Netherlands and the Hanseatic trading cities. Now, Libourne is a great wine destination, with an incredible amount of châteaux nearby for tours, tasting, and purchasing. Also in the blend are bucolic landscapes, rich culture, loads of outdoor activities and the UNESCO city of Bordeaux only a brief drive away. Discover the best to do in Libourne.

[toc]

1. Château de Sales

The old wine estates around Libourne have the dual charm of world-class wine and centuries-old architecture. The Château de Sales, in the Pomerol appellation, has been in the same family for 500 years and remains an intimate operation to this day.

You’ll be welcomed to tour the sublime 17th-century property, gaining privileged insights about contemporary winemaking paired with exciting snippets of history. You’ll see the vat house, storehouse and the vineyard growing cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon grapes to make their silky smooth wines.

After getting to know this legacy and culture, you’ll be able to taste a selection of vintages in a matchless setting.

2. Saint-Émilion

No more than 10 minutes east of Libourne is the enchanting World Heritage town of Saint-Émilion. The name is already known far beyond France for its red wine, which despite being grown over a small area is very diverse due to the mix of limestone, sandy and clay soils.

But the beauty and history of the place will win your heart: Saint-Émilion is on a crag, mined for more than 1,000 years for its limestone. Some monuments were hewn straight from the rock, like the awesome monolithic church.

It’s the second-largest construction of its kind in the world and was built in the 11th century to store the relics of Saint-Émilion, the Breton hermit who was the first to settle here in the 8th century.

3. Château du Tailhas

Like the Château de Sales, this wine estate is run by a family. So you’ll receive a warm welcome and get eight decades of savoir-faire from the horse’s mouth. This is also a Pomerol winery with 11 hectares of vines and crafts its red wine from merlot, cabernet franc, and cabernet sauvignon according to sustainable principles.

On an hour-long tour, you’ll be impressed by just how much of the process is done by hand, from picking to sorting and crushing. You’ll get to see most of the processing and storage equipment, being talked through the finer details on the way. And as you’d hope you can taste past vintages of this famously smooth wine.

4. Wine Tourism

We’ve dealt with the châteaux within a couple of minutes of Libourne. But the truth is that you could devote a whole holiday just to winery visits and tasting sessions. Libournais regional labels, such as Pomerol, Fronsac, Côtes de Vayres, and Côtes de Castillon.

These are household names, and they’re only the beginning. What makes the wine here so superior? Centuries of family-shared knowhow, a climate softened by the Atlantic and 2,000 years of viticulture in the very soil.

These qualities and many more place Libourne among the best places in the world to indulge your fascination for wine and winemaking.

5. Isle River Quays

You have to go down to the water on the River Isle in Libourne. Not so much because of what’s there now, but because of what this place represents. Libourne was founded in the 13th century to be the outlet for wines produced in the Dordogne Valley.

Therefore, at Quai des Salinières and Quai Souchet there is a large inland seaport, loading wine exported to England and the Hanseatic ports on the Baltic Sea. Go for a restorative walk under the shade of the plane trees, and see the imposing Tour du Grand Port, the last of the 13th-century defenses.

6. Musée des Beaux-Arts

For a small provincial town, Libourne has a large fund of Baroque paintings. That’s down to the many donations by wealthy benefactors and deposits by the state. Élie, duc Decazes, who was a one-time Minister of Police in the 1810s endowed the museum with its first collection of works.

Earlier, it built a large collection of Flemish and Italian Baroque paintings by artists such as Jacob Jordanens and Bartolomeo Manfredi. The 19th and 20th-century collections are also first-rate, with works by Foujita, Raoul Dufy, Rodin, and Libourne native René Princeteau. It’s all waiting for you on the second floor of Libourne’s town hall.

7. Libourne’s Water Mills

After the Hundred Years’ War, Libourne and its surroundings were in disarray and the region’s new lords decided to build dozens of flour mills as an economic stimulus. Because, with the Isle and Dordogne Rivers, there’s definitely no shortage of water power.

And while they started out grinding flour, when the Industrial Revolution came along many were transformed into steel and oil mills. Although most of these industries are long gone, these old buildings still contribute to Libourne’s character.

Two remain open to visitors: The refined Moulin d’Abzac is from the 1700s and holds the headquarters of the Abzac SA industrial group. While the Moulin de Porchères on the Isle is special because it has kept all of its flour milling machinery intact.

8. Lac des Dagueys

In the cooler seasons, you won’t be blamed for ignoring this body of water a couple of minutes up from Libourne. But when the sun’s out from the last weekend of May to September the lake takes center stage, most of all if you’re holidaying with little ones.

There’s a generous beach, supervised during the school holidays, and an inflatable adventure playground in the water that will get thumbs up from the kids. On land, there are yet more playgrounds for youngsters, along with beach volleyball and basketball courts.

In the water, you can hire a pedalo, canoe or kayak and paddle off to see what you can find around several kilometers of wooded shoreline.

9. Château de Vayres

Around a bend in the Dordogne River is a sumptuous waterside château with exquisite gardens.

The story of the castle is both complex and compelling: It was beefed up by a nobleman loyal to the English King Edward II in the 14th century, and a lot of these works are still visible in the moats, gate and keep.

After changing hands between the British and the French, the future king Henri IV stayed here in the 16th century, around the time it was updated in the current Renaissance style. But today, it has gardens as headlines, with boxwood and yew trees next to the English-style park.

There’s a stairway leading down from the château, and the scene of the parterres and river behind will stay with you long after you’ve left.

10. Place Abel Surchamp

Like most medieval bastide towns, Libourne has a grid system and is centered on the main square. This is Place Abel Surchamp, which is home to the town hall, built in the 1500s and remodeled at the start of the 20th century.

The Place Abel Surchamp remains a fixture in everyday life, as there is a large outdoor market here on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. It also has the trademark bastide arcades on all four sides, which now boast cafes and restaurants with tables that overflow onto the square.

More ideals for you: Top 10 things to do in Yaroslavl, Russia

From : https://wikitopx.com/travel/top-10-things-to-do-in-libourne-708886.html

[travelsewhere]

When looking for new places to visit in a country, national parks are always a safe choice. That at least was my reasoning behind choosing to visit Aukstaitija National Park in Lithuania. Having had good experiences with other nature destinations in the Baltics, including Lithuania’s Curonian Spit, I was keen to see more. So even though I didn’t know what it was like to hike Aukštaitija National Park, I set aside a couple days after revisiting Vilnius to find out.

Just an easy bus ride from Lithuania’s capital. visiting Aukštaitija National Park seemed like a fun experiment. Having already experienced most of the well-known destinations in Lithuania, I wanted to dig a little deeper. What I found was a huge national park brimming with idyllic scenery and cultural curiosities. Aukstaitija feels like the kind of place that only Lithuanians will visit and is unfortunately lost on international travellers. But if you’re at all curious, here’s what you can expect.

  Aukštaitija National Park

To understand why hiking Aukštaitija National Park is such a great experience, let’s look a little at what makes the national park so special. Lithuania is home to just five national parks, but Aukstaitija was the country’s first national park estabished in 1974. Considering the park’s incredible natural landscapes and deep cultural heritage, it’s easy to understand why. While the park is vastly covered in forest, it is actually Aukstaitija’s 126 lakes that really define it. While fairly flat, there are some hills in the national park that really let you appreciate this huge expanse of wilderness in northeastern Lithuania.

The cultural heritage of Aukstaitija is not to be understated either. Across the national park you’ll come across places that highlight different parts of Lithuanian culture. There are six different ethnographic villages, one of which is a cultural reserve. Then there are traditional wooden sculptures, churches, mills and several museums. One of the park’s most popular spots is the Traditional Apiculture Museum on beekeeping, but sadly that is on the far side of the park from where I explored.

Despite all that is has going for it, Aukstaitija National Park isn’t too popular with international tourists just yet. People likely choose to visit Trakai Castle or Kaunas instead from Vilnius as they’re more well-known. That tends to line up with the fact that there isn’t much English information available online. I went without much information, not knowing where to go or how to get around. Also, since I was getting about on foot and public transport, there were limits to how much of the national park I could see. So below is just some of what you can experience while visiting Aukštaitija National Park.

  Ignalina Lakes

Before we get to my trip through Aukštaitija National Park, it’s worth paying some attention to the town of Ignalina. Sitting right on the edge of the park, Ignalina is often people’s main base for exploring Aukštaitija. While you could just use Ignalina as somewhere to sleep and eat, that would mean missing its idyllic rural setting.

North, west and south of town you’ll find some exceptionally beautiful lakes that look straight out of a watercolour painting. Lakes to the north like Palaukinis are simply stunning, with little piers and boats along their shores. Visiting these picturesque lakes before even entering Aukštaitija National Park, meant that I was even more excited to see what the national park had to offer.

  The Town of Paluse

To really start your trip to Aukštaitija National Park, you first need to get to the town of Palūšė. Just a couple kilometres down the road from Ignalina, Paluse is where you’ll find the Aukštaitija National Park Visitor Centre. Here you can get all the information you need to plan out your day. There are maps with the park’s lakes and trails clearly shown, as well as bus timetables and information pamphlets.

But Palūšė is more than just home to an information centre. The town is perched down on Lake Lusiai, one of the national park’s largest lakes. Wandering down to the lakefront you’ll find some fantastic views across the lake, as well as a little public beach. As for sights in the town itself, the most important landmark in Paluse is St. Joseph’s Church. Built entirely from wood with just an axe, the church and its interesting bell-tower date back to 1750.

  Hiking Aukstaitija National Park

With Paluse the starting point of the hike, let’s actually get to the hiking part of this hiking article. There are many different options for hiking through the national park, but this is what I did. Starting in Paluse, my trail lead me past Meironys around Asalnai Lake and up to Ginucai. All up that walk amounted to between 8 or 9 km, with a few kilometres extra at either end. So while it was a fair bit of walking, it’s certainly not too much for a single days hiking. Walking back would have been hard but not entirely impossible.

Setting out from Paluse, you first skirt around its public beach and head onto a trail through the undergrowth. Walking right by the waterfront you’re constantly getting to admire Asalnai Lake and spot boats here and there on it. Not long after starting on this trail you’re treated to a little outdoor gallery of sorts. Staged along the trail is a collection of traditional wooden sculptures that highlight different local legends from the region. To me they kind of looked like totem poles, but apparently they’re more meant as warnings than anything necessarily spiritual.

Also neat were a set of tree carvings that I spotted further into the forest. Carved into the bark of the trees were shapes that almost looked like feathers. I never found information on them, so they remain a nice little mystery to me.

Anyway, back to the hike. Following the trail north of Asalnai Lake you soon reach the village of Meironys and actual made roads. It’s a nice change of pace switching from forest to more of a country village and something this hike does well. Between Paluse and Ginuciai you change environments over and over, so the scenery never gets boring. That being said, Meironys is the last village until the end and where the good roads end. I did see one couple cycling around that day and they definitely slowed down a bit once the gravel road began.

Other than forests and country villages, the other terrain you encounter is fairly open grassland fields. That being said, this kind of farmland is mostly just before you arrive in Meironys and also Ginuciai. While maybe not as interesting as the lakes and forest, I did manage to stumble across a deer in the fields, one of my rare animal sightings. The one nice constant regardless of the terrain is that this walk is incredibly flat. There definitely are small hills in the national park, but this trail mostly avoids them. It’s gentle as can be, which makes the walk not only pleasant but quite accessible.

  Ginučiai

Having finally reached the endpoint of my hike at Ginuciai, it was time to see what this village had to offer. Ginuciai isn’t all that large understandably, so don’t expect many sights to see. The main landmark in the village, besides the surrounding lakes, is the Ginuciai Watermill. One of six historic watermills in Aukstaitija National Park, the Ginuciai Watermill is almost 200 years old. Still boasting its original equipment, the mill was used not only for flour but for electricity too.

The other place in Ginuciai I’d recommend is the Ginuciai Castle Mound, a short walk from the village. Many castle mounds and ancient settlements are scattered through this large national park, but this one is recognised as one of the most important. While there isn’t a castle or fortifications there now, the Ginuciai Castle Mound was used during the 9th to 12th century and possibly later. Castle mounds like these were used to fight the invading Teutonic Order, who you’ll also hear a lot about in places like Cesis in Latvia.

Even though there aren’t any real remains at the castle mound, it’s still worth the visit. Standing at the foot of the mound, it’s obvious how well-defended the spot would have been given its height. Once you reach the top though, you’re treated to some phenomenal views of the lakes of Aukstaitija, with at least three easily in view up there. Thinking that I had a time crunch to make the only bus back to Ignalina, my time here was a bit rushed.

  Visiting Aukstaitija National Park

For those looking to visit Aukstaitija themselves, here’s my advice on how to do it. As I said, you won’t find much information online in English, which can make planning challenging. My key recommendation is to head to the Visitor Information Centre in Paluse as soon as possible to try to get up-to-date information. But here’s some stuff to help get you started.

Whether you choose to stay at Aukstaitija one or several nights, my recommendation would be Hotel Zuvedra in Ignalina. It seems to be the most established accommodation in the area, plus it’s in such a nice spot. Rooms have views out over a lake and it’s truly scenic, plus the restaurant does good food as well.

Reaching Aukstaitija and Ignalina isn’t too difficult if you don’t have a car. There are regular buses and trains from Vilnius to Ignalina and I’d say there’s a 99% chance that you’ll come and go through Vilnius. The harder part is exploring Aukstaitija National Park by public transport. This is definitely a place where you want a car.

Local buses do run between the different villages in the park, like Ignalina to Meironys and Ignalina to Ginuciai. The problem is that some routes run as rarely as once a week or at most once a day. With that frequency, it was incredibly lucky for me to find a bus back to Ignalina. I couldn’t find bus times online, so here are some poor photos of the 2017 timetable to give you a rough idea.

  Would you ever want to hike Aukstaitija National Park? Do you like to visit national parks when you visit a new country? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I may make a small commission. Of course, this will be at no extra cost to you.

Now, if you’re looking for a guide to this part of Europe, then you should really look at this Lonely Planet guide. I’ve often travelled with Lonely Planet guides and they can really make life easier.

Why Not Pin It for Later

  Why It’s Great to Hike Aukštaitija National Park, Lithuania When looking for new places to visit in a country, national parks are always a safe choice.

[travelphilosopher]

There were a few things I wanted to see and do in Newcastle, mainly to see the old Castle and to wander around the city walls. I was there to relax too, and didn’t want to rush around like a crazed tourist. I didn’t need to tick things off a list, and was happy to wander around and see what looked interesting. My friend’s husband had the day off work and offered to take me on a Geordie tour, and he’d never been to the Cathedral Chuch of St. Nicholas (even though he was born in the city) so it was ideal opportunity to visit.

It was sunny, no snow had settled as far as I could see, but the ground was icy, and as ever there was a wind chill in the north east. We parked in St. James Park, which is home of Newcastle United football club, and I had a peak inside the grounds through the gates. The area is known as Gallowgate as it is just outside the city walls and where people were hanged in ye olde days, and there was definitely an eerie feeling in the atmosphere as we walked through the area. However, on match days, I’m sure it’s much livelier.

We headed towards town and stopped to look at the ‘The Town Wall’ remains that date back to the 13th century right next to Chinatown. There are the West Walls to look at and the remains of Herber, Morden, Durham, and Ever Towers. A short walk away was Blackfriars where the medevial friary once was, which later became the site for craftsmen and the guilds when monasteries were abolished. It’s beautifully preserved with shops and restaurants, and stunning courtyard minutes from Eldon Square, the main shopping hub. The Dominican Friars were called Blackfriars because of the black cloaks they wore over their white tunics, and they had arrived in England in 1221, building a number of friaries in the area including Greyfriars. We were there early in the morning on a clear day with the fresh icy snow covering the courtyard. When I visit ancient buildings,  I often think back to who would be walking where I am hundreds of years ago.

The old Friary, tranquil in the morning.

Our next stop was the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, more locally known as the ‘Lit and Phil’ on Westgate, which is a most spectacular library. The entrance is grand, and once you step inside it’s like a different world. Members (there is a fee) can loan items, and the public can sit and read freely or use the study tables in what can only be described as a reader’s paradise. I saw two old men sitting playing chess, while the study tables were lined with students and people who wanted somewhere quiet to do some work, or to read a book. Sadly places such as these are lacking. Again my friend’s husband had never been and he was impressed, so much so that he has considered volunteering there. Outside I spotted a plaque, and apparently the building was on the original site of Hadrian’s Wall. That location makes so much more sense to me than the path that people are asked to follow, which follows the River Tyne.

The rather grand entrance.

Inside the Lit and Phil.

Outside and where the original Hadrian’s Wall once stood.

It was nearly lunchtime, but we decided to go to the castle and cathedral (both next to each other) and then find somewhere for a late lunch. There are two sites for the castle, and you have to buy a ticket from the Black Gate (main entrance to the castle) if you want to go inside and also to go to the Castle Keep where there is a viewpoint, which is good on a clear day. However, there are still parts of the castle you can wander around without having to go in. The history of the castle is fascinating, and yes some parts of it maybe haunted, where many were kept prisoners and who would have died rather traumatic deaths.

Next door is the St. Nicholas Cathedral, which dates back to the early 12th century, just after the castle was built hence its location. Inside there is the medieval Thornton Memorial Brass, one to the largest in Europe and you can stand inches from it. There are also local historical items on display, as well as stained glass windows that take your breath away; you have step back to take it all in and to view them properly. Whenever I am in a chapel, church, or cathedral I always light several candles, and find that it calms me and makes me think about who needs prayers and help. It’s not always for those who have passed, but for those who are struggling now, and I always leave feeling with a bit more faith  and hope in the world.

The Thornton Brass

The last stop on the Geordie daytrip tour was a walk down to the quayside and over the Millenium Bridge (tilting bridge,)  to visit The Baltic (the contemporary art gallery), and have lunch there. It’s housed in a converted flour mill on the bank of the River Tyne, and the views are wonderful from the top floors, and the 4th floor has an outdoor viewing platform too. Here you will see the resident Kittiwakes (a bird similar to a gull) that nest on the Baltic, and as an endangered species there are about 700 couples that breed safely in the area. At first I had no idea what they were, but since the area was redeveloped, their natural homes had gone and I’m glad they are now part of the Baltic.

Lunch was at the Baltic Kitchen, which is a riverside cafe with an excellent homemade menu. There were light snacks, soup of the day, sandwiches, salads, muffins, cakes, and scones to choose from, and all very reasonably priced for a city venue (under £13 for a meal and two drinks) with generous portions. It was very relaxed with papers to read, but as it was a week day it was quieter. I imagine at weekends it’s possibly much noisier and hectic. We visited a few of the exhibitions and then made out way back via Grey’s Monument (named after Earl Grey, a former Prime Minister) which is on Grey Street.

I managed to pack in quite a lot in a day, and Newcastle is an easy city to walk around, although there are some steep roads, but beautifully preserved buildings that you can admire while catching your breath.  The weather had held, and the Lit and Phil is definitely a place to return to, and also the Baltic Kitchen because their breakfast menu looked pretty damned fab.

Newcastle-upon-Tyne ~ Day 2: The Geordie City Tour There were a few things I wanted to see and do in Newcastle, mainly to see the old Castle and to wander around the city walls.

[julianworker]

Newcastle: Quayside + Baltic Flour Mills + Sage Gateshead + Lit and Phil

Newcastle: Quayside + Baltic Flour Mills + Sage Gateshead + Lit and Phil

An excerpt from the book: Travels through History – North-East England

There’s a lovely view of the Tyne Bridge and the Swing Bridge from The High Level Bridge with the Gateshead Millennium Bridge in the distance. The Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge is behind you. Two other bridges are further upstream – The King Edward VII bridge and the Redheugh Bridge. Facing downstream, The Sage Centre is on…

[travelguideworldtour-blog]

Tallinn Travel Guide – Tips for Visiting Tallinn

Tallinn Travel Guide

Tallinn feels quite unlike somewhere else; unlike both most Scandinavia and similar to Europe. Walking its disappeared, cobbled streets you’re reminded of another town – a salmon pink palace is pristine St Petersburg in mini, a majestic and decorated medieval merchant’s house may be at Lubeck. However, regardless of the gorgeous eclecticism of Tallinn’s senior center, shimmering from the dazzlingly evident Northern lighting, it’s an exceptional setting and can be both endearingly shabby and unbelievably pretty. For fashionable travelers seeking uncharted land, fabulously-undiscovered Estonia is fast becoming the destination of preference. See after possible, until Tallinn takes off.

    12 Best Places to Visit in Tallinn

Town Hall Square

Tallinn’s Town Hall Square was consistently the most significant part Tallinn since it’s functioned as a market place since the 11th century. If you’re a sucker for xmas, then you must pay a visit to the Christmas market that starts late in November.

  Toompea Hill

Toompea Hill could be your greatest location in Tallinn to shoot incredible photos and revel in wonderful views of Tallinn Old Town. It’s the absolute hottest place for tourists, therefore be certain that you incorporate it into an own list too.

  Tallinn TV Tower

There’s no greater place at Tallinn to observe the scenic view of this city from top over Tallinn TV Tower. Everything from older buildings into glistening Baltic Sea to green parks are going to be on your landscapes, therefore be certain that you bring a camera.

  Oleviste Church

Oleviste Church was built at 1250 and has been the tallest construction in Europe through the dark ages. You have to see if you’d like to observe an actual architectural master piece. Additionally, you’re able to go inside the church since it’s still intentionally employed for centuries as well as other festivals.

  Kadriorg Palace

Kadriorg Palace can be really actually just a must-visit for history and art fans who desire to learn more regarding Estonia’s old culture and days. It’s the poshest palace at the nation, therefore if you’d like to figure out how a highest-class folks in Estonia used to call home, proceed here.

  St. Nicholas’ Orthodox Church

St. Nicholas’ Orthodox Church was created by famous architect Luigi Rusca and assembled from early 19thcentury. It really is but one of the very iconic churches in Tallinn, that absolutely contrasts the genuine soul of their city, together with most of the turbulent history and culture that is glorious.

  Tallinn Old Town

Your visit to Tallinn just isn’t complete before you walk around cobblestone streets of Tallinn Old Town and revel in the gorgeous buildings that were mostly built from the 14th-15th centuries. Additionally, the greatest restaurants and cafes can be found at Tallinn Old Town, therefore be certain you discover one moment to unwind and decide to take to conventional Estonian dishes.

  Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour

Lennusadam sea-plane Harbour is really actually just a marine ministry in Tallinn, including many older displays, including a submarine from the 1930s, 2 cinemas, and also sea-plane Short Sort 184. If you want to know more about military gear and caked heritage, Lennusadam sea-plane Harbour is the place you want to proceed!

  Kumu Art Museum

Kumu Art Museum is among the primary art museums in Northern Europe and also a must-visit whilst remaining Tallinn. All of the main artworks of artists are available here, if you’d like to comprehend Estonian art, that may be the best location.

  St Mary’s Cathedral

St Mary’s Cathedral is a cathedral church developed from the 13th century. This medieval Gothic church is the oldest in Estonia, which makes it a really crucial monument. This had been originally a Catholic church but has been switched into Lutheran at 1561.

  St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is the most spectacular Orthodox church in Tallinn. You’re going to be astounded with all of the luxury and opulence in this expansive onion-domed structure.

  Oldest pharmacy in Europe

The drugstore, situated in Town Hall Square, has been started in 1422 and is still operating! It’s absolutely the earliest man in Europe, therefore if you would like to know what folks used as drug tens of thousands of years ago, then make sure you drop by. Obviously, you’re able to buy modern services and products like at every Tallinn pharmacy.

    Overall Tallinn Travel Experience by Season

Spring (March through May)

Humidity and temperatures unite to get this year feel fairly chilly. Ranging between 19.5°C along with 1.8°C with much warmer temperatures at the next months. Rain is quite common using 4 to 5 days of significant precipitation a month. Spring would be the next most brilliant for tourism, helping to make it a fantastic time for people who are searching for activities todo.

Summer (June through August)

Even the middle-year weeks have cool weather with high temperatures which can be comfortable. Nowadays visit moderate precipitation with seven to eight days of precipitation a month. June — August is the longest period for tourism at Tallinn, therefore lodging and additional accommodations might possibly be more expensive than normal.

Fall (September through November)

Fall daily highs include 18.4°C and 2.7°C, that’ll definitely feel cold given that the wind and humidity. It rains or snows an important amount: 1 to 9 times a month. Tourism is quite slow of those months as a result of current elements, therefore hotels could be more affordable.

Winter (December through February)

Weather is way too cold this time of the year at Tallinn to be more fun for hot weather travelers. The typical high in this year is between 3°C and also -3.2°C. Normally, it rains or snows a fair number: 4 to 10 times a month. These days of the year will be the lightest together with tourists.

    8 Estonian Foods You Must Try to Eat Like a Local

Rye Bread

Rye bread Is Equally Rather popular in Estonia since it’s in Latvia and Lithuania. People from the countries have anything for bread, plus so they can’t imagine their cuisine with no. There are several diverse sorts of rye bread, even since the majority of the sailors have their own secret family recipes, making their ancestors passed across the generations.

  Aspic

Aspic may possibly look quite strange, however it’s exceedingly flavorful! Made of pork jelly, and this is full of fruits, vegetables and parts of beef, aspic can be actually just really a noodle dish and it is normally served throughout the Christmas and Easter holiday season.

  Sprats

The Baltic Sea is filled of sprats, therefore it isn’t really just a coincidence that fish are available in virtually every restaurant and shop. There are numerous dishes created using sprats, nevertheless typically the very used and simplest is Kiluvõileib, also called being a sprat sandwich. The recipe is straightforward –darkened bread, sprat, boiled egg and a few sauce. It may not appear attractive, however it is possible to be certain that it’s delicious. Why do Estonians eat it for years and years?

  Kama

Kama is just one of the very iconic Estonian food items that are often scarcely seen somewhere else on the planet. It’s a blend of roasted barley, wheat, rye, oat and pea flour, also it’s used as a component to produce flavorful Estonian desserts. Locals also mix kama using butter milk or kefir and eat it for breakfast, therefore if you would like to try out a traditional Estonian breakfast, then do you know exactly what to order!

  Local Chocolate

Estonia is famous for yummy chocolate! Kalev could be your earliest chocolate mill in Estonia, plus so they create the foul-smelling chocolate. They make very appetizing and fashionable presents and memorabilia that you are able to recreate.

  Kvass

Kvass can be really just actually a normal fermented drink made of rye bread. It’s not easy to describe the taste, however it’s somewhere within soda and beer. Kvass is deemed nonalcoholic, however it may still have upto approximately 1 percent alcohol following the cessation procedure.

  Mulgipuder

Mulgipuder is created of berries and groat. It’s extremely straightforward to get ready mix mashed potatoes with groat, include some butter and then pour a yummy sauce that always comprises bacon. Many ages back, local peasants could eat mulgipuder throughout the very crucial holidays, since it was believed an elaborate dish.

  Vastlakukkel

Vastlakukkel Can Be a Candy eaten Throughout Shrove Tuesday, a moving Visit to February. It’s created of the wheat bun and can be filled with yummy whipped cream. Years past, Vastlakukkel was eaten whilst the past merry food earlier Lent, but these days you are able to aquire it in the majority of the bakeries during the entire season.

  Tallinn Travel Guide – Tips for Visiting Tallinn

[richardjamesbenbow]

I visited the Baltic Art Centre in Gateshead, a former Flour Mill.

[medomsleybangers-blog]

at 6 Restaurant at the Baltic Flour Mills