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We took the Trafalgar's Best of Finland, Russia & The Baltic States which also included Minsk, Byelo Russia & Helsinki, Finland, Aug 6 -21, 2016. That this tour was an undisputed success was shared by the 30+ fellow passengers. This largely due to the efforts of a superb Tour Director Goran Pilipovic (UK resident of Serbian heritage) and Driver Andrei Bosinov (Russian from St Petersburg).

There are as many complaints about Trafalgar tours as praises. Trafalgar has ironed out all the glitches and plan a tour of this type tailored mostly for the retirees (average age here 60++). We were fortunate that there were no laggards, and 100% on time performance which meant no delays in morning starts. Seat rotation ensured that there was no mad rush to get to the front of the bus. 60% were Aussies, the balance being Kiwis, Canucks, Yanks and the odd Indian and Singaporean. Mostly couples.

Russia is ever present in the tour, whether through St Pete or Moscow (both of which are simply too awesome to narrate here in this brief ditty) or in the Baltics, once part of Russian & then Soviet Empire. Great distinction is taken to differentiate Soviets from Russians, as there are siginificant Russian minorities in all these states, and no one wants to insult the Russian bear :)

The West or for that matter the world, looks quite different from Russia. What a great country, inspite of repeated autocratic and cruel rulers, those long suffering Russians, still as ever patriotic as ever. I did not see them smile, and more often dour than rude. Smiles were not returned. They love being in a Western styled society (both Moscow & St Pete could pass of as any West European city) with KFC and McDonalds, but deep inside the Slavic soul is all Greek Orthodox and Mother Russia & (today) Putin. :)

Those Onion Domed Churches, the broad avenue, espeically the Nevesky Prospect of St Pete, Red Square, Moscow Subway, Mariinski Ballet (ex Kirov), Hermitage, ornamental Orthodox Churches too numerous to mention and many lovingly reconstructed after the fall of the Soviets, the Imperial grandeur of jewels, and other paraphernalia, the simply vast landmass as evidenced in the 4 hour high speed train journey from St Pete to Moscow... and many many more - all in a single nation on par with the best of what Great Britain or Renaissance Italy has to offer, but with a still existent patriotism and pride, that we don't see in Western Europe anymore.

The roots of Greek Orthodox is deep and all I saw was more Churches under construction and not sure if it is out of religiosity or simply Slavic national pride. Gorbachev & Yeltsin are reviled as puppets of the West, duped into a political dissolution. An economic reform a la China, is, I think, a broad based consensus that would have been good for Russia. There is bitterness over the loss of USSR territory, but not over the riddance of Communism. Again, all this broad based generalizations, can be viewed as error prone and I agree. :)

After Russia, the Baltics, & Minsk, are an anti climax. Not much to say, except these are pale imitations of the Great One.

Every city had a local tour guide, and they were all well informed, with their own points of view, providing an added entertainment. Goran, in his bus summaries, balanced out these, with historical bacgrounds to the various places visited and his own unique Serbian background, a South European Slav married to a Russian, and now with British children! Europe is complex even in its simplest identities! And the ghosts of Hitler and Stalin, one never forgets!

The tour iternary is full as is, even without the optionals. We selectively chose certain minimal optionals in Russia alone, and were satisfied with our choice. Even with this, it can be taxing to one's stamina. Shopping, in Russia, of amber and Russian stuff, is reasonably cheap, and worth it. Shopping for European chain store stuff, is cheaper here, than in the Baltics, and definitely in Finland.

Breakfast buffets were uniformly good. Pure vegetarians often had limited choice. Others loved the variety. Vodka in Russia, is cheap. Everyone stocked up for their return.

At the end of it, my spouse and I are tired but very gratified and would not have missed this tour for anything. I would recommend this to anyone, and only hope that you get a good Tour Director. From the web forums, I find that this can make or break a tour.

Thank You. :)

Reason of review: Good quality.

Trafalgar Tours Pros: Tour leadr.

Trafalgar Tours Cons: Moscow leningradskya hotel, Helsinki scandic grand marina hotel.

Location: Toronto, Ontario

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