Lada Ray's Blog, page 96
December 22, 2012
THE EARTH SHIFTER Mystical Setting: Lake Baikal, Siberia
If you’ve had a chance to check out THE EARTH SHIFTER excerpts on this blog, you may be wondering about the book’s setting, which includes: Moscow; Sacred Lake Baikal, Siberia; New York Chinatown; Princeton, NJ; as well as mystical realms of Heaven and Earth. Today’s post is about one and only Lake Baikal, where every view is picture-perfect.
The realm of the SACRED LAKE BAIKAL, SIBERIA
[image error]
(Image courtesy Slavorum: credit, Bankoboev.ru)
“Siberian Paradise at play in Sacred Sea Baikal.” Image courtesy The Atlantic
Facts about the amazing realm of the Sacred Lake Baikal
THE EARTH SHIFTER: meet Sasha’s friend, the adorable Filya the Seal!
One of Baikal’s miracles – Seals of Lake Baikal: image credit: V. Kantor/GREENPEACE
The majestic Lake Baikal, frozen in winter
The untouched Siberian taiga
Shaman on Lake Baikal
Immerse yourself in THE EARTH SHIFTER: Excerpt 2 – where Lake Baikal, its shamans and awesome seals rule supreme!
THE EARTH SHIFTER Journey Begins: Read Excerpt 1
Large-size cover, book blurb, and other details: LadaRay.com
THE EARTH SHIFTER Release: December 31, 2012!
Merry Christmas!
December 19, 2012
THE EARTH SHIFTER Release Countdown: Excerpt 2 + Moscow Christmas
THE EARTH SHIFTING News:
Dear readers and fans, due to the busy Holiday Season, both my distinguished editor and my fabulous book formatter have requested a bit more time to finesse all the details. Aww, well, since the end of the world on 12/21/12 will be postponed anyway 
, and since the most important thing in any book is quality, I have made a decision to release THE EARTH SHIFTER a little later than originally anticipated.
Therefore, the new ebook release date is December 31, 2012. “Just don’t panic, it’s not the end of the world, so to speak,” as my editor so aptly reminded me.
I did like the original release date of 12/22/12 very much, due to the peak of the Galactic Center alignment on that day. Read more about this rare and fascinating event in my previous post. However, according to my editor, the last week of the year very few people read books; they are more likely to take active vacations. On the other hand, come New Year’s, the readers will be primed and ready to fill with awesome new reads all the Nooks, Kindles and Tablets they’ve received for the holidays. We shall see soon enough how right she is!
Till then, enjoy Excerpt 2:
THE EARTH SHIFTER
EXCERPT 2
Chapter 2
2011, Lake Baikal, Russia
Sasha Elfimova could hardly be called a normal teenager. She always preferred the serene majesty of Lake Baikal in southeastern Siberia to the hustle and bustle of Moscow. What’s more, she had powers—incomprehensible and scary powers. She was a Time and Mind Shifter, yet even her mentor, the famous Siberian shaman Tengis, didn’t know how far her powers would develop when the time came…
Sasha dipped her hand in the crystal-clear waters of Lake Baikal, now gleaming seductively in the light of the full moon, and smiled at her companions: the old shaman Tengis and her father, the Moscow University professor of linguistics, Maxim Elfimov. They were camping out near the lake’s shore, in their secret spot, just an eight-kilometer hike from Polyanka, Tengis’s native village.
Earlier today, after some hiking in taiga, they performed a shamanic ritual at Tengis’s sacred site, called the Shaman Rock. After that, as golden rays of the warm summer sun started giving way to the coolness of the silvery moon, they decided to camp out in the Bay of the Seals on Baikal’s majestic shore. The seals enjoyed sunning on the gleaming rocks that wrapped the hidden bay. Sasha had just finished having a chat with her favorite local inhabitant, Filya the Seal.
“Good catch today,” Filya informed her telepathically, languorously exposing his shiny wet body to the sun’s fading rays. “You’ve got to dive very deep into the sea to get the best fish. If you want, Sasha, I can bring you some next time,” he offered, looking at her adoringly with that cute, cat-like face of his. As the last ray of the waning sun pierced the water, Filya dove back into the lake, undoubtedly to find a nice, cozy spot in which to slumber.
The sea… Just like local humans, Filya regarded Lake Baikal as the sea. Perhaps it was part of his genetic memory. The endemic population of seals in the land-locked Baikal was an enigma, one of the many mysteries of this place. The scientists postulated that seals probably swam from the ocean during the Ice Age and stayed here. Kind of like American Indians, indigenous Siberians, who in the long by-gone era had walked across the narrow sleeve of frozen water between the two continents, the one we now call the Bering Strait and subsequently made their home in the vast lands now called the Americas.
It was getting chilly. This was Siberia; you could get a terrific summer tan in these parts during the day, but the chill of the night reminded you forcefully where you really were. Shivering, Sasha pulled a warm sweater out of her favorite backpack and put it on. The supple black leather backpack was a sixteenth birthday gift from her father, which he brought from his Italian trip, and the sweater was of her very own design and execution, artfully knitted with chunky yarns of the sunniest shades of sky blue—to match her eyes.
Finally, wrapped in cozy softness, she leaned her head on her father’s well-worn, Soviet-era rucksack, which still preserved the warmth of his body, and stretched her long, pleasantly tired legs. She squinted into the slithering flames of the campfire, her eyes following the escaping sparks straight into the sky, all the while inhaling deeply. The aroma was intoxicating—a mixture of pine, fresh water, and an elusive ingredient this place alone possessed in abundance, a scent the Mother Nature herself must have brewed in her secret labs for the few lucky souls to enjoy.
Sasha half-listened as her father and the old Shaman Tengis talked. Maxim wore his usual Soviet-made hiking gear and boots, insisting they didn’t make them like that anymore. He pensively stroked his short, dense beard (he always let it grow out in Siberia—warmer, and a break from shaving, according to him). Tengis, sitting in his usual lotus pose, gazed into the fire with those penetrating Asian eyes that seemed to be able to see into other dimensions. His beard was rare, as Asian beards tend to be, and all white. As Tengis talked, small clouds of puffy smoke issued from his mouth. It was one of his funny habits—he was a virtuoso when it came to talking without taking his pipe out of his mouth.
Sasha let the smell of taiga and the breeze from Baikal wash over her. The sacred lake of Siberia, Baikal, contained more than one fifth of the planet’s fresh water reserves. An average lake on Earth had rarely survived past the age of ten thousand years. There was nothing average about Baikal. Over a million years old, rather then contracting with age, it kept expanding. Scientists believed that Baikal was an ocean in the making, while the locals swore that its pristine blue depths possessed incredible healing and spiritual powers. At the moment, the sacred lake was a gleaming, rippled sheet of silver in the light of the full moon.
The dark taiga—Siberia’s giant untouched forest—loomed silent just behind them. The kettle bubbled merrily on top of the makeshift fire, as Tengis took out three travel mugs and got busy brewing his famous green tea.
“Sasha, tea?” He offered her a steamy cup, which she accepted gratefully. There was nothing better than Dedushka Tengis’s green tea after a day of hiking in taiga. She stretched her legs in front of the fire and savored it slowly.
She called him Dedushka, meaning “Grandpa,” ever since she could remember, because it seemed he was always there, and she had the feeling that he always silently and unobtrusively watched over her. Tengis wasn’t related to Sasha, of course not. He was a small, bowlegged Asian man with squinty dark eyes that pierced directly into your soul, as if it stood wide-open for everyone to see. And Sasha, who took after her father, was tall, with huge blue eyes and flowing hair that was the sunny color of ripe Russian wheat. The color of her hair she actually inherited from her mother, Olga.
Too bad Mama couldn’t make it, thought Sasha. Olga Elfimova had a very important job in Moscow and couldn’t join them for the summer vacation. She worked for Russia’s richest man, multibillionaire Boris Konukovsky, who was a CEO of NORUS, the country’s largest oil company. He was a very demanding man and Olga often kept long hours, because no one argued with Mr. Konukovsky if they wanted to keep their job and a head on their shoulders.
Maxim, being a professor, had summers off. School ended on June 22 and they just gave themselves enough time to pack. Both Maxim and Sasha couldn’t wait to get out of Moscow and submerge into Siberia’s untouched wilderness. While packing, Sasha had a persistent feeling that something very important was awaiting her there. Today was June 29, their sixth day on Lake Baikal.
“So quiet.” Maxim broke the silence. “Beats the city every time.”
“It’s another world,” Sasha echoed. “Peaceful.”
Just as she finished her sentence, she noticed two gleaming yellow eyes staring straight at her from the darkness of the trees.
“Dedushka Tengis,” she whispered. “Look!”
Tengis slowly turned his head in the direction of the gleaming eyes, as Sasha gave a slight gasp. More and more eyes were appearing in the surrounding darkness, and now at least ten pairs stared at them from various corners.
“Wolves,” mouthed Maxim. “Sasha, get behind me.” Maxim started getting slowly to his feet, while at the same time reaching for his hiking stick. “Sasha, behind me—now!”
“No, Papa!” Sasha shook her head. “You won’t achieve anything with your stick against ten wolves. Let me talk to them.” She started getting to her feet, too.
“No, Sasha, no! These are wolves, not seals!” Maxim made a quick move in her direction, as if trying to shield her, and that caused the wolves to growl.
“Papa, don’t,” Sasha whispered. “You are provoking them!”
“Oh, sit down and be quiet, you two!” said Tengis finally in an uncharacteristically sharp voice, carefully setting down his smoking pipe on the nearby rock. “I will handle this.”
Tengis rarely, if ever, got this way, which meant that he was serious. Sasha obediently sat back on the ground, and as she did, her nostrils were suddenly overpowered by the foul stench of a large, sweaty animal that appeared out of nowhere next to her. She turned her head to the right and saw a huge brown bear right where Tengis sat just a moment ago. The bear’s fur was shaggy, and as he got up to his hind feet, his towering form blocked the moon.
“Oh, my God!” yelled Maxim, jumping back to his feet. He threw himself on top of Sasha, attempting to protect her with his own body.
Sasha struggled to free herself. “Papa, it’s okay! It’s not what you think. Let me go, please!”
“Sasha, be quiet,” whispered Maxim frantically. “I will protect you!”
“You don’t need to, Papa. Just watch!”
Meanwhile, the bear didn’t even look at the two struggling humans next to him and made a deliberate beeline for the wolf pack. After taking several steps in the direction of the taiga, he again got up on his hind paws, his menacing claws shining in the light of the moon. Then, the bear opened his mouth, his growl rocking the forest. One of the wolves issued a squeal and started backing up. The others reluctantly followed.
The bear took a few more steps in the wolves’ direction and opened his mouth again. A growl, even louder than the first one, broke the stillness of the taiga. Two of the wolves deserted the field in a hurry; the rest backed up some more. Then, the bear stood all the way up on his hind paws, his giant front paws outstretched, and the third growl rocked the land. It sounded like the final warning. The wolves decided not to argue. The rest of the pack turned around and ran for their lives from this strange and dangerous beast that appeared out of nowhere and for some reason wanted to protect he humans.
The giant bear issued one more growl, evidently to reaffirm his victory. After that, he turned to face Sasha and Maxim…and smiled. His huge body started shrinking, until it was the same height as the tiny Tengis. A moment later, the bear was gone and the shaman was standing next to them, brushing the dust and animal hairs off his clothes.
“Still smell a little like the bear,” Tengis noted, chuckling. “Can’t be helped—residual effect. But no matter, it’ll air out by the time we reach the village.”
End of Excerpt 2
Much more great stuff coming your way! Stay tuned!
Large-size cover, book blurb, and other details: LadaRay.com
Also read:
Excerpt 1 & Galactic Center Alignment on 12/21/22
Click here for awesome images of the SACRED LAKE BAIKAL, SIBERIA
CHRISTMAS in MOSCOW and AROUND the WORLD:
Check out World’s 12 most beautiful Christmas trees!
Merry Christmas to all!
THE EARTH SHIFTER Release Countdown: Excerpt 2
THE EARTH SHIFTER Release Countdown:
Dear readers and fans, due to the busy Holiday Season, both my distinguished editor and my fabulous book formatter have requested a bit more time to finesse all the details. Aww, well, since the end of the world on 12/21/12 will be postponed anyway , and since the most important thing in any book is quality, I have made a decision to release THE EARTH SHIFTER a little later than originally anticipated.
Therefore, the new ebook release date is December 31, 2012. “Just don’t panic, it’s not the end of the world, so to speak,” as my editor so aptly reminded me.
I did like the original release date of 12/22/12 very much, due to the peak of the Galactic Center alignment on that day. Read more about this rare and fascinating event in my previous post. However, according to my editor, the last week of the year very few people read books; they are more likely to take active vacations. On the other hand, come New Year’s, the readers will be primed and ready to fill with awesome new reads all the Nooks, Kindles and Tablets they’ve received for the holidays. We shall see soon enough how right she is!
Till then, enjoy Excerpt 2:
THE EARTH SHIFTER
EXCERPT 2
Chapter 2
2011, Lake Baikal, Russia
Sasha Elfimova could hardly be called a normal teenager. She always preferred the serene majesty of Lake Baikal in southeastern Siberia to the hustle and bustle of Moscow. What’s more, she had powers—incomprehensible and scary powers. She was a Time and Mind Shifter, yet even her mentor, the famous Siberian shaman Tengis, didn’t know how far her powers would develop when the time came…
Sasha dipped her hand in the crystal-clear waters of Lake Baikal, now gleaming seductively in the light of the full moon, and smiled at her companions: the old shaman Tengis and her father, the Moscow University professor of linguistics, Maxim Elfimov. They were camping out near the lake’s shore, in their secret spot, just an eight-kilometer hike from Polyanka, Tengis’s native village.
Earlier today, after some hiking in taiga, they performed a shamanic ritual at Tengis’s sacred site, called the Shaman Rock. After that, as golden rays of the warm summer sun started giving way to the coolness of the silvery moon, they decided to camp out in the Bay of the Seals on Baikal’s majestic shore. The seals enjoyed sunning on the gleaming rocks that wrapped the hidden bay. Sasha had just finished having a chat with her favorite local inhabitant, Filya the Seal.
“Good catch today,” Filya informed her telepathically, languorously exposing his shiny wet body to the sun’s fading rays. “You’ve got to dive very deep into the sea to get the best fish. If you want, Sasha, I can bring you some next time,” he offered, looking at her adoringly with that cute, cat-like face of his. As the last ray of the waning sun pierced the water, Filya dove back into the lake, undoubtedly to find a nice, cozy spot in which to slumber.
The sea… Just like local humans, Filya regarded Lake Baikal as the sea. Perhaps it was part of his genetic memory. The endemic population of seals in the land-locked Baikal was an enigma, one of the many mysteries of this place. The scientists postulated that seals probably swam from the ocean during the Ice Age and stayed here. Kind of like American Indians, indigenous Siberians, who in the long by-gone era had walked across the narrow sleeve of frozen water between the two continents, the one we now call the Bering Strait and subsequently made their home in the vast lands now called the Americas.
It was getting chilly. This was Siberia; you could get a terrific summer tan in these parts during the day, but the chill of the night reminded you forcefully where you really were. Shivering, Sasha pulled a warm sweater out of her favorite backpack and put it on. The supple black leather backpack was a sixteenth birthday gift from her father, which he brought from his Italian trip, and the sweater was of her very own design and execution, artfully knitted with chunky yarns of the sunniest shades of sky blue—to match her eyes.
Finally, wrapped in cozy softness, she leaned her head on her father’s well-worn, Soviet-era rucksack, which still preserved the warmth of his body, and stretched her long, pleasantly tired legs. She squinted into the slithering flames of the campfire, her eyes following the escaping sparks straight into the sky, all the while inhaling deeply. The aroma was intoxicating—a mixture of pine, fresh water, and an elusive ingredient this place alone possessed in abundance, a scent the Mother Nature herself must have brewed in her secret labs for the few lucky souls to enjoy.
Sasha half-listened as her father and the old Shaman Tengis talked. Maxim wore his usual Soviet-made hiking gear and boots, insisting they didn’t make them like that anymore. He pensively stroked his short, dense beard (he always let it grow out in Siberia—warmer, and a break from shaving, according to him). Tengis, sitting in his usual lotus pose, gazed into the fire with those penetrating Asian eyes that seemed to be able to see into other dimensions. His beard was rare, as Asian beards tend to be, and all white. As Tengis talked, small clouds of puffy smoke issued from his mouth. It was one of his funny habits—he was a virtuoso when it came to talking without taking his pipe out of his mouth.
Sasha let the smell of taiga and the breeze from Baikal wash over her. The sacred lake of Siberia, Baikal, contained more than one fifth of the planet’s fresh water reserves. An average lake on Earth had rarely survived past the age of ten thousand years. There was nothing average about Baikal. Over a million years old, rather then contracting with age, it kept expanding. Scientists believed that Baikal was an ocean in the making, while the locals swore that its pristine blue depths possessed incredible healing and spiritual powers. At the moment, the sacred lake was a gleaming, rippled sheet of silver in the light of the full moon.
The dark taiga—Siberia’s giant untouched forest—loomed silent just behind them. The kettle bubbled merrily on top of the makeshift fire, as Tengis took out three travel mugs and got busy brewing his famous green tea.
“Sasha, tea?” He offered her a steamy cup, which she accepted gratefully. There was nothing better than Dedushka Tengis’s green tea after a day of hiking in taiga. She stretched her legs in front of the fire and savored it slowly.
She called him Dedushka, meaning “Grandpa,” ever since she could remember, because it seemed he was always there, and she had the feeling that he always silently and unobtrusively watched over her. Tengis wasn’t related to Sasha, of course not. He was a small, bowlegged Asian man with squinty dark eyes that pierced directly into your soul, as if it stood wide-open for everyone to see. And Sasha, who took after her father, was tall, with huge blue eyes and flowing hair that was the sunny color of ripe Russian wheat. The color of her hair she actually inherited from her mother, Olga.
Too bad Mama couldn’t make it, thought Sasha. Olga Elfimova had a very important job in Moscow and couldn’t join them for the summer vacation. She worked for Russia’s richest man, multibillionaire Boris Konukovsky, who was a CEO of NORUS, the country’s largest oil company. He was a very demanding man and Olga often kept long hours, because no one argued with Mr. Konukovsky if they wanted to keep their job and a head on their shoulders.
Maxim, being a professor, had summers off. School ended on June 22 and they just gave themselves enough time to pack. Both Maxim and Sasha couldn’t wait to get out of Moscow and submerge into Siberia’s untouched wilderness. While packing, Sasha had a persistent feeling that something very important was awaiting her there. Today was June 29, their sixth day on Lake Baikal.
“So quiet.” Maxim broke the silence. “Beats the city every time.”
“It’s another world,” Sasha echoed. “Peaceful.”
Just as she finished her sentence, she noticed two gleaming yellow eyes staring straight at her from the darkness of the trees.
“Dedushka Tengis,” she whispered. “Look!”
Tengis slowly turned his head in the direction of the gleaming eyes, as Sasha gave a slight gasp. More and more eyes were appearing in the surrounding darkness, and now at least ten pairs stared at them from various corners.
“Wolves,” mouthed Maxim. “Sasha, get behind me.” Maxim started getting slowly to his feet, while at the same time reaching for his hiking stick. “Sasha, behind me—now!”
“No, Papa!” Sasha shook her head. “You won’t achieve anything with your stick against ten wolves. Let me talk to them.” She started getting to her feet, too.
“No, Sasha, no! These are wolves, not seals!” Maxim made a quick move in her direction, as if trying to shield her, and that caused the wolves to growl.
“Papa, don’t,” Sasha whispered. “You are provoking them!”
“Oh, sit down and be quiet, you two!” said Tengis finally in an uncharacteristically sharp voice, carefully setting down his smoking pipe on the nearby rock. “I will handle this.”
Tengis rarely, if ever, got this way, which meant that he was serious. Sasha obediently sat back on the ground, and as she did, her nostrils were suddenly overpowered by the foul stench of a large, sweaty animal that appeared out of nowhere next to her. She turned her head to the right and saw a huge brown bear right where Tengis sat just a moment ago. The bear’s fur was shaggy, and as he got up to his hind feet, his towering form blocked the moon.
“Oh, my God!” yelled Maxim, jumping back to his feet. He threw himself on top of Sasha, attempting to protect her with his own body.
Sasha struggled to free herself. “Papa, it’s okay! It’s not what you think. Let me go, please!”
“Sasha, be quiet,” whispered Maxim frantically. “I will protect you!”
“You don’t need to, Papa. Just watch!”
Meanwhile, the bear didn’t even look at the two struggling humans next to him and made a deliberate beeline for the wolf pack. After taking several steps in the direction of the taiga, he again got up on his hind paws, his menacing claws shining in the light of the moon. Then, the bear opened his mouth, his growl rocking the forest. One of the wolves issued a squeal and started backing up. The others reluctantly followed.
The bear took a few more steps in the wolves’ direction and opened his mouth again. A growl, even louder than the first one, broke the stillness of the taiga. Two of the wolves deserted the field in a hurry; the rest backed up some more. Then, the bear stood all the way up on his hind paws, his giant front paws outstretched, and the third growl rocked the land. It sounded like the final warning. The wolves decided not to argue. The rest of the pack turned around and ran for their lives from this strange and dangerous beast that appeared out of nowhere and for some reason wanted to protect he humans.
The giant bear issued one more growl, evidently to reaffirm his victory. After that, he turned to face Sasha and Maxim…and smiled. His huge body started shrinking, until it was the same height as the tiny Tengis. A moment later, the bear was gone and the shaman was standing next to them, brushing the dust and animal hairs off his clothes.
“Still smell a little like the bear,” Tengis noted, chuckling. “Can’t be helped—residual effect. But no matter, it’ll air out by the time we reach the village.”
End of Excerpt 2
Much more great stuff coming your way! Stay tuned!
For large-size cover, book blurb, and other details see my official author website:
Also read:
Excerpt 1 & Galactic Center Alignment on 12/21/22
December 14, 2012
THE EARTH SHIFTER: News and Excerpt
First, THE EARTH SHIFTING news:
THE EARTH SHIFTER release is on track for December. The target day is presently 12/22/12, just one day after the infamous 12/21/12, which many fear will be “the end of the world” as we know it. “Don’t panic!” as they would say in THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. No one’s about to die on this date, if the characters of THE EARTH SHIFTER have their say! What do I mean, you ask? You’ll find out in just a few short days when the ebook hits digital shelves! So, stay tuned and don’t miss the launch, accompanied by a mega-giveaway!
As many of you know, on 12/21/12 the Earth will align directly with the Galactic Center – an exceedingly rare event, which many futurists and spiritual teachers predict will start a new era, signifying a monumental shift of consciousness on our planet. While the alignment begins on 12/21/12, the actual peak of this event will occur on 12/22/12! According to my sources, on the day of December 22, 2012 many of us will be able to download cosmic knowledge that was unavailable to us previously. Get ready for revelations and breakthroughs on this very special day, dear readers!
I sincerely hope that the release of THE EARTH SHIFTER on December 22, 2012, will play its modest part in the upcoming shift of global consciousness!
Peace and love to all, and stay tuned for more Earth Shifting news! (And for more about my predictions for 12/21/12, read my original Year 2012 Predictions.)
THE EARTH SHIFTER
EXCERPT
From the Earth Keepers Chronicles
Mankind would never know
how close it came to annihilation on June 30, 1908.
Somewhere in the murky depths of the Cosmos,
a Comet of Karma is born.
When all hope fades, it is sent to planet Earth,
its sole mission to wipe out a failing civilization.
It has happened before, and it can happen again.
Except this time, the Earth Keepers would not interfere.
CHAPTER 1
1908, Vatican
On the sunny morning of June 29, His Holiness, Il Papa Pius X, abruptly announced cancellation of his audiences for the day, all except this one—the very last on the list…
A small hunchbacked man in an overly-long monk’s robe with fraying sleeves, complete with a pair of battered fisherman’s sandals wrapped around his bare feet, shuffled meekly after a tall Swiss Guard resplendent in his uniform. The pair passed the Vatican Apostolic Palace’s rich furnishings and priceless Renaissance masterpieces, whose contrast with the old man’s shabby exterior and shy smile was especially striking.
The young Swiss Guard simply couldn’t help but shoot occasional curious glances at the guest. The coveted audience was bestowed upon a simple Franciscan monk named Brother Ignatius, who was apparently in such awe about this amazing opportunity that he kept stroking his unkempt beard with a slightly trembling hand. He must be really nervous, thought the Swiss Guard patronizingly, and probably can’t believe his luck. Just imagine: a private audience with the Holy Father—what an honor for a humble monk like him!
The guard ceremoniously opened the door into the sancta sanctorum, the Pope’s private study, and said, smiling reassuringly, “Please come in, Brother Ignatius!”
“Grazie, mi figlio,” the monk replied quietly, proceeding inside.
The young guard was about to shut the heavy door before assuming his duty in front of it, when he noticed something highly unusual.
“Father Ignatius, thank God! I’m so relieved you could make it! It is such an honor to receive you!”
This inappropriately excited voice belongs to the Holy Father, registered the guard’s brain with great surprise.
“Buon giorno, mi figlio!” The humble monk’s voice, on the other hand, was no longer meek or quiet, but sonorous and powerful.
The young Swiss Guard was so shocked by this unexpected change that his curiosity got the best of him. While shutting the door, he stopped short, managing to leave a tiny crack through which he could hear bits and pieces of the conversation and even glean some action inside.
“Any news?” He heard the Holy Father’s respectfully worried voice.
“The Comet is heading to Earth,” came a quiet response.
“So, it is happening… Did the Keepers… reach… their decision…?” The Pope’s voice now sounded strangled.
“We will reconvene shortly for a final meeting. But as of now…,” Brother Ignatius shook his head, “most are for letting the Comet do its job.”
“So all this will perish… the beauty… art… architecture… libraries… science… people…” With every word, it seemed the Pope’s voice was deflating, as if someone was slowly letting the air out of a balloon. “Father Ignatius, I know there are many sinners, far too many, but…there are good people, too. Don’t they deserve a chance?”
“Everyone deserves a chance. That’s why everything is being weighed thoroughly. Dark times are coming to Earth, Pius. Global wars…weapons of mass destruction that will turn to ruin whole cities, countries. Countless millions will die. The risk of the Earth’s annihilation is more real than ever. And with it, the planet’s souls—all of them—will be lost forever.”
“But what if it’s a mistake? What if there is hope?” whispered the Pope, clutching at his heart.
“Yes, there is hope,” Ignatius said significantly. “The original consensus may still change.”
“But…how?”
“Some of us saw the new Key being born,” replied Ignatius enigmatically. The young guard couldn’t understand what this meant, but for some strange reason, the mysterious phrase made him listen even more intently than before.
“Where? When?”
“It is remote, almost a century from now. Still, there is a good chance.”
“But that means the disaster can still be averted!” exclaimed the Pope.
“It all depends on whether those of us who believe can convince the rest.”
“What can I do?” Pius’s voice was hardly audible.
“Pray and hope…”
“How much time?”
“Till tomorrow.”
“Bless me, Father!” To the Swiss Guard’s shock, the Pope dropped to his knees in front of a simple monk!
“Peace be with you, my son…peace be with all of the Earth’s children,” pronounced Brother Ignatius, laying his shriveled, slightly trembling hands on top of Pius’s lionesque head. After that, leaving the overwhelmed Pope in the kneeling position, he directed his steps toward the door, on the other side of which the young man hastily resumed the position expected of a dignified member of the Vatican’s Swiss Guard.
The door opened and Ignatius stepped outside, and as he did, his huge brown eyes looked up. The unusual guest peered straight into the guard’s soul and the monk knew: the young man had heard the conversation. For a moment, Ignatius hesitated, but then, apparently deciding that no harm was done, he proceeded along the corridor toward the guest quarters. They moved in silence, and the guard no longer led the monk; now the monk walked purposefully up front, with the guard following meekly in his footsteps.
“Grazie, mi figlio,” Ignatius murmured distractedly, and with surprising strength tightly shut the heavy door into his room. The guard knew he was dismissed, but something inexplicably rooted him to the spot. Despite his best judgment, he quickly looked around to make sure that the corridor was deserted, then crouched down in front of the door and peered into the keyhole.
Inside a modest guest room, Brother Ignatius disregarded the ascetic-looking bed and the wooden chair in the corner, and sat with his legs folded straight on the carpet. He placed his—no longer trembling—hands on his knees palms up and closed his eyes. Then, to the young man’s astonishment, a golden glow started emanating out of the monk’s body in expanding waves that enveloped him whole, and he floated upwards off the floor just as he sat, without opening his eyes or moving a finger.
The guard tried to silence an involuntary gasp by covering his mouth, but it was too late. Without changing position, Ignatius opened one eye. The next thing the young guard knew, that eye was staring from the other side of the keyhole straight into his. Another moment later, some kind of invisible force pushed him away from the door and he landed on the floor, hitting his head on the opposite wall. Mad with pain, shame, and confusion, he jumped to his feet and sprinted away from the guest room door as quickly as his feet would carry him, bump on the back of his head throbbing, ears burning, and a pledge forming in his head to never, ever again succumb to a terrible sin of frivolous curiosity!
Brother Ignatius shook his head with a small smile and re-closed his eye. The glow around him intensified, and as the boundaries of the guest room dissolved into nothingness, eight vibrating golden rays extended in different directions from his body. At the end of each ray, wrapped in the same golden glow, appeared eight different figures, each sitting in the same lotus pose, and each emanating eight golden rays of their own, connecting all nine figures together in one intricate network. The rays kept expanding until all nine floating figures were completely covered in a shimmering golden cocoon.
“Good day to all,” said a deep voice belonging to a tall, wise-eyed man dressed in a roomy Russian peasant shirt.
“Good day, Lev,” responded several voices.
“The final emergency session of the Earth’s Council is open. All nine Earth Keepers are present,” continued Lev. “Nikola… Deva… Isabella… Usaama… Ignatius…Tengis… John… Ling… and Lev. It is our duty to make the ultimate decision about the fate of this human civilization.” Lev gazed at each member of the Council. “I remind everyone what’s at stake and trust that all of you were able to carefully weigh your decision. The last vote stands thus: three—for letting this civilization continue despite all the horrors we foresee ahead, six—for letting the Comet of Karma do its job. The new vote and final debate start now. Pro or con?”
“I also saw the Key,” announced Ling, the Keeper of China and East Asia. “However, I disagree with Lev and Ignatius. The Key to be born is male, not female, and he will be Chinese, not Russian. Yet I do agree, there is hope. I have changed my vote to pro.”
“But the evidence is conflicting and inconclusive,” chimed in Nikola, the Keeper of North America. “We all saw the same thing: world wars, cruelty and destruction brought on by new technology and man’s arrogance. Yet only a few saw a sign of hope. My vote remains con.”
“I agree with Nikola,” said John, the Keeper of Australia, Oceania and Antarctic. “It is too dangerous to let it go on. This civilization has failed to demonstrate good judgment in situations of conflict. I still vote con.”
“If we let this civilization go on,” said Deva, the Keeper of India and the Middle East, “I fear we’ll lose all of the human souls on planet Earth.”
“True,” agreed Usaama, the Keeper of Africa. “We have to let the Comet do its job. Besides, the Key may be too late. After all, one hundred years is a long time. I am against protecting this civilization.”
“But you are forgetting,” interjected Ignatius, the Keeper of Europe, “that the Key can only be born if there is enough goodness left in mankind! My vote remains pro.”
“Why wouldn’t it appear now, then,” objected Deva, “why in a hundred years? Remember Buddha? Remember Jesus? They appeared and unlocked human potential during the time of great need. This is different. My vote is con.”
“Some of us think,” said Lev, the Supreme Keeper of the Earth, “that what is to happen in the twentieth century is only the prelude to the disasters and possibilities of the twenty-first. That’s when the Key will be truly needed. My vote is pro!”
“All of you are correct,” said Tengis, a small Asian-looking man with white beard, the Keeper of Russia and the Arctic. “Humanity’s record speaks loudly against it. And if it is bad now, what will happen after they’ve perfected the existing relatively crude weapons, and figured out how to make nuclear ones? We are running an extremely high risk of the ultimate self-destruction of all Earth’s souls—that’s true, too. But the prophecy is clear: the Key will be born, and that can only happen when all is not lost. And as to whether it will be a male or a female, Russian or Chinese…” Tengis eyes acquired a far away look, “it will be both.”
“What do you mean? How can it be both?” exclaimed several voices at once.
“This particular Key is unlike any before it. It’s dual—both male and female, yin and yang, receptive and assertive. And it’s bound to unlock a new and most exciting era for humanity, more important than any prior…if the Council,” Tengis’s thoughtful eyes probed each Keeper in turn, “allows it to be born. I vote pro.”
“So far we have a tie—four pro and four con. Dona Isabella…your final word?” Lev’s wise voice addressed the olive-skinned shamaness wrapped in a warm poncho. The ancient woman, who was the Keeper of South America, puffed her pipe, silently absorbing the exchange.
“Yes, I also see the dual Key being born,” she started slowly. “And I too foresee this Key being able to open a new era for humans. Yet…great horrors lie ahead, born of mankind’s greed and aggression. And our final responsibility is to carefully weigh all the risks.”
“It all comes down to your vote, Dona Isabella,” said Ignatius quietly, while the rest of the Keepers held their breath.
“My final decision,” pronounced Dona Isabella with great reluctance, as if the weight of the entire world made it hard for her to move her tongue, “…is against protecting this civilization.”
No one moved a muscle, absorbing the finality of the moment, and only the golden cocoon around the Keepers kept pulsating and shimmering in the absolute silence.
“So be it,” said Lev’s voice sadly. “Four—pro, five—con. I, Lev Tolstoy, the Earth’s Supreme Keeper, hereby declare that the Council of the Earth Keepers agrees not to interfere when the Comet of Karma collides with the Earth, so this civilization would reap the consequences of its past, present and future actions.”
As Lev finished speaking, all Keepers inclined their heads in agreement—some solemnly, some reluctantly, some sadly—and closed their eyes in a deep, silent meditation. As they did, the golden cocoon around them started expanding upwards, higher and higher, until a column of brilliant light broke through the Earth’s atmosphere and reached straight into Outer Space.
There it was, a rugged rectangular piece of icy rock, about twelve kilometers across, a little smaller than the size of the island of Manhattan. The haloed comet resolutely cut through space, looking quite meager next to the major planets it passed one by one: Neptune…Uranus…Saturn…Jupiter… It didn’t look impressive even next to a relatively small planet of this solar system called Earth, the only one with fully developed flora and fauna, the only one populated by a thriving human civilization.
Although the icy rock appeared insignificant and completely innocuous, the Keepers knew: if it crashed into the Earth at its current speed, it would end all life on this little planet. For a moment, the rock hesitated, as if feeling an irresistible pull to the Sun, as if unsure that it should continue to its original destination. But then, something else caught its attention, and it became clear just where the comet was really heading. It was heading toward the Earth, aiming into the very heart of Europe, somewhere between southern Germany and Austria…
End of excerpt 1 – stay tuned for more!
You can also read the first 2 chapters of THE EARTH SHIFTER by downloading the top rated CATHARSIS (LEGEND OF THE LEMURIANS) on Amazon ($.99) or Smashwords (FREE!) Check it out!
December 4, 2012
THE EARTH SHIFTER and Blog of the Year 2012 Award
First, THE EARTH SHIFTING news!
As some of you know, I have been consumed with finishing my new YA metaphysical fantasy/thriller, THE EARTH SHIFTER. It is presently being polished and professionally edited. Despite the upcoming holidays, I am making supreme effort to release my book on its original target release date of December 19-20, 2012. This date has not been chosen randomly, as it coincides with another date, December 21, 2012 – the notorious 12/21/12 – which some perceive as the “end of the world” and others as the time of great shift of consciousness.
THE EARTH SHIFTER is my unique take on what has been and what is to come, as we speed ahead toward our common future. As with all of my books, THE EARTH SHIFTER is a whimsical and original, yet satisfying, stew of fantasy and reality. The cataclysms and events described in it indeed took place, and those predicted may materialize, if mankind… But I’ll leave it up to you, dear reader, to decide where fantasy ends and reality starts. This is BOOK 1 of the trilogy, with Books 2 and 3 to be released in the not so distant future.
In the next couple of weeks, I’ll be making additional announcements and posting THE EARTH SHIFTER excerpts.
To celebrate the book launch, I am planning a huge giveaway! And I mean HUGE! What will be given away is a surprise, but suffice it to say, it’s something really awesome & valuable, and you’ll definitely want it!
Enter the new world and join me on December 19-20, 2012,
when the epic EARTH SHIFTER journey begins!
Stay tuned, as much more is coming your way!
It is also my great pleasure to announce that I received the newly created and very exciting Blog of the Year 2012 Award from a friend and blogger I admire, Holly Michael.
Her blog, Writing Straight, is awesome and very much worth the visit! Here is the link to her post about the Blog of the Year 2012 Award. Also, special congrats to Holly on becoming a winner of NaNoWriMo 2012!
As you can see, there is one gold star with the possibility of six in total.
The ‘rules’ for this award are simple:
1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012′ Award.
2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen — there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required — and ‘present’ them with their award.
3 Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012′ Award —http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/ and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!).
4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them.
5 You can now also join our Facebook group — click ‘like’ on this page: ‘Blog of the Year 2012′ Award Facebook group, and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience.
6 As a winner of the award, please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award, and then proudly display the award on your blog sidebar, and start collecting stars!
Yes — that’s right — there are stars to collect! Unlike other awards which you can only add to your blog once, this award is different! When you begin, you will receive the ’1 star’ award, and every time you are given the award by another blog you can add another star! There are a total of 6 stars to collect.
Which means that you can check out your favorite blogs, and even if they have already been given the award by someone else, you can still bestow it on them again and help them to reach the maximum 6 stars!
And now, it’s time for champagne… The envelope, please! Blogs to award:
Ralph Whillier http://bluefishway.com/
Darlene Foster http://darlenefoster.wordpress.com/
Wendy http://greenlightlady.wordpress.com/
Michele Seminara http://micheleseminara.wordpress.com/
Russel Ray http://russelrayphotos2.com/
Stefan Maxima http://hillsofherchastity.wordpress.com/
Lesley Fletcher http://inspirationimport.wordpress.com/
Seyi Sandra David http://seyisandradavid.org/
Karen Robiscoe http://charronschatter.com/
Quillan and Angela http://toemail.wordpress.com/
Jim L. Wright http://olbigjim.wordpress.com/
Lori Lipsky http://poetrypatio.wordpress.com/
And last but not least – and in full compliance with the award rules - Holly Michael http://writingstraight.com/, because I would have given it to her regardless of whether I have received it from her or not. 
Congratulations bloggers! I love to visit all these great blogs and I’m sure you will, too. Each one is wonderful, and each will make your life brighter and richer in its own, unique way!
P.S. Based on some questions about the upcoming release of THE EARTH SHIFTER I received from my readers, here are a few additional details:
THE EARTH SHIFTER will initially come out as an ebook, available in all formats, incl. kindle, nook, PDF, etc. It will be available from all major ebook retailers and all buy links will be listed at the digital book store of my official author website, LadaRay.com.
I will certainly consider a paperback and later, perhaps an audio, but unfortunately, I don’t know much about audio books, so that could be a while. I’ll keep everyone posted of my plans, but your best bet is to read it as an ebook - if you want to read it early. It’s very easy by the way, and if you don’t have an e-reader or a tablet, you can imply download PDF to your computer. Who knows, you might enjoy this new reading experience!
THE EARTH SHIFTER description and details are available here: http://www.ladaray.com/the-earth-shifter.html
You can also sample my writing and sneak peek THE EARTH SHIFTER’s first 2 chapters, which are available as an excerpt with CATHARSIS, Legend of the Lemurians (a metaphysical fantasy novelette). CATHARSIS can be downloaded in any ebook format for free at Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/235546
In the next 2 weeks, I’ll also be posting excerpts here, on my blog.
Stay tuned!
December 2, 2012
Accidental Spy Mega-Giveaway Results: Congrats, Winners!
November 16, 2012
Beautiful Russia: The Golden Ring of Russia 2
Today, we are continuing a journey in time and space to the Golden Ring of Russia. Hop into my time machine, fasten your seat belt and… enjoy!
My previous post The Golden Ring of Russia 1 covered the most famous and the original Golden Ring towns. However as the time went, more towns, lesser known but not any less deserving, were added to the Golden Ring and it was expanded to the River Volga. Today I will cover the unique art, music, dance, history, and of course architecture, of some of the other towns along the Golden Ring. Perhaps somewhat less dramatic and less famous than their brethren covered in part 1, they are in some ways even more charming and unique.
The name of this ancient little town “Gus Khrustalny” means “A Crystal Goose”, which is the most descriptive town name I’ve ever seen, as its fame stems from these exact two things: the fine glass & crystal factory, as well as a very special type of goose grown in this region!
Below are some of the fine original works of the local glass-blowing artisans:
A crystal church bell.
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The poster below reads: The Crystal Museum, Gus Chrustalny.
Glass-blowing at the local factory:
Famous local geese. They look pretty cool!
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RYBINSK
Church of Ascention.
Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral.
A lovely kremlin and quiet, pristine nature – very nice.
This town is an anomaly of the Golden Ring. Its fate reminds me a bit of Detroit, a once famous capital of the US auto industry. A very dynamic textile capital of Russia in the past, Ivanovo is presently in decline after some of its famous cotton fabric factories closed down after the collapse of the USSR. Pity, I loved the quality of the Russian cotton!
As the industrial revolution swept across Russia, in the 19th century Ivanovo became one of the world’s major cotton fabric manufacturing regions. Before the 1917 Revolution, Russia was famous for its cottons. The tradition was carried on throughout the Soviet era. During the 1960s-1980s, Ivanovo was known as the “city of brides,” because the main workforce at the local factories were young women. The male/female ratio in Ivanovo was, shall we say, seriously lopsided. On the other hand, an enterprising young man looking for a bride, had a wealth of options, as all the girls here were young, pretty (they say) and hardworking.
A view of Ivanovo, with its trams, Soviet era buildings and monuments (looking much better than Detroit, I must say).
Built up primarily in Soviet times, Ivanovo still possesses its share of beautiful architecture.
Convent of the Holy Virgin.
PLYOS
Plyos is a small, but very picturesque town on River Volga. Russians love their trees. As many Russian towns, it literally drowns in vegetation.
Local village homes:
Contemporary home:
Plyos, traditional Russian home with a spinning wheel:
KOSTROMA
Kostroma (empahsis on last ‘a’) is located on the river Volga and is a city with 277,000 inhabitants. Known for its cheese and milk products, as well as rare, hand-made Kostromskie kruzheva (Kostroman lace), Kostroma is also home to some of the most magnificent Russian medieval architecture.
The stunning Kostroma.
Midieval Kremlin, Kostroma.
Russia is world-famous for its dance and ballet. Performance by the national dance troupe, called Kostroma, dressed in the whimsical tops made out of the amazing local lace, Kostromskie kruzheva.
More Kostroma dancing:
Historic show: From ancient Russia to the Soviet Union
MUROM
The ancient town of Murom is a famous birthplace of the legendary 12th century Russian knight and hero, Ilya Muromets (Ilya of Murom), who is one of the beloved characters of the Russian epic folklore and a real historic figure.
Bogatyrs (Worriors), a famous 1898 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (Ilya Muromets is the center figure, with Dobrynya Nikitich to his left, and Alyosha Popovich to his right). In this painting, the Bogayrs are depicted as protectors of the motherland, keeping watch against any possible attackers, which in those days were many.
The town of Murom is also home to the new an very cool holiday celebrated in June: The Day of Love, Family and Fidelity, also called The Daisy Day, which is celebrated in the whole of Russia with musical concerts, celebrity appearances and various festivals. The holiday may be new, but it has its roots in the ancient tradition perpetuated by the two saints of the Russian Orthodox Church, Piotr and Fevronia, known for their otherworldly love and devotion to each other and family.
A spectacular main festival and outdoor concert takes place in Murom, the birthplace of the holiday. It attracts major celebrities, musicians, singers, statesmen, as well as scores of visitors. The emblem of the festival is a daisy considered the national Russian flower.
I intend to include a couple of links to The Daisy Day performances, which are very much worth checking out (I personally love this holiday!), as soon as my Internet works better so I can visit Youtube. Stay tuned and re-visit this post next week for a cool update!
Read Beautiful Russia: The Golden Ring of Russia 1
Please also visit my two giveaways:
Accidental Spy Party & Giveaway - several rafflecopters with various great and unique prizes! Enter one or all!
and
CATHARSIS (Legend of the Lemurians) FREE at Smashwords + Catharsis Contest: Win Unique & Cool Prizes!
There is still time to enter! But hurry, drawing for both is December 2!
November 5, 2012
Beautiful Russia: The Golden Ring of Russia 1
Today, I’ve prepared something truly special! I have long promised my readers a new series of posts, entitled BEAUTIFUL RUSSIA (Dear readers, thank you for your patience!).
And what better way to kick off the new series than with 2 awesome posts about the GOLDEN RING of RUSSIA. Ready to take a trip into Russia’s medieval past? Then get into my virtual time machine and fasten your seat belts…
The spectacular Golden Ring of Russia (Russian: Zolotoye Koltso) is comprised of a number of ancient towns, located just northeast of Moscow and renowned for their gorgeous architecture, including magnificent churches, kremlins and monasteries, making it one of the most desirable destinations in Russia and beyond. The Golden Ring includes: Sergiev Posad, Suzdal, Vladimir, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Palekh, Ivanovo, to name some. Many of these towns are more than a thousand years of age; most are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Here, history and modernity are intertwined in a striking and unforgettable way.
SUZDAL
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the town of Suzdal is so packed with history that I can barely scratch the surface here.
The Suzdal Kremlin
Home to magnificent churches, monasteries, beautiful kremlin and museums, including one-of-a-kind open-air Museum of Wooden Architecture, it boasts a developed tourism industry with scores of various hotels, cafes and restaurants. Interestingly enough, it doesn’t have a railroad, which may explain why its historic monuments have been preserved in such excellent shape. Nevertheless, it’s easy to get to Suzdal by either booking a day tour or catching a regular bus from Moscow, or by traveling to Vladimir by train, and then catching a bus (they depart every thirty minutes) to Suzdal.
A word about the Kremlin: it is a common misconception in the West that there is only one Kremlin – the one in Moscow. True, the Moscow Kremlin is by far the most formidable and famous of its brethren, however, it’s hardly the only. In fact, ancient kremlins abound in Russia, and not just in the Golden Ring. Every self-respecting medieval Russian town boasts one. The word kremlin means a ‘fortress,’ or a ‘castle’ in ancient Russian.
Suzdal, Church at the Euthymius Monastery
Suzdal, Euthymius Monastery Belfry
The Suzdal Kremlin, part of the “White Monuments of Suzdal and Vladimir.”
Interesting trivia: J.R.R. Tolkien modeled his White City in The Lord of the Rings after Moscow and the ancient towns of the Golden Ring. Traditionally, Russian medieval architecture was white stone, as seen on many pictures here. Although the current Moscow Kremlin is constructed with red brick, the original one was white. Moscow is often poetically referred to as “the City of White Stone” – Russian: ‘Moskva Belokamennaya.’ Oh, and by the way, the character of the delusional ruler of the White City who is ready to sacrifice his own son, is based on Stalin who incidentally did sacrifice his son during World War II. When they talk in the book about ‘the White City having to take the brunt of the attacks, while others are kept safe,’ the reference here is both to the Mongol Invasion (due to Russian resistance, Mongols were unable to advance further, thus protecting Europe), and WWII, when most of Hitler’s forces were fighting in the Russian (Eastern) front, thus making life easier for the Western front.
The Grand Dining Hall of the Suzdal Kremlin
Golden Gate, Suzdal Kremlin
Suzdal, Museum of Wooden Architecture. This museum was created around the astounding wooden churches, which are a trademark of the region and which were created by Russian artisans without a single nail. These amazing churches are at least several hundred years old!
Suzdal, Museum of Wooden Architecture. I typical house of a Russian peasant, called izba (emphasis on “a”).
Inside the izba. Items include various clay and wooden pots and bowls, as well as a must for every self-respecting Russian household: a Samovar.
Izba’s spiritual corner, called krasniy ugol (red or beautiful corner). Every morning/night, inhabitants would pray facing this corner filled with family icons and sacred artifacts.
This whimsical and elaborate church had been built without a single nail!
Russian windmill: just like everything in this museum, built without a single nail.
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Russians love their cucumbers, whether fresh and crunchy or pickled, and there is a gazillion varieties of those, including: summer, lightly pickled, spicy, garlic, winter pickled, etc.
Suzdal is renowned for its cucumbers, considered the best in Central Russia.
The Cucumber Festival of Suzdal attracts cucumber, and Russian art, lovers from all over the world.
SERGIEV POSAD
The town of Sergiev Posad is home to the famous monastery: Sergievo-Troitskaya Lavra – Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius.
Entrance to the Monastery.
Sergievo-Troitskaya Lavra, The Trinity Cathedral.
Sergievo-Troitskaya Lavra, Assumption Cathedral.
Russian churches are renowned for their beautifully painted icons. The art of the Russian icon-painting has been passed from generation to generation and is taught in local monasteries. Sergievo-Tritskaya Lavra houses Russia’s most precious and famous icon: The Holy Trinity, by the legendary medieval artist Andrei Rublev.
The historic town of Sergiev Posad is also the birth place of the famous Russian Matreshka (or Matryoshka).
Matryoshkas are nesting dolls that come in all sizes, colors and various whimsically beautiful and creative designs.
VLADIMIR
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the City of Vladimir is the capital of the Vladimir region and yet another spectacular example of Russian architecture.
Vladimir, city view.
The magnificent Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir.
The Vladimir Kremlin and its beautiful medieval churches.
PERESLAVL-ZALESSKY
The town was founded in 1152 by prince Yury Dolgoruky. It is located halfway between Moscow and Yaroslavl, about 130 km North-East of Moscow, on the bank of Pleshcheevo Lake. Here, in 1693, young Peter the Great constructed a “fun fleet” which became a prototype of the first Russian fleet on the Baltic sea.
Bogolyubovo Monastery (Love of God Monastery).
Cathedral of Trasfiguration of the Savior, the oldest surviving architectural monument in Central Russia.
Fyodorovsky Church.
Goritsky Monastery.
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Magnificent monastery gate.
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The nature here is untouched. Paining on the river in Pereslavl-Zalessky.
ROSTOV VELIKY
What a view! Rostov Veliky, Kremlin.
A close-up of the Rostov Kremlin.
Rostov, Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery.
More Rostov Veliky, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
YAROSLAVL
Elias Cathedral.
Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral.
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Church interior.
Historic Yaroslavl Train station.
Dmitry Medvedev speaking at the Yaroslavl 1000′s birthday celebration.
PALEKH
Palekh is a tiny town in the Ivanovo region.
Its main treasure is not so much architecture as the stunning artistic heritage of its residents.
Palekh box depicting Russian poet, Alexander Pushkin, and characters from his fairy tales.
It is home to the world-celebrated Palekh paintings (Palekhskaya rospis’), exquisitely refined miniature works of art performed on lacquer wood surfaces – mostly jewelry boxes, as well as collectible paintings, plaques and trays.
Above are several exquisite Palekh boxes. They range in size from 1-2 to 10-20 inches. Some of these one-of-a-kind creations are only a 2-3 centimeters (1 inch or less) in diameter. Imagine what kind of eye and hand are required to perform these paintings with such artistry and precision!
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Palekh jewelry boxes, chests and other items, filled with characterts from the Russian literature, folklore and history go for hundreds and thousands of dollars on world markets.
Matryoshka, Palekh style. These Matryoshkas sell for a hefty premium compared to the market.
Unusual Palekh miniature box, depicting Western fairy tales.
Enjoyed my journey in time? THE GOLDEN RING of RUSSIA 2 – coming soon! Stay tuned!
Also, do check out my other posts about Moscow, St. Pete, Russian Metro, Russian Trains, my childhood memories etc., complete with lots of rare and cool pics! http://ladaray.wordpress.com/category/culture-russia/
October 29, 2012
Predictions 2012 Update: US Presidential Elections
US Presidential Elections are on November 6, 2012. On January 11, I posted my original predictions for 2012, including the so-called Year of Elections, namely my predictions for USA, Russia, and France.
Here’s what I said regarding US Presidential Elections:
“Republicans will pick Romney, who is perceived as the man of the middle, and therefore, appears a safe bet. And Romney will NOT beat Obama. Because, as one rapper said, speaking at Occupy Wall Street, “Obama is ten times the campaigner, as he is the President.” The rapper, whose name I won’t mention here, added, “And I mean it as a compliment, Mr. President!”
In short, USA will remain sharply divided along partisan lines. Obama will narrowly win another 4-year term.
Meanwhile, various protests will continue and intensify. Emergence of a third party is very possible, fueled with disillusionment with the establishment and election results.”
Read my original Year 2012 Predictions
As usual, I want to remind everyone that I am a ‘political atheist’ and do not participate in any political party. My predictions and analysis are based on logic, facts, intuition, and Chinese Theory of Long Cycles.
So far: Russia and France voted exactly as I originally predicted on 1/11/12, GOP nominated Romney, and there are clearly 3rd parties emerging in the USA. Two Third Party Presidential debates are being hosted by Larry King and aired by RT America (First debate took place several days ago and is available on Youtube; second debate on foreign policy will air and be posted on Youtube on 10/30).
Upcoming US Presidential Elections: no change from the original 1/11/12 prediction! Obama wins narrowly, with less than 5%, possibly, less than 3% advantage.
Barack Obama
It is interesting to note that, while in the USA the vote will be very close, abroad it’s not even a contest between the two candidates. Based on polls from over 20 countries, Romney gets more support only in Pakistan, which is attributed to the Pakistanis’ irritation with deadly drone strikes, not so much to their preference of a specific candidate. Most countries have Romney in single digits, with Western Europe, especially France, favoring Obama by the widest margin.
My prediction: while Obama is far from ideal, no world leader (except, perhaps Israel’s Netanyahu) wants Romney as US President, in fact he scares everyone with his bellicose posturing. Foreign perception is that his rhetoric, lack of reason and restraint (as well as lack of understanding and knowledge of international affairs) would make his presidency into Bush 2.0. By the way, this is also the perception of much of the international investment community – and international investment community is seldom wrong.
Mitt Romney
It is naive to think that American elections happen in a vacuum. In our globalized and interconnected world, it should not be underestimated how much influence other countries and global community hold over any country’s policy and elections. In fact, I noticed that global opinion (don’t confuse that with the US media propaganda) is the most accurate barometer of presidential election results in any country. For example, international community at large (excluding USA and UK) wanted Russia’s Putin to win (of course, there really was no contest anyway). In France, both the country’s and international perception were against Sarkozy, and sure enough – he lost.
Other interesting cases include Italy’s Berlusconi resignation from his post as Prime Minister (in part due to international pressure), and Hugo Chavez winning recent Venezuelan elections despite his cancer, absence from the political scene, and despite having to compete against a young, strong and very charismatic right-wing candidate. Chavez managed to generate a very broad international support – that’s the secret of his success! Assad of Syria is another prominent example of foreign influence. By the way, I received questions from my readers regarding the future of Assad, as well as the situation in the Middle East at large and I intend to cover it soon in one of the future articles.
P.S. For those who pay attention to astrology: From the astrological perspective, US Elections 2012 are taking place during the start of Mercury Retrograde, infamous among astrologers for introducing confusion and misunderstandings, as well as mistakes in documents. This may be a very confusing and messy day, with possible mistakes, lost or contested results. Double check everything while voting.
Read my follow up articles/predictions regarding the elections in Russia, France and USA.
1. Russia Votes: Crash Course in Russian Politics
2. 2012 Predictions Update: Russian Elections
3. 2012 Predictions Update: French Elections and Eurozone
4. 2012 Predictions. Year of Elections: Russia, France – USA next!
I will be posting a follow up after the US elections, including my new predictions regarding the very important for the Eurozone, German Chancellor Elections 2013, and Angela Merkel‘s chances to be re-elected.
Many have asked me to expand my predictions and talk about the future of financial markets, economic outlook for various countries and continents, as well as the future of world peace. I will try to post more of my predictions going forward. Stay tuned!
Copyright 2012, Lada Ray
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October 26, 2012
NaNoWriMo 2012 is here!
Ah, it’s that time of the year again. My favorite season plus the mega-popular NaNoWriMo is here! Come November 1, 300,000 writers – seasoned, aspiring and anywhere in-between, will be pulling college-style all-nighters in order to accomplish the admirable goal of finishing that dream of a novel, or at least enough of it (namely, 50k words) to paste the coveted “NaNoWriMo 2012 Winner!” badge on their website, blog, or Facebook page.
This year, I decided to join, too. As many of you know, I am working on my big project: THE EARTH SHIFTER, new metaphysical YA fantasy/thriller – anticipated release: December, 2012. Full-size cover, blurb and more here.
I will not be using NaNoWriMo to write my novel from scratch, but rather to finish it, polish it up and make it as absorbing and delightful to read as possible. THE EARTH SHIFTER is substantially longer than 50k words, so I have my work cut out for me.
I went ahead and joined the Upstate New York chapter of NaNoWriMo. Writing is a lonely endeavor, therefore write-ins are a great way to break up the monotony and to meet fellow writers and kindred spirits (and potential readers, too). Write-ins can be done at participating library or book store, but for the real ambiance, a coffee house with wi-fi and all the writer’s best friends, namely coffee, tea and lots of chocolate, is highly preferred.
Image courtesy Latte Lounge, Oneonta, NY
I am looking for write-in buddies to meet at one of the following 2 places:
1. Latte Lounge, 196 Main St, Oneonta. http://www.the-latte-lounge.com/ If you are nearby and would like to join, I am planning on being there on Thursday, 11/1 3-7 pm. A couple of people expressed an interest in this write-in. We may make it a regular, if all goes well.
2. Daly’s Coffee Bar, 5410 Main St/Rt 23, Windham. http://dalyscoffeebar.com/ Time and date TBD. Possibly Saturday or Monday. One other person expressed an interest so far. Please let me know if you’d like to join our cozy gathering. Note, we may switch to Higher Grounds Coffee instead. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Higher-Grounds-Coffee-Co/302891989763169
If you live in Upstate New York and would like to join us, please let me know!
Cheers, and happy and productive NaNoWriMo 2012 to all!
