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Farewell to Russia: A Journey Through the Former USSR
The title of this post might be a little misleading. I’m not writing about a journey I’ve taken – at least not yet. Despite my love of travel and long-standing fascination with the former Soviet Union, I have yet to visit Russia or any of the other 14 countries that emerged after the collapse of the USSR. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) comprised 15 constituent republics, all of which became independent states following its dissolution on 26 December 1991. My inspiration for this post – and indeed its title – comes from a book I recently read: Farewell to Russia: A Journey Through the Former USSR, by journalist and…
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9 things to do in Vienna
When I think of Vienna, three things immediately come to mind: classical music, psychotherapy, and coffee. Every New Year’s Day, I enjoy watching the Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert, broadcast live from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein. This year, the concert was conducted by the Canadian maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin, marking his debut at the helm of this world-famous event. The programme featured an eclectic mix of traditional Strauss family waltzes alongside lesser-known works by composers such as Franz von Suppè, Josef Lanner, and Florence Price. A few months later, in May 2026, I visited Vienna for another major musical event: the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2025, Eurovision had taken…