St. Petersburg update

Yesterday I had a great surprise as Tommi and his girlfriend came to
town from Helsinki for the night. We grabbed some pizza off Nevesky
Prospect (the main street of town) and then walked around town
sightseeing/grabbing a few drinks.

Tommi is Päivi's brother who is my age. He visited our family several
times, even staying with us or a decent part of one summer. His
girlfriend has dual citizenship from both Russia and Finland so it was
quite nice to have a their company plus the fact that Russian is her
native language. The town is even more beautiful at night.

When they came I decided to skip the bike tour. First of all I had
walked nearly 30 miles in two days. Let me remark that St. Petersburg
should naonly been seen on foot. Second I would have missed seeing
them becuase the bike tour was from 10:30pm till 2am. And finally The
traffic was insane. The combination of my exhaustion and the crazy
traffic would have been a bad combination.

The three of us grabbed a dew drinks and wandered around the heart of
the city till after dark, sunset was at 10:30pm. It was great. The
city was filled with action and people on the street until well past
1am.

The Hermitage

The photo is of Hercules wrestling a lion. This is kinda how I felt
trying to take in all the Hermitage has to offer.

The museum has everything from ancient to post impressionests. The
palace is stunning. What really blows you away is the fact that this
was an imperial palace.

I just lest after spending about 6 hrs there. There was much more to
see but my brain can only process so much until it all starts to blend
together.

You could spend days here and still not see anything.

As a small aside i bought a scalped ticket to the Hermitage this am. I
overheard a German tour guide say that they had an extra ticket and
they would sell it cheap. The price savings were minimal but the I was
able to skip the line by goin in with them. I was in the museum only
ten minutes after it opened. I left the group after getting through.

She said that my German was good, i think maybe she was flirting with
me. Oh I should mention that she was 60.

Good night

I close with a photo of the Moscow train station. It is names as such
becaue it sends it passengers to Moscow, among other places.

I walked a little under ten miles today. That distance plus the 4 I
ran this morning means I covered nearly 14 miles on foot.

Peace pit'

Stealing wifi

Sorry for all the posts. Wifi, especially free wifi is not easy to
come by in St. Petersburg. So this franchise, which roughly translates
to "coffee house", I think, and has free wifi.

They have shops all over town. They are the Starbucks of St. Pete.
Btw, haven't seen one of those here. I drink a lot of coffee but not
enough to post all my stuff (crap). So I post to my old iPhone, and
since it had no cell service it operates like a very small laptop.
The posts go to my outbox so when I happen past one of the coffee
shops I grab the wifi from outside the place and it sends my stuff.

Sunduk and it's bathroom "art"

Um..., well..., awkward turtle.

Sunduk

Very funky inside. The fish was great.

Monday dinner

I enjoyed a great salmon dinner last night at a place called Sunduk.
The fish came with a mushroom cream sauce, very nice!

They had live Jazz, not great but eh, it was free. Sunduk was
decorated in a funky kitsch way. I'll post some photos to the blog.

Travel Essentials

After walking over five miles today (it's only 6pm here) I needed a
break.

This photo contains the essentials of travel.

Lonely Planet - I always travel with thi series and it has NEVER let
me down. The map is included with the book (btw).

Water - If you wait till you're thirsty. It's too late.

Potato pancakes - when in Russia...,

Patagonia bag - it's a lightweight bag that can collapse into my back
pocket. And NO, it's not a Fanny Pack or a European Carry-All.

Bag Contents; hand sanitizer, guide books, maps, passport copies, and
baby wipes. European and specifically Russian TP is..., not good.
Nuff' said.

Beer - I don't have to explain this.

The Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood

The colorful domes stand pit along a canal. Just awesome.

The Winter Palace

St. Petersburg Metro

Here is some artwork from the same station. The metro has a classic
feel to it. If it wasn't for the fashion of it's riders the scene has
a cold war feel.

St. Petersburg Metro

I love mass transit and the metro in St. Petersburg has a classic
feel and great art work. Here is the hallway of the Green line at the
Vasstaniya Station.

Getting my bearings

I've stopped to caffeine up and grab a snack while I orient my self
with the city. The cyrillic alphabet throws me off a bit although I'm
managing. Beautiful sunny day!

До свидания!

Arrived in Russia

All is well. The flight was late but the driver from met me at the
airport no problem. I'm checked in to my luxurious hostel, kidding.
What it lacks in luxury it more than makes up for in location.

Later everyone, I'm off to tour.

Headed to Russia!

I'm off to St. Petersburg. Let's roll!

Sent from John Stephany's Old iPhone

From the sauna of DC to a Finnish "sauoonah"

What a wacky day. After being up for roughly 32 hours I'm hitting the sack. I've already been to three countries, with a 4th, Russia, in store for Monday to Wednesday.

I left the miserable 100+ temps of DC to finish my night with a fine meal, great company, and a few beers while enjoying an authentic Finnish "sau - oonah".

I'm totally racked and ready for some sleep. 

The contrasts of travel

This morning I was in the 100+ degree oppresive heat of Washigton, DC
helping high school students move out and in a diaspora head across
the country to thier hometowns. They were sad and crying which
indicates that they had a pretty good experience. Now I'm on jet in
Frankfurt, Germany on a chilly rainy day (@57 degrees) waiting to head
to Helsinki, Finland.

Today I've essentially eaten brunch twice with Deutsche frühstick
(German breakfast) thrown in for good measure.

I running on about 5 hours sleep and if I can make it till tonight I
should beat jetlag.

I'm lookin forward to visiting Päivi, essentially my big sister, and
her family. She lived with my family for a year as our exchange
student when I was in the 3rd or 4th grade. Her brother Tommi, who's
my age, stayed with us numerous times also. We have all stayed in
touch and this is actually my second visit to Finland, my first was
very short and in the heart of winter. I reality I'm visiting family.

Heading to Europe

Last post until I touch down in the old country.

What's on tap?
Visits to Finland, St. Petersburg, Russia, and Germany.

Who I am visiting?
Old friends who were exchange students, my place of birth and my exchange in high school in Gunzenhausen, and Russia.

Later!

Sent from my iPhone

Pervez Musharraf

Back at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. This time we are here to listen to a talk on the state of US - Pakistan relations with former Army Chief and President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf.

Iwo Jima and the Marines

The group is at the Iwo Jima Memorial to watch the Marine Corps Band and the silent drill team. I've seen I a couple of times but it's always awesome.

It's sunny, but toasty evening in the District.

Here is a beautiful view of DC from the Iwo Jima Memorial.

Camden Yards

Amtrak, Baltimore, and Wakefield's knuckleball

After a short delay I'm riding Amtrak to meet up with Tom D. in Baltimore for the Oriole v. Red Sox game.

The ride I short and pleasant. As an added treat renown knuckleballer, Tim Wakefield, is on the mound for the Sox tonight. He's older than I am, throws a 75 mile/hr fastball and is only a few wins away from two major milestones.

The first is 200 career wins, the second is 193 wins as a Red Sox player. That would surpass two pitchers you may have heard of, Cy Young and Roger Clemens. Not bad for a failed minor league first baseman.

The knuckle ball is mystical, no one really knows where it's going. That's why he can get away a fastball with such low speed. He only became a pitcher after a minor league coach said he would have no shot at the majors with as a position player.

A former bullpen catcher with Red Sox described catching Wakefield as, "Trying to catch a butterfly with chop sticks."

Another rough summer day.

All Roads lead through Erie, Pa!

A fellow faculty member of SPS and I were talking the other day and we quickly found out he had been to Erie for a pre-wedding party for his fellow St. Alban faculty member, and Prep alum, in the great city of Erie, Pa.

One of their stops was at the Polish Falcons club on the east side of Erie. Since the Polish Falcons obviously caters to one of my ethnic backgrounds the Stephany family has some ties to it. My faculty chum extolled to virtues of it's cold beers and bountiful and tasty chicken wings, particularly their inexpensive costs.

So today after class he shows me the t-shirt he is sporting. Well done, well done indeed!

National Cathedral at dusk

Beautiful summer evening in DC. Cool weather and despite the tragic loss by the US women in the World Cup a great day.

Hard to believe that a week from now I'll be in Europe. Wow.

Georgetown U College/Pro Summer League

I'm catching some summer hoops at Georgetown. It's a pro/am league, basically it's the DC version of the Bluff City Classic.

Watching the filming of Meet the Press

The Bishop's Garden

Lincoln

Civic Minded Idiocy - Hot Chicken and Jorts 2

Good Beer for a Good Cause

As many of you may guess my friends have two great traits; one they are really caring, civic minded people and second they are prone to fantastic and entertaining acts of creative idiocy.

One of my friends started a beer company a few years ago, Jubilee Beer, that donates HALF of its profits to Oasis Center in Nashville, TN. The mission of Oasis Center is;

Oasis Center has evolved over the past four decades into one of the nation’s leading youth-serving organizations, offering safety and support to Nashville’s most vulnerable and disconnected youth, while seeking to also teach young people how to transform the conditions that create problems for them in the first place.

Links
Oasis Center

Jubilee Beer

Here is a short video about Jubilee Beer and Oasis Center. (The civic minded part)

The Creative Idiocy Stuff
Hot Chicken and Jorts - 2011 Part 1


Hot Chicken and Jorts - 2011 Part 2

Colombian Dancers at Folk Life Festival

Morning Coffee Nook

My Coffee Nook

It is a fantastically cool Saturday in DC. The weather is, dare I say, almost fall like. The rare cool morning coupled with the suburban calm of NW DC inspired a longer run. I ran through the campus of American University and past the NBC DC affiliate where Meet the Press is filmed; our group is watching the filming next week. 

Today is a very relaxing day. We have a late brunch and then we head to the Folk Life Festival on the National Mall. 

"It is an educational presentation (by the Smithsonian) that features community-based cultural exemplars. Each year the  Festival typically draws more than one million visitors." 

This year the festival is highlighting the country of Columbia, the Peace Corps, and the music genre of "Rhythm and Blues". 

Link below

http://www.festival.si.edu/

After that SPS is hosting the annual, "Alumni Garden Party". I'm looking foreword to catching up with everyone. 

Btw, two weeks until Finland, Russia, and Germany!

Enjoy your Saturday everyone. 

Sent from my iPhone

Working on Friday night

Bad news, I'm working on Friday night. Good news, my working night entails going to the Nationals v. Rockies games. Life is tough in the district.

The Preamble

An arty way to see the Preamble!

Happy Birthday Amuricah!

This is not a scene from the new transformers movie; there is clearly not a hot vacuous girl running around. It's just a photo from the Washington Times of spectacular fireworks show in DC. We watched the show from the roof of the STA. One of the best parts of that was watching the numerous other fireworks shows from cities and towns around the DC area in backdrop. Quite fun.

Hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th!

Small World

After a great run along the trails of DC this am I met Norm and Jed for a day that could be summed up as Three Idiots and a Baby.

Norm, friend from college, who after being introduced to Bill, a friend from high school, introduced Bill to his wife wife Mandy, who's mom went to the same high school where my Dad taught after my Mom graduated. And Jed went to high school with Norm and Owen and now..., aww screw it.

We hung out strolling DC with Norm's daughter, grabbed lunch, and had some fun. Hanging Norm and his wife is always one of the highlights of my summers in DC.

The photo, is a view of DC from the Potomac's edge in Georgetown.

Prepping for a Cast Study

Took a nice walk to Politics and Prose to grab a book to prep for a cast study I'm teaching week 3 caffeine, some caffeine, and a little snack.

The cast study is about a seal team on Operation Redwings in Afghanistan and some of the decisions they have to make and their consequences.

My favorite bookstore in the world, no hyperbole, is Politics and Prose in NW DC. Just awesome.

Another day in the District.

Rooftop Happy Hour

DC loves it's rooftop bars. Here is one of it's most recent. El Centro DF.

The Bishop's Garden

After a wonderful run down to, through Georgetown, and along Potomac via the C&O trail I sat here and prepped for a couple a case studies that I'm teaching in week three of the program.

It's sunny with crisp and clear Blue skies and a glorious 84 degrees. Nice.

Israeli - Palestinian Forum

After a brief ride on the 36 bus from NW DC will arrived at the Ronald Reagan Building for a great forum on Middle East Policy at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

My home for the next month

Getting down to business

The students have arrived and the program is in full swing.

Some highlights of the day;

First case study taught
"Ethical Problems in Public Careers: Lying". The students were sharp and I barely had to say anything the whole class. Yes, you read that right. They pretty much self moderated, a very good sign. I can not describe the pure bliss of watching smart, engaged, and open minded students discuss things of substance. It's why I love education.

"The pursuit of the Russian Visa"
I'm inching closer to acquiring my visa for my trip to St. Petersburg, Russia at the end of the July. Nerve racking, but quite fun. If it were easy I wouldn't be interested in going.

Trip Planning, Taking advantage of what DC has to offer
Tuesday morning I'm leading a group of students to attend a forum at the Woodrow Wilson Center in the Ronald Reagan Building for a panel discussion titled, "An Israeli-Palestian Agreement? What's Possible and What Isn't". The panelists are;

Shai Feldman
Director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies
and Professor of Politics, Brandeis University

Hussein Ibish
Senior Fellow, American Task Force on Palestine

Aaron David Miller
Public Ploicy Scholar, Woodrow Wilson Center

Moderator, Jackson Diehl
Deputy Editorial Page Editor and Columnist, The Washington Post

Link

Some of the other faculty are taking students to two different events at the Brookings Institute, one on social networking and the other and technology and innovation. The last group is headed to the Senate for a hearing on Libya and War Powers. You know the typical Tuesday morning at SPS.

Watching USA v. Mexico in DC

The crowd at the Laughing Man Tavern in downtown DC is rabid for the the match.

The National Cathedral

The view from my summer residence. Not bad, not bad at all.

Maryland Blue Crabs

If it's late June then it's Crabfest for Sanko! It's Summer in DC.

The view of Lake Erie from ZeBros

A trip to Barcelona.., New York

After a nice workout at the Pennbriar, Big Mike and I took a trip to Westfield, NY to check out the Pinehurst Golf Club. It's owned by a great friend of mine's brothers. Really nice course and clubhouse. They bought it a few years ago and have really done a nice job fixing things up. It's just off Route 20, north of Westfield, NY. 

After a nice visit with Pete's brothers, Nolan and Dewey, we took a 5 minute trip down the road towards Barcelona, NY on lake Erie.  We had lunch at a nice little place called ZeBros. We had rumaki as an appetizer and then split a muffaletta. Great food and service, great view. 

Here is the view from the patio, very nice indeed.

Sent from my iPhone

A day in Erie

Great day today. Long workout at the glenwood Y, first weight workout without my trainer since August, went hard. Then running errands with my Mom and my Granpa Kerr. We met my dad for lunch at Sara's Eatery near the beech. Then a nice visit with Grandma Steph.

I then cooked dinner for some of the Erie group and some of the their families. Good food and conversation; better people. I've known these people since grade school, and they still put up with me?!?

Here's a little photo of my high school. Have I ever mentioned that I went to a school in Erie called Cathedral Prep?

Father's Day

Great day with the family. Took a morning run on the bayfront in cool 65 degree weather. Then a visit with Grandma Steph at the hospital, she's doing fine for 94 yrs old just getting some new meds under control. Then a day at Uncle Ron and Aunt Kitty's pool for a picnic. Good food, great time, awesome family!

On the way to visit Grandma Steph my dad and I stopped by Grandpa Steph's grave. Miss him but he led a great life. I got to spend the day with my Dad and Grandpa Kerr.

Shout out to all my family, friends, and former students who are Dads. Happy Father's Day. Proud of all of you!

A working happy hour on south main

On my last afternoon in Memphis for awhile I enjoyed a few beers with Johnny as we reworked some History curriculum for the H.

Hitting the road

We the summer officially begins for me. I'm off to Erie then DC and Europe. I'll be posting regularly for anyone who cares.

I'll miss Memphis and it's people but not it's oppressive heat. BTW, the high in Erie today is 74.

Pete

Sent from my iPhone

Nerd Alert! Visualizing Early Washington: A Digital Reconstruction of the Capital ca. 1814

Very cool stuff for the history, geography, and map nerd types!

Sunset on the Mississippi

8th Grade Trip

After the Cubs 11-1 trouncing on the Mets the crew got a photo at the "Friendly Confines" of Wrigley Field.

After the game with watched the end of regulation of the Bulls v. Heat game in the halls of Wrigley with thousands of other screaming fans.

Good times.

A few must see Griz videos

No, my obsession with all things Grizzlies has not subsided, in fact it's grown. It is hard to measure the collective good will that the playoff run provided this town. It's reallyhard to quantify in words. Here is a great video that sort of sums it up.

Awesome video



I nice one, although I we can skip the "Walking in Memphis". Me, I'd would have used something from the movie, "Hustle n' Flow".



Pete out

The rising Mississippi River

Link to photo of Flooding on Riverside and Beale Street.

http://twitpic.com/4upqrs

Sent from John Stephany's Old iPhone

Go Grizz, the King says let's TCB

Why the Grizzlies should win and Shane Battier rocks!

Shane Battier was giving away two tickets for the playoff game tonight on twitter. He said he'd give them to someone who inspired him, made him laugh, etc.  

A St. Jude family won. This is why I love Memphis. St. Jude. If you read this link to blog prepare to cry and cheer. All Heart!!! Grit, Grind!!

Go Memphis. Here's the link you were warned. 

forkbombr.net/two-years

Sent from my iPhone

Another Mississippi River Pic

The Mississippi River is Rising!

Beautiful but creepy view of the river from Mud Island.

A little Memphis Griz Music

Roxana Saberi, author of, "My Life and Captivity in Iran"

An event hosted by Hutchison School and Facing History and Ourselves

When: Thursday, March 24th, 7pm to 9pm

Where: Hutchison School,
1740 Ridgeway Rd
Memphis, TN 38119

Click here to reserve free tickets. Tickets

Roxana Saberi, author of Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran, is an Iranian-American journalist who was working as a freelance journalist in Iran when she was arrested and detained in Evin Prison in January 2009. She was released 100 days later, after her case captured the world’s attention. Saberi is now writing and speaking out for human rights and “prisoners of conscience” in Iran. Her book tells the story of her arrest and captivity, shares the struggles and courage of her cellmates that inspired her along the way, and describes her personal journey as she strives to defy her captors and be true to herself, regardless of the consequences.

As part of Facing History’s national series of Community Conversations, this event is free and open to the public. A limited quantity of Between Two Worlds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating is limited. Please call Leslie Vanelli at 901-452-1776 ext. 222 with questions.

Interview from the daily show

The Daily Show - Roxana Saberi
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook