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 | Collectors Dream -- May 2003 Russian Lacquer Purchase Tour of Travel #250686 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Collector's Dream -- Russian Lacquer Art Purchasing Tour 2003 |
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Posted June 4, 2003: The tour group is in Russia and having a great time--hope you'll join us next year for this great tour. Stay tuned for reports from the group once they've returned! Posted April 9, 2003: As the time of the tour draws closer, we are still proceeding with the Lacquer Art Tour as planned, and the price has been set! If you are still interested in going on the tour, you should notify us as soon as possible so that we may begin reserving hotels, processing visas, and making other preparations. Those going on the tour will need to make a $1000 deposit, which will ensure their place on the tour. We have estimated the cost of the tour as best as possible, however, there may be some minor variations that are out of our control. Not included in the price of the tour are meals and snacks; however, all hotel costs, airfare, visa, transportation throughout Russia, and museum entry fees are factored in. Discounts will not be offered on the price of the trip. Those wishing to arrange their own airfare must first contact Sunbirds.com to prearrange arrival and departure times, and will be able to have the cost of a round-trip ticket on Aerofot from Los Angeles or New York to Moscow deducted from their cost (however, Aeroflot is the most convenient and cost-effective airline to Moscow, so unless you have frequent flyer miles, we recommend the above route, which we can arrange for you). Posted February 6, 2003: The dates have been set for the May 2003 Lacquer Art Tour and we are now taking reservations! Space is limited and you should register now to ensure a spot! No payment is immediately required, but we do need 100% commitment so that we can begin setting up visas, accommodations, and solidifying the itinerary. The tour will be leaving via New York or Los Angeles for Moscow on Aeroflot airlines (both are direct non-stop routes) on the 28th of May, and arrive home Saturday June 7. The warm days of spring will perfectly match the brilliant green of nature as we visit the lacquer centers of Russia. Below is a basic itinerary: Wednesday May 28: --Depart for Moscow via Aeroflot from either New York or Los Angeles. Thursday May 29: --Arrival to Moscow approx. 3:30pm local time. Get through customs, transfer to Hotel Rossiya. Check-in, registration. Moscow sights, time permitting. Friday May 30: --Breakfast at Hotel Rossiya and group meeting with Sunbirds representatives. --Visit to Fedoskino, including Fedoskino museum, visits to artists homes. Opportunities to buy boxes! --Return to Moscow, city attractions if time. Saturday May 31: --Trip to Vernisazh open market to buy boxes, gifts, souvenirs. --Visit to Tretyakov Gallery Sunday June 1: --Depart to villages, first stop--Vladimir (4 hrs), tour the Golden Gate, Dmitrievsky Sobor, and Uspensky Sobor and lunch. Then on to Palekh (2.5 hours). Hotel check-in. Monday June 2: --Tour of Palekh art museum, Ivan Golikov's house. Meet with Palekh artels, visit individual artists, viewing lots of boxes! Tuesday June 3: --Drive to Kholuy (45 min). Visit Kholuy museum and Kholuy factory. Visit with artists, view boxes. --Drive to Mstera (4 hours), check in to hotel. Wednesday June 4: --Visits to Mstera Museum and factory, Artists' Union, individual artists. --Drive to Suzdal (2 hours), hotel check-in. Thursday June 5: --Tour of Suzdal, including Museum of Wooden Architecture, Suzdal Kremlin, Pokrovksy Monastery. --Drive back to Moscow (4 hours), check in to Hotel Rossiya. Moscow sights if time. Friday June 6: --Sightseeing in Moscow, including Kremlin and Red Square (St. Basil's Cathedral, GUM, etc), river tour, the Metro, Christ Our Savior Cathedral, etc. --Visit Arbat Street, pedestrian walk for last chance souvenirs and shopping. Saturday June 7: --Hotel check out and transfer to airport--back home after a wonderful trip! Previously posted: Responses from those who went on the May 2002 tour have been posted in the Sunbirds Trips to Russia section of our readings page--these include their suggestions, experiences and recommendations! If you haven't heard, the Spring 2002 Lacquer Art Tour of Russia from Sunbirds.com was a huge success! So much so, that we've decided to run the tour again in this year! This is an incredible chance to purchase lacquer art directly from prominent independent artists as well as from the village factories and partnerships. You'll get a first-hand look at how lacquer miniatures are created--from their beginnings as unprocessed sheets of carton to painted pieces awaiting the final steps of polishing. This new excursion will bring with it the same lasting excitement of the first with added features because of the remarkable feedback. Our focus will be on the history and art aspects while in Russia. This will not be a pleasure cruise, or a luxury tour! The majority of our time will be spent outside of Moscow, touring the villages, meeting with artists, viewing each village's museum and factory, and stopping in a few of the other historic cities along the way. We will also be hitting the high points in Moscow, but it will by no means be an all-inclusive tour of the capital. If there are things you wish to do while in Moscow that are not on the itinerary, you can either venture out on your own, or hire a local guide to take you around the city, so long as it does not interfere with the travel itinerary of the group. Unlike the way a travel agency works, we are not trying to make money on this tour off ticket sales and handling; rather we just want to provide a great opportunity to you! To reserve your space on the tour, please complete the order form, along with your credit card information. Your card will not be charged at this time--it will be charged on a per occasion basis as airline tickets, visas, etc. are purchased. Since this is going to be a small group, we will work with you directly in arranging your travel. Airline tickets via Aeroflot Russian Airlines and Russia visas will be arranged through Sunbirds.com. Keep in mind that the price listed for this tour is not a precise amount--it is an approximate sum of the cost of airline tickets, visa, hotel accommodations, entrance fees to museums, and transportation in Russia. Expenses such as food are not factored in, and will be paid on a per occasion basis. You will also be paying directly for your hotel accommodations (via credit card in Moscow, in cash in the other cities). With Russia being what it is, be prepared for some things that may seem unusual if you've never been there--higher ticket prices for foreigners, sometimes less than courteous customer service, very bumpy roads, and non-AAA approved accommodations in the villages! So while some of the trip may seem like an adventure in roughing it, what you will take away with you will be the memories of a lifetime!! As one participant put it, "My wife and I enjoyed ourselves so much--a real tribute to all of the thought and planning you put into the trip. I don't think you could have done anything better. The food, transportation, pacing and artist visits, along with all the wonder of Russia all made for an outstanding experience." More impressions of the tour from another participant can be found at a page on the www.treadleart.com website. Item Specifications:
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