Moscow never sleeps

It's 11 o'clock at night and Muscovites are still up.

 Saint-Basil's Cathedral, Red Square Moscow, Russia

My Malachite

When I started making jewelry as a hobby, my mother had given me her broken green gemstone necklace for me to use in my creations. She had told me to take good care of them, since they were valuable. I never realized the true value of this gemstone until my recent visit to Saint-Petersburg, Russia. 

Malachite is an opaque green mineral derived from copper (from where the color green).  The origin of the name is due to its resemblance to the banded leaves of the Mallow plant. 

A Marllow plant

Malachite Gemstone

When I visited the Hermitage, I was astonished to see the large quantities of malachite used to decorate this beautiful winter palace. An outstanding display of this vibrant green gemstone can be found in the Malachite Room, from decorative vases, artifacts, fire place and columns.

The Malachite room in the Hermitage Museum, Saint-Petersburg Russia

A neoclassical vase made of malachite at the Hermitage

Artifacts made of malachite in the Hermitage Museum, Saint-Petersburg

While driving the other day, I noticed a garage sale. What quickly caught my eye was this chess set made of a familiar green stone. I asked the owner about the history and nature of this beautiful piece. He explained to me that in 1970, a group of men from Zaire came to Canada to learn about the Canadian railway management. As a gift, they offered him this chess set made of malachite.

My chess set made of malachite and white marble

I knew about the important malachite deposits in the Russian mountains of Ural, but I was surprised to learn that malachite is also found in Africa. I now have my own malachite artifact. Not as impressive as the ones found in the Hermitage, but something that will remind me about my beautiful voyage to Saint-Petersburg. 

All I need to learn is how to play chess.

Yours truly,

Olga Markiza

The Hang

During our sprint around Saint-Petersburg, I came across a musician playing an unusually ‘UFO’ shaped instrument on his lap. At first, I thought the music was coming from another source. I couldn’t understand how such a beautiful melody could be produced by such a funny looking instrument. As I got closer, I saw that the melody was really coming from this instrument. He was gently tapping it’s metal surface using only his hands and fingers The melody produced was a mix of harp, bells and steelpan; a perfect relaxation music.

Musician playing the hang in Saint-Petersburg, Russia

I patiently waited for him to pause to ask him the name of this mysterious instrument: Hang he answered. Graduated from a musical school, I had never heard of such an instrument. Since I was falling behind, I then quickly bought his CD and continued on with my sightseeing. It’s afterwards that I learned that the Hang was invented in Bern, Switzerland at the beginning of the millenium. The word Hang means hand in the Bernese language, since it’s played using fingers and hands. Since 2000, the handpan family is growing, as well as it’s popularity around the world.

Yours truly,

Olga Markiza 

Unknown Talent

Costa del Sol stretches over 300 km on the southern coast of Spain, offering endless beaches, restaurants and snack bars. 

I first visited Torremolinos when i was in my late teens. It had left such a pleasant aftertaste in my mouth that made me return 10 years later. Once a poor fishing village, today Torremolinos shines bright as a popular European vacation destination. 

Choosing the right restaurant can be challenging in this region of Andalusia, because of it’s vast selection. 

Continuing along Paseo Maritimo towards the promenade la Carihuela, you will come upon a restaurant called Rincón del Gourmet. Known for their fresh fish, quality meat, and signature Iberian ham, this restaurant offers a cozy and charming atmosphere, friendly service with a view on the Mediterranean sea. 

I must admit however that my discovery of the day wasn’t this charming restaurant but undoubtedly a guitarist by the name of Miguel Batana. Originally from Malaga, his performance at Rincón del Gourmet varied from Spanish folk to his own interpretation of Lasciatemi Cantare. Aside from the delicious food, his voice was why I returned to the restaurant the very next evening. I simply couldn’t get enough. Miguel Batana made me realize how many unknown talents there are all over the world and how today’s music is formula driven, making it harder for artists to find success. 

It’s unfortunate that very little is known about this so talented musician.

Yours truly,

Olga Markiza 

An unexpected Gourmet Experience

During our desperate search for an open bank in Torremolinos, we stumbled upon a crowded restaurant called Marisqueria La Chacha. Our first encounter was very brief since we had exhausted our pockets with only couple of euros left...

In the following days, we took a walk up calle San Miguel and coincidentally came across this same restaurant. The outside and inner decor looked average, however I was surprised to see so many local customers with such big appetite. There was no walking away from it this time. 

La Chacha’s concept is a casual seafood tapas bar. You’re eating standing up, like many tapas bars in Spain. This concept might not be appealing to people that enjoy sitting down, but it offers you a new and different experience. Don’t be fooled though, standing up doesn’t mean it’s cheaper at La Chacha’s. They offer a vast selection of crustaceans, whether it’s langoustine, tiger prawns, scallops, mussels, calamari you name it. Everything is fresh, grilled and prepared in front of you. 

I must add a little precision. The prices are listed per 100g, which makes it seem very reasonable, but don’t forget seafood often weights more then that. Our midday snack came to a total of 27 euros. Not cheap, but sure worth it. 

I hope you enjoy the La Chacha experience as much as we did. 

www.tripadvisor.es

On a side note, good luck finding an open bank in Spain. They don’t work on week-ends nor on week-days as a matter of fact... Just kidding ;) 

Yours truly,  

Olga Markiza