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15 March 2015

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BJJ Globetrotters Travel Gi Review (4)

• About my trip
• Help me out

• BJJ Globetrotters: A world wide community of BJJ travelers!

The members doesn’t represent a specific person, academy, instructor or lineage. They are merely a world-wide community of people, who share a common set of values:

• We don’t pay each other any affiliation fees
• We wear any patches we like on our gis
• We are free to represent any (or no) team in competition
• We encourage training with anyone regardless of affiliation
• We are willing to promote anyone who deserves it—members or not
• We arrange camps, seminars and visit each other for training and fun
• We believe everyone is equal both on and off the mats
• We strive to enjoy life, people and the world through Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Go to  www.BJJglobetrotters.com

Mar 17, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

• Book about my around-the-world BJJ trip is finally released :)

After two years of planning, writing and editing, the book about my around-the-world Brazilian Jiu Jitsu adventure is now available as paperback and eBook.

Both the trip and the writing process was quite a ride for me and in case you decide to read the book, I hope you’ll enjoy what came out of it.

Thanks for your patience!!

Click here for more info on how to get your hands on it :)

Nov 14, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave A Comment »

• BJJ Globetrotter wins “Best BJJ blog of 2011” award… twice.

Recently found out, that BJJ Globetrotter won best blog of the year awards with both GiReviews.net (tied) and Jiu Jitsu Laboratory .

Man, I miss writing this blog :)

Jan 18, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave A Comment »

• Still doing some globetrotting (…in the weekends)

Oh, how I miss writing this blog… It was so nice to update it every day on my trip and be really thorough with the quality of every photo and sentence I put into it. Now, I sit here at home and the winter is creeping in on me. Today has been misty and really cold, and it is only getting worse. Good thing is, that I am training and competing a lot, and recently have been traveling a lot too. Just haven’t written about it here, but on my regular blog www.ShogunHQ.com instead. I had considered to keep writing about trips on this blog, but I guess this one was only for that one trip around the world, makes more sense.

But a quick update on the weekend tours, I’ll do, while I dream myself back to the times, when I was in hammocks with my iPad random places around the world, writing posts here :D

About a month ago, I was in beautiful Geneve in Switzerland for the Swiss Open. It was nice weather and the alpes were beautiful, as they surrounded the city. Despite being horribly organized, the competition went pretty well for us, taking home a few medals. I lost in my own division, but revenged myself in the open weight, where I took the gold.

Two weeks later, I was in London for four days to compete in London Open. Lost my first match, but it was a good one and I took home some good elements from it. Weather was amazing for England, and we enjoyed many hours in the sun around the London parks and outdoor cafes.

A short break at home, before I took off for Scotland . I was visiting three cities, mountainbiking in the highlands, checking out a whiskey brewery, going out, teaching three seminars and competing – all in five days. It was great to get that feeling of high pace traveling and change of scenes, that I loved so much on my round the world trip. Competition went well too, I took gold in both gi and no-gi.

Tomorrow, I am off for Sweden for Scandinavian Open. Next weekend, it is Paris for a competition and some fun down there, before ending the competition season with a weekend roadtrip to Swedish Open.

Traveling is in my blood now, I cannot help it. I hope to do some trips during the winter before the Europeans in Portugal in January. Other than that, I am spending a lot of time in the gym at the moment, teaching and training. My different teams are doing great and every single minute spent there is a pleasure. I even have a visit at the moment from Fernando Moya, that I trained with in Costa Rica on my trip. He is really good and a cool guy, teaching many of our classes.

Oh yeah, and I am still writing on the BJJ Globetrotter book every day – but don’t expect it to be finished any time soon, it is a lot of work :-)

Check out my other blog www.ShogunHQ.com for updates on my life, training and travels :)

Oct 27, 2011 | Categories: Denmark | Leave A Comment »

• Final article in Jiu Jitsu Style

In the newly published issue 4 of Jiu Jitsu Style magazine , I have the final article about my trip printed. It’s a really nice and professional magazine, I recommend you check it out :)

Aug 23, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

• Secret BJJ move that cannot be defended

It’s been a while since I wrote, that if I got 1000 likes on my FaceBook page, I would post a video of a technique that cannot be defended . I reached the 1000 likes a while back, but the video took a while to get online. It is finally here, and you can enjoy a move, that I still haven’t found any defense for.

Me and my friend have actually pulled this off in competition a few times. Depends on the mood of the referee, his nationality and your nationality, but sometimes we have gotten away with it. I don’t think it states anywhere in the rules that you cannot do this?

(All credit goes to my good friend Chris Haueter , who demonstrated this move on one of the first VHS instructional tapes I ever saw)

Aug 15, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

• Jits Magazine interview part 2

Jul 16, 2011 | Categories: Brazil | Leave A Comment »

• We are all one

I have been home for a while now, and is still trying to digest the experiences I have had over the last 140 days, traveling around the world. I honestly think it will take a long time, before I truly realize how important a thing this has been to me. What follows, is a bit long post about what I feel in my head these days. It has taken me a long time to figure out how to write it, but I think this is it.

First of all, I would like to thank everyone, who have made this possible for me. I have met, hung out, partied, emailed, talked and trained with hundreds and hundreds of people along the way, and each and every one of you has had an influence on me. The help, friendship and hospitality, I have experienced from you everywhere in the world, has blown me away and I cannot describe, how much it means to me. I also had immense support from everyone I know at home, which has played a big role in realizing this project.

I will now get settled here at home and then get started with all the projects, things and ideas, that have spun off this whole experience. This might be the end of the trip, but the effects of it will echo throughout my life (and maybe yours) for years and years to come. First of all, I have an open invitation to anyone, who wants to come to Denmark to visit and train. There are already quite a bit of people I have met on the trip, who are planning to come by, so my gym will be busy :)

I am also working hard on writing my book from the trip. It is a very big task, and it will take a while, before it is finished. There are just too many good stories from the gyms around the world, that would be a waste not to tell, I think. I have been taking notes over the last five months, and now I am writing every day and trying to put everything together. Apart from the story of the trip itself, I am trying to write about, how I made the trip and lifestyle possible, the preparations, long term decisions and thoughts behind it. I am excited about writing a book, something I never thought of doing, but it makes sense right now and it will be interesting to have for the future.

Having visited a lot of places around the world, where people are training with very little equipment and very basic facilities, I have decided to help them out. Already having shipped a lot of gi’s to Moldova and Dominican Republic, I got the idea to organize it more. I am currently working on a website, that will be a tool for those of us who has too much, to help them who has too little.

The last project, I am working on, is still too good an idea to reveal. It is a big project and will take some time for me to get going, but I promise it will be good and everyone will be able to benefit from it. You will definitely hear about it in the near future ;)

I don’t think that this trip has changed me much. There are not many things, I have changed my view about. What I do feel, is that it has strongly reinforced what I believe in. In some way, I went out to confirm some things to myself, and I found what I was looking for. I feel vibrantly full of love from great friendships, believe in the good in people and know, that the world is indeed my oyster and definitely not a bad or dangerous place. I just got an upgrade on all my skills (BJJ, human and emotional) and feel like a Christian version 2.0 :)

I hear from many people, that they are somewhat afraid to travel. Afraid to go places, they think are dangerous. They prefer the comfort of their own place, where they don’t have to take any chances. Or maybe just going to a place with the same language and culture. On this trip, I have been to the ghettos of eastern europe, a russian military country that does not exist, the poor neighborhoods of India, the favelas of Brazil, the kidnapping capital of South America, a druglord’s hangout in the Dominican Republic, the jungles, the radioactive and earthquake threatened streets of Tokyo and I could go on. Guess what, the worst thing that happened to me, was food poisoning from barbecue hotwings in a Borneo food court. Do not be afraid to explore the world. Go out there and see for yourself, that it is not dangerous and it might contain experiences you will cherish for the rest of your life. Or believe the media paranoia hype and die without trying!

There are no borders in this world. Any dividing and separation of people on this planet are man made. It is not real. There is no difference between us. Friendships, love, adventure, experiences and lives you can live are EVERYWHERE. No matter, where I have gone, I have met fantastic people. I have made more friends in five months, than I could possible do at home in a lifetime, and there seemed to be no limitations to where I would find these. Your next best friend or experience of a lifetime can be anywhere in the world, not just in your own little bubble.

We might seem different on the outside, coming from different countries, races, religions, beliefs, cultures or even another BJJ team (!!), but when we are on the mat, clapping hands and ready to roll, it is so obvious, that there is NO difference.

Now go have some adventure before it is too late, it is waiting for you out there.

Jul 13, 2011 | Categories: Denmark | 13 Comments »

I arrived home yesterday and needed to sit down for a while and relax before I could get back to the blogging.

I magically got my backpack in Tallinn airport. It had arrived from Finland the night before, taking a good 6 days to get from Germany to Estonia. It was really nice to get it back, and I was happy it wasn’t in the middle of the trip I had lost it. If I had to lose it, this was the perfect time to do it :) The flight was short and easy and my dad and brother was kind to pick me up in the airport and drive me home.

I don’t really know how I feel about being home. I am trying to find out how I feel, but nothing really comes up, it is kind of weird. In some way, my brain just thinks of this as another location on the trip. Maybe in a week or so, when I realize that I am not going anywhere from now on haha

I have been back to work today. Many people think that running a gym full time is nothing but training, but there is actually tons of stuff to do. I have spend my whole day cleaning up, fixing a computer, moving stuff and answering emails. Back to real life :) I will train here again tomorrow and can’t wait. Having traveled to more than 55 gyms on this trip, my own is still by far my favorite. Maybe because I designed it from my own thoughts of the perfect place to train :D

I need a little time to digest this crazy experience in my mind and will write an afterword later. It has been quite a ride and I can’t really believe that it is over.

Location: Geislersgade,Copenhagen,Denmark

Jul 12, 2011 | Categories: Denmark | 5 Comments »

• Rolling footage from Brazil

Here is a video of some rolling in Drive-In Jiu Jitsu in Rio de Janeiro :)

Jul 10, 2011 | Categories: Brazil | Leave A Comment »

• Hitchhiked to Tallinn, flying home tomorrow!

Hitchhiking is something I would have loved to have done more of on the trip, but my tight schedule and fast pace travel made it difficult, since one never knows how long it is going to take to go from a to b.

I have a flight home to Denmark tomorrow and we decided to go to Tallinn today, so we didn’t have to get up early tomorrow. The busses are pretty full on sundays, so it was a good opportunity to hitchhike through the beautiful Estonian countryside. Our cool sign secured us a ride in less than ten minutes, with a young couple from Belarus that was on a roadtrip around the Baltics.

Today is relaxation in Tallinn before flying home tomorrow. It is really weird to think about being home, but I am very excited to see everyone again.

Location: Tallinna maantee,,

Jul 10, 2011 | Categories: Estonia | 2 Comments »

• Endless summer nights

Estonia is my little “vacation” to relax from training, before I go back hime on Monday and will be in the gym for many hours every day. I could not imagine a better place for a summer vacation in Europe, I absolutely love this place. The sun is up till around midnight and the sky is still blue all night. It feels like the days lasts forever and I am enjoying every second of it, recharging my batteries and filling me with energy and good mood.

it is hard to grasp, that the trip is soon over and I will be going home on monday. I don’t think I will really understand it before I sit at home on my couch.

Still haven’t gotten my backpack by the way. I think the sweaty gi from training in brazil must be quite disgusting by now :(

Jul 09, 2011 | Categories: Estonia | 1 Comment »

• Estonia is awesome, Lufthansa not so much.

I love traveling the world and experiencing different places and cultures, but there is always something special about home. It is probably impressions that reminds one of childhood or something.

Now, I know Estonia is not home to me, but it is similar enough to Denmrk to make me feel home. The smell of grass, the trees and the long summer nights, oh how have I missed it. The weather here is beautiful and it has been so nice to see some of my old friends again. All the guys from Estonia, about ten of my friends from my gym back home and Daniel who I met in Taiwan is here. We are having a great time in this beautiful place. It is now ten in the evening and the sun is still up. God, I love it.

What is not here is my backpack. Lufthansa has thrown it away and they have no idea where it is. I really hope they find it, I don’t want to lose my gi’s and tshirts from around the world :,( Good thing is that insurance company pays me every day, so I went shopping for lots of pimp clothes today :-P Looking super fly!

Jul 07, 2011 | Categories: Estonia | Leave A Comment »

• Video documentary from project in Moldova!

(crosspost from www.giveagi.com )

Robert has just sent me a documentary, he made from the project we have supported in Moldova. It is a little long, but definitely worth the time. See, how the donated gis are being carried from Romania to Moldova by bus and hitchhiking, the first training in the village, a tournament trip to the capital Chisinau and finally the tournament held in the village. All made possible by YOU, who have been donating gis and money!

Here is a breakdown of how the $275 from the New York fundraiser seminar has been used so far: “Travel to/from Chisinau: $126.72 Team Food: $16.19 (it should be noted that the Chisinau team bought food for everyone in Chisinau, and the Burlacu moms provided food for everyone in Burlacu so these costs aren’t included) Trophy for Tri-Duals: $18.54 Medals + Lanyards for Tri-Duals: $11.13 Engraving for Medals and Trophy: $22.00

Total: $194.58″

Jul 06, 2011 | Categories: Moldova | Leave A Comment »

• Epic win: Travelled around the globe!

Arriving here in Estonia, I geographically surpassed Copenhagen, where I started my trip and have therefore now travelled all the way around the globe by the help of BJJ! Great success!

Jul 06, 2011 | Categories: Estonia | 5 Comments »

• Crossing Brazil off the list

Going to Brazil to travel is something I have thought and dreamt about for over ten years. Now, I finally did it.

I must admit, that I used to be a little nervous about going to Brazil. I heard lots of stories about crime and how there was nearly a 100% chance, that I would get robbed a few times while there. It definitely played a role in my considerations about going there.

Becoming an experienced traveller over the last years, and especially over the last four and a half months, (almost) nothing can scare me anymore, and I didn’t even think twice about going to Brazil. For good reason, because (of course) nothing happened to me. I did not get robbed, beat up, raped or abducted. As always, the world is always a very dangerous place, when viewed from the safety of ones couch at home.

Staying in Brazil was a different experience from the rest of my trip, albeit a good one. For so long, I have travelled really fast, visiting places intensely for a very short time. Get in, train, meet people, eat, see the place and get out. No time to relax, worry or get bored. In Rio, I decided to stay for two weeks and it felt very different than the other places I have been.

Many places, people told me, that I needed to stay longer. That 2-4 days is too little time. In fact, I think I did just as much, and some times more, in places I have visited for 2-4 days, than I did in Brazil. When I had so much time, it was just another pace, and more time was spend on relaxing and doing nothing, than on feeling pressure to do something before it was too late.

I did have a great time in Brazil though. I wish I could have trained more, but holidays, weekend and then being sick unfortunately made that difficult. I did however, go some very interesting places to train and got some experiences, I will value for the rest of my life.

I have enjoyed staying with locals during my trip and experiencing their every day lives. In Brazil, I spend my whole stay in a house full of gringos, who were there for training. I did not get to see much local life unfortunately, but it was really fun to stay in the Connection Rio house , hang out with all the guys there and make a lot of good friends, who I hope to see again one day. On top of that, Dennis Asche (the guy who runs the house), was the best connection and help I could imagine in regards of getting in touch with people, arranging visits to gyms, places, etc. He knows everyone and was doing all he could to help me get the most out of my time there, which I appreciate immensely.

Jul 06, 2011 | Categories: Brazil | Leave A Comment »

• The inevitable happened

I lost my backpack. I knew it would happen with all these change of flights and routes today. Pretty annoying. I even managed to lose that little note with the important number, that I got from the baggage guys in the airport.

I haven’t brushed my teeth since yesterday morning and Fightshape Panama is getting a lot of promotion in these areas, since I will have to wear their tshirt for three days :)

I am staying in a hostel in Tallinn for the night, before heading to Pärnu with the bus tomorrow. My feet smell pretty bad.

Jul 06, 2011 | Categories: Estonia | 4 Comments »

• Part 1 of Jits Magazine’s video interview with me

Jul 05, 2011 | Categories: Brazil | Leave A Comment »

• Broken flight engine delays Estonia visit, but get to practice German.

I am currently in Frankfurt airport in Germany. I was supposed to be on a flight on to Tallinn, Estonia by now, but the flight from Brazil was about three hours delayed. As I got in the plane, nothing happened for a good hour and a half. Finally, they announced in the speakers, that they had some mechanical problems and we had to change to another airplane. As I got outside, I was pretty happy that we got another plane, as they had basically opened up the entire engine and tried to fix it on the spot. I prefer a new one then!

I have been redirected to a flight to Finland, then on to Tallinn, where I will be arriving too late to catch the bus I had planned to catch. So guess I will have one night in Tallinn and then try to get to Pärnu tomorrow instead. Right now, I have to wait for a few hours here, a good opportunity to practice some German. After trying so hard to speak Spanish, German seems like the easiest ever (had it in school for many years, but never get to practice much).

It was also quite sad to leave Brazil, but more about that later, when I have time to write about it :)

Jul 05, 2011 | Categories: Estonia | Leave A Comment »

• Fightworks podcast episode about my trip today

The Fightworks Podcast has published an episode about my trip today.

You can catch it on iTunes or download it directly as an MP3 file .

Jul 04, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave A Comment »

BJJ camps around the world

My itinerary (2011), supported by, recent posts.

• Last day in Brazil, first morning training.
• Barbecue and sambo style rolling
• Surfshop closed today :,(
• Please like my Facebook page
• Roll and UFC today
• Things, I practice in my spare time.
• Interview, then (kind of) trained.
• Great success!!
• A bit of progress
• Felt really bad today
• Video from visit to Muay Thai project in the favela
• Favela Fever
• Slow days in Rio
• Visiting Drive In’s, where kids who attend school, train for free.
• Gi’s for the kids in Moldova and Dominican Republic

Blog archive

• November 2012
• January 2012
• October 2011
• August 2011
• February 2011
• January 2011
• December 2010
• November 2010
• October 2010
• September 2010
• August 2010

Mission objectives

Around-the-world burgers.

0 stripes: California, USA.

0 stripes: Tokyo, Japan.

3 stripes: Montpellier, France. 2 stripes: Jost van Dyke, British Virgin Islands. 0 stripes: Singapore. 0 stripes: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 0 stripes: Hawaii, USA. 0 stripes: Florida, USA.

4 stripes: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 3 stripes: Manila, Philippines. 3 stripes: Medellin, Colombia. 3 stripes: New York, USA. 2 stripes: Boracay, Philippines. 1 stripe: Ankara, Turkey. 1 stripe: Panama City, Panama.

4 stripes: Taitung, Taiwan. 3 stripes: Virginia, USA. 3 stripes: Kuching, Borneo. 3 stripes: North Cyprus, Turkey. 1 stripe: Chisinau, Moldova. 1 stripe: Bucharest, Romania. 0 stripes: Tiraspol, Transnistria. 0 stripes: Bali, Indonesia.

• British Virgin Islands
• Competition
• Destinations
• Dominican Republic
• Los Angeles
• Philippines
• Photography
• Preparations
• Puerto Rico
• San Francisco
• The amazing around-the-world burger project
• Transnistria
• Uncategorized

Packing list

• Backchoke.com
• Beltchecker.com
• BJJ Caribbean Islands
• Felipe Costa 30+
• Fueled By Fear – Dev's BJJ Blog
• Gorgette's Jiu Jitsu World
• Martial Arts supplies
• The Grappling Dummy
• The Jiu-Jitsu Fighter
• The Part Time Grappler
• Yasmin's BJJ blog
• Zero to Cruising
• Zhoozhitzu do Graugardo

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The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

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Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission

Are You a 'Globetrotter'? See How Your Travel Experience Stacks Up to Average Americans

A recent survey from the Pew Research Center uncovered some interesting findings about Americans' travel to other countries. A surprisingly large percentage of Americans have international travel experience, and these global adventures have affected their perspectives in powerful ways.

Are you a longtime world traveler and frequent flyer? Or are you still getting ready to apply for a passport for the first time? No matter where you fall on the spectrum of world travel experience, you might enjoy these insights about how Americans travel -- and how international travel changes people's lives.

Let's look at a few surprising insights from the Pew Research Center on how Americans travel abroad.

A large majority of Americans have traveled to other countries

I'm an American who has spent time living and traveling in other countries. And sometimes I've gotten the impression that people from other countries have a stereotype about Americans. They tend to believe that lots of Americans haven't visited other countries, and that Americans aren't curious about the wider world beyond U.S. borders.

But this stereotype isn't true! The Pew Research survey found that 76% of Americans have international travel experience. Only 23% of Americans have not traveled to other countries -- and most of these non-travelers said they would like to visit other countries if they had the opportunity.

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The Pew Research study broke down the survey respondents into three groups, based on who has traveled the most:

• 26% of Americans are "globetrotters" who have traveled to five or more other countries.
• 50% of Americans are "casual travelers" who have visited one to four other countries.
• 23% of Americans are "non-travelers" who have not (yet) left the U.S.

I have had the great privilege of being able to travel to 11 other countries (so far), which puts me in the "globetrotters" group. Americans have some catching up to do if we want to be as well-traveled as people in Australia, Canada, South Korea, and Europe. Here's how a few of those other places stack up in the rankings on the international "globetrotters" list (five or more countries visited):

The survey results didn't go into detail about which countries were most frequently visited by Americans; maybe a lot of Americans are getting their first international travel experience from countries close to home. Sometimes the best way to break in your new U.S. passport is to take affordable winter vacations in Mexico or the Caribbean. But wherever people are going, it's heartening to see such a large percentage of Americans joining the proud ranks of world travelers.

How international travel changes your life

Traveling to other countries has been one of the most profound and formative experiences of my life. It's the best money I've ever spent. (I wish I was booking another trip right now; where's my credit card ?) International travel is a 24/7 immersive learning opportunity. You learn so much every day in another country, about food and music and language, and all the little nuances of people-watching, getting around, and navigating a new place. Every restaurant meal or grocery store visit is an adventure.

When you're in another country, it feels a little easier to be outgoing, open to possibilities, and excited to greet the day; I've quickly made new friends during my international travels in ways that don't often happen when I'm at home. I believe -- I hope -- that international travel has made me a more broad-minded, well-rounded, and compassionate human being.

There's some evidence that international travel changes your perspective in powerful ways. The Pew Research survey found that "globetrotters" (people who've been to five or more countries) are more likely to be knowledgeable about international affairs, and more likely to have an international perspective. The study found that, among globetrotters:

• 57% want America to be active in world affairs
• 66% want America to take other countries' interests into account, even if it requires compromise
• 42% feel close to people all over the world

We are living through a time of global crises like pandemics, war, and climate change. It's more important than ever for people to find common ground and a shared sense of humanity. International travel can help create those connections, one person at a time.

How to get affordable international travel

Want to join the ranks of the "globetrotters?" Here are a few tips for how to get cheap international travel that fits your budget:

• Search for "anywhere" plane tickets: Use Google Flights , Skyscanner, and Kayak to search for flights to anywhere -- with no specific destination. You'll immediately see surprising deals from your home city to anywhere in the world!
• Be an adventurous traveler : Find a cheap ticket and go to a country where you don't know anyone. One of our writers at The Ascent found a cheap ticket to Santiago, Chile for only $220!
• Use travel deal services : You can get cheap flights by signing up for a few emails from services like Dollar Flight Club or TravelZoo.
• Get savvy about travel rewards credit cards : If you sign up for a travel credit card or an airline credit card, you can often get significant bonus frequent flyer miles. Depending on when and where you fly, your airline credit card can help you get a free (or heavily discounted) international flight!

Bottom line: A surprisingly large majority of Americans have traveled to other countries, and more are likely to join the ranks of "globetrotters" in the years ahead. Booking affordable international travel is more doable than you might think. You too can enjoy the life-changing learning experience of visiting other countries.

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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .

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Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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