|
|
We are a group of people committed to travel and to make our clients tours as enjoyable and event filled as possible! We are willing to go anywhere in the USA to speak about our tours and our other passion--Russian Art! Our presentations last from one to two hours and are highly informative and interesting. Contact us about our guest speaker program.
M&M Art Travel came into being when many of our art clients began to ask me to take them to Russia so they could meet with our artists and tour the wonderful art museums and palaces of St. Petersburg.
The advantage for our clients is that they actually meet many artists and learn a great deal about Russian art and what is available for purchase. They are able to save a great deal of money by buying their art directly from the source and they have the opportunity to tour the Academy of Art with its beautiful museum as well as all of the other fascinating and historic places in the city.
If you do not see what you want on
www.mmartltd.com
don't worry - you will find it in Russia.
There is no requirement to buy art at all to enjoy what we refer to as the Trip Of A Lifetime!
Michael E. Donnelly, Ph.D. CEO and President
Education: B.A., M.ED., M.F.A., Ph.D.
About Me: I was the son of a career US
Navy officer and traveled extensively as a child. I was educated in the
South and always wanted to be an officer. As a soldier I lived in Germany
for eight years, and I have lived in other places in Europe and Asia for
shorter periods of time. I was assigned to SC, CA, MA, KY, GA, IL, IA, and
VA. As a child I can add MD, RI, and Washington DC to that list. I have
always loved history and beautiful things. I enjoy people and am somewhat
of an extrovert. I have a wonderful family and enjoy travel more than any
other activity. My love of art led me into travel and I was besieged by
friends and relatives to take them where I was finding such beautiful
paintings.
Languages: English, German, and Russian
Favorite Travel Memory: Landing in Russia for the first time not
knowing what to expect or how I
would be received. It turned out that the Russians were just as hospitable
as the Southerners I grew up with.
Worst Travel Memory: It happened when
I was a Captain in Germany taking part in Adventure Training on a raft trip
down a river. We got separated from the supply truck that had the tents,
food, and heaters. The day long rain changed to snow and I knew we were in
for a long night.
Favorite Travel Book: My favorite book is not a travel
book at all, but rather a fascinating treatise about Peter I and the birth
of St. Petersburg by Massie.
If I could be anywhere right now it would be a tossup between the
Rose Bowl and having high tea at the Astoria in St.
Petersburg.
I wouldn't be there without my staff and new found friends to
show around St. Petersburg. My staff is the most important asset I have.
They make the trip of a life time come to a reality.
Anastasia Dukhnina, Tour director
Education: M.A., English language, St. Petersburg State
University, Russia
M.F.A., Art History, Academy of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Russia
About me: I was born in St. Petersburg, Russia and
have lived there for the most part of my life, but thanks to my parents,
who are wonderful people, our family traveled a lot around the country and
we even spent a few years in Siberia, where my dad looked for diamonds. I
was always fascinated with history, literature, and foreign languages and
that brought me to the philological department of the St. Petersburg State
University and subsequently to the Academy of Fine Arts. While I was a
student I entered a special school for guides and started guiding in St.
Petersburg - the city which brought me up and the city which I will always
belong to.
Languages: English, Russian, French
Favorite Travel Memory: I cannot decide if my favorite memory was an early spring
evening walking along the Vltava River in Prague in the moon light or
watching white whales while swimming in the Barents Sea when the water was
close to freezing one August.
Worst Travel Memory: Becoming confused in
Germany about the train schedules and missing all my connections in Berlin.
If I could be anywhere right now it would be at the colonnade of St. Isaac's
cathedral in St. Petersburg.
I wouldn't be there without my camera.
Alexander Elbakian, Tour coordinator
Education: M.F.A., Art History, Academy of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg,
Russia
M.A., Arabic languages, St. Petersburg State University, Russia
About Me: My family lived in Tiblizi, Georgia, when I was born and
encouraged me at an early age to learn about other places. That love of
other places has taken me all over Eastern Europe, Africa, and the United
States. I love to welcome American groups to my native city. They are so
interested in my country's culture that they never get tired of learning. I
have lived in the Republic of Georgia, Russia, the Sudan, Yemen, Egypt, and
for a time in the United States for training and for various art exhibits.
Languages: English, Russian, Arabic
Favorite Travel Memory:
Riding a camel in Egypt and enjoying the sights from the extra height while
pretending to be Lawrence of Arabia.
Worst Travel Memory: Having to pay
the Egyptian camel owner ten dollars to have the camel get down on his
knees so I could dismount.
Favorite Travel Book: The Adventures of Marco Polo.
If I could be anywhere right now it would be at my dacha on the local
lake fishing and swimming on a hot sunny day.
I wouldn't be there without a good book and a description of the
next American group coming to St.
Petersburg from Michael.
Andrey Elbakian, IT manager
Education:
M.A., Computer science, State Academy of the Aerospace Instrumentation, St.
Petersburg, Russia
 c
M.A.,Programming, Academy of Management Methods and
Techniques, St. Petersburg, Russia
About me: I was
born in St. Petersburg, Russia and have lived there for the most part of my
life with exception of a year in Yemen, when I was 3. Computers are my
life. I remember buying computer parts and assembling my first computer
at home. I used every opportunity to spend every dime and minute on
upgrading my computer. Later my love of computers developed into a company
which sold and repaired computers in St. Petersburg.
Languages: English, Russian
My favorite travel memory is driving from Georgia to Chicago for the first
time by myself. The size of the rivers and bridges were awesome. My
problem was trying to look and drive at the same time.
My worst travel memory
was coming from Chicago to Savannah on a Greyhound and learning that
my luggage and computer were not on the bus when I arrived. Fortunately
everything turned out fine the very next day.
If I could be anywhere right now it would be
in an exotic place but with Internet access and I wouldn't
be there without my laptop, GPS and my digital camera.
Now you know about us. We are truly the Russian travel agency of choice. Our Russian travel guides are the best and our all
inclusive Russian travel tours cannot be matched for any amount of money. The Russia tour that we offer provides an in depth look
at the culture of Russia and provides facts about Russia that you cannot find in any other Russian tour. For the most fun,
education, culture, music and dance that can be packed into one tour take our Trip of a lifetime tour to Russia! We offer the
most tours during any season and we know Russia best!
|
|
