Sep 07 8th North Pacific Coast Guard Forum - SUMMIT

In front of Konstantinovsky Palace - Russian Presiden't St Petersburg Residence

...walking in for the opening night banquet...

...the 2005 G-8 Summit was held here...

...looking toward the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea) beyond the reflecting pool

Last minutes preparations before Plenary kickoff

NPCGF Plenary Proceedings

USCG delegation with Chinese delegation in background

ADM Allen - General Pronichev & COLs Bekhove & Zdorovets

Signing the Summit documents - after lots of work!!!

Thanking Colonel Bekhov, a.k.a., "Uncle Alex"

USCG - Japan Coast Guard Bilateral meeting I interpreted from English to Russian then a Russian interpreted back into Japanese! (crazy, but it worked)

A special chamber orchestra performance with famous Russian conductor Spivakov

A child prodigy pianist

Child prodigy oboist

Evening entertainment by Cossack folk troop

Onboard the Commandant's jet returning home (I wasn't with them)

The following pictures are from my first 2007 Russia trip -- Snowy flightline at Elmendorf AFB, AK

On board the USCG C-130 flying over the frozen mountains of Alaska...en route Japan (Misawa AFB)

Refueling stop on Shemya Island (Aleutian Chain)...with CAPT Barry C.

Enjoying some sashimi in Japan. Perhaps the best horse I've ever eaten!!! (no kidding)

On the tarmac upon arrival in Khabarovsk, RU (look it up on the map)

After concluding the Plenary session of the NPCGF Experts Meeting

The proud USCG delegation to Russia ("Drink to Defend!")

Names on the Khabarovsk WWII memorial

Khabarovsk War Memorial Eternal Flame

The cushy Intourist Hotel in Khabarovsk

Our lodging site in Khabarovsk

Back at the airport, leaving Khabarovsk (with reduced liver function)

I'm pretty sure that's North Korea visible on our way back to Japan...