Scratching the Surface

Peterhof Palace

Catherine Palace

The Hermitage was amazing. So was the Peterhof (summer palace) and the Yusupov Palace, where Rasputin was poisoned. We also ate beef stroganoff in the restaurant at the Stroganoff Palace. St Petersburg, as you know, has countless palaces. Although we were there 9 full days, we barely scratched the surface. I wish we had toured the Catherine Palace and whichever one has the Amber Room.

Here are things we did: took trams and metro, toured the Dostoyevsky apt, visited Pushkin's apt, took a bus tour of the city, walked around the Peter and Paul fortress, saw tombs of Catherine the Great, Peter the Great, the Romanovs, joined a canal tour, ate some really good food, spent a day at Peterhof, explored the Hermitage, walked up and down Nevsky Prospect, etc..   

We were pretty tired after three weeks in Moscow, a pretty amazing city itself. Moscow is not as easy to figure out as St. Pete. Was more challenging.  

- e-mail to friend in 2020

Victory Park

source

Kade and I, in 2007, when we were touring a WW2 memorial museum in Moscow, walked by an auditorium filled with older men.  I got curious, and as they were adjourning the meeting, I saw name badges.  They were American names with states where they were from, underneath.  As it turns out, they were veterans of WW2 and were there with their Soviet/Russian counterparts.  We were allies during the war, of course.  This gathering was a chance to exchange stories and celebrate their victory over the AXIS powers. I actually talked with a nice gentleman from Maine.

The Yusupov Palace

 The Yusupov Palace: One of St. Petersburg’s most splendid mansions (PHOTOS)

In the basement was where Rasputin was poisoned.  We toured this mansion.  Very impressive.

First Impressions

This is from 2019.  I made a comment on this video that got a lot of likes and replies.  Here's the comment:  Spent 19 days in Moscow and 10 in St. Petersburg back in 2007 - my wife and I, on our own. No tour groups. Loved it. Needed more time. I have also traveled to many countries. Too bad we get brainwashed in the USA about certain countries. We know that happens towards us by certain countries. But brainwashing in the end is just a lie. That's why traveling is the best education - cliche to say, but holds true. You learn for yourself. Keep enjoying your life, and keep sharing your experiences.

If I Can Return

  If I can do another trip to Russia, these are some things I would like to do.

Moscow

*Lenin's Mausoleum

Seen it, but haven't gone inside.

*St. Basil's Cathedral

I would like to wander around inside.  Of course, saw it while walking Red Square.

*State Historical Museum

I have only seen from the outside.

*The Moscow Kremlin

Have toured the armory, seen the huge canon and the exterior of the cathedrals.  I would love to see the inside of the cathedrals, Stalin's grave and perhaps get a private tour of more of the Kremlin Palace.

*Bolshoi Theater

Have seen it while walking, but would love to tour it and see a show.  The theater was being renovated when we were there.

*The State Tretyakov Gallery

Only saw it briefly.  Would like to wander around the galleries.

*Moscow State University

Would like to go to the top of it for views of the city.  We saw MSU from a boat on the river.

*Anton Chekhov Memorial House

I think a tram/bus took us by the house.  Would love to walk there and tour it.

*Museum of Cosmonautics

Under renovation when we were there.  Looked impressive.

*Yasnaya Polyana

This is Tolstoy's summer residence and burial place.  It's outside Moscow, and we had no chance to get there.

St. Petersburg

*Peterhof Grand Palace 

Would like to tour more of the gardens and other buildings on the grounds.  Saw the back gardens from inside the palace, but did not walk out there.  Too hot, and lacked time.

*Yusupov Palace

Toured the main parts of the palace, but missed the Rasputin basement tour.  I would like to do it.

*Faberge Museum

Don't recall seeing it.

*Peter and Paul Fortress

Want to go back and look more carefully at the tombs of the czars.

*Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

Saw it from the canal cruise, but never went inside.

*Tikhvin Cemetery

Want to see the graves of Tchaikovsky and Dostoyevsky.

*Catherine Palace

Have never seen it.  Want to tour it all, and see the Amber Room.

*Alexander Palace

One I need to see!

*Alexander Nevsky Lavra Monastary & Cemetery

Want to see famous gravesites.

*Summer Garden 

Peter the Great's Summer Garden.   Saw it on the canal cruise.  Need to see if it's possible to get a closer view.

*Mariinsky Theatre

Would be nice to tour it.

*Mariinskiy-2

This is the new one.  Why not attend a performance of some kind?!?

*The icebreaker "Krasin"

*SMOLNY Historical and Memorial Museum

Would be interesting to see Lenin's room.

*Konstantinovsky Palace

This is a palace that was restored in the last decade.  Would love to see it.

Scratching My Head

source

There have been 3x where I have been down in a metro system in an international metropolis, standing in front of a map, wondering to myself, "How am I going to figure this one out?"  First, was in Tokyo.  A Japanese girl helped me out then, thank goodness.  Second time, I was in Seoul, with Kade.  And the third time was after our first day walking in Moscow.  I told Kade, "Let's just sit and relax for a while.  I cannot think about that map. It's too overwhelming."

The World's Ten Busiest Metros

My personal travel rankings

Russia Books

I bought the top two books in the 90s - and I think I did it online.  The others I bought in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2007.

Bridget's Life in Russia

The monument Bridget is walking by, then standing in front of, is the Monument to the Conquerors of Space, which is part of the All-Russian Exhibition Center (formerly VDNKh).   In 2007, on our trip to Russia, my wife and I took the monorail out to the park and went inside Hotel Cosmos, which is seen in the video, near the monument, and in the background after Bridget walks underneath the entrance archway at VDNKh.  Although we did enjoy walking the grounds, the space monument was closed for renovations, which was a little disappointing.

Back in 1959, my grandfather toured the VDNKh with a delegation from Alabama.  Look for Russia Major W. Espy 1959 Trip in sidebar categories.

Russia Souvenirs

Take note of the Stalin ash tray!  My friend Timour, who lives in Moscow, helped me get three Cuban cigars.  I smoked one, gave one to you Mark and one to our cousin Jeff in Huntsville.  I have a story about customs, and getting them in.  Can share in person.  The self-drawing, paperweight and jewelry box are of Alexander Pushkin, who was the "Father of Russian Literature."  I had no idea who he was until my visit over there.  His apartment home was quite fascinating, and his bride was considered the most beautiful woman of all of Russia.  A French diplomat made a pass at her (might have even had an affair), and Pushkin, as famous as he was, did what men did back then: He challenged this man to a duel.  Unfortunately for Pushkin, the Frenchman shot and killed him.  How 'bout that for tragedy?!?  Pushkin's wife did not end up with this new guy, and it's only speculation that there was anything ever beyond "a pass."  Pushkin's great-grandfather was African.  And of all these items, the shot glasses have been the most practical!  The double-headed eagle was the royal emblem created by Peter the Great.

An Obsession

I paid a premium for these coffee table pictorials in the mid-late '90s.  By then I had traveled once to Moscow, another time quickly through it, spent almost a year south of there, in Uzbekistan, and taken a train through the Baltic countries along the western Russian border.  I had become obsessed with both the Transsiberian Railway (actually purchased the Transsiberian Railway Handbook at this same time) and paying a proper visit to Russia's capital, Moscow, and its most beautiful city, St. Petersburg. I ordered these books through the mail, and I subscribed to an English language Russia magazine, which arrived monthly. In 2000, after I had met Mirjam, a German girl traveling in Thailand, I told her I likely would end my travels with the Trans-Mongolian Railway from Beijing, all the way to Moscow, and then work my way over to Berlin to spend time with her.  Fate dealt me a different hand.  Never got on that train.  However, over the next seven years Russia remained prominently on my radar.  Finally, in 2007, Kade and I spent a month there - 20 days in Moscow, 10 in St. Petersburg. You can find my photos and journal writings from that trip by searching categories in the sidebar. The pictorials above, especially the St. Petersburg one, came to life on that journey, and it was a trip of a lifetime. The Transsberian is still a dream, but not unrealistic, in any sense of the word.  One day I will accomplish it!

Click here for other books on Russia I have enjoyed reading.

Hot Dog Chile

Gift-giving is a positive.  When I travel I sometimes take small gifts to give out to locals.  I did this especially when I was going to live somewhere - thinking of my time in Uzbekistan and Canada.  I took various items to give away in order to be friendly.  I will have to think back to remember some of my favorite items (having a bit of brain freeze right now), and then list them here.  And there have been other times when I have mailed care packages to expats (a foreigner living in another country for a period of time).  I know from my living overseas, it can get lonely out there.  Expats start craving lots of things.  Back in 2007, as I was planning our trip to Moscow (Russia), I was picking the brain of an expat from the US state of Georgia who had been living and working in the Russian capital.  After getting lots of tips and feedback, we talked about meeting up once my wife and I arrived and were ready for a city tour.  He was going to show us around (and he did).  But what was interesting was a request that he had.  I posted it below.  I'd have to say, it was a slightly odd request (and funny!), and he was sure focused on it!  In the end, I came through for him, and that's what matters.

source

Allen, if you do not mind, could I ask you for a favor, if it is at all possible to do?  Could you possibly bring me  a small can of hot dog chili?  I have been here for five years and have not had a chili hot dog in five years.  If I miss anything from home the most, it's having a chili hot dog.  Here you can get hot dogs at various places, but no chili hot dogs.  I used to buy a can of hot dog chili at the supermarket and make my own, but here there is no hot dog chili anywhere, so I was wondering if you could possibly pick me a can of hot dog chili at the grocery store the next time you go and bring me a small can.  I think the airlines and home security bozos would have no problems with a can that has not been opened.  I would just love to have a chili hot dog.  Thank you if you can possibly do this for me.

Our Russia Itinerary

 

I'm thinking that Moscow, with all of its challenges and chaos, probably deserves a bit more attention than St. Petersburg.  At least I see it that way.  Plus, I have researched Moscow a bit more over the years and would regret not seeing and doing as much as possible.  St. Petersburg, on the other hand, is going to be lovely, yet the city is well-designed for walking, which means we probably won't wear ourselves out as much.

 

Let me also add that we are much more interested in exploring streets and seeing how everyday people get about.  I like unique things, so boat rides on the river, visiting a farmer's market, seeing a Stalin exhibition, and taking a Russian bath truly interest me.  I am also not keen on devoting lots of time to touring monasteries and churches.  For me, it would get boring rather quickly.  I'd love to see the exterior of any building, but not necessarily tour the place or grounds for hours.  I'm much more interested in drinking a cappuccino near some beautiful building. 

 

I prefer secular Russia over religious.  I also have a strong interest in anything WWII.  In addition, I don't want to be worn out from feeling we must overdo it.  Therefore, we're willing to do tourist stuff half the day and relaxing stuff the other half.  And, we might just book a tour or two to make life easier.  Last but not least, we are fairly budget minded, but not to the point of missing out on some musts.  - from an e-mail to an American contact in Moscow who was assisting me.

 

I had thought long and hard about visiting Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad), but airfare rates in Moscow were exorbitantly high.  Plus, we were facing a time crunch.  The big area I had marked to the east of Moscow is The Golden Ring.  We also were not able to tour it, mainly due to a lack of time.  The longer I travel, the more time I feel I need to explore cities, regions and certainly countries.  No longer do quick stops really satisfy me.

Russia, Day 1

 source

Day One 

We arrived in the afternoon.  We got through customs unscathed, although it took a fair amount of time.  We easily spotted Rasilev, the taxi driver sent by Godzillas Hostel.  After getting some cash from an ATM, we followed him to his car.  We got into his reasonably late model car.  There was no sign of a seatbelt.   The heat in and outside the car was bearing down..  When I asked Rasilev if he could slow down or if there was a seatbelt, he took a pause from his cigarette and said, “This is Russia.  No problem.”  He then sped on.  The drive from the airport into the city was uneventful.  I did observe a lot of apartment blocks that seemed to be in very poor condition.  Mile after mile of highway also didn’t make a very good first impression.  We did notice a nice Ikea furniture store, but that was the early highlight.  As we approached the outer ring of the city center the traffic congestion worsened.  I recall thinking that Moscow had more in common, aesthetically speaking, with what I envisioned Southern Europe to be.  It didn’t have a sophisticated, clean feel to it. 

Backing up a bit, on the descent into Moscow, the landscape was quite nice - a lot of forests and some pretty lakes.   I also had my first view of a combination of housing.  I could see the outlines and shapes of large apartment block housing in the distance as well as beautiful dacha subdivisions.  Some of the dachas were exceptionally large and obviously very expensive.   

We reached Godzillas, the pink hostel that would be our home for a couple of weeks.  We checked in and found our room.  The room had a double bed, new-looking furniture, some nice light fixtures and fresh coat of paint and wallpaper.  It was a second floor room with a not so impressive view of backyard garages and some trees.  Our goal was to stock up on a few essentials like water, juice and some snacks.  We walked down the street and found a local supermarket.  I felt relieved that a well-stocked market, open most of the day, was just a minute or two from our hostel.  We bought water and cookies. 

We took our map and walked out to the main street (Tsvetnoy Bulvar).  We walked towards the center of the city until we reached the boulevard ring.  We noticed the divided road, flanked on each side by lovely buildings and partitioned in the middle by a pedestrian park.  The park runs the entire ring around the city of Moscow.  It was impressive.  We walked along the dirt pathway, admiring the trees and the landscaping and occasionally eyeing people milling about in the park and sitting on park benches.  It was the start of a very stimulating day.  We grew more and more tired as we walked, knowing that soon we would make our way to Pushkin Square.   Eventually, we followed the park path until we reached an area where a park art exhibit was.  It was then that we got our first real look at scores of young fashionable Russians going about their everyday lives.  The exhibit showcased photography of animals doing fascinating things in their environment.  It was really intriguing. However, my personal focus was heavily on the wave and after wave of people who were drawn to this exhibit.  I noticed very fashionable-looking young ladies with their friends and boyfriends.  The place was abuzz with activity and was a perfect introduction to the city.  Eventually, after passing beer gardens, ice cream kiosks and then a casino and theater, I noticed fountains and statues.  We were in a park that appeared to be Pushkin square.  Young people sat at the base of monuments, on park benches and around the fountains.  Many more were walking by and standing around in groups, having fun and enjoying the sunny day.  Soon we approached Pushkin Monument, which was to be our meeting place for our first day with Jon.  From the monument, we used one of the underground walkways to cross the street.  From there, we could see the Kremlin walls and towers in the distance.  We were on Tverskaya Street (Moscow’s Madison Avenue) and we decided to take off walking.  We had that adrenaline rush that comes from being in a new, exciting place.  The walk down Tverskaya was remarkable.  It seemed surreal.  Suddenly, we were one of thousands – and many thousands – walking the busy sidewalks of Moscow’s most glamorous street.  Sidewalks were very wide and largely used only for walking.  There were occasional kiosks selling cokes, pastries, newspapers, souvenir items, etc.  But, unlike in Bangkok, they weren’t blocking the sidewalk, prohibiting pedestrians from enjoying a nice stroll.  On Tverskaya, we got our first taste of Moscow fashion.  It was common to see women wearing sexy miniskirts and low cut blouses.  You could see the outline of g-strings through women’s skirts and pants.  It also was incredibly evident that scores of young men and women smoke.  That, in itself, was quite shocking.

After walking what probably was a mile or more down Tverskaya Street, the Kremlin and the gates to Red Square grabbed our attention.  And I mean grabbed!  I would say that of all the countries I have visited and cities I’ve seen, this presentation of architecture is arguably the most attractive.  Perhaps it’s the color scheme. Perhaps it’s the sheer size. Perhaps it’s the design and layout…something about the view approaching Red Square from Tverskaya Street really amazes you.  I was very impressed.  As we exited Tverskaya Street and approached the brick-paved square leading to the side entrance of Red Square, we noticed beer gardens and restaurants on the left and the Manage Square (adjacent to Alexander Garden) on our right.  We walked over to the right, made a short stop at a fountain with horses and then went inside an underground mall. This mall was built in the 90’s and is now one of the most luxurious places to shop and be seen.  Our goal was to find something to eat.   We did.  The bottom floor of the six-floor deep mall was a fabulous food court, lined with franchise names I didn’t recognize.  We walked past several of the food stations and eventually found one towards the back that had Russian fare.  I got some beet salad and together we got a chicken dish.  It was enough to give us a quick burst of energy and rest our weary legs.    

After eating, we exited the mall and walked towards Red Square.  Before walking through the gates, Kade stopped to toss a coin over her shoulder at the “center of the earth.”  Then, we walked through the gates and out onto Red Square.  The brick-paved square is actually more rectangular.  It’s bookmarked on one end by St. Basil’s Cathedral and the other by the State Historical Museum.  Lenin’s Mausoleum centers the wall of the Kremlin.  Behind the wall and overlooking the square is the gorgeously dark yellow Grand Kremlin Palace with the nation’s flag flying above.  Opposite Lenin’s Mausoleum is GUM, the first state department in Moscow and now one of trendiest places to shop in town.  It runs the length of one side of the “square” and the design is quite remarkable. 

At this point, fatigue starts setting in big-time.  Our legs were getting sore and jet-lag was setting in.  I could sense we needed to return to the hostel.  So, after getting slightly lost for forty-five minutes, we made our way to the Kitai Gorod area, within a few minutes of Red Square.  A young lady pointed the way to the metro.  After actually following her there, we bought our first metro pass and used the subway.  The escalator descended deep into the earth and finally we found the platform where we needed to be.  After some confusion and feeling a bit dazed, we exited at our metro station (Tsvetnoy Bulvar) and walked ten minutes back to the hostel.  Exhaustion set in and we went to sleep. 

Russia, Day 2

 

 

Day Two 

We got up after a very good night’s sleep and made our way to a coffee shop.  It was raining a bit.  Our plan was to walk to the Chisty Prudy area to get a massage at a well-known banya and perhaps have a meal on the diner tram.  We started walking. We got to an area where we got very lost.  It was very hard deciphering street names and then pinpointing their locale on our guidebook map.  The rain kept coming down, but luckily we had our umbrella.  In order to get our bearings and rest our weary legs, we ducked into a chocolate store.  There, in a very elegant setting, we sat at a small table and proceeded to order some real hot chocolate – made with chocolate bars and fresh nuts.  It was the richest dessert I’ve had.  It got the serotonin pumping!  A young man pointed out how we would get to Chisty Prudy.  After paying our tab and resting, we were off again.   

We found a metro station in the Chisty Prudy area.  I had my hopes on hopping on the diner tram for a sandwich and a coffee.  We waited at what we believed to be the appropriate tram stop.  The weather was still yucky and there was a bit of frustration on our faces.  Eventually, we decided that the tram was out of service and that we should walk along one side of the boulevard.  This was the Chisty Prudy area – a hotspot in Moscow.  Unfortunately, the park, which had a beautiful pond, was under reconstruction.  So, we walked on until we found a travel agent.  We wanted to find reasonable airline tickets to Volgograd.  No real luck.  After getting some lunch suggestions, we walked until we reached the end of the boulevard park.   

As we were walking, we talked about getting some lunch.  We saw a restaurant that offered a business lunch.  As it turns out, it was a restaurant I had researched on the Internet.  It had a well-stocked, clean buffet.  We took a table and ordered a business lunch and few other items from the menu.  The restaurant had good service and an interesting atmosphere.  For drinks, we ordered a Russia specialty, Kvass. Kvass is made with fermented bread and water.  I thought it was tasty.  Kade ordered a fruit tea.  It was also very good.  The meal was pork balls with barbecue sauce.  We also had some rice, some soup and a very good salad.   

After eating, we walked back to the metro and got off at a stop where the Dostoyevsky Museum is.  Well, we quickly got lost.  We were looking for a certain street name and hospital (used to be where Dostoyevsky lived as boy).  No luck.  We were walking and walking.  I finally asked a man if he knew the location.  No luck again. He was very nice and tried speaking some English.  Eventually, we made it to what we thought was the hospital but security would not let us through the gate.  However, even they were very friendly.  They laughed along with us when I was trying to speak Russian.  Near the gate was a tram station. We managed to get a man to help us figure out which tram would take us to a metro station.  He told us a number and even helped us figure out how to buy a ticket on board.  The whole time, as we sitting, he looked at us to reassure us that he would let us know which stop was ours.  Also, at some point, a lady that looked and acted a bit deranged, came and sat near Kade.  I was standing.  This lady proceeded to tell us, in very broken English and some Russian, the metro stop was coming up.  We made it to a metro station and then back to our metro stop.  The walk from the metro back to our hostel was very tiring – and later became a joke of ours.  We talked about that being the one thing we dreaded all day.  It was indeed a long distance.  And, to think we’d have to face that hike at the end of every day!  On this day, we came back and literally collapsed on the bed.  I think we went to bed in the afternoon at 4 PM and woke up some 13 hours later!  I only recall waking up once to munch on some lemon cookies and drink some water.  That night I had the soundest, best sleep ever!

Russia, Day 3

  

 

Day Three  

Today was a big day.  It was the day to meet Jon, a guy from Albany, GA, whom I had been corresponding with for several weeks.  He’s an American expat now living in Moscow.  In the morning, in order to be on time, we jumped on the metro and headed for Pushkin Square.  The weather was very lousy – rainy and cool.  We waited for Jon on a park bench near the famed Pushkin statue.  About 10 after 9 AM, up walks Jon.  Jon is a very Southern guy.  He had just had his teeth knocked out after hitting a railing while attempting to get on a bus.  The whole moment of meeting him and “sizing him up” was very entertaining.  I just knew the day was going to be interesting.  Before setting off on one of our long walks, we stopped and had some coffee at a fairly swanky coffee bar in the area.  The bill for three coffees totaled about $20!   

Jon wanted to take us down Tverskaya, all the way down to the Kremlin.  We contemplated telling him we had already done this, and finally gave in and did just that.   As we walked down Tverskaya it was obviously less chaotic and bustling as the first time.  It was just a different time of the day.  We stopped and took photos at the statue of the founder of Moscow and posed in front of the mayor’s office, a gorgeous piece of architecture that is rosy pink.  Once we made it down to the Kremlin, Jon took us into Alexander Park, where we saw the Changing of the Guard for the first time.  We were impressed with the ritual all the pomp that went along with it.  When we in the garden we noticed a long line of people waiting to see Lenin’s body.  Jon explained a bit about the horse stable that the Czar maintained.  It was as long and wide as a football field! 

We walked out onto Red Square and Jon took some photos. The weather was still not cooperating, but we had to endure.  Jon then took us between St. Basil’s and GUM, to an area known as Kitai Gorod.  He pointed the modest home of the first Czar and the headquarters of the Romanov Court, which was genesis of the ruling dynasty.  We then made our way around a huge construction site (the former Russiya Hotel) and to a spot on the Moska River embankment.  This was truly impressive.  Beautifully-painted buildings lined both embankments and there was a huge fountain at a spit where the river divides into two parts.  In the distance, the goliath “seven sisters” towers could be seen, along with other city landmarks such as the TV tower and new gleaming office skyscrapers. 

Jon then walked us past the famous Tretyakov Gallery Museum.  The gallery’s design is extraordinary and represents a purely Russian style.  The streets and neighborhoods in the adjacent area were also very unique.  This whole area would have been worth revisiting a few times.  There was a lot of history in the area and the buildings and churches themselves were very pleasing to the eye.   

For lunch, we ate at an Uzbek restaurant.  It was a chain restaurant designed to resemble the now independent country of Uzbekistan.  There was a fabulous salad bar along with a host of Uzbek specialties.  I was in heaven!  It was here that Kade got her first taste of shaslik.  Shaslik means barbecue or a skewer of meat.  Kade ordered a chicken shaslik.  Out of this world!  The salad bar was as delicious as it looked.  I loved the layout of it and the overall cleanliness.  Our waitress was also very nice. 

After lunch, Jon took us to Dom Knigi, the largest bookstore in Moscow.  He also pointed out a Seven Continents supermarket.  He even took us inside of one of the Orthodox churches.  It had all the symbols of a centuries-old faith, including some very impressive murals of biblical scenes. 

We jumped on the metro and followed Jon back to the station where his home is.  He took us to a farmers market just near the station.  We bought some delicious dried apricots from Tajikistan.  We also bought some pickled garlic, some apples, some plums and a very sweet fruit with a name that escapes me.  All purchasing was done by bargaining – a bit challenging but fun. 

After saying goodbye to Jon, we were back on the metro for the long ride to our hostel.  After exiting our metro station, we walked next door to check on circus tickets.  Tickets were sold out for that evening, so we walked across the street to the boulevard park.  We sat among families and children who were obviously excited about the circus they were going to attend that night.  There were unique statues in the park depicting circus acts and performers.  These statues were in the middle of fountains and in spots where kids could play with the water and pose for images.  This was a real cultural treat to see.  By the way, I do remember looking up and seeing this hulk of a man, dressed in an oversized shirt and some jean shorts.  He was waddling rather than walking.  I told Kade that he looked like an American.  Sure enough, when he talked, the obvious became the more obvious.

We ended our day by having a late afternoon coffee and by picking some pastries to take back to the room.  This could have been the day that the pastry shop owner snapped at us.  We broke some shop etiquette by using tongs meant for fruit turnovers to grab hold of some meat pies.  The lady didn’t like it.  I stood my ground, in English! 

In the evening, just before bed, we got out the Muscle Rub and rubbed massive amounts into our extremely sore and fatigued legs.  Then, as with the previous night, we conked out.

Russia, Day 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding Cake Tower (1930's), Skyscrapers (2010), Kremlin (1100's)

 

Day Four 

We had coffee at our regular coffee shop, Coffee House.  I picked up the free daily Moscow Times paper for the day's news.  The plan of the day was to visit Victory Park and Museum.  The metro to Park Pobedy was a breeze.  The Cyrillic Alphabet is becoming easier to decipher.  We arrived at the new metro station.  I was stunned at the beauty of the station.  Its depth underground was similar to the others, but the marble and limestone were shinier and more lustrous.  Also, there was a mural of Russia's military victories over the years – from Napoleon to the Second World War.  We were very impressed. 

There were two exits at the top of the metro escalators.  One led to the famous arch commemorating Napoleon’s path of retreat from Moscow after the 1812 war.  The other exit, the one we used, was the direction to Victory Park and Museum.  The grounds - monuments, fountains and museum - were all dedicated to the Great Patriotic War, what we call the Second World War.   From where we stood in the park, we could easily see Moscow's newest skyscrapers.  The cluster of buildings is called Moscow City.  

We walked towards the museum, noticing the landscaping and fountains.  We lined up to buy our tickets.  In line, I met an American girl who spoke fluent Russian.  She helped us by our tickets.  One inside the museum, Kade and I checked our bags at the cloak room and started our tour.  About thirty minutes into the tour, we went to the cafeteria for a snack.  A funny incident occurred with the guy working the snack bar.  He got miffed when I opened the Coke cooler on my own.  Too bad he was speaking only Russian!  I can only guess that I disturbed his little world.  After snacking, we resumed our tour.  I love WWII history, so I relished looking at each exhibit.  We ended up spending a total of three hours walking around the museum.  This was terribly inadequate, but our minds and bodies were starting to tire.  We did notice a group of Japanese tourists - probably WWII vets - being led by Russian guides through the exhibition rooms.   

Upon exiting the museum, we walked around the back where there was another promenade that extended for what seemed like a couple of miles.  As with many Russian parks and museums, the size of this one was mind-boggling.  We managed to walk a bit and thought about viewing the artillery and military hardware exhibits.  Luckily, we obeyed our minds and realized it would be foolish to press on.  Besides, we were going to be in Moscow awhile, so perhaps we could come back.  As we walked back around the museum to the front side, where the obelisk statue and fountains are, we noticed people walking and jogging.  We also noticed kids skateboarding and two or three wedding parties.  It's common for the bride and groom to visit prominent landmarks and beautiful sites on the day of the wedding.  These newlyweds were surrounded by their families, bridesmaids and groomsmen.  Of course, there was also a photographer by their sides.  The mode of transportation most used by these newlyweds is a limo. 

We sat down at one of the kiosks on the grounds of the park.  We ordered lamb shashlik and some bread for a quick meal.  It actually was pretty filling.  The only trouble was trying to keep our plastic plates and paper napkins from flying off.  It was a windy day! 

After our meal, we walked past a circus tent, which was on the Victory Park grounds.  We continued on to the metro.  Our destination was the Universitet station, where we could buy some tickets to the Moscow State Circus.  We exited the station and noticed big apartment blocks.  These apartments were obviously better built and more attractive than other Soviet-era blocks that are common in the city.  I was impressed by these.  We waited for the “walking signal” and then made our way across the street to the circus.  We bought our tickets for a performance a few nights later.  As we walked back to the metro station, we looked up and saw Moscow State University, which is arguably the most well-known of the Seven Sisters towers. 

We hopped on the metro and went to Kievskaya station.  It was about rush hour and boy did we feel it.  The crowd of people was hard to comprehend.  At this point, we were practically delirious from lack of nourishment, fatigue and soreness.  We exited the metro car at Kievskaya.  I briefly admired the ornate decor of the statue, but was soon swept up in the throngs of commuters who walked towards the steep escalators.  We were mainly focusing on trying to find a giant food bazaar that had been featured on Martha Stewart's show.  At the top of the escalator - and just before reaching the exit to the street level - I noticed several policeman checking documents of commuters.  We acted as inconspicuous as possible and made our way into a huge, modern mall that was next door.  We asked ladies at the info desk if they knew where the bazaar was.  No one seemed to really know.  I was feeling very moody at this time, and I'm sure Kade didn't think I was good company.  

Eventually I decided to walk down to the embankment to buy tickets for the Moskva River Cruise that’s on the Must-Do List in Moscow.  Tickets were $10.  We got on board and the cruise started.  We bought a Sprite and a Coke and sat back for the ride.  The bridges of the city were marvelous to view.  Alongside the river were lush gardens and walking trails.  We enjoyed seeing sunbathers and fitness buffs enjoying their day.  We neared a bend in the river and the most beautiful stretch of thick green treetops came into view.  This canopy of trees provided a gorgeous foreground for the Moscow State Tower, which looks like a wedding cake.   

Other notable landmarks that came into view were the Academy of Sciences, the Church of the Savior, the Red October Chocolate Factory, Gorky Park and the Peter the Great Monument.  Tourists on board were clamoring for pictures.  A young, nice-looking couple seemed oblivious to all the sites as each other in their arms.   

We disembarked at Red Square and found the metro station.  We were exhausted.  We picked up some foods at our bakery - the lady was now smiling...or at least more understanding.  Back at the hostel, we couldn't wait to sleep.  Depleted of all energy, we managed to eat, take a shower and rub in Muscle Rub.  Only some loud, drunk backpackers, arriving back in the wee hours of the morning, kept me from sleeping very soundly.  Regardless, I got what I wanted: to sleep in.