Fri., 6/12 - Moscow - Russian Independence Day
After breakfast we piled into the Svir restaurant on board (the small one upstairs) and received instructions on disembarkation on Monday - when to have our luggage packed, how and when to settle our onboard bill, etc. It sounded like it will be a lengthy process of waiting in line, but it turned out not to be so. At 10:30 we had another lecture, this time about Russia today. It is rather obvious that the 20-year-old Russians have a much different view of life here and in other countries of the old USSR than do the 50-year-olds. Change has happened almost too fast here and not everyone is prepared to handle it.
After lunch we got on our tour buses and went for our city tour of Moscow with a local guide, Irenya. Again we are lucky to have someone who speaks very good English. It poured rain as our ship approached Moscow but the sun came out for our afternoon tour.
The bus drove us around the center of the city. Traffic was light because it is a holiday, Russian sovereignty day, but tied up for street closures due to “special events” like a 10k or marathon downtown. The buildings in the city center are all of a similar style because the architecture of new building has to fit in with the older ones. It was difficult to pick out the old ones.
We drove to see the Kremlin that is the inner circle of defense, and the garden ring, and the boulevard ring that circles the city. There seem to be many trees and parks and statues of Russian writers, musicians, artists, etc. The parts of the city we saw were free of litter and debris as it was in St. Petersburg. Only Yaroslavl seemed dirty with plenty of graffiti.
We finally made a stop across the lake from the New Maiden Convent. It was a photo op. The only way for nobles and czars to get rid of a previous wife was to send her to a nunnery since there is no divorce provision in the Russian Orthodox religion. Therefore, there seem to be many nunneries in this country. Beside the lake are a series of brass ducks donated to Moscow’s children by Barbara Bush. The originals were stolen so what is now in the park are copies.
New Maiden Convent |
Brass ducks - gift to the children of Moscow from Barbara Bush
|
The next stop was a true European experience, a public toilet (“tyalet or tualet). Marge missed the experience and I wish I had had my camera. There was a porcelain bowl in the floor. You stepped up on either side of it and squatted, careful not to get your pant legs in the mix. It did flush like a real toilet, which is a step up from one I had found in France.
The next stop was up on a hill for a panoramic view of Moscow. The stop was in front of the state University of Moscow and above the large stadium used in the 1980 Summer Olympics. There were two ski jumps going from the lookout down toward the stadium. I bought a Moscow spoon at one of the numerous souvenir tables along the lookout.
|
University of Moscow
|
Ski Jump
|
1980 Olympic Stadium |
View of Moscow
|
Souvenirs |
Triumphal Arch
|
|
The next stop was at the Victory Park metro station Park Pobedy station). We were taken as a group down the long escalator (it is very deep and was used as a shelter during bombing in WWII) and rode the train two stops to the Smolenskaya station and the pedestrian mall. The stations are elaborately decorated. These two commemorated wars, 1812 and others.
Park Pobedy station sign
|
It is a long way down! |
Art work in the subway stations |
Subway cars
|
Art work in the subway stations
|
Art work in the subway stations |
We had free time at the mall. I found an ATM to get some more rubles and then we sat outside and had frappes at a Starbucks! that was a block from a McDonalds and a Hard Rock Café. The drink was refreshing. It was hot out (80°) and it was nice to sit and watch the holiday people walking by. There were street musicians and entertainers and some nice shops.
|
Needs no caption
|
We returned to the ship at 6:30. There are four Viking River Cruise ships here at our dock and they park side-by-side. We enter our ship by walking across a sister ship.
Marge fell asleep before dinner and slept through dinner. Gale, of course, went to eat and enjoyed two new tablemates. Early to bed - 9:30 PM. We opted out of the optional excursion to see the lights of Moscow at night with a return to the ship after midnight.
Marge has a fever and a rash on her upper back, chest, arms and neck. She couldn’t see the ship doctor until 9 AM and our tour of the Kremlin began at 8:30. She stayed on the ship and I toured on my own. For more Kremlin information go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Kremlin
The first stop was at the Armory Museum in the Kremlin. The line to get in was very slow. It took our group more than 30 minutes to go through the single metal detector. The guards were being overly officious.
Entrance to the Kremlin |
Kremlin Palace |
We finally got into the museum. We had a very good local guide and she explained interesting facts about many of the thousands of items.
Peter the Great was 6’8” tall and wore about a size 13 shoe. We saw a pair of his huge knee high boots. Our guide, Irenya, explained the large salt bowl. Salt was a very prized commodity, so it was placed on the table in front of the most prominent person. To be asked if “you are worth your salt” comes from how close you sit to the salt. The armory exhibits about nine original Faberge eggs that were made as an Easter egg surprise. Each egg has a surprise inside it. The year the trans-Siberian railroad was finished, a 7 piece gold train was inside the czar’s egg.
We walked out past the presidential palace to an open area and watched a half hour changing of the guard ceremony. There was a band, goose-stepping rifle and saber regiments, and a horse brigade. They marched and drilled and flipped their weapons and the horsemen rode in a pattern like square dancing. Last were three 10 year-olds in uniform on small horses and then two 6 year-olds on ponies. They were cute! Everything was precision perfect.
|
|
|
|
There are at least seven churches and cathedrals within the Kremlin walls as well as four palaces, assorted towers and other buildings. |
One of several Kremlin towers
|
Looking into the Kremlin over the wall
|
Bell Tower |
Cathedral of the Archangel Michael
|
Cathedral of Dormition |
Cathedral of the Annunciation
|
We entered the Cathedral of the Assumption where the Russian czars were married and crowned. The iconostasis has the traditional five tiers with the local patriarch of the church, a scene of the assumption of Mary and Mary and Jesus on the lowest level, then scenes of the life of Jesus, then the prophets and on top, the apostles.
|
Outside again we saw the largest bell (the czar’s bell) that was never rung and the Czar cannon that was never fired - it was to intimidate the enemy approaching the Kremlin.
Czar's Bell
|
Czar's Cannon |
We left the Kremlin and ate a box lunch on the bus and then headed for Red Square. The adjective, red, refers to “pretty” or “beautiful” and not to communism. We entered by passing the Moscow icon, St. Basil’s (the Cathedral of Intercession). It has fairy tale colored domes and inside there are nine chapels.
Cathedral of Saint Basil the Blessed or Cathedral of the Intercession
|
|
|
|
Red Square was once a trade market. Gradually the shops/booths were moved under the arches (porticos) of what is now the Gum department store, which borders the opposite side of the square from the Kremlin wall. The Russian Historical Museum is opposite St. Basil’s and Lenin’s tomb is adjacent to the Kremlin wall. These buildings enclose the Square. Stalin had the elaborate gate at one enclosed end destroyed so tanks could enter and parade on the square with the marching soldiers. It has since been reconstructed.
We had free time so I took more pictures and wandered around inside Gum. There are three levels and three promenades lined with high-end merchants - Cartier, Coach, La Coste, Armani, etc. On the far side I found a high-end food market with sections for: coffee, wine, meats, fruits, veggies, bakery of desserts, and another for bread, cheese, flowers, etc. The items came from around the world. It was very interesting and unique. I purchased a “dark” ice cream cone. It was brown sugar, not chocolate but very satisfying on the hot day.
Gums Department Store |
Gums Department Store
|
Gums Department Store
|
Gums Department Store |
Historical Museum
|
Lenin's Tomb |
We found that most construction sites had these coverings representing what the building was going to look like when finished. Much more attractive than the board fences we put up in the same situation.
|
|
Back on the boat I found Marge still with a fever and a nasty rash, evidently a reaction to a medication she was taking. The ship doctor gave her an ointment and three pills. The names and directions, of course, were written in Russian. She couldn’t eat dinner so I left her to her misery again and went to dinner and the folkloric musical program in town that evening alone. The orchestra had balalaikas, dumnas, accordions, keyboard, flute/piccolo, oboe, and tympani. They were very talented musicians who really enjoyed entertaining. The soprano and xylophone were outstanding and the comic who played everything from spoons to a saw! was funny.
I ate a late night snack of pasta and then got Marge to eat some bread and drink a Sprite. They stayed down, so I guess she is on the mend.
Northern River Port at Khimki
|
|
|
|
Scene from Folkloric show |
Russian wedding locks Young Russian lovers paint their names on the padlock, lock it to a scenic spot where they've shared a romantic kiss or traditionally where they've taken a wedding photo, and then throw away the key. It is the equivalent to proclaiming their forever love by carving their initials into a tree or picnic bench. |
| Return to Top | Return to Itinerary | Return to Dreamcatcher Home Page |