First stop; breakfast in the wonderfully located National
Hotel. The breakfast room has a view directly across to the
Kremlin and the entrance to Red Square. It even allows a glimpse
of St Basil's Cathedral in the distance.
After breakfast, a full day at the Kremlin.
Unfortunately, no photos from inside the museums and Cathedrals
there (didn't want to finish up in the clutches of the KGB!). But plenty from the grounds.
The museum in the Armory is something
special, but then we took a tour of the Diamond display... gob
smacked... and then a quick look at some of the souvenirs of the
Hermitage. Probably the most striking fact of these museums (or
is that "musea") is that everything here belongs to the Kremlin and the
former owners. This is not a collection of artworks and pieces
from different parts of the world. Everything here was used here
or presented to the owners as a gift. Phenomenal!
Dark by the time we left there, so across Red Square for the warmth of the GUM
shopping complex. Might be warm inside, but those shops are
enough to make any Amex card quiver so we made a hasty retreat to a
bar/restaurant across the street. Great fun, talked with the
barman about all good things Australian; i.e. Kostya Tszyu.
Tossed down a couple of Russia Standard vodkas, ate borscht
and a couple of other Russian specialities, strolled back to the hotel
all aglow, partook another couple of Russia Standards, and slipped into
a hot bath.
Snowing; heavily; looks like a White Christmas after all...
Our friendly doorman gave us some more advice on how to walk
in these conditions. Lucky he was there really, otherwise we
might not have been arm-in-arm along the snowy streets of Moscow.
Then by chance saw an enormous statue down by the river. It is of Peter the Great
and it is just extraordinary, reaching 94 metres tall from a small
island in the river. There was much debate when it was built and
it is curious that it is sited in a city that, apparently, Peter
detested.
... and then we found one of the city's unsung gems; the Tretyakov Gallery (www.tretyakovgallery.ru).
We had to ask for directions from the local Metro station
(imagine that with our language skills) but found an unpretentious
building containing a truly astonishing collection of fine arts.
That evening, the Bolshoi (as one does) to watch the opera . Spectacular, glamorous, and well worth it.
To finish with a flourish, we celebrated Christmas Eve with dinner at McDonalds!
Christmas Day and it is white. ... and what a day of contrasts.
Close by the Hotel National is a large statue of Karl Marx,
carved entirely from a single piece of granite. Thought it
interesting that this area is currently surrounded by hoardings
advertising all manner of expensive consumer goods.
We searched out one of Moscow's more infamous buildings; the
Lubjanka. The street is respectable, the area full of commerce
and activity, but one can only imagine what secrets this building holds
in its corridors and cellars.
From there, we took the Metro across town to Gorky Park.
Who would believe that this fairground was the setting for a spy
story.
And then began the great metro ride. The Metro is simply
extraordinary; well not so much the trains, but the stations are just
beyond description and certainly the photographs will not do them
justice. This aspect of Moscow is yet another example of the
surprises in store for anyone heading there. And it just must be
experienced, at least in part, during rush hour. Then you will
know that you are alive (just don't expect to get that ideal photo op).
Every station has its own surprises and "wow" factors, but there is one
that has an interesting interactive part, Ploshchad Revolyutsii.
The main hall has a series of marble-lined arches, decorated with
life-size cast-bronze sculptures. Each figure represents an ''everyday
hero" from the revolution and the early Soviet state. One is of a
man and his dog. As we watched, people of all ages passed by
and rubbed the dog's nose, almost as if
for luck. In a city where there seems to be an air of disinterest
in the people as they go about their commute, this was something quite
special.
I am not sure how to describe the end of our Christmas Day.
We tried another bar for our daily vodka shot, and found
ourselves in a small, smoky bar, drinking with everyone there,
eventually dancing like maniacs to AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" and one of
us (he shall remain nameless) being helped across an icy Red Square back to
the hotel just before midnight. Those Russians sure are a
friendly lot. If only I could remember.
