Moscow
We crossed the Finnish-Russian border at 10pm, on a sleeper train. The Cold War fence and border posts are still there, running through endless pine and birch forests. The sleeper was comfortable and we arrived in Moscow on Saturday morning, 5 July, and were met by our old friend Bob. We first met him in 1990, when he was our guide on a trip to the Caucasus. We had last seen him in 1995, when he visited us in Scotland.
First impressions of Moscow were of modern, well stocked shops in the railway station and then lots of drunken, dishevelled men outside the train station. Later, driving around Moscow we encountered many wedding parties having their photos taken in popular places. These parties were characterised by a lot of drink also, with bottles of champagne and wine being sloshed back in public. We saw only one child in these parties. But our overall impression of Moscow was that this is now a much wealthier country than it was the last time we visited, in the early 1990s. It was great to see how much is now available in the shops, and it appears that unemployment is low in Moscow. Our friends are better off now than they were in the early 1990s.
On our first day, we visited the Kremlin Armoury and sumptuous Diamond Fund and had lunch in a cafe called Moo-Moo, just as clean and efficient as we would get back home. In the afternoon we went to see Novodevichy Monastery. It was amazing to see free religion in Russia, given that the last time we visited was just after the Soviet Union. Then we headed out to Bob´s dacha, two hours' drive from Moscow. The dacha estate where Bob built his dacha is like Blackhall of Edinburgh, with good quality houses and gardens, unlike the wooden shacks that dachas used to be in Soviet times. Most Muscovites have access to at least one dacha, and they head out there at weekends.
On Sunday we headed south to visit the historic town of Zvenigorod, with its wooden houses and monastery. Not many foreign tourists go there, so it was a real treat that Bob and his girlfriend Ira took us there by car. The main church in the monastery is very old and contains old icons. We were lucky to hear the beautiful chimes of the bells before the evening service began. We also visited a new wooden church, one of many new churches in Russia.
On Monday we first had to spend a couple of hours registering our visas at a post office, as we were to be in Russia for more than 3 working days.
Monday was the highlight for Isla as we met Ksyusha, her friend from the Russian school in Addis Ababa (pictured below with Bob and Cathy in one of Moscow´s beautiful Metro stations), and Ksyusha's mum, Olya.
Ksyusha spent the day with us visiting Red Square, St. Basil´s Cathedral, GUM (pronounced "goom", an elegant old shopping centre), the Kremlin grounds and churches (pictured below) and Old Arbat street. On Old Arbat, a street known for its artists, Isla did some busking.
In the evening we went to the oldest Moscow circus!!!!! A fascinating experience for us as it had real live animals - lions, performing poodles, snakes and even a crocodile! We were glad we had seats high up, not close to the snakes!
Ksyusha came back to Bob's dacha with us for a sleepover. On Tuesday, we finished our tour of some of the cultural delights of Moscow with a visit to the Tetrakovsky art gallery where we bumped into the very friendly Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia, whom we knew from Addis Ababa, as he had authorised Isla´s attendance at the Russian Embassy school there. He was in Moscow with his wife to help organise their daughter´s wedding.
In the afternoon we said goodbye to Ksyusha. Isla and Ksyusha will, hopefully, keep in touch, and we'd love to see her again.
In the evening we said goodbye to Bob and Ira, our wonderful hosts. Many thanks to you both for your hospitality and for organising such a lovely tour of Moscow for us.
Then we were delighted to meet at the Leningradskaya railway station our other old friend from Moscow, Lena, whom we had also not seen since 1995, when she too visited us in Scotland.
Finally on Tuesday evening we left Moscow on the Red Arrow (Krasnaya Strela) sleeper to St Petersburg. The train is such a civilised form of transport and the Red Arrow is really rather posh, with curtains and flowers in the compartments and smartly dressed attendants in red and gold uniforms with white gloves who serve tea and coffee.
Busking earnings:- 303 Roubles & 2 Euros (in 30 minutes.)
Kilometres cycled: - 0 (haven't started yet)
First impressions of Moscow were of modern, well stocked shops in the railway station and then lots of drunken, dishevelled men outside the train station. Later, driving around Moscow we encountered many wedding parties having their photos taken in popular places. These parties were characterised by a lot of drink also, with bottles of champagne and wine being sloshed back in public. We saw only one child in these parties. But our overall impression of Moscow was that this is now a much wealthier country than it was the last time we visited, in the early 1990s. It was great to see how much is now available in the shops, and it appears that unemployment is low in Moscow. Our friends are better off now than they were in the early 1990s.
On our first day, we visited the Kremlin Armoury and sumptuous Diamond Fund and had lunch in a cafe called Moo-Moo, just as clean and efficient as we would get back home. In the afternoon we went to see Novodevichy Monastery. It was amazing to see free religion in Russia, given that the last time we visited was just after the Soviet Union. Then we headed out to Bob´s dacha, two hours' drive from Moscow. The dacha estate where Bob built his dacha is like Blackhall of Edinburgh, with good quality houses and gardens, unlike the wooden shacks that dachas used to be in Soviet times. Most Muscovites have access to at least one dacha, and they head out there at weekends.
On Sunday we headed south to visit the historic town of Zvenigorod, with its wooden houses and monastery. Not many foreign tourists go there, so it was a real treat that Bob and his girlfriend Ira took us there by car. The main church in the monastery is very old and contains old icons. We were lucky to hear the beautiful chimes of the bells before the evening service began. We also visited a new wooden church, one of many new churches in Russia.
On Monday we first had to spend a couple of hours registering our visas at a post office, as we were to be in Russia for more than 3 working days.
Monday was the highlight for Isla as we met Ksyusha, her friend from the Russian school in Addis Ababa (pictured below with Bob and Cathy in one of Moscow´s beautiful Metro stations), and Ksyusha's mum, Olya.
Ksyusha spent the day with us visiting Red Square, St. Basil´s Cathedral, GUM (pronounced "goom", an elegant old shopping centre), the Kremlin grounds and churches (pictured below) and Old Arbat street. On Old Arbat, a street known for its artists, Isla did some busking. 
In the evening we went to the oldest Moscow circus!!!!! A fascinating experience for us as it had real live animals - lions, performing poodles, snakes and even a crocodile! We were glad we had seats high up, not close to the snakes! 
Ksyusha came back to Bob's dacha with us for a sleepover. On Tuesday, we finished our tour of some of the cultural delights of Moscow with a visit to the Tetrakovsky art gallery where we bumped into the very friendly Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia, whom we knew from Addis Ababa, as he had authorised Isla´s attendance at the Russian Embassy school there. He was in Moscow with his wife to help organise their daughter´s wedding.
In the afternoon we said goodbye to Ksyusha. Isla and Ksyusha will, hopefully, keep in touch, and we'd love to see her again.
In the evening we said goodbye to Bob and Ira, our wonderful hosts. Many thanks to you both for your hospitality and for organising such a lovely tour of Moscow for us.
Then we were delighted to meet at the Leningradskaya railway station our other old friend from Moscow, Lena, whom we had also not seen since 1995, when she too visited us in Scotland.
Finally on Tuesday evening we left Moscow on the Red Arrow (Krasnaya Strela) sleeper to St Petersburg. The train is such a civilised form of transport and the Red Arrow is really rather posh, with curtains and flowers in the compartments and smartly dressed attendants in red and gold uniforms with white gloves who serve tea and coffee.
Busking earnings:- 303 Roubles & 2 Euros (in 30 minutes.)
Kilometres cycled: - 0 (haven't started yet)
posted by Andy Wightman at 7:48 PM
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