Tsarkoye Selo - Part Deux

Thus we resume the blog. Google, at least when using the iPad, will not allow me to type a certain amount before the writer can no longer see, edit or alter the text. I, too, now share my father's frustration with Google and this blogging platform. And now, back to the show!

 Once we were on the train we had to figure out what the correct stop was. According to the guidebooks it should take about 25 minutes to get to the train station from Petersburg. However, only a few stops in we thought we heard "Pushkinskaya" so we hopped off the train...it was not the stop we wanted. Thankfully there was an elderly woman who had wanted to get onto the train and was banging on the train doors with her cane, so they opened the doors again and we were able to get back on. Thus, we made it to the correct train station.

Once off the train, in the correct place this time, we got on a bus that took us up towards the Catherine Palace. We toured this grand establishment for a few hours. Of course there were some snafus regarding the audio guide, but they were minor and we were able to listen about each room as we walked through it.

My overall impression of the Catherine Palace is that it is nice. Certainly it is beautiful with lots of gold, and light from windows and all of that, but out of all the palaces I have seen Versailles is still my favorite, and the one I have found to be most impressive. Something unique about this palace though, is the Amber Room. Three out of the four walls are done in varying shades of amber and that truly is spectacular.

When we were done in the palace we strolled around the grounds. This was much more enjoyable and impressive to me. For one thing, it was a beautiful fall day, temperature was low 60s, sun was partially out and the leaves on the trees were breathtaking.  Much different from how the weather has been generally, which is freezing and miserable. I also liked how there was so much to see while walking around. The garden is not JUST a garden, there is a turkish bath house, fountains, statues, and so much more.

Upon finishing our walk, we made our way back to the train station where we successfully figured out how to purchase tickets and get on the train AND get off in the right place (our stop was the last one).

We are now back in Petersburg after our jaunt today and are finishing up dinner at a Ginza Project restaurant, Moscva. The food has been good and I like the decor and ambiance of the restaurant. Tomorrow we will try to stop by the Wodka Museum before getting on a 1 o'clock train back to Moscow.

Until next time, this is Alexi Turbow, signing off.

FROM PART TWO THROUGH TSARKOE SELO

Written again by my favorite guest blogger, Alexi T.

To continue from yesterday when I got cut off AGAIN on the internet...

After discovering that the Pushkin museum was closed, we made our way over to the Dostoevsky museum. Within the museum there are two main parts: his apartment here in Petersburg (although, as it turns out Dostoevsky did not like staying in one place for too long and he moved every three years, so in terms of how long he was at this particular apartment I'm not sure, what I do know is that this is the apartment he died in) and a hall with photographs and drawings of people and places pertinent to both Petersburg and Dostoevsky. There was also a small art exhibit, which was strange, mainly due to some plaster feet with hardly anything  on them, but I digress.

Dostoevsky's apartment was NICE, and when I say nice, I mean quite spacious. In those times the size of an apartment was not based upon square footage, but what floor   and how many rooms it had. The ideal floor to be on was the second, which Dostoevsky's was, and his apartment had six large rooms. I learned quite a bit about this great author, including how he met his second wife (she was his stenographer), that he liked to roll his own cigarettes and his family came above all else. As soon as he would come home from traveling or doing something he would ask "Where are the children?"

In the other part of the museum where there are pictures pertinent to Dostoevsky and Petersburg, I learned about his time in prison. I honestly did not know he had been jailed, and to learn that he was sent first to be in solitude in the fortress for eight months, then to Siberia to work in a hard labor camp for four years and THEN to be moved down to what is now Kazhakstan all for the wish of an idea to distribute a letter, blew my mind. However, Dostoevsky did not seem to mind his time in Siberia because while he "did not get to know Russia, I did get to know the Russian people, probably better than most". I think his time in Siberia also prompted his thoughts on people in general. Dostoevsky thought that you should not judge a person or his character based upon anything except how he laughs. I think hhis being imprisoned with the likes of thieves and murderers gave him a little game of trying to find out who these people really were deep down, and when he could find a nugget of good inside them he was pleased.

When we were done learning about Dostoevsky we walked around his neighborhood a little bit and walked through a market. Initially, I thought this market was going to be like the Shuks I visited in Israel, but quickly learned they were not like shuks at all. There were only a few shops (one of which was a hunting store with guns and crossbows hanging up everywhere) and the rest was a food market. It smelled fishy...literally.

After visiting "Dostoevsky's hood" we hopped back on the metro and went to Sadovaya where we stopped in to a Coffee House and is where I did all of my blogging from yesterday. The internet connection was terrible and kept cutting in and out, hence my posts being done in two parts.

After we were done resting and blogging we walked around and stopped by St. Nicholas's Cathedral, which is truly beautiful. I feel like I am running out of new words to describe the places I see here, but I just cannot get over the beauty and thought that went into these churches. I also really want to know how long it took to build all of them from start to finish, but that is something I can look up when I get home.

When we were done admiring St. Nicholas's Cathedral, we stopped by a synogogue, which was interesting because it was done in a moorish style. We did not go in, even though it was Yom Kippur.  We then walked by the Yusopov Palace, which is where Rasputin was murdered. Earlier in the day we had been informed that we would not be able to go in to the Rasputin rooms to see where his murderers first attempted to kill him, hence doing a "walk-by". For dinner we went to Tandoor, which is this amazing Indian place close to our hotel. Per usual here, I ate way too much but enjoyed every bite.

This morning after getting a late start, we had a nice little adventure out to Tsarskoye Selo, or Pushkin's City. I say "adventure" because we had to metro to a train station (that part was fine) and then figure out how to buy train tickets to get to this place (there was also a bus involved, but that was later). After waiting in line at one ticket counter, we were told, via a sign the ticketlady held up instead of just telling us, that we had to go up to platform three. So, we went up to platform three, where it was still unclear where we were supposed to buy tickets, if we even needed to before getting on the train. As it turns out, you do, and thankfully we got that part figured out. I would also like to note that when I say "we" in these situation I really mean "my dad" because I might as well be blind, deaf and dumb here.

Anyways, we got our tickets, got on the right train and went on our way. I would also like to point out that this train is quite different from the luxurous Sapsan train we took from Moscow to Petersburg. This train was old, rickety, and only had wooden seats. In many ways I feel like I have been transported in time here,, and not in a "oh, how quaint and lovely" way either.

end of this part, due to google insanity.

Trying to Catch Up - Part Two

After visiting a couple of the churches we were finally able to enter the Armory. This place is fascinating. There is so much to look at and we just did not have enough time. I learned quite a bit about Russian eggs (the bejeweled ones) and how they were given as gifts at Easter to signify rebirth and normally had a surprise inside (i.e. a figurine, a picture, etc). I think the most interesting though, were the dresses and carriages. There were the wedding and coronation gowns of some of the tsarinas, and the carriages were unlike anything I have ever seen in real life. They truly look like Cinderella carriages.

When we were done at the Kremlin we went on what ended up being a wild goose chase for a Georgian restaurant and went to dinner at a place called "Il Patio". At that point we were just needing refuge from the terrible weather (more on that later). After dinner we went home and my dad and I got packed and ready to head to St. Petersburg early on Tuesday morning.

We woke up at 5 am on Tuesday so we could get ready and get to the train station by 6:30. The Sapsan train (the high speed train between Moscow and Petersburg) was pleasant and we had the pleasure of meeting and talking with a young, Russian woman and an older English gentleman. They were traveling on business together to Petersburg. The woman (I have no idea what her name is so I will reference her as "The Girl from Samara") was extremely interesting. We talked about everything from her job, her travels, growing up and of course, Jersey Shore. She also explained wedding traditions here, which is good because what my father told me was completely wrong (shocking!). It turns out that all the wedding parties we've seen on the street taking pictures and partying is not the actual reception/party itself, but just people wasting time between getting married and the reception. Russia seems to have a problem with time  and making it easy for people. The office where you can get married is open early in the morning from 8-12 and the restaurants for the reception won't open until 6.

After arriving to Petersburg around 10:30 we checked-in to the hotel and went out to explore. Our first stop was the Peter-Paul fortress where we went into the church there, which is where the Romanov family is buried. Most intersting for me was to see the last tsar and his family buried there. I must admit, the story of Anastasia has always fascinated me and everything that happened to the last tsar and his family.

We then stopped at a cafe for a snack and warming up (Petersburg didn't get the memo that it is only the end of Sept. and is NOT supposed to be winter yet) before heading to the Hermitage. We spent a couple of hours there walking around and checking out the building and the art itself. It is amazing to me the beauty and regality of the Hermitage. I mean, it was the winter palace, so it makes sense, but to see it in person is just truly awe-inspiring. The only disappointment I had with the Hermitage is that I did not see any cats. Oh well, c'est la vie. As my dad pointed out, they probably keep them in the sections of the Hermitage that we were not allowed to venture in to our are more by the service entrances.

When we got kicked out of the Hermitage (it was closing we didn't do anything to actually get kicked out) we went to The Literary Cafe, where Pushkin and Dostoevsky hung out, to grab a snack and drink. I must say, it was not what I was expecting, which isn't necessarily bad, I was just hoping for more stuff about Pushkin to be displayed more prominently.

After our snack we went back towards the Hermitage where we saw Swan Lake at the Hermitage Theater. It was the first time I have seen Swan Lake, or the ballet in general, and it was interesting. I was so exhausted (the ballet started at 8 and I had been up since 5 am and had only gotten a couple hours of sleep the night before) that I slept through most of the first act...I will say though it got better because I was able to stay awake for most of the second and ALL of the third! The music was fantastic and the dancing was pretty good too. Again, I am no expert in ballet, but I just felt that the energy of the dancers was OKAY.  I also was not a fan of the clapping like it was the end of the ballet at the end of every act, or at certain times after a dance for the dancer to go upstage and wait for applause. Maybe this is common for ballet, but just thinking about going to a musicla or play and I can't imagine that happening. It was very much like "Oh! Look at me and how great I am!" to which I felt "meh, you're good but are you really THAT good?" Anyways, I digress and overall enjoyed my experience to the ballet.

This brings us to today! After sleeping in and getting ready, we trekked to the Pushkin museum, where we were informed that the museum is closed today, apparently for technical problems. This is something else I have noticed, places are closed for no reason or on random days.

Google is making this post very difficult to see near the bottom of the page, so I will sign off from Cofee Xaus!

Trying to Catch Up - Part 1

Alexi Turbow reporting from St. Petersburg, Russia

We have been on the go go go so I will do my best to update you on our activities since Saturday. I would like to say that I will make this short, but I think we all know that is a lie.

On Saturday, I arrived to Moscow. As you most likely saw in a previous post, I was enjoying myself until my phone was stolen. Needless to say, that put a damper on the rest of my day and feelings towards Moscow in general. After dealing with the phone and credit card companies (I had some pertinent information on that phone and did not want to run the risk of having all of my money stolen as well) we went to some Asian cafe for dinner. Apparently sushi and Asian cuisine are popular here. The food was good and the company even better.

Sunday I slept. And slept and slept. We then got ready and went to the Moscow Circus (there are two, the one we went to is up by the University). Our seats were fantastic, third row from all the action, so we did not miss anything. There was a library theme, so every "act" of the circus was based upon a different country you might travel to in a book. Surprisingly (or maybe not, I don't know), my favorite "act" was the one based upon America and westerns. I found the horse-riders and schtick about an outlaw on the run to be both highly entertaining and hilarious. The tricks these horse-riders were performing were highly impressive, and made me wonder if gymnasts that don't make it on to the Olympic team join the circus instead.

After the circus, we went back towards our neighborhood and had dinner at Sportworld. I would like to point out that there is a gambling house in the basement, but sadly it was not the sketchy operation I had anticipated. However, there were a couple of exceptionally smelly fellows (or "smellows" as I shall now refer to them as - trademark Alexi Turbow 2012) so we ate upstairs. In the upstairs part there are TVs and we were able to watch American football! USA! USA! USA! There was a Russian man also watching and I have to say, I was impressed both with his excellent English and knowledge of American football. Although, I think a lot of his interest in the game/sport was because he had put money on it, but that is neither here nor there.

Monday we slept in and then some people came to try to fix the TV (there is still no satellite, although that is a problem more for my dad and Andrea than myself) as well as the cleaning woman. My dad and I then grabbed a bite at a cafe before meeting up with Andrea when she got out of class. The three of us then headed towards the Kremlin.

Now, I don't know about you, but my knowledge of Russia is quite limited. I have obviously heard of the Kremlin and had an idea of what it is, but had no idea just how much is within the Kremlin. Yes, there are government buildings (previously I thought it was only government buildings), but there are also many beautiful churches and the armory.

After waiting around for awhile (something else I have learned here is that for certain attractions you can only buy tickets during a set time period and then your tickets are only good for entrance during another specified timeframe), we were able to purchase our tickets and go inside the Kremlin.

Since we could not get into the armory right away (again, the whole specified time thing) we went into a couple of the churches first. I learned quite a bit about iconastasis and the people that are buried within these churches. I also learned about a type of religious painting that seems to be a purely Russian thing. It is called the "Virgin of Tenderness" and depicts the Virgin Mary with a baby Jesus nestled up against her. To me, this was one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring things I have seen. I have also seen many a church in my day, but have to say that the churches I have seen here thus far have been the most spectacular. The design on the outside is very distinct and on the inside, just WOW. The church walls are full of paintings and what I enjoy the most is that each painting/mural shares a story. It might be the story of a battle or the story of a saint, but either way it is a story told in a beautiful way.

THAN.ENDOFPART.PARTTWOTOFOLLOW...After the

SEEING DEAD PEOPLE

On Friday, September 21, Andrea took a partial day to visit with me the Novidevichy Convent and Cemetery. I call it a convent, becuase nuns live there and the place was originally built to tuck away ladies who for whatever political, sexual or strategic reasons had offended the powers that be.

However, it should be noted there is a place Google Maps called Novidevichy Convent, which is totally different and in a different location. The place we went is actually called Novidevishy Monastery, although no monks have ever been in residence.

With our typical bad mazel, the convent grounds were closed upon our arrival, because there was a service to take out the icon of the Virgin of Smolensk Cathedral. It was unclear as to when the grounds would reopen, so we mozied down to the cemetery, which while part of the complex is separated by a high brick wall.

It is a cornucopia of who was who in Russian and Soviet politics and government, military service, art, sculpture, architecture, literature, journalism, poetry, music, theatre, film, science, medicine and engineering. 

It is a very peaceful place, unless you're with Andrea who wanted to see if the convent grounds had re-opened.

Indeed, they had, but the Cathedral of the Virgin of Smolensk she had her heart set on viewing was closed. So we checked out the Church of the Assumption, which also sits on the grounds. I was very moved by the home-grown service lead by a young man chanting the prayers as a small group chimed in beside him. Perhpas it was a memorial serivce for a departed loved one, but the sincerity combined with the simple voices got to me.

We walked the quiet grounds and then, took the metro to Red Square. There we did not enjoy a very lovely scene and very expensive but very tasty early supper of carpaccio, spaghetti carbonara, grilled vegetables, chicken soup and blini with lox and sour cream. 

This was at Bosco Restaurant at GUM on Red Square (which I believe is now owned/managed by the Family Bosco), one of the restaurants I hypocritically denigrated a couple of  weeks ago. 

And I say "DID NOT" enjoy not because of the food, but because a huge light and sound show is now being set up in Red Square, and they only started conducting extremely annoying and loud audio checks after we had placed our order.

From there, we walked up past Lybyanka Prison and the Mayakovsky Museum to the Perlov Tea House. It is designed as a Cantonese palace and has English and Chinese teas. No Russian tea!

Then we spent a long time in the Globus bookstore, an old haunt of Andrea's from previous Moscow journeys. It is a very nice bookstore with prices slightly less expensive than the Dom Knigi on New Arbat Street. (Alexi commented on the fun window displays as we walked by Saturday, noting they reminded her slightly of the old Marshall Field retail windows with characters in scenes).

As I write these words, I am on the Aeroexpress train to Sheremetyevo Airport to pick up my dear, sweet daughter, Alexi.

Of course and without a doubt, I am glad to see her. However, because our digital age allows us the opportunity to remain in nearly constant contact, I admit my "excitement" is less than what Andrea believes it should be. 

For instance, Alexi Facetimed me from the Helsinki airport to let me know that her flight was on time and to update me about her trip just as I was headed out the door. We e-mail several times per week and Facetime each Sunday. There are only miles between us. Time really does not separate us.

Here are some photos from Friday's excursion.

ANDREA LOVES HEDGEHOGS, AND THIS LITTLE STATUE IS ON OUR WAY TO THE KROPOTKINSKAYA METRO STATION.

THE LUZHNETSKY WALKWAY INTO THE NOVODEVICHY CEMETERY. A BEAUTIFUL DAY. A PEACEFUL PLACE. 

PAVEL TRETYAKOV'S PLOT. HE OF THE FAMOUS ART COLLECTION AND THE MOSCOW PUBLIC ART MUSEUMS THAT BEAR HIS NAME TODAY.

ANDREA AT "POOR OLD" MAYAKOVSKY'S GRAVE.

REMEMBER ANDREI GROMYKO? HERE HE LIES (STILL).

FYODOR SHALYAPIN, THE FAMOUS RUSSIAN OPERA BASS SINGER.

ANTON CHEKOV'S GRAVE IN HIS FAMILY PLOT.

THE PAINTER, ISAAK LEVITAN'S GRAVE.

GRAVE OF MIKHAIL BULGAKOV.

MANY PEOPLE ARE INTERRED IN THE WALLS THAT SEPARATE THE CEMETERIES DIFFERENT SECTIONS. THEY ARE RUNNING OUT OF ROOM AT THE CEMETERY, AND ONLY VERY NOTABLE PEOPLE ARE NOW BEING INTERRED HERE.

TO THE RIGHT IS THE CEMETERY WALL THAT FACES THE STREET. THE  SHOEMAKER'S TOWER IS AT THE RIGHT ANGLE POINT WHERE THE WALL SEPARATES THE CEMETERY FROM THE MONASTERY GROUNDS. IN THE BACKGROUND IS  THE CONVENT'S BELL TOWER.

ON THE STREET, HEADED TO THE FRONT GATE OF THE NOVODEVICHY CONVENT GROUNDS.

GATE CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION - THE MAIN ENTRANCE ONTO THE GROUNDS.

BACK OF THE CATHEDRAL OF THE VIRGIN OF SMOLENSK WITH THE BELL TOWER TO THE RIGHT.

ANDREA EXITING THE THE GUARD HOUSE WHERE  PETER THE GREAT'S HALF SISTER, SOPHIA, WAS IMPRISONED WHEN HE RECLAIMED HIS THRONE FROM HER. BEHIND ANDREA IS THE NAPRUDNAYA TOWER. NOVODEVICHY REMINDED ME OF A CHESS BOARD; ITS WALL TOWERS BEING THE ROOKS, KNIGHTS AND BISHOPS THAT PROTECTED THE QUEEN CHURCH OF THE ASSUMPTION AND THE KING CATHEDRAL.

THE SOUND AND LIGHT SHOW PRODUCTION BEING ASSEMBLED ON RED SQUARE IS VERY IMPRESSIVE.  I BELIEVE IT IS A FRENCH PRODUCTION CREW (I HEARD FRENCH BEING SPOKEN), SO IMAGINE THE COSTS.

SURROUNDING THE 15-FOOT TALL STAGE IS A MOAT WITH FOUNTAINS. THERE HAD TO BE 200-SOME INTELLIGENT LIGHTS PLACED THROUGHOUT RED SQUARE. ESTIMATED COST: $2 MILLION?

INSIDE THE ONE-OF-A-KIND PERLOV TEA HOUSE.

TEA FOR TWO, BUT NO RUSSIAN TEA FOR WE.

GOOD NEWS -- BAD NEWS

The good news: Alexi arrived today, safe and sound. We had a nice driver, Vladimir, deliver us very quickly to the apartment. I had expected the trip from the airport to be 1.5 - 2 hours, but Vlad saw the backup on the highway, took a detour, and we were at the apartment by 1:30 p.m. Record time!

More good news: we spent a nice afternoon walking the streets, stopping for a very late lunch and strolling some more on a mostly cloudy, moderate temperature afternoon.

The bad news: while we were walking on the New Arbat Street, Alexi's purse was pick-pocketed. The clever thief made off with her iPhone! People's lives are in those phones! Alexi is on the phone right now cancelling her credit card and Sprint account.

I am backed up on blogs, which will come later, but this is breaking news! Stand by for updates...

WAITING FOR VLADIMIR TO PAY THE PARKING GARAGE TOLL. ALEXI IS SAFELY IN RUSSIA.

"HEY PRETTY GIRL, CAN I HAVE MY PICTURE TAKEN WITH YOU TO SHOW MY FRIENDS BACK HOME I AM NOT A TOTAL LOSER?" THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO ALEXI OUTSIDE THE KREMLIN WALL. BEFORE THIS, SOME GIRLS APPROACHED ALEXI ASKING HER FOR DIRECTIONS. SHE IS SO RUSSIAN!

TAKING A PHOTO OF THE ETERNAL FLAME COMMEMORATING SOVIET SOLDIERS KILLED DURING WORLD WAR II. ALEXI WAS TOTALLY LOVING BEING IN RUSSIA, UNTIL ABOUT 6:45 P.M. LOCAL TIME, WHEN HER PURSE WAS PICKED NEAR SMOLENSKY BOULEVARD AND NEW ARBAT. UGGGHH!

THE MASTER AND ANDREATA

One of Andrea's all-time favorite books written by Mikhail Bulgakov is The Master and Margarita.

So after our separate Russian language classes today, Andrea and I jumped on the metro and headed up to the neighborhood where poor ol' Bulgakov lived and wrote. We found his apartment, which is now a small museum.

We ate a late lunch and began wondering the neighborhood, which was lovely. It is now an upscale neighborhood with fancy cafes and boutiques. There are also embassies and consulates sprinkled up and down the streets.

We discovered the Lubavitcher synagogue. Andrea wanted me to go in and see it, but it's the high holidays, and I didn't want to interfere. Had it been a non-holiday, I would have attempted to see the schul. Interestingly, the entire structure is shielded by what I assume is bullet-proof glass.

The schul is not far from the Patriarch's Pond, also an important place in Bulgakov's book, and Debbie from Russian class had told me her husband gets his hair cut at an expat salon along the park.

So I killed two swans, so to speak, with one stone.

Here are a few photos from today's little escapade, plus two from Saturday.

IN THE OKHOTNY RYAD METRO STATION. THE MOSCOW (AND SPB) METRO STATIONS ARE WORKS OF ART THEMSELVES. HOWEVER, WHEN THEY ARE FULL, THERE IS PUSHING AND SHOVING; IT GETS UGLY.

MOSAIC CEILING INSET AT OKHOTNY RYAD STATION.

SOVIET-ERA BUILDING OUTSIDE THE MAYAKOVSKY METRO STATION.

STATUE OF VLADIMIR MAYAKOVSKY FROM AFAR IN TRIUMPHAL PLAZA.

OUTSIDE THE DOM OF BULGAKOV.

THE APARTMENT HOUSE WHERE BULGAKOV LIVED AND WORKED INSIDE THE DOM THROUGHOUT STALIN'S REIGN AND UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1940, WHEN HE WAS 49 YEARS OLD..

ANDREA PERUSING THE EXHIBITS AT BULGAKOV'S HOUSE.

CLOSE UP OF ITEMS FROM A YOUNG BULGAKOV'S LIFE.

PIANO, CLOCK, BOOKSHELVES...IN BULGAKOV'S HOUSE. THE MASTER AND MARGARITA HAS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO MANY MODERN LANGUAGES.

WE GOT A LAUGH AND THOUGHT OF DR. BILL WHEN WE SAW THIS SIGN.

BOOBS ON THE APARTMENT. WHO KNOWS HOW MANY ARE LIVING INSIDE.THIS NEIGHBORHOOD OF TVERSKAYA IS LOVELY. LOTS OF OLD BUILDINGS BEING RESTORED, AS WELL AS SOME VERY GAUDY NEW ONES, SUCH AS THIS. THIS AREA MAY BE LIKENED TO EMBASSY ROW IN D.C.

STATUE OF SHALOM ALEICHEM IN A LITTLE PARK AT THE END OF THE STREET UPON WHICH SITS THE  LUBAVITCHER SYNAGOGUE.

THE SYNAGOGUE. SEE? I WENT TO SCHUL ON THE SECOND DAY OF ROSH HASHANA! (I JUST DIDN'T GO IN).

THE SYNAGOGUE IS A LARGE COMPLEX. YOU CAN BARELY SEE HOW THE GLASS SHIELDS THE OLD YELLOW SCHUL.

PATRIARCH'S POND.

THE PATRIARCH.

SWANS.

SUNRISE FROM OUR APARTMENT ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15.

PARK IM BAUMANA. THIS PARK IS BEING RENOVATED, AS IS THE UNKNOWN CHURCH ACROSS THE WAY. THE CHURCH HAS TREES GROWING OUT OF ITS CUPOLA. 

BEST WISHES

This weekend marks several celebrations we want to honor:

1. L'Shana Tova Tikatevu! Today marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year 5773. May it bring peace and health into each and every home! Celebrate the coming of a sweet new year with apples and honey.

2. Best wishes to Zack and Kerri on Friday's nuptials! May the years flow with love and fun!

3. Happy Birthday to Gigi Turbow who has a very special birthday today! Enjoy your time in South Bend with Leslie and Bill.

4. Michigan and Notre Dame victories! Next weekend, one must fall to the other (unfortunately). Go Blue!

We have much for which we are thankful. It may be a long time until the third Thursday in November, but it is worth noting right now that we are thankful to be happy in Moscow, living in a nice, safe and fun neighborhood. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

We are lucky to be citizens of the United States of America. Despite the issues our country may face, it is still far more preferable than most every other place on the planet.

This was brought home, again, in two very specific ways yesterday.

A. We emerged from the metro station yesterday afternoon to find the station ringed by armed militia. We continued on our way uninterrupted to see a movie, "Grabbers," and down the street we saw at least a dozen large army troop trucks. There was an anti-Putin, pro-democracy demonstration happenng farther away, and out of the trucks jumped militia men. Like the Cossacks from "Dr. Zhivago," these troops were away from the action, but were headed down the streets to begin controlling and herding the crowd. Scary and off putting!

B. We went into a store to buy a simple, lined notebook and a basic two-pocket folder, and we were once again flabbergastd by the prices. What we may pay $2-4 for, the Russians pay at least twice as much. One spiral notebook, without lined paper, cost $25! How Russian families make it remains unfathomable to Andrea and me.

And with that, our thoughts are with the families of all American service men and women deployed domestically and abroad, as well as with the families of the four diplomats who were killed by ignorance and hatred this past week.

KITAY GOROD

[I am posting this blog very late on the afternoon of Friday, September 14. I should be out enjoying the weather and the city before it totally clouds over and starts to rain, but there was work to be done today on the computer, and if I don't keep up with the photos, they become overwhelming.]

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Andrea and I had separate Russian language classes today. She, of course, is getting one-on-one training to help her perfect her speaking and writing skills.

She finished at 12:30, and I finished at 12:40. We met outside and settled on Sbarro’s for lunch. It was a disappointment in both the price paid and the food eaten. Oh well.

I walked her to the Lenin Library on a beautiful early autumn day, and said good-bye to her as I headed across the street and through the Alexander Gardens to visit the Kremlin.

Timing is everything, and I have none. In fact, it’s about time I began to check my guidebooks prior to venturing off; the Kremlin is closed on Thursdays!

But no big deal. I embarked upon on a long afternoon of walking along the Kremlin wall, into Red Square and then through an area literally lined with little churches and interesting historical buildings. There are also quite a few government buildings, many under reconstruction using the overflowing funds from the state gas and oil coffers.

This quaint area is called Kitay Gorod. I followed the guidebook through it before coming out onto Theatre Plaza and back down Mochavaya Street, past the famous State Duma, Hotel Metropol, National Hotel, and probably a bunch of other sites I was too tired to note.

Because it was such a gorgeous day (and based upon the seemingly accurate Weather.com prognostications for Moscow), I decided I would not go into any place, saving those adventures for a later time when the weather may not be so cooperative.

I walked a long way and saw a lot. Here are some photos from a great day in the great city of Moscow.

TRINITY TOWER OF THE KREMLIN FROM THE ALEXANDER GARDEN THAT RINGS THE KREMLIN.

FOUNTAIN IN FRONT OF THE MANEGE. THE MENAGE WAS BUILT TO ACCOMMODATE AN ARMY REGIMENT'S DRILLING OUTSIDE THE KREMLIN AND IS NOW AN EXHIBITION HALL.

WALKING TOWARD THE RESURRECTION GATE. THE KREMLIN IS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC ON THURSDAYS.

BUILT INTO THE KREMLIN (KREML MEANS WALL, THUS OUR NAME FOR THE PLACE)  IS A GROTTO, FROM WHENCE THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN.

OBELISK OUTSIDE THE GROTTO COMMEMORATING HEROES OF THE RUSSIAN COMMUNIST PARTY.

LOOKING AT ALONG THE KREMLIN TOWARD THE WALL COMMEMORATING THE CITIES OF WORLD WAR II.

EACH MAJOR CITY HAS A STONE AND STAR, SUCH AS THIS ONE FOR LENINGRAD. IN THE BACKGROUND IS AN ETERNAL FLAME FOR THE SOLDIERS WHO DIED IN THE GREAT PATRIOTIC STRUGGLE. THE FLAME IS GUARDED BY SOLDIERS AT ATTENTION, 24/7.

STATUE OF MARSHAL ZUKOV IN FRONT OF THE  STATE HISTORICAL MUSEUM.

RESURRECTION GATE. THE STATE HISTORICAL MUSEUM IS TO THE RIGHT. THROUGH THE ARCHES IS RED SQUARE. RED SQUARE WAS ESSENTIALLY CLOSED, TOO. CREWS WERE DISASSEMBLING LARGE BLEACHER SEATING AND STAGING, PRESUMABLY FOR SUMMER CONCERTS IN THE SQUARE.

IN RED SQUARE LOOKING BACK AT RESURRECTION GATE. RED SQUARE IS A LARGE OPEN AREA WITH COBBLESTONE STREETS. LENIN'S MAUSOLEUM WAS ALSO CLOSED OFF.

KAZAN CATHEDRAL JUST INSIDE RESURRECTION GATE. FIRST OF MANY CHURCHES I WOULD SEE .

GUM - THE FAMOUS MOSCOW DEPARTMENT STORE. ALONG THE OUTSIDE OF IT, OVERLOOKING RED SQUARE, ARE CHI-CHI, HIGH-PRICED CAFES CATERING TO TOURISTS.

GUM STORE WINDOW. THE MOTIF WAS ITALIAN MOVIES OF THE 1950s AND 60s.

STATE HISTORICAL MUSEUM OVERLOOKING RED SQUARE.

ST. BASIL'S CATHEDRAL. IT HAS RECENTLY BEEN RENOVATED, AND LIKE THE CHURCH OF SPILLED BLOOD IN SPB, IT'S A JEWEL BOX OF A CHURCH SITTING ON THE EDGE OF RED SQUARE.

STATUE IN FRONT OF ST. BASIL'S CATHEDRAL. WHILE I WAS THERE, A BUNCH OF RUSSIAN ELEMENTARY KIDS HAD JUST COME OUT OF THE CHURCH ON A FIELD TRIP AND THEIR TEACHERS WERE LINING THEM UP FOR PHOTOS IN FRONT OF THIS STATUE. A VIDEO CREW WAS ALSO LOADING UP A TRUCK OF EQUIPMENT AFTER HAVING VIDEOTAPED THE CATHEDRAL.

ST. BASIL'S IS VERY PHOTOGENIC. THERE IS JUST NO BAD PHOTO FROM ANY ANGLE OF THE PLACE. IN THE BACKGROUND LOOMS THE KREMLIN CLOCK TOWER.

LOOKING UP AT ST. BASIL'S FROM ITS BACK SIDE.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF RED SQUARE IS KITAY GOROD, WHERE RELIGION AND COMMERCE WENT HAND IN HAND GONG AS FAR BACK AS THE 12th CENTURY. THIS IS THE OLD ENGLISH COURT, A DWELLING IVAN THE TERRIBLE BUILT TO ENCOURAGE TRADE (GUNS) WITH THE BRITISH.

BETWEEN RED SQUARE AND THE ENGLISH COURT IS THE CHURCH OF ST. BARBARA.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ENGLISH COURT ALONG VARVARKA STREET IS THE MONASTERY OF THE SIGN. 

AND JUST BEYOND THAT ON VARVARKA IS THE CHURCH OF ST. GEORGE.

SMALLER THAN ST. BASIL'S BUT AS INTERESTING IS THE CHURCH OF THE TRINITY IN NIKITNIKI. IT IS TUCKED INTO A GROVE OF MODERN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS SURROUNDING IT.

THE RUSSIAN SUPREME COURT.

THE GOSTINY DVOR OF MOSCOW. I VENTURED IN HERE, BUT THERE IS NOT MUCH TO SEE, YET. IT LOOKED AS IF ON THE MAIN FLOOR, THEY WERE TEARING DOWN A TRADE EXHIBIT. THERE WERE ONLY A FEW, HIGH-FALUTIN' SHOPS ON THIS CORNER OF THE MASSIVE STRUCTURE.

THIS PINK BAROQUE GEM IS CALLED THE MONASTERY OF THE EPIPHANY. I HAVE YET TO TAKE MORE THAN A FEW EXTERIOR PHOTOS IN SPB OR MOSCOW IN WHICH SOME KIND OF UTILITY LINE DOES NOT APPEAR.

NIKOLSKAYA STREET. THIS KITAY GOROD STREET IS LINED WITH FANCY BOUTIQUES. SEVERAL FACADES ARE UNDERGOING RECONSTRUCTION. 

THE OLD SYNOD PRINTING HOUSE ALONG NIKOLSKAYA, WHICH DATES BACK TO THE 19th CENTURY. 

TRETYAKOV PALACE SHOPPING ARCADE OFF OF NIKOLSKAYA: TOM FORD, ARMANI, HARRY WINSTON...HAVE SHOPS  IN THIS QUIET COURT CATERING TO MOSCOW'S ELITE.

THE BOLSHOY THEATRE DOMINATES THEATRE SQUARE, A BROAD AND BUSY LOCATION. TICKETS FOR THIS YEAR'S THEATRE SEASON ARE SOLD OUT.

REVOLUTION PLACE: CARLO MARX URGING THE PROLETARIAT TO RISE UP. KREMLIN IN BACKGROUND.

THE STATE DUMA BUILDING. SITE OF A LOT OF ACTION BACK IN 1990.

MOSCOW OLD UNIVERSITY AND A STATUE OF MY OLD PAL, MIKE LOMONOSOV, WHO FOUNDED THE PLACE IN 1755.

THIS IS WHERE ANDREA LIVES DURING THE DAY - THE LENIN LIBRARY.