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.