Moscow: A World Class City

After the 5,761 mile, six-day train ride, our train was scheduled to arrive into Moscow station at 2:13 p.m. It arrived...at 2:13 p.m.! Amazing!!! It was Saturday, the sixth of May and after a little confusion at the train station because our pre-arranged transfer did NOT SHOW, we were miraculously able to communicate enough to hire another ride (taxi...and also at a cheaper price!) and made our way to the Petroff Palace Hotel. Luxury at its finest after spending 6 days sleeping on a train!   A welcome change. The concierge rushed up to us as we were checking in, saying that our arranged taxi was waiting for us by coach # 7 at the train. We called B.S. as the train was pulling out as we were wandering around the platform looking for the dude. Conclusion: Somebody screwed-up. Anyway, this joint has a lot of history:

Andrea climbed up the tower stairs to get this photo.  She later learned that it is off limits to palace guests and she could of gotten into a little bit of trouble if caught by security!  It wouldn't have been the first time.... 

We spent the day Sunday touring Moscow.  Tuesday, May 9th is their Victory Day. It is the celebration of defeating Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War (they do not call it WWII). The Soviet Union lost 25 million citizens in the war.  We discovered that Red Square, the Kremlin, etc. were all closed due to practice for Victory day.  It is a national holiday. We decided to go to these areas anyway in hopes that they would be open.   As we walked out of our hotel, we were greeted by an airshow, also practice for Victory Day.  Talk about a show of force!!! It was incredible!!  Click here for the video we made as the full force of the Russian Air Force flew about 900 feet over our heads. Victory Day Flyover

Moscow has a wonderful metro system, very clean, safe and efficient except the signage is a little difficult and none of it is English. Have you ever tried to decipher Russian??  We found out if you pulled out a map, someone will come up and help you.  They are preparing for the World Cup in 2018 and we were told the people are being coached  to help out tourists.  Maybe they could just install some English signs? This is the entrance going down into the train station. 

We made it to our final station without any issues but the exits were closed, practice for Victory Day was right above us. So after talking to security, which is everywhere, we got back on the train and went one station up.  It was a pretty area and Sunday church was just being let out and the bells were tolling. There were two people ringing the bells, an adult and a child.  Click here to listen to the bells, just beautiful.  Church Bells

We quickly learned that we could walk back to the area that we were earlier denied entrance to in about a 15 minute walk.  So off we set. Police and military are everywhere. 

Statue of Karl Marx

Huge marquee for Victory Day Celebration

First stop after we made it to the Kremlin area was the Hotel Metropol. It is the largest hotel built before the Russian Revolution of 1917.  It was built in 1899-1907 and Russia's most famous hotel.  Andrea's sister Jill told her that her bookclub just read a book that took place here and wanted some pictures for her bookclub ladies.  It was magnificent. 

Lobby

Since the entrance to Red Square and the Kremlin were blocked with barricades we had to make our way to Saint Basil's Cathedral through alleyways. We were given directions from a police officer who wore a big badge saying "Tourist Police"  We figured he had to speak English and he did, very well.  Andrea asked him if the area was safe, and he laughed. "Of course you are safe, THIS IS MOSCOW!" 

Along the way we ran across this double carousel. 

Outside of Red Square 

It was an interesting walk and we did catch a peak of red square.  It is set up for the Victory parade on Tuesday.  Here are the parade viewing stands. The military parade viewing is by invitation only (we weren't) but the parade does travel down of the very long streets in Moscow for the public to view.   

Better picture of Red Square from the viewpoint of Saint Basil's. 

Russia's female soldiers practicing for the Victory Day parade. We did see them march, but did not take this picture. 

You can't visit Moscow without seeing Saint Basil's.  The interior was closed to the public but we could see it from the outside. 

We heard that the Kremlin was going to open at 2pm so we made our way "around the corner" to the main entrance.  Around the corner was about a mile away,  but we did see some some beautiful sites along the way. 

Looking back towards the Kremlin from the pedestrian bridge by the  Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

By the time we made it to the Kremlin ticket office, the crowds were huge and the lines looked to be about an hour long,  So we opted out of the Kremlin tour and made our way to the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts.  Some of the art works and artifacts:

There were several works of Picasso here

This is an actually mummy and beside it, their mummified their cat! 

This had to be one special cat!!

Italian Art

We spent about 2 hours in the museum and made our way back to the Kremlin just in time for closing.  We tried to score tickets for the next day but no advance sales.  We made our way down to the tomb of the unknown soldier and watched the changing of the guard. Click here for the video! 

Changing of the Guard

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

He opened the gate allowing for people to put flowers on the  tomb. 

Children placing flowers

Old original wall of the Kremlin

The gardens surrounding the Kremlin were in bloom.  To read about its famous garden and fountains, click here. Fountains_in_Moscow

We wrapped up the day in front of the State Historical Museum which we plan on touring tomorrow. 

After navigating the metro home, we FaceTimed Bill's parents and then went out to eat. And just for looks, Andrea's dinner salad from an Italian restaurant near our hotel.  Scrumptious!