Moscow, Russia
Well...it is not my favourite...although it was a great experience to stay with a Russian family in Moscow instead of a hostel. The husband spoke little English, but drew us out a very sweet map of the area around their apartment and spoke to us for extended durations of time in Russian while we pretended to understand every word. The wife spoke fairly good English and mothered us as we left each morning.."did you remember the key? Do you have all your documents with you?". You get in BIG trouble in Russia if you dont have your passport and migration card on you at all times. Who wants to be dragged into the police station by scary Russian Military Police who dont speak any English? Not us!
The Metro stations, 60m undergroud (the deepest in the world!) surprised us at every stop. Massive chandaleirs, mosaics, sculptures, stain glass...if it werent for the hords of people pushing around we could have been in a museum! In Soviet times, it was illegal for Russian to tell foreigners where the Metro stations were for fear they would be targeted and bombed. This means that even now, it is difficult to spot the Metro stations. "Really, The Metro station is in that church?" It is still illegal to take pictures down there, big fines if we did and got caught! And again....scary Russian Military Police....
We explored the Kremlin, Red Square, and St. Basil's Cathedral. It rained and rained and rained somemore. So it became a game of not only people dodging on the streets, but also puddle dodging too. Puddles often the size of small lakes. We could have made the Russians hate us more if we brought our rubber boots and splashed away...but I think it would have made them frown more, if that is even possible.
However, just as the sun was setting at 4pm, a full rainbow appeared over the Kremlin, and that is the first time I saw Russians smiling on the street as they looked skyward.
The 4 day train ride to Siberia starts tonight, maybe we are crazy!
The Metro stations, 60m undergroud (the deepest in the world!) surprised us at every stop. Massive chandaleirs, mosaics, sculptures, stain glass...if it werent for the hords of people pushing around we could have been in a museum! In Soviet times, it was illegal for Russian to tell foreigners where the Metro stations were for fear they would be targeted and bombed. This means that even now, it is difficult to spot the Metro stations. "Really, The Metro station is in that church?" It is still illegal to take pictures down there, big fines if we did and got caught! And again....scary Russian Military Police....
We explored the Kremlin, Red Square, and St. Basil's Cathedral. It rained and rained and rained somemore. So it became a game of not only people dodging on the streets, but also puddle dodging too. Puddles often the size of small lakes. We could have made the Russians hate us more if we brought our rubber boots and splashed away...but I think it would have made them frown more, if that is even possible.
However, just as the sun was setting at 4pm, a full rainbow appeared over the Kremlin, and that is the first time I saw Russians smiling on the street as they looked skyward.
The 4 day train ride to Siberia starts tonight, maybe we are crazy!
posted by Mary at 8:02 a.m.
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