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Kremlin
Moscow (4/18/08)
I took an overnight train from St. Petersburg to Moscow without any incidents. The train left at 11:30 and arrived at 8:00 am. I basically went to sleep. I saw Moscow’s crowded subways at their busiest. It seems to be quite acceptable to push and shove your way on to them like everyone else. The stations are beautiful. Each one looks like a museum or concert hall. They are onto themselves an attraction. Just amazing for subway stations. I had to find my way to get my tickets for the Trans Siberian so I figured this would be a fool’s errand for me but through blind luck more than anything I figured out the subway and map and found the place in record time.
Just when I was going to stereotype the Russian crankiness a kind woman in the subway knew that I was having a hard time figuring out where I was at on the map and went out of her way to help me. I will check out the Kremlin and Red Square tomorrow. I am also debating whether or not to go to the ballet or hockey game. I will see what tickets are available.
I spent the day at the Kremlin. This was amazing as well. The Armory has in incredible, dazzling and exquisite array of diamonds, jewels, gold, silver, precious metals and treasures as I have seen anywhere. It was spectacular and mind boggling. Some of the finest jewelers and artisans in Europe from the 13th century onwards. Everything from the first crown of the first Russian King to Catherine the Great’s carriages. Very hard to put into words.
Walking on Red Square and seeing St. Basil’s Cathedral was spectacular as well. Tomorrow I will visit Lenin’s tomb.
Lenin’s Tomb
I hear the lines can be frightful in the summer time but there were no line ups today. There are guards everywhere and really push you along. Apparently there is 0 tolerance for any sort of tom foolery or disrespect. Lenin himself looks more like a mannequin as opposed to an embalmed corpse. Lenin didn’t want to this to happen but Stalin insisted and who was going to argue. Boris Yelsin was going to bury Lenin beside his mother as per his wish but obviously that did not happen as well.
4/22/08
I have a pounding hangover. Last night started innocent enough. I went to the ballet (Don Quixote). Given my short attention span and fondness for small shiny objects I more focusing on the splendor of the costumes and stage sets. The athletics of the performers was impressive. It was the theatre inside the Kremlin and surprisingly it was quite ordinary. The ballet was a good night out but not something I would go to on a regular basis.
Ok, how did I get a hangover from a night at the ballet? When I got back to the hostel I started shooting vodka with the rest of the people staying there. It was a fun night and a painful day. I board the train tonight for a 5 day trip to Mongolia. It is called the Vodka Train but the makes me a bit ill at this point.
I went to a grocery store to stalk up for the train ride and was amazed of the salmon they have here. There is no shortage of choices for that and vodka.
The food is great here. I heard that you don’t go to Russia for the food but I have really enjoyed what I have so far. I went to the grocery store and made my own meal. It was great. Salmon with dill and a beet salad and vodka of course.
There is an endless array of people in uniform in Russia. Not sure what it all means but it all looks official. Someone called me over and starting yelling at me.
Boris: DO YOU WHY I CALLED YOU OVER HERE
Frank: Because I am useless maggot sir
Boris: I CAN’T HEAR YOU PUKE
Frank: BECAUSE I AM A USELESS MAGGOT SIR
Boris: LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A SMART ASS HERE. GIVE ME 50 WOMAN
Frank: THANK YOU SIR MAY I HAVE ANOTHER
Turns out he was a boy scout.
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| Category: Travel story | Added by: EnergyVortex (04.10.2009)
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Views: 1358 | Comments: 2
| Rating: 0.0/0
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