We arrive in the evening to Moscow and head to our hotel which is next to the Kremlin and Red Square. Christina tells us it is the second largest hotel in the world, with 1500 rooms and that it can take up to two hours to check in. This is NOT what we wanted to hear after 78 hours on the Trans Siberian. Fortunately it only took a few minutes and we left for a dinner of more ravioli, but not as good as Olga's.
Red Square is impressive (it's big and red) and we can see St Basil's Cathedral from our hotel. St Basils is in Red Square and the Kremlin (a collection of Parliamentary houses three cathedrals, as well as the Armoury) are next to the Red Square.
I have to say, St Basil's, while very eye-catching, does look like a big cake. This is not me, but it's the best picture I could find:
www.goamcan.com/photos/dscn2817.html
Ivan the Terrible had it built by some architects, and then he ordered their eyes be removed so that they couldn't build anything like it ever again. True story!
Next morning, we had a private tour of the Kremlin. I won't bore you with the details but if you really want to know here's the best page I've found with pictures:
www.myphotographs.net/russia/russia.html
It was very interesting but unfortuantely I nearly fainted due to the crowd adn the heat and this stupid cold so I couldn't really take it all in as much as I wanted to.
In the afternoon, we had free time, so Jolene and I decided to have a tour of St Basils (very beautiful). Then a huge thunderstorm rolled in so we sheltered back at the hotel. When it was finally over, we decided to take a river boat cruise to see some more sights. We really had no idea where we ere going, and we forgot to take the guide book. I considered it a big adventure, but Jolene was freaking out.
Buying the tickets, we encountered some lovely Russian service. Us: "We'd like a boat ticket please". "Which way does it go?" Ticket Woman "влаоцу! вйц-ваова!!! цкщуукр!!! ывщеукзуоект!!! алова!!" Us: "oh. ok, thanks. Here's some money." Ticket Woman: "втрацуцуш!! ыфвщаоаджп!!! вадыолвпа!!Эю". Slams the window shut on my fingers. Storms out of her hut. More shouting. Stamps back into her hut. Slams the window open. Grabs all the money from my hand. Throws my my change. Slams the window shut. Eyes us evilly.
So, we get on the boat and we go a wee way. No-one will talk to us and we have no idea where we are in the grand scheme of Moscow. Finally, Jolene can't take it any more and insists we get off. In the middle of a park. I'd told her - I got us here, you can get us home! She's actually an excellent navigator and she got us back on the metro - three changes, no English and (thank god) no more ticket ladies.
Moscow Metro is quite amazing actually - check out some of the stations!
www.moscow-guide.ru/culture/metro.htm
Trains come very minute and I think they may actually rival Tokyo (although not as clean by a long stretch, but at 5 rubels or 10 cents to get to anywhere in the city, whose complaining about a bit of chewing gum on your seat.
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