Traveling is one of my favorite things. Before becoming a more responsible adult, I could do more of it, including leaving the country. My first passport stamp was from Russia. The thirteen-hour flight was a new experience. Jet lag was also a new experience. Of course, both of these new experiences were well worth it.
When we arrived, our hosts, my friend, Janette's parents, were working for the U.S. Government at the Embassy in Moscow, and there was a 4th of July party. Janette's parents thought the best thing for us to adjust to the time change would be to stay up and enjoy the party. We enjoyed the party from lawn chairs, laughing at each other as we alternately fell asleep.
Moscow is a beautiful city, filled with lots of history. The Russian state itself has been around since 862. Going to their history museum on Red Square was special because of that rich and long history.
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| State Historical Museum, Moscow |
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| Cathedral of St Basil the Blessed |
My favorite on the square was St. Basil's. Each dome is a separate chapel, and each is filled with ornate decor and art. The cathedral was built during the reign of Ivan the Terrible to celebrate his military conquests.
Lenin's tomb was also a fascinating stop on Red Square. Here you line up to see the deceased leader. We asked our tour guide if we needed to purchase tickets for the tomb to which she responded: "Who would anybody pay to see a dead communist?" It was obvious that she and many of the citizens of Moscow didn't really love their political famed past. The stop was even more memorable because while walking past the corpse of Lenin, the military police posted on each corner started coming toward me with their rifles drawn, and speaking loudly in Russian. I had my hands in the pockets of my sweater and promptly removed them, not knowing that this was the cause of their dismay and as soon as I raised my arms, they went back to post. Apparently, it is a signal of disrespect to have your hands in your pockets? Maybe they thought I was a threat with some hidden weapon? Seems silly seeing I couldn't make Lenin any more dead...truly a peculiar stop. A very well-preserved and plasticy Lenin lays beneath thick clear glass. Not really how I want to be memorialized and a smidge creepy.
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| Janette and I in front of Lenin's Tomb, it is the tiny building in front of the wall |
Rich art and architecture could be found everywhere in the city. One of the memorable buildings are the Wedding Cake buildings built during the Stalin era.
During the peak of the USSR, Stalin wanted to demonstrate Russia's power and felt that the lack of skyscrapers in Moscow diminished the appearance of that power. From 1947-1957, seven of these buildings were erected. Currently, the majority of them are upscale hotels, one is a government house and another is part of Moscow State University. These buildings are filled with marble, sculptures, and arches. Each structure is topped with a gold five-point star, directing attention to how tall these once-tallest structures in Europe truly are.
Russia was truly a rich experience. I am thankful that I went back then, seeing not too many people travel there today, with the whole war going on in Eastern Europe.
I remember the people of Moscow seeming very stoic and a little apprehensive about us Americans. They definitely noticed us. We were louder than them and we dressed differently. One of my favorite pictures is this one:
Here we are going down into the metro, which was strangely very deep underground. Notice the face of the young woman on the far right of the photo. To me, she symbolizes the people of Russia. I wondered what was going through her mind as she saw me taking pictures of her normal life metro escalator. She seems serious and hesitant.
Little side note, many of the metro stations are also constructed majestically in the style of the Stalin Era. I had never seen gold leaf and marble used for subway stops, and it seemed odd to me, but again Mother Russia is a bit different. And since the Cold War Era, Russians have always been weary of Americans and I could feel it while visiting.
Also, another side note, if you do ever get to Russia, be sure to take your own toilet paper. Most public restrooms either don't have any or it is made of the brown paper that is used for paper towels here in the States. Oh, and mentally prepare that you may encounter a squatty potty while out and about there. I survived though, even if I almost slipped in:
