Wednesday 3rd September.
The Cosmos is much as I remember it from 30 years ago. If
they have changed the furniture and fittings in the rooms, they replaced them with
much the same. Great view over the VDNKh Exhibition Site.
 |
| View from the Window |
Have a shower and head back to the Metro to go to Red Square. Big changes here; the whole of the square is barricaded off with security checks to go in and the central part is further barricaded off for a military tattoo taking place in the evenings. St Basil's, Red Square and the Kremlin look fantastic.
 |
| St Basil's |
 |
| Red Square set up for Military Tattoo |
 |
| St Basil's again |
Go round St Basils, first the museum in the
crypt, which provides interesting historical information, and then go round the
cathedral itself. I had forgotten how small it is. There is a central nave
surrounded by the side chapels with only narrow passage ways between them. Nothing
like the huge, medieval cathedrals in Western Europe.
Watched some of the rehearsals and entertainment for the tattoo. The band
played the national anthem, the old Soviet Union one, presumably
with new words. Another band played more marches and there was a troupe of very
pretty dancers and some drummers, from Yerevan.
I even found their facebook page.
 |
| Yerevan Drummers |
 |
| Yerevan Drummers Dance Troupe |
 |
| Yerevan Drummers Dancer |
After walking round the bits of the square that I could access,
noticing that the Lenin Mausoleum is still there, but now it looks almost
hidden away, went into the church opposite the side
entrance of the historical museum and then went to GUM. Now it is an up market
mall, all luxury brands, but the basic layout is the same and it looks
great. There is an exhibition of old Soviet cars accompanied by lots of photos
of them in a Gorky
rally a few months ago. The big black car was apparently Stalin's. Another
exhibition of photos relating to a famous film " A walk in Moscow"* made about 50 years ago.
 |
| GUM |
 |
| GUM |
 |
| Stalin's car |
Later had a slice of pizza, Greek salad and coffee which came to over 300
roubles even in the self service cafe. I thought the Greek salad was 79 Roubles but the
plate is weighed at the cash desk and the salad costs 79 Roubles per 100 grams.
By the time I got back to Red Square, the entrance
to the Kremlin was closed off so started walking down towards the river.
Massive redevelopment going on there, building a new park on the site of what
used to be the massive Rossiya Hotel, so headed in the direction of the Soborny Khram Khrista Spasitelya Cathedral. By now feeling
a bit tired and got the metro back to the hotel.
Within the Cosmos Hotel building there is a Russian Dance
show so checked it out on Trip Advisor and it gets good reviews so bought a
ticket for it that since it is right here at the hotel.
The show was fun. First half telling the story of Russia
through dance, although I think a bit of explanation through a programme or sur
titles would have been useful, and after the interval it focused on different
ethnic groups which was fun but possibly patronising to the groups concerned.
But the whole was thoroughly entertaining. My plan was to have dinner in the "Pub"
afterwards but they had stopped serving food and all the other restaurants were
deserted so ended up getting a sub from Subway to eat back in the room with the
beer I put in the fridge.
Thursday 4th September.
Had an expensive breakfast in the Kalinka cafe this morning.
Obviously there are lots of tour groups who get and with inclusive buffet
breakfast but although they show a la carte prices, in practice there is only the buffet at 900
roubles!
 |
| If only all menus were so honest |
Brilliant sunshine and blue sky outside so I have a look at the
entrance to the VDNKh, the Exhibition of
Soviet Economic Achievements. Obviously it is still going strong with lots of
groups of young people in groups
students waiting to go in. If I understand the signs properly it has
been re-branded as Russian Achievements. They still have all the old symbols of
the
USSR.
Guess it must be very hard to write off 70 years of history as a bad mistake.
Got the metro to Red Square
and tried to get into the Kremlin. The direction the sign pointed in was
blocked by the barriers so I walked all
round the outside of Red Square, thinking I
could get from the other side. But my way was blocked by several policemen one
of whom said "closed". Still not totally convinced I walked round the
walls of the Kremlin to see if there is an entrance on the other side from Red Square. Indeed there are two; one is obviously for
official government business but the other does give access to the Kremlin Museum and has a sign that says "Closed
on Thursdays"! When I go to the ticket office, it tells me the same story.
I can't believe they close a money spinner like the Kremlin one day a week! On
the plus side, I am now in the Alexander
Gardens which are
delightful. Beautiful fountains with statues of horses prancing, immaculate flower beds and a waterway with
more bronze statues. Closer to the Kremlin wall is the eternal flame
commemorating the dead of the second world war. In front of it, the army is
going through its marching sequences. Not very well since they keep on having
to go back and do it again. They look a rag taggle bunch and I am amazed they
show them off in public.
 |
| Horses Prancing in Alexander Gardens |
 |
| Alexander Gardens |
 |
Marching Orders.
Not in the same league as the Yerevan Drummers |
Next to the gardens is a cleverly concealed underground
shopping mall, Okhotny Ryad. Obviously the penchant for classical statuary didn't
end with the fall of communism since the centre piece is a fountain with three bronze
figures one of whom is carrying a dead deer. A dome above shows a map of the
world in stained glass. I can see Singapore,
Moscow and London
but the world is a mirror image of reality. Which would make sense if it was
intended to be viewed from outside but from outside it isn't possible to see
the whole dome unless you are in a helicopter.
 |
Half the World:
Singapore to Moscow and England |
Walk to the Arbat area. The new Arbat Street is lined with post war
apartment blocks which look identical to ones I remember seeing in books during
my school days showing modern Soviet life and architecture. For years this
summed up my view of the USSR.
Huge, monolithic, drab and soulless.
Today the blocks don't seem so huge. We have got used to seeing far bigger
buildings and the ones in New
Arbat Street seen to have stood the test of time better
than similar blocks erected in Britain
in the 1960s and 70s. At the end of the street is an isolated, dwarfed Orthodox
church with bright green onion domes. Dark and quiet inside with a small
handful of worshippers. No information in English. Turns out it is the Church of St Simeon the Stylite and dates from the
middle of the 17th century. Crossed back under the busy road and entered the Old Arbat Street, a world of 19th century buildings, trendy
cafes, street artists and second hand book stalls.
 |
| Church of St Simeon the Stylite |
 |
| Book Stalls in the Arbat |
Years ago, I read the novel
Children of the Arbat which provided an unflattering view of life here in
Soviet times but now it looks totally gentrified. At the far end of Arbat
street I emerged at one of the Stalin era massive "castles" also know
as the seven sisters. I guess the architecture can be seen as a variant on Art
Deco. Wonder if our rather negative view of it would be different if it weren't
so closely associated with Stalin and all his evil. Great settings for a Batman
film. Up close, the details are fascinating, the doors decorated with
intricate cast iron medallions full of
communist symbols. This particular one is still functioning as the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, so no option to look inside.
 |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
 |
| Door Decoration |
My plan is to cross the river and
go on one of the river cruises that leaves from
a pier near the Ukrainia Hotel, another one of the seven sisters. When I
get to the pier I get a ticket for the 5.00 pm sailing 900 roubles for a 2 1/2 hour cruise, and go and explore the Ukrainia hotel now a Radisson.
The cruise company is also called Radisson but the young woman selling me the
ticket tells me they are totally different companies. . Inside, the Ukrainia is
a bit disappointing, just another 5 star international hotel. There is a lounge
bar but it doesn't appeal so I go for a further walk along the river in the direction of a large scale new
development and past a couple of floating barge restaurants one of which is called
"La Barge La Plage" and appears to cater for the wealthy.
While I am standing on the street by La Barge, a silver and metallic blue Rolls Royce Wraith rolls up and parks
just next to me, the driver, a man in
his early forties wearing a black leather jacket emerges and meets another man, who has parked a less
conspicuous car nearby, with a bear hug.
Is he a patron at La Barge or the owner? There is nothing else here! Whatever
business he is in it must be very lucrative!
Back at the pier, the boat starts boarding and I find a seat
on the upper deck in the fresh air. As soon as we begin to move a group of
beautiful people start taking photos of each other before disappearing into the
first class section where food and drinks are being served. The boat is far from full and there are
another four or five identical ones tied up at the pier so the company can't be
making much money! Unlike Irkutsk, Moscow looks stunning
from the river. The boat is totally silent, we cruise under bridges encased in
glass, a metro station, get great views
of several of the seven sisters, Gorky
Park and golden
onion domed churches sparking in the
late afternoon sun. The climax, of course, is the Kremlin and St Basil's,
after which the ship does an about turn and we head back.
 |
| New, High Rise Moscow |
 |
| Radisson Boat |
 |
| One of the Seven Sisters |
 |
| Kremlin from the River |
For much of the
cruise, two young women have been taking dozens of photos of each other, with a
serious looking camera, to the extent I wonder if they noticed anything else at
all. At least they should have some good shots. They ask me to take a couple of
shots of them together but neither speak much English so I can't find out if
there is anything specific they are taking
the photos for. By now it is feeling a bit chilly outside so I retire to
the enclosed lower deck for a while.
After returning to the pier, walk down to Kievskaya with the
intention of getting the metro to one of the restaurants advertised on my map,
but seeing a big shopping mall and feeling hungry, look at the menu at a chain Italian place,
Centrale. The pizza is quite good and reasonable but the beer is extortionate.
Later look around the shopping mall which is big and upmarket, with lifts like
gilded birdcages and the inevitable fountains. It is called the European Mall
(Evropeisky) and has many Euro symbols scattered around. Wonder whether there
will be any re-branding if the EU sanctions over Ukraine
bite; the equivalent of the US's
"freedom fries". In the central atrium massive LED displays shout
"Back to School". Obviously Russians are very comfortable with both
alphabets, unlike me who is learning to read again, so it amazes me that so few
speak any English. Get the metro back to the hotel and book hotel and my train
ticket to St Petersburg
on line, all quite straightforward.
Friday 5th September.
Get the metro to Biblioteka imeni Lenina which is the
nearest station to the Kremlin ticket office. Interesting to see what people
are doing on the metro. Out of 12, 4 are reading books, 1 reading a newspaper,
1 doing her make up, 1 reading on a kindle or similar, 1 asleep and only 3
playing with phones etc. In Singapore
almost everyone would be using a mobile device. Also notive some people in
paramilitary uniforms, some men but mostly young women. On their tunics they
have MЧC
POCCИ. I take a surreptitious photo since not sure whether they have any
official status or are a vigillante group.
 |
| MЧC POCCИ Who are they? |
Yes, the Kremlin is open and it is quick and easy to get a ticket,
350 Roubles for the main part. It is just as spectacular as I remember it, with
the golden domes of the cathedrals radiant in the bright sun. Visit all the
cathedrals round the main square. In each there is an excellent one page illustrated guide in several languages
including English. There is the Archangel Cathedral where all the early Tsars
are interred, the Annunciation Cathedral, the Dormition Cathedral, the Church
of the Deposition of the Robe of the Holy Virgin and then the Patriarchs Place
and the Church of the Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles, whatever that means.
 |
| Big Gun in the Kremlin |
 |
| Annunciation Cathedral |
 |
| 30 years on and they still haven't fixed that bell |
 |
| More Onion Domes |
Most of the visitors are there in tour groups, so provided I can avoid those, the crowds are not too bad. Several groups are in uniforms. One group of middle aged men all wearing what look like army officers uniforms of the 1700's and some groups of young Asians wearing white and purple robes. I guess putting your tour group in uniform minimises the risk of losing any of them.
 |
| Men in Red |
Most of the visitors are there in tour groups, so provided I
can avoid those, the crowds are not too
bad. Several groups are in uniforms. One group of middle aged men all wearing
what look like army officers uniforms of the 1700's and some groups of young Asians
wearing white and purple robes. I guess
putting your tour group in uniform minimises the risk of losing any of them. My
original plan was to go and visit one of the monasteries after the Kremlin but
by now I am iconed out and I can't face another iconostasis! So head back to
GUM for a bite to eat and a coffee.
Then go to Leningrad Station to print out my ticket for
tomorrow. The machine asks for an order number which is not on my electronic
receipt. So queue at one booth for 10-15 minutes when the woman, who does nor
speak any English, gets her colleague to
tell me to go to desk 6. There the
exercise is repeated and I am told to go to
desk 3 where a young man does speak English but he seems to have
problems finding the booking and printing it. Eventually I get my precious
piece of paper. Outside I look around the stations. There are three almost next
to each other, Leningrad where I will be leaving
from tomorrow, Kazan
where I arrived from Ekaterinburg, and Yaroslavl,
all of which look amazing. I guess they
were all built before the revolution and intended as great cathedrals of the
railway age. Get the Metro back to VDNKh and walk through the park to the huge
monument I remember from 30 years ago, Heroic Soviet Man and Woman striding
into the future. They are still striding apparently unaware that the future
went on without them.
 |
Heroic Soviet Man and Woman striding into the future"The Worker and Kolkhoz Woman"
|
But later, looking at
the internet it's more complicated than that. The sculpture has a name,
"The Worker and Kolkhoz Woman"; it was made from stainless steel by Vera
Mukhina to crown the Soviet pavilion at
the 1937 World Fair in Paris. After the Fair closed, it was erected
on a pedestal in approximately its current position in 1939 and was restored in
1979. That was what I saw in 1980. But after the collapse of Communism and the
Soviet Union, it was taken down for
restoration in 2003 and a new museum was built, following the design of the
1937 World Fair Pavillion and the
statue was only re-erected on top of it in 2009.
In the building
beneath them, the one I have subsequently learnt is relatively new, I see an entrance to a museum which I expected
to tell me more about the place and, without really checking, hand over 250
roubles for an entrance ticket. Only when I get inside do I realise it is celebrating 150 years of
the Moscow zoo!
They certainly worked hard to fill four floors of an excellent museum space, with
zoo related material including children's drawings of the animals, play areas
for children to do more drawings, posters and cartoons through the ages. Some of the old photos were
interesting, looking at those from the Stalin era set me wondering whether the happy smiling faces
knew anything of the horrors going on around them. As I come out I look down the road to see the high rises of
the new Moscow gleaming in the evening sun.
 |
| High Rises of New Moscow |
Walked back to the hotel
where I had dinner in the "Pub", Nurenburg sausages and a dark beer.
Seeing Soviet Man and woman takes me back! I'm sure I have the photo still though probably yellowed with age. Guess they are no longer pasting Pravda on billboards at the tram stops.
ReplyDelete