Early on Day 43, our overnight train arrived in Russia's capital, Moscow. We were met at the train station by our local guide with a mini bus and taken out to our hotel. Unfortunatley, the sign-in process at the hotel took about two hours, eating into our one day in Moscow big time! And after all that we didn't even get our rooms, and had to put our bags in storage for the day til we could get in that afternoon.
When we were finally cut loose we rode the metro into the city centre and Russia's quintessential must-see, Red Square! Red Square is bordered by the Kremlin, the Lenin Mausoleum, St. Basil's Cathedral (another candy church), the State Historical Museum and the GUM store (large department store).
With no time to waste, we immediately made a bee-line for Saint Basil's Cathedral, only stopping briefly so I could snap some pictures out the front.
The inside is a maze of rooms, all considered seperate churches, around a central core. The rooms are octagonal in shape and decorated in amazing murals with tapestries, books and artwork on display.
Next we explored the Kremlin, Russian's version of the White House, the residence of the President. With only limited time, we just paid basic entry allowing us into the grounds but not the museums and churches. As it was though, it took us a good couple of hours to cover just that, the grounds are massive.
Since we only had a few hours in Moscow we'd made the tough decision to bypass the Lenin Mausoleum, the line was enourmas! However after we left the Kremlin we ended up folding and joined the end of the 300m long line, stocking up from a near by McDonalds walk-thru (yep they've got that in Russia) we settled in to wait the hour or so wait, after all... how many times are you in Moscow!? We knew at least Ben would regret it if we didn't make the effort after coming all this way.
I can't quite tell you it was worth the wait, but it was definately a very 'Russian' experience. When you eventually reach the front, they let you inside in small groups, after you've checked all electronic items into a cloak room. And don't think you can sneak your little iphone in because as you file in you pass armed security guards where you're frisked and every thing you carry in with you is inspected. Once inside, you're marched in single file through a dimly lit corridor and into the main chamber of the mausoleum, where Lenin's embalmed body lays behind glass. There's no stopping to take it in though, the line files through at a slow but steady pace, past six to eight armed guards who'll reprimand you for a whisper, or, as I discovered, for just putting your hands in your pockets! Then, before you know it, you're out the other side. All that wait for a short glimpse at what looks like a Madame Tussauds waxwork!
From Red Square we rode the train back out to the Izmailovsky markets near our hotel, for some last minute shopping. I picked up a traditional Russian matryoshka (nesting) doll and some cute Russian Christmas ornaments.
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