ENTERING MOSCOW

After all that we came back to our cabins. There were some clouds in the sky and the sun was shining. We were due to make a fifteen minute stop soon. After that we would have one more stop and then it would be a straight shot to Moscow. We were to arrive at about three.

The time was spent looking out the window watching the scenes of Russia go by. At lunch we went into the dining car. The appetizer was a boiled egg cut in half with mayonaise and a few peas. Then came cabbage soup with one piece of beef. The main course was pounded beef with potatoes and gravy. Desert was chocolate. After this I went back to the cabin and got my stuff ready. I put everything in the suitcase and carry-on bag. Then I alternated standing at the window outside the cabin and sitting in the cabin looking out the window. There were more of the purple flowers growing in the fields then at any other time during the trip. There were also more onion-domed Russian Orthodox Churches then there were any where else in this vast country.

Russian Orthodox Church



They were awesome. Some of them were starting to crumble and were in bad need of repair. As we got closer to Moscow the houses were getting better and better. Russia has

House



no middle class. (At least at the time I went there). There were the rich and the poor. No in-between. As we went by rivers and streams there were more people out swimming. There were boats in the larger rivers. People were tending their gardens, pumping water from public wells and coming out of the forests with buckets of berries or mushrooms.

As we got closer to Moscow there were more local train stations with people waiting outside for their trains.

MOSCOW STATION

We finally arrived at Moscow Station. There were some people from the travel company there to meet us. We got our stuff and walked out of the train. Porters put our luggage on a carrage. We walked through the crowds quite a distance to the main street where there was a van waiting. When we got there we all piled in. Moscow is a city of nine million. Many people were out on the street. The sun was still shining and it was very pleasant. The driver pulled into the traffic and we made our way to the hotel which wasn't too far away.

Ukraine Hotel



When we got there it was a massive place. It was one of several buildings that Stalin built with a similar style around the city. I went in and got checked in and got a room on the eleventh floor. The huge window in the room opened to a fantastic city scene below. The Moscow River flows in front of the hotel and the Russian White House sits on the other side of it. We were unable to take a shower on the three day train trip so a shower felt good, and so did some clean clothes.

After we got our stuff a little squared away we went down to the third floor to a resturant to have dinner. This consisted of; a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers. Then chicken and rice, and finally chocolate and vanilla ice cream with some kind of jam on it. Then finally coffee.

After this we went back to our rooms for a few minutes then met in the lobby for our first excursion. We set out on foot to the underground metro station that would take us to Red Square. On the way we had to take and underground passageway to get to the other side of the street. In front of the passageway we were met by some gypsie women dressed in shabby clothes. When they saw us they knelt on their knees with thier hands folded as if in prayer and started to beg very loudly. This made one of the women in the group very nervous. I for one didn't know what to make of this. I had never seen begging done in this way before. Paul advised us not to give them anything because then we would never get rid of them. He also warned us to beware of pickpockets when we got in the subway.

MOSCOW METRO SYSTEM

After crossing a massive boulevard which was about eight lanes across we made it to the metro entrance. After paying the fare we went down a gigantic esculator that must have been as long a a city block. At the bottom of this was the train that would take us to Red Square. There were paintings and artwork all over the station, many depicting scenes of Russian life. There were also large chandeliers that hung from the ceiling in places. There are many stations in this network and each one is different from the next. There are bronze statues of Stalin and Lenin and also many murals that show the communist way of life. It was very crowded that day but the guide had done this many times and knew what train to take.

After a little wait the train came and we all got in with no trouble and found seats. The ride wasn't very long. Red Square was only three stations away. When we got there we exited the train and took the long esculator ride again to street level. Again the streets were filled with people. They were all speaking Russian. A short distance away was our destination, Red Square. I looked inside the square between two buildings at the entrance and could see St. Basil's Cathedral at the far end. The Kremlin walls were in front of us and GUM department store on the left. Since it was starting to get dark we didn't go in. They just wanted to show us this place.

After that we went back to the hotel. It had been a long, exhausting day. I was glad to see a real bed and a huge Russian down pillow. With the noise of the city below I quickly fell right to sleep.

LOOKING FOR FILM

I got up the next morning and went down to the resturant on the first floor and handed the man at the door my ticket and then had a breakfast of tomatoes, cucumbers, little hot dogs, rolls, butter and coffee.

In those days people used film in their cameras. I was out of film so I went looking for some. I first went across the street to a little store. They didn't have any so I went back to the hotel. I found out that the little kiosk sold some but they wouldn't be opened til nine. That was the time we were supposed to leave on our tour of the city. Finally I found a place in the hotel that was open so I was able to get some film.

TOUR OF THE CITY

At nine the tour guide came and we filed into the van to take a quick drive through the business district of the city. The driver put in a cassette of some kind of Russian music in his tape deck, but one of the grumpier tourists with us ask him to turn his music off. The tour guide had a microphone and a small PA system and was able to point out the different buildings as we went along. There was the former KGB headquarters, the Tass building, the federal tower and new office buildings. There were a few statues of famous people. Since the collapse of communism the city had gone through a radical transformation. At the time I was there the economy was in a slump, but since then when the economy got better they have been able to build skycrapers and many other modern buildings that have added to the upgrade of the landscape of the city. Many of the old soviet era buildings have been replaced with bright modern ones with colorful concrete and glass.

The driver was dodging other cars left and right. There were some wild and agressive drivers in Moscow. After awhile the driver pulled up to the front of Red Square and we got out. We walked over to the place where some soldiers were going to preform the changing of the guard ceremony near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

These soldiers were from the Kremlin regiment which provides security for the Kremlin, its offices and its treasure. This regiment also maintains a guard of honor at the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the entrance of Red Square.

We watched them goose step in slow motion down a walkway toward the tomb. They went through their little ritual and then the guards they releived slowly goose stepped back to their barracks. By now a medium sized crowd had assembled to watch.

Changing of the Guards



LENIN'S TOMB

After this I went over to Lenin's Mausoleun which was not far from the entrance of Red Square. After the medal detector I was able to go in. Inside it was dark except for a spotlight that shone down on a guard that was standing to the left by the front door. It was quiet now. I

Lenin Under Glass



went around the corner. At this moment I caught a glimpse of Lenin's head. Lights from the ceiling shone down on the wax-like form in the glass case. The line slowly moved around the case, first to his right side, then to his front. The bright light made it seem like his body was glowing. I looked at his right hand and noticed that his fingers were curled under. His left hand lay flat, palm down, fingers outstretched. I looked at his face and noticed his moustache and beard. Then I went around to his left side and then down a step and out of the building. This was the guy that was so lionized by his country. They had so much faith in his ideas and vision. In the end it didn't work. Now he can go down to the scrap heap of history.

Outside, behind the mausoleum near the Kremlin wall there are many famous Russians and important people who are either buried, or their creamated ashes are put into the wall behind a plaque. Brezhnev is buried near the wall of the Kremlin. The ashes of Gargarin,

Stalin's Grave



the first astronaut to go into outer space are there in the wall. Stalin's grave is there and many others who I have never heard of.

From there I walked over to the GUM state run department store. It is a massive building that takes up almost the entire eastern side of the square. Inside there are souvenir shops and other types of stores. I walked through the building and looked around a little and came out the other side. I got something to eat at a fast food stand there and then went over to St. Basil's Cathedral where I met up with the other members of our tour group.

ST BASIL'S CATHEDRAL

We were met at the cathedral by a guide named Irene. We didn't have to wait too long since she knew the ropes and was able to cut through the red tape.

St. Basil's Cathedral was built to commemorate the capture of the Tartan stronghold of Kazan in 1552. There are nine chapels in the cathedral, eight of which have domes. The ninth chapel was dedicated to St. Basil and is below another chapel. The interior of St. Basil's is a maze of galleries winding from chapel to chapel and from level to level through narrow stairways and low arches.

St Basil's Cathedral



The first place we went into in the cathedral was St. Basil's Chapel. It is a room filled with icons and the walls are decorated with very colorful designs. St. Basil lies in a silver casket inside the chapel. The floors are made of uneven cobblestones.

After this we went up a very steep staircase that led to the Chapel of Intercession. It seemed small and there were no chairs or benches to sit on there. The reason for this is that everyone in the Russian Orthodox Church stands during their religious services. The first sensation I recall was a musty smell of the place. The room was beautiful though. There was a blue and gold screen that had quite a few icons on it. There were also icons painted on the walls. The light was dim and some of them were hard to see but I recognized many of them from books I have looked at over the years.

The other chapels in the cathedral are not as elaborately decorated as the Chapel of Intercesion. They are a little more austere. One of the other chapels in St Basil's Cathedral is named after St. Nicholas, who is another saint who is beloved by the Russian people.

There was still some renovation going on in the cathedral. The walls were being repainted with colorful and artistic patterns. There are niches in the brick and stone walls where the rich people of Moscow used to store their valuables since there were so many fires in olden times.

The architect of St. Basil's Cathedral had his eyes gouged out by the Czar at the time, Ivan the Terrible. This was to insure that he would never build anything that was more beautiful then this cathedral.

SPARROW HILLS

From St. Basil's Cathedral we got in the van and started heading out of town. We passed a building where Leo Tolstoi used to conduct business. We passed the graveyard where Nikita Kruschev was buried. Finally we came to a place called Sparrow Hills. It is located on the banks of the Moscow River and near Moscow University where there are some good panoramic views of the city. It is a very popular site among Moscovites and it is a place where many famous poets and writers of the last few centuries have been immortalized in print and song. Newly married couples come there to have their pictures taken.

There are also numerous souvenir hawkers who ply their trade there. There are tables set up with the usual Russian souvenir fare; everything from watches to teapots and decopouged pictures and everything else under the sun.

View from Sparrow Hills



ARBAT STREET

From Sparrow Hills we went to Arbat Street which is one of the oldest origional streets in old Moscow. Craftmen used to set up shop there and sell their wares. Now it is filled with small cafes and souvenir stands. Some famous Russians used to live there such as Alexander Pushkin, who is one of Russia's most beloved poets. There is a museum in his honor on Arbat Street. Tolstoi also lived there at one time. He is also a very well regarded writer in Russia.

I set off down the avenue to look around. I had been seeing some cut crystal that had different things carved inside of them which caught my interest. I came close to a souvenir stand just to get a closer look. I was curious. I didn't want to buy anything. As I got closer the purveyor started to speak to me in Russian. I told him I didn't understand his language. He immediately recognized me as an American and started to speak in English to me. He wanted me to buy something from him very badly. I tried to explain to him that I was leaving the next day and I didn't think I had any room in my suitcase to hold anything more. He didn't even listen to what I was saying and just kept on trying to get me to buy something from him. I just said "spesiba" and walked away.

I passed various cafes and shops and then came upon a street singer. He must have been in his middle twenties. He was playing a guitar and singing a very passionate song in a deep, baritone voice. He looked as though he had been up all the previous night drinking vodka.
His hair was oily and his face drawn, but the passion with which he was singing was very solid. I imagined that he was singing about how Russia was changing and the old communist ways were fading out.

After a little bit I kept walking. I came to a stand where they were selling Coca Cola. I stopped and asked if they had any cold Coke. They said no. I decided to get one anyway. I paid for it. A gypsy girl who was standing nearby saw me buy the Coke. She came over and started to beg in a very desperate way. She was attracting alot of attention. I got out of there and continued back the way I had come.

At this point the reader might think I am a very unfeeling person knowing that these people are in great need of things and I come along and blow them all off. Believe me, it is not as it seems. I am the kind of person who would very much like to help someone out. There are many reasons why I did what I did over there in Russia. For one thing I am a foreigner in that country. I don't speak the language. I don't know what is going on. I have been advised by the travel agencies not to give money to beggars. It is not the same in other countries as it is in the United States. It could end up a very dangerous situation being how desperate these people seemed. I was alone there and who knew what would happen if I pulled money out and started giving it to people? Back to the story....

I finished up there at Arbat Street. I tried to get something to eat at a Mcdonald's store but they would't accept American money. I met up with the rest of the group and went to Tretyakov Museum which was a very interesting place. I learned alot about Russian art there that I am still interested in to this day.

Arbat Street



THAT EVENING

Later in the evening we were invited to some average Russian people's house to have dinner. The building was like many other apartment buildings in Moscow. It looked as though it was built in the forties or fifties. Irene rang the door bell. Pretty soon the Russian voice of a woman came over the innercom. We were buzzed into the dark foyer of the building. A few steps in was the elevator. The button was pushed and shortly the elevator door opened. Only three people could fit in so the first three people got in and the rest of us took the stairs to the third floor rather then wait for the elevator.

When we got there the hostess was already there to recieve us. We were invited into the kitchen where there was a large table spread with all kinds of Russian appetizers. There was brown and white bread, a large platter of tomatoes cut in half and whole, wedges of cucumber, cilantro, parsley. A bowl of liver and red beans, a bottle of vodka, white wine, salmon caviar on buttered bread, cabbage piroskis, mushroom piroskis, cole slaw and cured salmon.

We were offered wine and vodka. The vodka was poured into little shot glasses, whereas the wine was poured into long stem wine glasses. These were put in front of us. The hostess made a toast. We all raised our glasses and she said "ching ching". The feast began and we started to sample the dishes. The hostess spoke a little English, but not too much. The host made sure our glasses were full at all times.

After we had sampled some of these appetizers the hostess said that the pulmanie was almost ready to serve. On the stove there was a pot boiling that had something in it. I had never heard of pulmanie and didn't know what it was. She seemed very excited about this pulmanie. Come to find out, pulmanie is stuffed dumpling. They are filled with cheese or

Russian Apartment Building



meat. Finally the hostess took the lid off the pot and laddled the pulmanie with a slotted spoon into a ornately patterened bowl and put some butter on top of them so they wouldn't stick together. We each tried them and found them very good.

After this she served desert which was home-made gum drops which she called marmalade. She also served different kinds of cakes and cookies. One of the cakes was the traditional poppy-seed cake, which is a favorite of mine. After this she served coffee and tea.

For the rest of the time we were there we sat around and talked and shared some stories. Paul spoke fluent Russian so he was able to translate when needed. Otherwise we all communicated with simple English, hand signals and any other way a person can communicate.

THE NEXT MORNING

I woke up around four the next morning. By seven I was ready to go. I was suppossed to meet Paul in the lobby at 8:45. That is when the car would arrive to take us to the airport. At seven the resturant opened. I went in and had a breakfast of tomatoes, small hot dogs, eggs, pancakes, coffee and hot milk. When I was finished with this I went to my room and got my bags and came back to the lobby and checked out and waited for Paul in a chair by the front door. At 8:46 he walked in and spotted me and we walked out the hotel and found our car and took the hour drive to the airport. The rest is history.

THE END