Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

St Basils Moscow

Our train journey from Tahkent to Moscow took over 60 hours, through Uzbekistan across Kazakhstan to the Volga River, over the natural barrier of the steppes between Central Asia and Russia, covering mighty distances.

We were two days before we even entered Russain territory, there were no visits on the train from any Russian authority, we had no evidence of our entry into the country, this would pose its own problems in due course.

Kremlin Tower Moscow

We chugged over the Ural River, dividing Asia from Europe, and finally we pulled into Kazan Station at Moscow at 1857 ( 6.57 PM ) on Tuesday the 23rd. of May, exactly on time. Moscow has a number of train stations, and they are named after the region from whence the train started, eg, Finland Station, it was here that Lenin arrived from Finland in 1917.

We were bussed to the huge Intourist Cosmos Hotel, with accommodation for 3,000 people. There is no room for flexibility in the Russian system eg. at dinner time, butter was delivered to our table in a very small quantity, no sooner had it arrived, than it was snatched away again, "Not for you, for Americans!" we were told. ( these Americans were obviously on a far more expensive tour package than we were. ) Our Moscow Tour Guide was so embarrased by this incident, she organised butter for us, but I believe she paid for it herself.

Over our time in Moscow, we of course visited the quite magnificent paved Red Square, it was much smaller than I had anticipated from viewing it on Television. It is flanked by St Basil's church, which must be one of the world's most photographed icons, topped by its domed onion type structures, and is very colourful, within its walls it winds around various shrines. The Gum Store runs down one side of Red Square, and is an architectural delight.

Lenin's Tomb Red Square Moscow

Lenin's Tomb.
We could hardly visit this area without making the pilgrimage to view Lenin in his glass case. We had to queue with the local populace to wind our way below ground level, the Military on duty at the tomb take this task very seriously, no talking was allowed, due reverence had to be paid as the curious crowd reached the bottom of the steps that then open out to a small area where the muffified Lenin is stretched out in his glass case.

The body looks very waxy and artificial as the once dictator who changed the world looks most ill at ease on public display, and really is a quite small figure. There was no dallying allowed, a quick pause to view the body, and then we were sheperded up the steps back into the sunshine of the square, it was almost a relief to be back in the real world, I found it very artificial, and stulifying, below ground in the tomb. Many notables are buried by the walls of the Kremlin, including that of Stalin, our guide did not even pause where he was laid to rest, and I could not elicit any comment from her about Stalin, totally ignored as if he did not or never had existed.

The 200 ton Tsar Bell the Kremlin Moscow. Cracked when bell was cooling after being cast, was never rung.

Within the walls of the Kremlin which means fortress, are a number of churches, a huge 200 ton cast bell , it has a large crack through it, which appeared after it was cast and was in cooling mode, there is a large cannon designed to take a solid cannon ball weighing a ton, never fired in anger, but produced by the Soviets of the time to show their abilities to both their people and the world at large.

The Armoury within the Kremlin walls is not a military building, but a vast museum displaying all the oppulence of the Czarist regime, it has to be viewed to be believed, the magnificent jewels, crowns, antiques, elaborate gowns, coaches, gold and silver encrusted bible covers etc, etc, one of our group muttered "No wonder the peasants revolted!"

Magnificent Metro Stations abound in Moscow, they are part of the underground train system that winds its way around Moscow. Many were built by different groups of Soviet workers, eg. "The Young Communists." To enter them, escalators plunge from street level deep down into the bowels of the earth, several levels down, and these conveyors travel at a fast rate, carrying hordes of Muscovites to and from home and their work places.

Bolshoi Theatre Moscow

They are all immaculately clean, each one a virtual work of art, and trains run every 30 seconds, we used them on a number of occasions, counting the station stops from where we were to where we wanted to finish up, before we got on a train.

Our Hotel hummed at all times, its huge lobby being regularly worked by a string of prositutes, with no worries from the Hotel management, perhaps someone was being paid off.

The largest McDonalds in the world is here in Moscow, we duly made a visit to try out the French Fries, exactly the same product we would find at home in Australia. We were told the young Muscovites who work here do not last very long, the pace required of them soon becomes too much, quite a shock from the normal pace of a Russian at work!

Inside the Kremlin Walls moscow

There appeared to be freedom for religion at this stage of Soviet development, we did visit a number of churches, usually quite crowded with worshippers, who in the main tended to be more elderly, not too many young people at church.

Our time in this fascinating city all over too soon, and we were now off to visit the Venice of the North, St Petersburg, as we took the overnight Red Arrow train out of Moscow.

The Huge Cannon in the Kremlin Moscow

 

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