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Published: October 29th 2007
CORRECTIONS: Thanks to two Russians, I am amedning my blog for corect information! Sorry it must have been too much Russian Vodka... I am amending the name Lenon to be Lenin (yes I know it is two different guys --just messed up on the spelling. Two, adjacent to the old center is a very large Ferris wheel, commemorating 850 years of Moscow, not Soviet Power. OK, on with the blog -- I am sorry I haven’t blogged for my 3-days in Moscow, but I have been having so much fun and such long days, I am absolutely exhausted by the time I get home!!! Moscow has been fantastic, more than I ever expected and such great fun. I don’t know where I should even start?!?
Day one was a bit confusing; I did my best to find my way to the hotel. With some luck and the help of a man from Amsterdam, I was able to negotiate my first taxi fare of 600 rubbles. Taxis here are not like anywhere else in the world (I have seen). Taxis are not marked and are not metered, which can be good and/or bad. You negotiate a taxi fare before you get
into each taxi…the good thing is you know exactly how much you will pay…and if there is traffic and you sit in the cab for 1 hour, even in a 15 minute travel distance, it is still the same cost. The down side is 90% of the taxi drivers don’t speak English or they know you are a foreigner and play dumb on taxi prices…I was lucky on the other hand. I hired a translator and tour guide for a day and then I met anEnglish mate of mine (from my trip in London), who took me out for a night and a day on the town!!!
My first evening in Moscow consisted of my hotel because of a 2-hour delay in Brussels due to a mechanical problem. Once I got to my hotel around 7 p.m. I was pretty much exhausted - that however in no excuse in Russia! Every Friday, the hotel holds a party in the courtyard area of every floor (all 12 floors). Cheap vodka and free food brings out all guests to mingle. I meet people from the US, Denmark, Russia, Sweden, Poland, Croatia, Morocco and many, many more. By midnight I was ready
to drop dead, as I had to meet my tour guide/translator Mike at 8 a.m.
7 a.m. I was hating the alarm and life, but I managed to get myself out of bed for what would be the greatest day of my vacation thus far!!! I met Mike in the lobby of the hotel; he went over the proposed schedule for the day, what we could see, what I wanted to see, and other options to make my Moscow visit awesome! We started out by taking a taxi to the old square, an area which is mainly vendors and people trying to sell their goods, but a marvel of Russian architecture. Each building here represents each area of Russia during Soviet times. Some 70 buildings in all, centered around solid gold statues, (but now replaced by replica gold statues).
Quick FYI about Russia: There was a lot of demolition during the Stalin era, and much was rebuilt to the exact specifications in the Yeltsin era so not everything is the original, especially many of the churches.
Adjacent to the old center is a very large Ferris wheel, commemorating 850 years of Moscow. From here you can see
all of Moscow and just about every place you wanted to go on a tour!
As we left the old square we took the tram to nowhere, a piece of transportation that many folks in Moscow despise, it is a project in America we would call “Pork Barrel’, much like the bridge in Alaska…costs way too much to build and benefits only a handful (mainly the prominent). From here, we pasted by the largest building in Moscow, called the TV Tower; every television stations and radio station is affixed to this building. During the Coup in 1991, this building was immediately taken, and while the world watched the coup unfold before its eyes, many, many people in Russia (besides those in Moscow) had no clue what was taking place!
From the end of the tram line, we walked to Red Square! The architecture here is everything you would think of as Russia (outside of the Red Square, it look live every other large American city for the most part).Here I met a look alike Stalin and hade my picture taken, I saw many statues commemorating great Russian heroes, and past dictators. While in Red Square, I saw a
Russian Soldier (which as it turns out they are everywhere), however, I was very lucky to find this Russian Soldier. I told my translator I wanted to get a picture with him, since I was in the American military…as my translator talked to him and I got my picture, he asked me since I was in the military, if I would like to have a special VIP pace to the Kremlin! Um DUH!!! Of course I would! There was a big VIP “How do you do” at the Kremlin and he had been to so many of them, he didn’t really want to go. So, with VIP pass in hand, my tour guide Mike and I made our way to the gates of the Kremlin….long lines ensued outside of the walls of other VIPs and folks waiting to get in to the vast expansive Kremlin area. A military officer saw out pass, came and got us out of the line and we walked right in like we owned the place! (as I would find out later from my mate Jez, that is unheard of access)! We made our way up to the center of the Kremlin, right outside where Putin
President Putin's Home
This in inside the Kremlin compound.lives; I was a hop skip and a jump from his home! There hundreds of media were stationed ready for the display of pomp and stance of Russian military for high level government and military officials. The display had me in awe from the infantry to the Calvary and the very impressive Russian band. We then toured the Kremlin and ad unparallel access to almost every aspect of the place! I felt very lucky to have received the pass!
From here, we visited the tomb of the unknown, just in time for the changing of the guard, also another impressive display of military honor and duty!
After the Kremlin area we took a underground metro to the military museum. First, all the metro’s I visited were done in Marble…very, very brilliant marble and they were an architecture feat in themselves and very impressive. The only remaining pictures of Lenon are found in the Metro tunnels.
Once at the expansive courtyard area of the military museum and dedication to WWII, I was stopped by the Moscow police and detained for a few minutes. As I am told by Mike, Moscow police number around 70,000 and some are curupt,
they seek out tourists, ask for their documentation and expect a bribe of 50 to 100 rubles (about $5). I wasn’t sure what was going on, but by the tone of Mike it didn’t sound good. I know it was about me, because I heard the following words; American, Renaissance Hotel, passport and tourist. In the end, I waled away and Mike told me he was very rude to the police officer and told him to go away and that it was none of his business what we were doing in Moscow. I about dropped dead I thought I would be arrested and my body would never be found-as it turns out from both Mike and Jez, that unlike in England, the US or the rest of the world, you have to be very rude to the police to get any respect. If your nice, it’s all over with!
We finally made out way to the Military museum, where I had the opportunity to see Russian and Nazi Germany relics from WWII, as well as all the current Russian military fighting power the Mig! I even got to run around in makeshift bunkers and rat holes…I was in heaven!
Ferris Whele
Notice the 850 on the whele. By this time, it was dark, and Mike said we had to go back to Red Square at night. I was a bit apprehensive, because I already went there, and didn’t want to spend time going back…well I listened to Mike (as the local knowledge) and he was correct, Red Square at night is NOT AT ALL like Red Square during the day. It was beautiful, and light by lights galore. Here I took a multitude of pictures, including St. Basilica (which you should all recognize in the pictures). I even was able to pose in front of Lennon’s tomb and get a picture.
My night concluded about 11:30 p.m. and Mike headed home (he doesn’t drink)…but wait my night really wasn’t over . . . When I got back to my hotel at 11:30 p.m. my phone rang and it was Jez, ready to go out and show my the Russian night life….so, a quick change of clothes and within a half hour Jez and a friend of his Fred were at my hotel to pick me up! Off to the club we went and it was an amazing night! I have never had so much fun!
We got home at 6:30 a.m., which was really 7:30 a.m. (but we had a time change at 3 a.m. and it became 2 a.m. and the night went on! I am no longer upset about missing Halloween either! This was the weekend they celebrated Halloween in Russia (which happens to be a big holiday) and people were dressed up and the club was decked out! At the club I met more of Jez’s friends, to include the crazy Frenchman---OMG, the French are insane, including Jeanric!!!!! But thanks to him, he found me a very nice Russian girl to dance with (See pictures).
The next day, when Jez and I finally got up, we walked around other parts of Moscow and he told me about living in Russia vers. England. We ate at some very local cafés (great found I would have never found on my own). We walked by the river and parts of the upscale Moscow area. I made it back home around 9 p.m., where I quickly fell asleep.
I have been in Russia four days now, not at all enough time. Both Mike and Jez have invited me back…in fact Jez wants Emma, Mark,
Russian Soldier
This is the Russian Soldier that gave me access to the Kremlin! Andy and I to come back to Russia and have a reunion from the time we all met in London! Oh geeze! HAHAHAHA! I am afraid! LOL!
Well, Today is my last day. I check out of my hotel in about two hours and I head to Austria. I am really going to miss Russia…although thanks to Mike and Jez, I had the best time I think I could have had in Russia!
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you not posting your blogs your entire stay in Russia made certain family members think that you were kidnapped and being help for ransom!! I mean before your trip we heard some negative things about Russia, after the 3rd day of no posts, i have got to tell you, i was getting a tad concerned myself. So, as of now, having to much fun is no longer a reason not to post, even if its to say you are having to much fun to take the time to post now, and will post later. got it :P have fun in Austria, going to see the von trap family house?? love ya