Victory Day Parade Moscow 2011

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Many thanks to those that made comments on the blog. Sorry I can't load the photos from iPad but will do so from a computer eventually.
Today we kinda went to the Parade. Our problem was that all the side streets were blocked off by security types that would put you off jumping fences for life. The privileged few did get to Red Square in a fleet of Mercedes, BMWs and Audis which we were fortunate to see hurtling around a corner we parked ourselves at. The interesting aspect is that the parade celebrates victory over Germany in WW2 and yet everyone got there in upmarket German cars except us. We got there eventually in Australian boot leather. If you enjoy a good exhibition of goosestepping I can recommend checking the parade out on Utube. Search : Victory Parade Moscow 2011- that is where I watched it! It is worth the effort.
James and I spent three freezing hours on a street corner barricaded in with some of the 3-4 Million Russians that showed up. Nobody speaks English so we just pretended to be Russian. No marching soldiers came our way. They probably lay exhausted somewhere between us and Red Sq. but we did get close to a lot of police, soldiers on security duty and plain clothes KGB types. We were very very well behaved.
Eventually an endless line of tanks, missiles, saracens and heavy military vehicles did show up. There also appeared an endless line of street cleaning trucks and they parked in front of James. He wasn't happy but at least he got some close up pictures of Moscovite corporation trucks!
Here's a piece of cold war information for you. It is not in your best interests to take pictures of soldiers, cops, military installations, bridges etc in Russia. Yet if you go to the parade you can film the whole Russian army, navy and police force and all their equipment - everything is there except the bridges and you can get them on Google Earth. I don't get it. James says you cannot photograph bridges in India yet you can start a postcard collection of just about every bridge.
Anyway in Russia do as the Russians do.
There is a huge fireworks display in progress at the moment. It's not keeping James awake as he has his ear plugs in - one day he will miss the fire alarm.
Tomorrow we fly to England and will take the Moscow metro and train to the airport. We have kinda mastered the Metro. It is very difficult unless you can read the Coptic or Cryllic or whatever it is. The Metro is not a bad place to get lost in. It's very deep underground to protect Mocovites from nuclear attack and full of interesting sculptures, mosaics, chandeliers and art works to keep you amused while you are awaiting the decay of radioactive isotopes.
Must go to sleep.
Adios amico

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