MOSCOW DAY 3
"If at first you don't succeed."
"If at first you don't succeed."
After getting a solid 5 hours of sleep – probably most I would get on this trip I woke up to find the temperature had dropped to minus 7C or about 19F. After catching up – a term I have learned to use liberally on my many trips – on my journal, I headed own to the hotel restaurant to have breakfast.
When I walked in the crowd was much larger than the previous days. This was due to the addition of a team of hockey players from Slovakia that were in town to play the Russians. It wasn’t the game that we were going to see on the following night, but it was cool to see them and talk to them.
At 10:30, our intrepid Vlade picked us up outside the hotel and we retraced our route from the day before to see the Novodevichy Convent. This time we were not turned away and were able to go inside the cloistered walls. It was beautiful and peaceful inside, the grounds covered in a blanket of snow. Still, I could not help but think about all of the women who were essentially imprisoned here against their wills, and I wondered if the walls could talk, how many cries of anguish would I hear.
When I walked in the crowd was much larger than the previous days. This was due to the addition of a team of hockey players from Slovakia that were in town to play the Russians. It wasn’t the game that we were going to see on the following night, but it was cool to see them and talk to them.
At 10:30, our intrepid Vlade picked us up outside the hotel and we retraced our route from the day before to see the Novodevichy Convent. This time we were not turned away and were able to go inside the cloistered walls. It was beautiful and peaceful inside, the grounds covered in a blanket of snow. Still, I could not help but think about all of the women who were essentially imprisoned here against their wills, and I wondered if the walls could talk, how many cries of anguish would I hear.
After touring the convent grounds with its gold-leafed onion domed cathedrals we headed outside and around the convents high walls to tour the famous cemetery.
At the cemetery we saw very many interesting grave-markers. One highlight was the marker of Anton Chekov, one of Russia’s - and the world’s - most famous short story writers.
At the cemetery we saw very many interesting grave-markers. One highlight was the marker of Anton Chekov, one of Russia’s - and the world’s - most famous short story writers.
After the convent and cemetery, we returned to the car and met back up with Vlade. In just a few short days, he had already become such an integral part of the success of our tour, that I thought it fitting to give him a copy of my second One Eyed Jack novel, Russian Roulette. Wanting to make the book even more special, I used Google to personalize it and wrote in Cyrillic, “Vladimir, Thanks for a great time. Enjoy Russian Roulette.” I think he was very touched at the gesture, and told me he would start reading it that night.
Vladimir's copy of Russian Roulette.
From the convent, we again retraced our steps and headed to the Russian WW II museum. Walking in from the back side this time we had to cross a large wooded park laden with fresh snow. There was a very interesting memorial statue dedicated to those who had fallen during the war. It was a slow-motion of men falling like dominoes and in the process, morphing into headstones. It was quite an artistic, albeit grim, reminder of the horrific past.
After passing through security, we entered the inside of the museum, which led you through the various battles, artfully recreated through incredible dioramas. These three dimensional depictions could never of course do justice to what it was really like to endure these horrors of human conflict, but after seeing them - and after learning how much the Russians had personally suffered in the war - it became painfully clear why the Russians have a paranoia about being invaded.
After passing through security, we entered the inside of the museum, which led you through the various battles, artfully recreated through incredible dioramas. These three dimensional depictions could never of course do justice to what it was really like to endure these horrors of human conflict, but after seeing them - and after learning how much the Russians had personally suffered in the war - it became painfully clear why the Russians have a paranoia about being invaded.
After touring the museum, we didn’t have enough time to head over to Kremlin and St. Basils, so we changed course and went to famous Old Arbat Street, one of the oldest streets in Moscow and now a trendy spot for people to walk and window shop the many souvenir stores.
I picked up a couple of souvenirs here and then we decided we had packed in enough for today and that it was time to return to the hotel. We had our busiest and longest day yet coming up tomorrow and we wanted to try to recharge – as much as possible – our batteries.
I picked up a couple of souvenirs here and then we decided we had packed in enough for today and that it was time to return to the hotel. We had our busiest and longest day yet coming up tomorrow and we wanted to try to recharge – as much as possible – our batteries.
We arrived back at the Radisson around 5, and agreed to meet at a Georgian Restaurant inside the hotel at around 7. Even though our Yankee curiosity got to us and we succumbed to a McDonalds meal the night before, we still wanted to experience as much as we could of the culture, and that extended our adventure to the various cuisine.
Before long we were enjoying wonderful Georgian cheeses and some delicious Georgian red wine. We also shared in an appetizer whose name escapes me, but as far as I was concerned, it was a cheese pizza.
The main course was delicious roasted vegetables and Beef Khinkali, small sacks made out of dough that contained beef or pork. Before allowing us to sample them though, we were outfitted with bibs to catch any internal juices and were instructed in the proper technique: Grab the Khinkali by the top, raise it above your mouth and bite into it. They were delicious!
We followed this with desert and coffee: Tiramisu for me, and Honey Cake for Dave. Tim held off.
Before long we were enjoying wonderful Georgian cheeses and some delicious Georgian red wine. We also shared in an appetizer whose name escapes me, but as far as I was concerned, it was a cheese pizza.
The main course was delicious roasted vegetables and Beef Khinkali, small sacks made out of dough that contained beef or pork. Before allowing us to sample them though, we were outfitted with bibs to catch any internal juices and were instructed in the proper technique: Grab the Khinkali by the top, raise it above your mouth and bite into it. They were delicious!
We followed this with desert and coffee: Tiramisu for me, and Honey Cake for Dave. Tim held off.
Hit bed at around 11 and began looking forward to day 4 of our adventure: The Boishoi Ballet, Red Square, St. Basils, a tour of the Kremlin, and most exciting, a Russian hockey game.
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