Russia Update 3: A Moscow Tale

Alright, so the title is a little misleading as this is more of an account of real-life events than it is an actual tale. This past weekend I had the privilege to visit the largest city in Russia - also largest city by metropolitan area and arguably population in Europe - with my fellow international students. After living in Petersburg for three months now, the difference in the two cities was extremely obvious to me the moment I stepped out of the train station. For one, Petersburg has restrictions on how high buildings can be built in order to better preserve the original feeling and city aesthetic. In Moscow, this restriction does not exist, and the skyscrapers and massive Soviet architecture overlooks the whole city.

We spent the night on a train from Petersburg to Moscow that ended up taking about 9 hours, luckily I slept soundly for most of it to awake in a new city. As we walked out of the train station to meet our driver, we were surrounded by stations going to all the major Russian cities (Kazan, Volgorad, etc.) After dropping our stuff off at the hostel - which was so delightfully called the Chocolate Hostel, where we received real hot chocolate for breakfast - we headed for the Red Square! It was a lot less red then I had imagined, and there was a bit of construction for some event happening at the time, nevertheless, the sight was one of elegance. As you walk through the main gate with the Kremlin wall, an old Russian styled building, and St. Basil's in the distance, your jaw is bound to drop if even in the slightest. The square is so visually pleasing, as if you were standing in a garden of brick and concrete, all four directions have something beautiful and unique to offer the foreign onlooker. St. Basils Cathedral, Kremlin Wall and Clocktower, Lenin's Mausoleum (as well as the graves of many 20th century Russian hero's), numerous old buildings that have since been turned into museums and the like, a second Cathedral, and the largest shopping center in Russia (which looks amazing at night when it's all lit up). There is so much to see even on the outskirts of this square that I will not go into detail in the hopes of someday posting my pictures.

That afternoon, we ventured to the Kremlin where Russia's main government presides. There are three Cathedrals located within the Kremlin walls where many historical icons and Tsarist tombs are located. Having visited these churches, the mausoleum, and the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Petersburg, I completed by quest in visiting all of Russia's leaders since the 10th century, save Yeltsin, who was off by himself somewhere and kinda out of the way.

We also visited Tretyakov Gallery which is home to some of the most famous Russian art in the world, such as the great 'Black Square' by Malevich. The only regret I have of my visit to Moscow is spending only 2 days there, when I very easily could have filled up 4 or 5 days enjoying the historical sights that overwhelms one who tries to do it in a mere two days. I suppose I could have gone into a lot more detail on what exactly I did from hour to hour, but I have to save something for real-life conversation.

(I was surprised at how literally it was a square which is black, like seriously black and seriously square, who'da'thunkit.)

(Edit: head over to Kevin's blog where he just put up some pictures that show some of what I tried to describe)