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Church in Zamoskvorechie

On our first real tourist day, (after we went to register at the French Embassy) we took a long walk through the Zamoskvorechie area, which is aptly named: the words mean "beyond (za) Moscow (moskvo) River (rechie)". In fact the area of about 1 x 2 km sits in a loop of the Moscow river just to the south of the Kremlin. We walked a couple of kilometers through the area by a zig-zag path that took in a half-dozen old and interesting Russian-style orthodox churches. And several restaurants, of which the only one that had the right price/quality was McDonalds. All the cheap ones cost more than McDonalds and weren't as good. All the ones that might be good cost $20 and up per person.

Eating at McDonalds

Along the way we kept getting tantalising glimpses of the onion domes of such fame, and finally around 5 pm we found ourselves on the Moskvoretsy Bridge, which leads into Red Square, taking a close look at the Kremlin and the various buildings that peek over its walls. Exciting! Jan proved the better detective, naming more of the Cathedrals correctly, but Gerry got some other buildings right.

TV Presenter with Kremlin Background

We weren't the only ones impressed by the sight of the Kremlin. For a short time we shared the bridge with a TV crew, consisting of a youngish reporter, a cameraman, and a sound man. We watched the reporter, Kremlin behind him and in camera-view, go through his spiel three or four times before he got it right. A few nights later we saw him on the evening news, wearing a different suit with a different background.

St Basils and Red Square

We crossed the Moscow River and were in Red Square. THE place seen so many times on TV! St Basil's right in front of us! Lenin's tomb in the distance, looking small! Being in front of St. Basil's we went in, although a bit reluctantly for Gerry since we were tired. But Jan wasn't having any postponement of this pleasure. We made a good choice and found the insides surprising and interesting. Inside are a series of "chapels" that are under those famous onion-domes; one looks right up the 50 or so meters into the roof. Some parts are richly decorated and some, presumably those not restored, are plain brick. When we'd seen what we wanted we left, finding that the door was already locked; we'd managed our visit to end just at closing time.

Red Square with GUM Department Store

Afterwards we walked around outside the Kremlin walls counterclockwise. The walls did not fall; presumably the results would have been the same even with a trumpet. Then rather tired, we walked the two kilometers home.

As of today we've made three visits to the French Embassy. They bracketed the July 14 (Bastille Day) celebrations there; we'd seen the preparations in person and saw the actual celebration briefly on TV. Their banquet looked pretty good; too bad we had to stay home and eat our own cooking. After the second and third visits we walked back to our apartment via more of Zamoskvorechie and Khamovniki districts. We saw the Sculpture Park which has an amusing Stalin garden — his statue is backed by a hundred or more stone heads, representing those who literally lost their heads to him. Surrounding the statues are a dozen statues of deformed and incomplete figures, which we interpret as cretins who believed in him. In the background, just outside the park and on the banks of the Moscow river is a giant (195 m) statue of Peter the Great, which, with its large ship, etc, is twice as high as the Statue of Liberty. It's not as nice, but that reaction must be pure prejudice.

Moscow is getting hotter by the day, but with frequent rain and thunderstorms to cool things down periodically, and relatively cool, if short, nights, we are coping well. We expect to pick up our tourist visits soon, given that we have caught up on sleep, registered, and have internet access. We've also found the nearest supermarkets, and even found the closest fruit and vegetable market. So soon we will see the inside of the Kremlin and go to the museums here, which by the guide books, seem fantastic.