Moscow, the heart of the Bear (Part 2, because I didn't finish everything from Part 1)

We arrived at the hostel, dropped our things off, and headed for breakfast. What I first thought to be thunder was in fact the rumble of everyone's stomachs. We were ready for a meal. So we headed for the restaurant called the "Funky Lime." The food was okay; it was stuff in the stomach in the morning, which was important. What was awesome about this place was the music they played. It was by far the best "restaurant soundtrack" I've ever eaten to. It was energizing and really made you want to dance. We'd return here later for other meals.

After breakfast, we set out for the Kremlin. Walking through the streets of Moscow was a bit different than those of St. Petersburg. First off, St. Petersburg was planned almost street by street. The city is laid out very nicely meaning the streets intersect at 90 degree angles (mostly) and its very easy to orientate yourself around. Moscow was not built with the same idea in mind. Well, to be far, St. Petersburg was built with the idea of becoming a capital whereas Moscow's importance just grew over the years along with the population. So it's understandable that the streets are laid out to resembled a bowl of pasta that has been dropped on the floor. Anywho, walking through Moscow during the entire trip, it was evident that the two cities had undergone a completely different transformation.

Very common Moscow scenery: architecture from
across Russia's history.

The  walk to the Kremlin was lovely. We saw some of Moscow's back neighborhoods and it added to the anticipation of seeing the Kremlin by having to walk there and slowly start to see the red brick peak over the roofs with each step. We passed one important building on the way, Банк России (Bank Rossii/the Bank of Russia). This is Russia's national bank. They run the currency. The next famous building we came upon was the Kremlin itself. To see it before my eyes for real was unbelievable. This building that was been at the center of countless James Bond films, Cold War thrillers, and news reports was now standing in front of me. This was a place at the center of history. It is most certainly one of the most recognizable locations in Russia.

  I must take some time here to explain what the word "кремль" means. First off, you pronounce the Russian word as "kremyl." The translation is fortress. And that is exactly what the Moscow Kremlin is, a fortress built to defend the Moscow river and the town that eventually sprang up around the fortress. There is a bit of a nuance that must be noted. In Russian, you can say "кремль" or "крепость (krepost)" to talk about a fortified location, but a кремль is more specifically a fortress with a church inside (an orthodox church specifically).

   But even in Russia, the work кремль is assumed to be the Moscow Kremlin, the seat of power in this country. That was our destination Friday morning. It was chilly, a cold wind blew against us. But we pressed onward, eager to see the Kremlin. When you reach the Kremlin, one of the first things you notice is its size. It is an immense structure, still very much so the fortress that it has always been. The garden and roads around the Kremlin are filled with people from across Russia and the world, but yet, there is a sense of quiet that surrounds everything. The history that has surrounding this one location still lives in the walls, the people who died in its name are still remembered and you sense the solemness as you walk under the shadows of the towers. It is an awesome feeling.

   I'll take some time here to point out one monument in particular. At the base of the north-west wall burns an eternal flame dedicated to those who fought and died in the "Great Patriotic War" (World War II), not just in Moscow, but across the Soviet Union. As with our Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, there is a guard which stands at attention keeping watch over the flame. It is a moving testament to the bravery and suffering of the Soviet people during World War II. Each Soviet city that suffered from a battle during the war has a stone with its name on it. Past this monument, we reached the location where we met our tour guides for inside the Kremlin.

   The entrance for tourists is an old tower bridge, offering a very romantic and exciting entrance into the Kremlin. Once inside, you are confronted with a surprising calm, so different from the chaos outside the walls. There are quite a few people walking about, but there words are swallowed up by the walls. Guards stand blocking entrance to certain areas. Other guards stand in the streets running through the Kremlin directing all tourists to the cross walks and clearing the streets when official cars come through.

Inside!

The Kremlin Park

The Presidential Palace is on the right.

Red Square is just better.

 Our time in the Kremlin drew to a close and we exited the grounds. Our next stop was lunch (which was much welcomed by everyone in the group). After lunch we embarked upon a walking tour of Red Square and one of Moscow's central streets. It was a very wonderful and informative tour, but I must stop here to offer some advice. Water is cheap in Russia (bottled water) and lots of water (2 liters to be exact) is therefore not that expensive. So, when you buy said amount of water, be prepared to be on the lookout for any and all bathrooms during your adventures. I was well hydrated, but also well distracted from everything around me except for bathroom signs. It was a funny little addition to the Moscow trip. So therefore, I don't have any good pictures whatsoever of the tour after Red Square. But that's okay.

    As with walking inside the Kremlin, walking on Red Square was a surreal moment for me. There I was, standing on the same cobble stones across which tanks and trucks thunder and soldiers march. I was looking at St. Basil's Cathedral (perhaps the most recognizable cathedral in all of Russia) and Lenin's tomb and the Kremlin clock. All these locations I had known before only in textbooks, movies, and dreams. And I was right there, able to touch them and see them (and of course, take pictures of them).

I didn't get to see Lenin, but this is where he lies.

It was an awesome and moving experience. And we soon moved on outside of this area of town and made our way up Тверская (Tverskaya street). As I mentioned before, I really had to go to the bathroom, so I don't have any pictures of this walk. Nor do I really remember much about the tour except that we passed quite a few port-o-potties and that there were quite a few police around. It was a rather nice walk though, and it was nice to see the regular side of Moscow, away from the Kremlin walls.



  We ended the tour and I quickly located a bathroom (one which I had been staring at while our guide was giving his final speech) and ran there. Relieved, I discovered that we had an hour of free-time before dinner. So, I headed off the beaten path and looked at some not so famous Moscow streets. Nothing too impressive, just streets and people and homes. But it was quiet and a complete contrast from Red Square and the street we had been on during the tour. It was wonderful. Please enjoy the following pictures:

I don't have much to say about the pictures, but it was really a nice walk after the crazy streets we had just been on.

































   I headed to dinner and sat down with friends and was exhausted. And so was everyone else. We'd been on our feet since 7:30 AM and it showed. We were falling asleep at the table. But soon, dinner ended and we left to move into the hostel. We arrived and grabbed our things and received our room assignments. All of us stayed in 10 bed mixed dorms. Mine was on the top floor. Everyone had mixed feelings about their plans for the night. We were free to do what we liked, so some decided to sleep, others decided to go out. I opted for the later option. I showered, changed clothes and set out to see Moscow under the stars. The shower was very refreshing. My mission for that night: See Red Square and the Kremlin at night and sing "Подмосковные Вечера." (Moscow Nights, check it out here). I took a lot of pictures, but they are worthy themselves of their own post, so I will not put them up here.

   The walk was a bit chilly, but well worth it. I really got a grasp of the size of the Kremlin and the area. And I succeeded in singing the song as well. It was wonderful. There were a lot of people still out as well which surprised me a lot. But I think that is really just me being from a small town. I headed back to the hostel, satisfied with my day and ready to sleep. And that's what I did.


Zzzzzzz......