Moscow day 3

Today we have been on a Metro tour...we went to the central line and got out at a few stations..no grafitti here..

each station relates to a different time in Russian history 

this was from the 1917 revolution, known as the Bloodless Revolution, which started in Saint Petersburg.

this is the White station.....was when Belarus was a state of the USSR...was known as the food bowl of Russia...hence the ceiling decorations

Belarusian people

this station had 32 stained glass windows that were originally meant for a church the stations here are really busy even on a Saturday

Mother Russia standing on the Nazi..symbolizes the end of the Patriotic War

beautiful ceiling detail and lights

and just to show how confusing it was finding your way around...nothing in English and also written in a different way to the map we had!!! 

From the stations  we went to an underground bunker made during the Cold War so the govt could survive if a nuclear war was to happen. Didn't  take any photos inside and didn't enjoy the movie of atomic and nuclear war head testing but the bunker was interesting to have a look around.

Eamon, Emelia and David outside the bunker

 the bunker was in this neighbourhood and the locals thought the works were for the metro...they knew nothing about the bunker....just an ordinary suburban street.

yup, another church...love the roof structure...and they are not knions as I was led to believe, but the shape of candles...and I can't  at the moment remember why!!

Moscow day 2

We woke this morning to snow again

the forecast is for snow on and off all day.....we set of after breakfast for the Metro heading for the Museum of the Patriotic War or WW2 as we know it.

the Metro is 60 meters under the ground 

it snowed on the way

approach to the museum

David and Eamon heading off...

Even though it is cold and slippery the snow is still facinating!! 

these churches are all over the city and suddenly appear around corners

One of the dioramas in the museum, they were really well done and of course from the Russian point of view, but accurate, there was so much to absorb in here, they have ahuge collection of Russian and German memorabilia also Japanese, alot was written only in Russian so we couldn't  understand it!!

part of a beautiful stained glass window

the whole window from the 4th floor

two puppets..Hitler and Mussolini....

a peep out the window...snow has fallen again...Eamon and I lost David somewhere in the museum but found him back at the museum shop...they had soldiers, model planes and all kinds of goodies for him!!

tourists after leaving the museum...

we got back on the Metro and made our way back to the Red Square and then went off on a tour of the Kremlin

as we were heading in...lots of work is being done here to restore and re furbish the buildings here...some are draped in painted cloth to look like the building is there while the construction is happening. Our guide told us this has happened over the last three years...the govt realises this needs to be done with all the tourists coming to the city.

one of the three cathedrals in the Kremlin

this bell fell from its tower when a fire went through the Kremlin and people rushed to put cold water on it...sadly it is cracked all over and a huge piece fell off one side.

another of the three cathedrals

you are not supposed to take hotos in many of the cathedrals in Russia as they are practising churches....I didn't think in here and took a photo and was promptly told off by one of the ladies there who looks out for photo taking tourists. ..some of the frescos and paintings are from the 15th century and need to be preserved.

the yellow building on  the left used to be a palace but now is where the government in Moscow meets and Putin sometimes comes to. ..his helipad is down in the gardens of course no tourists are allowed in these buildings.

the sun is setting over Moscow. 

Moscow

After a near sleepless night on the overnight train from Novrogod to Moscow, we have spent the day exploring....have had sun, cold wind, snow but thankfully no rain.

this was the view out our hotel window this morning about 6am.....snow building up on the window ledge....we checked in straight from the train, so were able to have a shower, breakfast and a sleep!!!!!

The eternal flame that burns outside the Kremlin....the unknown soldier is buried here and guards are stationed here 24 hours a day, all year...must be freezing I n winter.

we watched the guard change over...they do so every hour.

Red Square looking at the Kremlin walls

Red Square...

tourist at St Basils....just a little cold!!!!!

corner tower of the Kremlin wall...

part of the Kremlin wall...

loved the contrast here of the old buildings and modern smoke stacks..

looking back to the Red Square and church

part of the Red Square...

this is the back of the museum we went to, The War Museum of 1812 which David enjoyed very much. After this we tried some geocaching but didn't  have any luck,  so then we negotiated the Metro system to get back to the hotel. ..we ended up at the wrong station so had to get back on and come back one station...very confusing but at least we got out of the snow for a while.

Roll on tomorrow!!