My first impressions of Moscow were not incorrect, but just that - first impressions.
Our final day was spent out of the touristy centre and visiting some fascinating, and in one case rather sad place. We had checked out of the hotel and left the bags to collect later on the way to the train, which left at 21.35, and we decided to first walk along the Moscow River to the Sculpture Park, passing Moscow's "bridge of sighs".
At least that's what I think it should be called. It is lined with steel wire trees, to which lovers lock padlocks engraved with their names - Ahhhhh. The idea comes from Italian author Federico Moccia's bestseller Ho Voglia di Te (I Want You), which features a young couple attaching a lock to Rome's Milvian Bridge as a sign of eternal love.
The novel was published in 2006, and has spawned a global outbreak of engraved padlocks. The book is now published in several languages, but not English (at this point), with some 2 and a half million copies sold. Great concern in Venice, and I believe Florence, where they are attached to bridges and monuments, the inevitable rust staining all and sundry.
I think the Moscow authorities have got it right.
Then further along the river to visit the Sculpture Park. A wonderful collection of art placed around a well tended garden on the banks of the Moscow River. Main reason for the visit was because this is the last resting place for the statues of some of the luminaries of the Soviet era. Initially it was a dumping ground, now the statues of Stalin and the rest, including Soviet worker heroes, sit on concrete blocks or on the ground, but at least they are upright!
Lenin's bust is delightfully placed next to a couple of blue plastic toilets.
Some of the souls trapped by the communist regime
At one time there were 20 million in the camps around Siberia. Intellectuals, politicians, artists, housewives, they had plenty of time to wonder why.
This is the English language overview of the museum. http://www.gmig.ru/state-gulag-museum/
The museum reminded me of the Holocaust museum in Prague. The pitiful possessions, the stories, and conditions they had to endure. At least at the beginning (of the Holocaust) some of the Jews wanted to believe they were just being relocated, but these people had no illusions. After the torture and beatings and sentencing, they knew their fate. A charming old lady tried to explain the inexplicable to us in broken English, and then shrugged her shoulders.
It didn't seem right to take any photos inside. This is the entrance courtyard (photo Gulag Museum)
Our day ended at a monastery just a few minutes from the museum. We were recommended to visit it by a young woman who saw us looking at the map. A chance encounter worth gold.
Through an enormous pair of anonymous iron gates, in a high wall off the street, you enter the Upper Monastery of Saint Peter. Emerging from under a large bell tower, you find yourself in a courtyard lined with churches, all in various states of repair. The church in the most complete stage (the Refectory) was unremarkable outside, but inside filled with gold and ikons.
The Refectory Church.
The oldest chapel, dating from the 15th century, the single domed Church of Metropolitan Peter, sits in the middle of the courtyard.
The monastery was handed back to the church after the fall of communism and is gradually being restored by community volunteers. They have a lot of work ahead. During the communist years it was used as various factories and engineering workshops. It seems like a dedicated community, several people including young people came in to light candles - in the middle of a workday.
So back to the hotel via the local version of Starbucks, to pick up the bags and head for the station via the Metro. Having taken the Metro to get back to the hotel we knew what we were in for. And we weren't disappointed. Apparently several million people use it every day, all of them it seemed while we were trying to find our way to the station. Suffice to say they do not take prisoners!
No opportunity to admire the stunning architecture this time. My favourite is a stunning arte deco station of polished chrome, marble and glass. If ever you go to Moscow, spend a few hours riding the trains (28 rubles), but do so on a Sunday if you can.
Eventually we made it through the crowds, then had to work our way through several security barriers which it turned out we didn't need to navigate because we had our tickets, and the trains are outside.
With 10 minutes to spare we boarded our train (number 4) to the East which sat in the dark and the cold on platform 3, a Chinese train with a Russian restaurant car at the end.
Walking along the platform in the dark, I smelled something that took me back to the old days on station platforms - coal smoke. More on that in a moment.
Our compartment was very swish, 2 bunks and all wood panelling, with a table and a fan. We were in carriage number 9. Between us and the next compartment was a shower room, which we share. The
same between each pair of compartments. This is the luxury part of the train, although we all shared a rather smelly loo at the end of the carriage.
There are 2 luxury carriages, then on either side there are "soft seat" carriages, 10 in all. In "soft seat" there are 4 bunks to a compartment and one shower/loo at the end of each carriage. I'm pleased we chose to pay a bit extra.
Now back to the coal smoke, at the end of each carriage is an open coal fire which supplied our hot water, and boiling water for drinks etc. Also warm to stand next to!
And so to bed after a very well earned glass (or two) of Bordeaux, brought all the way for the occasion!
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