Well, I've been back for over a week and I think I'm finally over all the jet lag and disorientation. I've circled the globe and lived to tell about it. Adjusting to the idea that I have to get back to real life and don't have another trip on the horizon is another story, but I'm working on it.
I also tackled the task of going through all my pictures from the trip - almost 3,000 in total, more than 1,000 from Moscow. Figuring out how to group them has been somewhat daunting, but since I promised some follow-up posts on Moscow, here goes.
The most obvious place to start is Red Square. Not only is it the geographical heart of the city, but also the place most associated with Russia by people from other countries. What I've come to realize by talking to a lot of people, however, is that there are a lot of misconceptions about Red Square and what's actually there.
For starters, the Kremlin and Red Square are two different things. Many people think they are the same thing, or that the Kremlin is in Red Square. The Kremlin is a much larger complex, and one of its walls forms the southwest border of Red Square. Halfway along this wall is Lenin's Mausoleum, where you can still see the preserved Communist leader. I did not visit the mausoleum this time, but I assume he still looks pretty much the same as he did the last time I saw him.
Opposite the Kremlin wall and forming the northeast border of Red Square is GUM, the massive state department store. Long the site of trade in Moscow, the modern-day GUM is an ornate, three-story shopping center with fountains and glass ceilings, selling high-end luxury goods. Even if you can't afford anything more than a cup of coffee, it's worth going in just to gape at the opulence.
As Red Square is much longer than it is wide, the Kremlin wall and GUM take up most of the real estate. At the northwest end is Resurrection Gate, rebuilt in 1995, where most visitors make their first approach to Red Square. Resurrection Gate is flanked on either side by the impressive red brick State Historical Museum and the brightly-colored Kazan Cathedral.
Finally, at the southwest end of Red Square is St. Basil's Cathedral, the most famous feature of the square. I've already gone on at length about how much I love this building. I still stand by my statement that it is my favorite structure in the world.
A lot of people ask what the inside of the cathedral is like, since you really only ever see pictures of the outside. Being the only church that I was allowed to take pictures inside of (but also the only church I had to pay to get into), I can actually show you. Rather than being one large church, St. Basil's is made up of a number of smaller rooms and separate chapels spread out over two floors. The chapels are ornately decorated and the hallways are painted with brightly-colored floral patterns.
Last but not least, you of course have the exterior of St. Basil's, with its iconic onion domes. I really feel like I'm not actually in Moscow until I've seen St. Basil's. In fact, I might go so far as to say that you haven't truly been to Russia until you've set foot in Red Square. There really is no place in the world like it.
And even though I've already included far too many pictures in this post, I'm going to close with some more St. Basil's pictures since I love it so much. Enjoy!
I also tackled the task of going through all my pictures from the trip - almost 3,000 in total, more than 1,000 from Moscow. Figuring out how to group them has been somewhat daunting, but since I promised some follow-up posts on Moscow, here goes.
The most obvious place to start is Red Square. Not only is it the geographical heart of the city, but also the place most associated with Russia by people from other countries. What I've come to realize by talking to a lot of people, however, is that there are a lot of misconceptions about Red Square and what's actually there.
For starters, the Kremlin and Red Square are two different things. Many people think they are the same thing, or that the Kremlin is in Red Square. The Kremlin is a much larger complex, and one of its walls forms the southwest border of Red Square. Halfway along this wall is Lenin's Mausoleum, where you can still see the preserved Communist leader. I did not visit the mausoleum this time, but I assume he still looks pretty much the same as he did the last time I saw him.
Opposite the Kremlin wall and forming the northeast border of Red Square is GUM, the massive state department store. Long the site of trade in Moscow, the modern-day GUM is an ornate, three-story shopping center with fountains and glass ceilings, selling high-end luxury goods. Even if you can't afford anything more than a cup of coffee, it's worth going in just to gape at the opulence.
As Red Square is much longer than it is wide, the Kremlin wall and GUM take up most of the real estate. At the northwest end is Resurrection Gate, rebuilt in 1995, where most visitors make their first approach to Red Square. Resurrection Gate is flanked on either side by the impressive red brick State Historical Museum and the brightly-colored Kazan Cathedral.
Finally, at the southwest end of Red Square is St. Basil's Cathedral, the most famous feature of the square. I've already gone on at length about how much I love this building. I still stand by my statement that it is my favorite structure in the world.
A lot of people ask what the inside of the cathedral is like, since you really only ever see pictures of the outside. Being the only church that I was allowed to take pictures inside of (but also the only church I had to pay to get into), I can actually show you. Rather than being one large church, St. Basil's is made up of a number of smaller rooms and separate chapels spread out over two floors. The chapels are ornately decorated and the hallways are painted with brightly-colored floral patterns.
Last but not least, you of course have the exterior of St. Basil's, with its iconic onion domes. I really feel like I'm not actually in Moscow until I've seen St. Basil's. In fact, I might go so far as to say that you haven't truly been to Russia until you've set foot in Red Square. There really is no place in the world like it.
And even though I've already included far too many pictures in this post, I'm going to close with some more St. Basil's pictures since I love it so much. Enjoy!
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