Moscow - Day 12

Our last day started with a "Moscow In Depth" excursion. The pun is intended because the excursion involved taking the Moscow Metro (subway) from near our dock into the heart of the city for a walking tour.  The Metro is fascinating because each of the stations has been designed as a work of art.  In many, the walls are clad in granite and other stones -- some rare -- and mosaics abound with depictions flowers, fruit as well as patriotic themes.  The stations are lit with ornate candelabra, the floors are clean, and the trains run about every two minutes.

Our guide was an art and architecture historian from the Moscow State University who supplied a running commentary on how the subway was built and her impression of the artistic endeavors of the stations we visited.  Not surprisingly, she liked the older, more ornate stations and found fault with the look of some of more recent ones.  She also filled us in on some little-known details, such as that Stalin had a private, secret subway from the Kremlin to his summer home, which, after Kruschev denounced him, was joined to the regular system.

Once above ground, we walked about a mile down into the section near the Moscow River, pausing to hear about the important places we were passing.  We circled the relatively new cathedral of Christ our Saviour  which was built on the spot where Stalin had demolished the historic structure in order to build a massive monument to Lenin.  The outbreak of World War II stopped the project, and after the war, it was decided to build the cathedral anew.  Again, our guide had made input into the building of the new structure and revealed to us, for example,  how the domes were gilded to last 50 generations.

After lunch we returned to downtown Moscow for our final tour -- this time of the Tretyakov Museum, a vast collection of Russian art which was donated to the city from the Tretyakov family collection.  There we learned that prior to the 17th century, the only art created in Russia was icons.  It was Peter the Great who in his effort to Westernize Russia created national schools of artists.  In the galleries we traced the transition from flat icon-like paintings to the fully detailed and life-like art that prevailed in the West.  The museum had also an excellent collection of icons, of which we took many pictures.

Tonight it is time to pack and get ready for the long trip home.  Our Viking River Cruise of the "Waterways of the Czars" was excellent beyond expectation.  We recommend it to anyone.

Moscow - Day 11

The day dawned with bright sunshine, holding great promise for what was to come: our trip to and tour of the largest Russian Orthodox monastery, Sergiev Posad, located about 40 miles from Moscow by highway.  On our way, our guide gave us background information.  The monastery with its fortified walls had existed from the 14th century and had escaped the assaults of both the armies of Napoleon and the Germany.  It's founder, Sergius, was canonized and is venerated by millions of Russians.  His tomb is a place of pilgrimage for persons seeking healing and blessing.

Upon entering the complex, which our guide called the "Russian Vatican", we were immersed in the splendor of the place. It was favored by the royal family of Ivan the Terrible and richly endowed by the Tsar and other wealthy patrons, such that several cathedrals were built over the centuries.  The largest was adorned by the blue domes with the gold stars topped with golden crosses.  Inside, as were the other cathedrals we visited there, the icon walls were covered with carved frames covered by gold leaf.  These were places of active worship and there were pilgrims everywhere.  Most notable was the line of those who were seeking to approach and kiss the tomb of Sergius:  the line extended several blocks.

One of the small cathedrals was built over a spring: the legend told was that a monk, blind in one eye, had discovered the spring and upon drinking its waters regained sight in the eye.  Now pilgrims were drinking of the healing water and carrying away containers filled from the spring.  As today was the day before Russia's Independence Day, whole families were also enjoying an outing in the beautiful sunshine.

After the tour, our Viking River Cruise hosts provided for us a luncheon at a nearby restaurant -- baked salmon and roasted potatoes with blini for dessert -- and we headed back to the ship.  When we got back to the Volga River dock, Jan and I took advantage of the sunshine and went for a walk in the nearby park, pausing to sit in the shade, read and watch the people pass by.

Later, after dinner, many of us embarked on a bus and riverboat tour of "Moscow by Night".  Again, on the eve of the holiday, the place was alive with lights and sounds, making memories that will last a long time.

Tomorrow is our last day, which includes an introduction to the Moscow Metro.  More to come...

Moscow - Day 10

Once more, the heavens opened as we arrived about 1:00 p.m. in the city of Moscow.  We had spent the morning with disembarkation details and listening to a panel of our resident guides lend forth on the topic of "Russia Today".  Not pretending to be politicians or economists, they answered our questions about what the "new" Russia is like from their own personal perspectives.  They answered questions about religion in Russia (there had been an upswing in attendance after the end of the Soviet regime, but now some of the younger people are not so interested), health care (there is a basic plan covered by employers or the state, but if you want better service, you have to pay extra), and hopes for the future.  Most often expressed was that Russian parents feel they have endured the various experiments in government always hoping that things will be better for their children and grandchildren.

After lunch, our buses took us to the Kremlin -- the fortress -- that was the original city.  Our guide walked us through the grounds, pointing out the various architectural styles shown in the cathedrals and the government buildings.  We entered two of the oldest cathedrals (all churches in the Kremlin are called cathedrals) to see the extensive icon walls and the fresco interiors.  Both cathedrals had a similar depiction on the west wall -- the one you face when leaving -- and that was of the Day of Judgement.  True to the Gospel, the saints were on Christ's right hand, those condemned to Hell were on the left.  Apparently the church wanted its believers to remember that it really matters what one does in daily life.

As we left the cathedrals, the sun came out.  Our bus took us to the Red Square  -- the Red Square where we have seen pictures of Russian parades and the tomb of Lenin.  We could not enter the Red Square.  It was closed to set up for the Independence Day celebration which takes place on Tuesday, June 12th.  But we were able to walk around the perimeter on one end to view the beautiful Cathedral of St. Basil with its multicolored domes and the icons on the exterior.  Then we entered the GUM department store.  What a difference a couple of decades make!  Instead of a stark showcase of state-produced goods, it now has all the stores and shops (and more) that one sees in the average American mall.  It has three long avenues of three levels, each avenue covered by a glass roof.  For Jan and me, it could have been the Mall of America.

Our final stop for the day was a classical folklore concert, featuring the Moscow Russia Folk Orchestra.  Using traditional Russian stringed instruments, strummed with fingers rather than with bows, we heard selections ranging from Tschaikowsky to Hachaturian.  The orchestra was made up of young, enthusiastic musicians who really seemed to enjoy giving us a great performance.

Tomorrow we will visit the Sergiev Posad monastery in the day and enjoy Moscow by Night, a bus and boat excursion to see the lights of the city.  More to come...

Uglich - Day 9

And the heavens opened again as we started our visit to the ancient city of Uglich on the Volga River.  Founded in 1148, it was favored by Ivan the Terrible.  After Ivan's death, his son Dmitry, just a child, joined his mother there, only to be murdered by the agents of Boris Godunov who was seeking to seize the crown.  On the spot of the child's death was built the Church of St. Demetrius on the Blood.  Beside the magnificent icon wall, the church floor was made of metal tiles which could thus be heated from below.  Also in the complex of buildings in the old fortress area was a church museum wherein we were entertained by a quartet of Russian male singers.  Their voices were magnificent.  Unfortunately, by this time the rain was really intense, so we cut short our walking tour of the rest of the Uglich town center and headed for the bus which took us to the Hydroelectrical Museum.

Uglich is at the foot of a large dam, one of a series built during the time of Stalin to raise the level of the Volga so that larger ships could carry war materiel and later, regular cargo.  The newly-built Hydroelectrical Museum was developed to tell the story of how the dams were built, what was the human cost both in those served in the prison camps which built the dams and in the homes and villages lost when inundated by the waters behind the dams.  The museum was modern, interactive and chock full of information about hydroelectric development not only in Russia but throughout the world.

We returned to the ship in the rain, mercifully avoiding the avenue of vendors on the way back.  At noon our ship started up through the locks at the Uglich dam, now on our way to Moscow.

The informational session in the afternoon focused on "Putin, Medvedev and the Russian economy".  Our resident guide gave us an average Russian's understanding of how Putin came to power, how he and Medvedev have now switched roles, and some of the accomplishments of the current regime.  She also shared with us some of the Russian humor about the politicians.  One example: There is a new mausoleum being built in Red Square.  Why?  Putin and Medvedev will be taking turns lying in state there.

The day has ended with the Captain's dinner.  Tomorrow we arrive in Moscow and begin our tours there.  More will come...

Yaroslavl - Day 8

The city of Yaroslavl on the Volga River was today's destination.  The city was founded in 1010 AD as a major trading center between East and West.  For a brief time it was the temporary center of Russian government in the so-called "time of troubles" -- when there was quarreling between competing dynasties.  It has numerous Orthodox churches and the Spassky monastery (now a museum), whose walls protected the government in exile.

Before arriving at Yaroslavl we heard another chapter of Russian history, "Gorbachev and Perestroika".  Our guide recounted the restructuring that took place under Gorbachev, much of which was needed but proved very unpopular.  Gorbachev is credited with ending the Cold War, but the economic programs he introduced caused havoc for the average Russian.  For that reason he is much more popular in the Western countries than he is in Russia.

Our tour of Yaroslavl included the Church of Elijah the Prophet, of which the icon wall inside and the frescoes throughout the interior were truly amazing.  We visited the main marketplace and the Alexander Nevsky chapel on the town green, and an art gallery where exquisite lacquer boxes -- one of the original Russian artistic expressions -- were on display (and for sale...).  The only sour note of the day was that our visit to the city's eternal flame and new basilica was cut short by a torrential downpour.

We got another glimpse of wry Russian humor from our local guide.  As we entered the city  she pointed out the statue of Lenin.  "We are not Communists" she said. "We just don't have enough money to take it down".

Our ship travels overnight to Uglich.  After a morning's outing there, it's on to Moscow.

Day 7 - Kirillov

This day began with more sunshine and warmer temperatures.  After breakfast we had another informational session on "Russian History - 1917-1985" -- from the abdication of Czar Nicholas II and the Bolshevik Revolution to the era of Mikial Gorbachev.  As has been the previous case, what we heard from our Russian guide was not quite what we had read or heard.  In some ways, it was worse: the brutality of Stalin and his reign of terror.  In some ways it was more human: hearing the Russian jokes told about the foibles of their leaders.

The shore excursion for the day was a visit to the Kirillov Belozersky Monastery, which at its heyday was the second largest Orthodox monastery in Russia.  Our tour included the grounds set on a beautiful lake, and a museum established during the Communist era to display the icons and other religious objects belonging to the monastery which had been closed by the authorities.  Some relics of the monastery included the personal effects of one of the Orthodox patriarchs who had been exiled to the monastery because of his liberalizing ways, for creating the schism in the church which resulted in the "Old Believers".

Upon our return we were treated to Russian tea and the origin and use of the samovar -- basically a portable stove for heating water for making the tea.  Afterwards we had a second session on the Russian language, learning valuable phrases such as "how much does it cost?"  Tonight we are setting on the outside deck after dinner, watching the countryside slowly pass by.  We are on our way toward another day and another adventure.

Kizhi - Day 6

The day started early with our arrival (after an overnight traverse of Lake Onega) at the island of Kizhi.  This settlement of peasants was known from at least the  15th century, and in the 18th century, two major churches were built, entirely of wood.  Even though villages such as this no longer exist, Kizhi has been developed as an UNESCO World Heritage site as an open air museum of rural Russian life.

We visited the island on a walking tour, the highlight of which is the oldest wooden church in Russia, the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus with 22 domes.  The original structure was constructed without nails, using only wooden pegs to hold it together.  Not surprisingly, it is undergoing constant refurbishing.  Added to this outdoor museum are other wooden structures, moved there from other islands.  Such structures are houses with barns attached, windmills, and smaller chapels.

The Viking Ingvar left Kizhi late morning to sail back across Lake Onega.  The rest of the day included informational lectures on the Russian language and the Romanov dynasty, the autocratic family reign that ended with the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and his subsequent death and that of his family members in Siberia.  We also had a tour of the ship's bridge and the captain's explanation of how the ship's navigation worked.  The day ended with the captain's reception for members of the Viking Explorer's Club -- those passengers who had been on previous Viking cruises.

Tomorrow we arrive in Kuzino the site of the Kirillov Belozersky Monastery, the second largest Othodox monastery in Russia.  More to come...

Mandrogi - Day 5

After sailing all night across Lake Ladoga, the largest lake in Europe, we entered the River Svir and continued northeastward for about 70 miles.  After breakfast we had the first of two informational lectures given by members of the resident guide staff.  The first was on the geography of the region through which we were traveling; the second was on "what to eat and what to take home" -- the Russian food delicacies and the folk crafts available.  We learned that the Russians are good at adopting; for example that, borscht -- the beet soup -- is really Ukranian in origin, and that the idea for the Martioshka dolls (the dolls with the successively smaller dolls inside) was borrowed from the Japanese.

Our destination was Mandrogi, a small village on the Svir River which was revived starting in 1996 to be a magnet for skilled workmen in the folk trades (as well as for tourists).  Houses and hotels were built in the old Russian medieval rustic style where the visitors can ride a pony cart around the village, wander through the crafts shops, and by appointment, go to a banya -- a Russian sauna -- for a steam room experience followed by a thrashing with linden branches and then a plunge in the river.  Needless to say, we did not visit the banya.

On our return, we set sail again.  This is my favorite part of the cruise -- to sit on the open deck or in one of the lounges to watch the landscape roll by.  It is relaxing and restoring.  And since the sun does not set until 11:00 p.m., there is lots of time to take it all in.

Tomorrow we visit the island of Kizhi, the home of the oldest wooden church in Russia.  It is reported that no nails were used in the construction of this building, that all the pieces are notched together.  we'll have a report tomorrow...

On the Neva River - Day 4

We have set sail for Moscow.  After the final day of soaking up the sights and sounds of St. Petersburg our ship, the Viking Ingvar, began the journey southward.  It is great to see again the landscape rolling by, taking in the rustic charm of the Russian country beside the river.

In the morning we had visited Peterhof, the summer palace of Peter the Great on the shore of the Bay of Finland.  This was another palace badly damaged and looted by the Germans during WWII which is being restored to its former glory.  And what a glory!  The interiors were gilded with golden ornamentation in greater excess than the palace of Catherine.  The floors were exquisite parquet designs, the chandeliers made with glass infused with gold to give it a lavender hue.

The grounds of the palace were designed with fountains and water features that earned the title of "Versailles of the North".  At precisely 11 a.m. the main fountains behind the palace in the lower garden were turned on to the strains of a patriotic anthem to the delight of all tourists.  The Peterhof represents aristocratic excess, but it is a delight to see.

In the afternoon we cruised through the heart of St. Petersburg on a canal boat while our guide pointed to sites of interest -- who lived where, who was the boyfriend of this monarch, who and where this person was assassinated.  It was interesting to learn the darker side of the city.

We returned to the ship in time for the 7:30 p.m. sailing.  We were hosted to a Captain's welcome party, introduced to the main crew members, and enjoyed the welcome dinner while watching the passing countryside.  The gentle motion of the ship will make for restful sleep.  And more adventures will come tomorrow.

St. Petersburg - Day 3

We've had another amazing day in and around St. Petersburg.  Our day began with a morning trip to Pushkin Village (now known as Tsarskoye Selo or Tsar's Village) to see the summer residence of Catherine I and her heirs.  It was a magnificent palace with gold leaf ornamenting everywhere, and one room with the walls clad in amber.

Destroyed by the German forces during WWII, it has been rebuilt and is gradually being restored to its former glory.  The palace is surrounded by a large formal garden complete with galleries and several pavilions where Catherine met guests and officials.  As yesterday, we had an express tour of the place, mingling not only with other tourists, but with Russian families on their Trinity Sunday outing.

After lunch, it was back on the bus for a tour of more of St. Petersburg, including the Sts Peter and Paul fortress -- the original Kremlin (citadel) of St. Petersburg, built by Peter the Great in 1707 as a defense against the Swedes.  Inside is the Trinity Cathedral in which Peter and his descendents have their tombs.  Other photo opportunities included the Church of the Saviour, built on the site where Alexander II was assassinated, and the Cathedral of Isaac built to house 15,000 worshipers.

Then after another great dinner, we got a taste of Cossack music and dancing provided by a semi-professional and enthusiastic band of performers.  This was a "touristy" event, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Tomorrow, our last day in St. Petersburg, we will see yet another palace and take a canal cruise of this city known as "the Venice of the North".  Then, in the evening we begin our cruise toward Moscow.  More to come...

St. Petersburg - Day 2

It's 11 p.m. in St. Petersburg and it's still daylight.  That gives you an idea of how far north we are.

It was a terrific, full day, dimmed only by the rain that was falling spordically.  After breakfast we headed to the State Hermitage Museum, a massive place housed in palaces built for the Tsars when the government was in St. Petersburg.  The collection of paintings and other objects is extensive: according to one observation, if you were to spend one minute looking at each item, you would need 11 years to see them all.  Needless to say, we were on an express viewing, following our guide through 5 buildings, seeing the highlights.

When we had an hour of free time, Jan and I went to the Impressionists section:  there are literally rooms of Picasos, Van Goghs, Manets, among others.  What a feast!

This afternoon we were entertained aboard ship by an Argentine-born tenor and his Russian wife who accompanied him on the piano.  They treated us to some well-known (to them) Russian songs, the translations suggesting the beauty of Russian landscape and the passionate nature of Russian love.

After another delicious dinner, it was back to the Hermitage area where we took in a full production of the "Swan Lake" ballet in the personal theatre of Catherine the Great.  It was a good performance, definitely a cultural exposure, with a 30 member live orchestra.

We are definitely getting a good feel for Russian culture and heritage.  Tomorrow it's more sight-seeing, starting  with the Tsar's Village in the town of Pushkin.

More to come...

St. Petersburg - Day One

We've arrived safely in St. Petersburg and are on the Viking Ingvar docked on the shore of the Neva River.  Our room was ready when we arrived about 2:30 pm, after a long flight from Newark to Frankfurt.  The flight had been delayed in leaving Newark and we had resigned ourselves to missing the connection with only 15 minutes to spare.  But high marks go to Lufthansa which arranged to meet us and about 10 others who were also heading to St. Petersburg whisking us around customs and directly to the waiting plane, on which our baggage had already been loaded.

Now that we are on the Viking Ingvar, our vacation really begins.  Tonight we dined on Beef Stroganoff (we're in Russia, right?), joined by new friends from Reading, England.  Tomorrow we start with a trip to the Hermitage, the huge museum housed in the magnificent Winter Palace of the Tsars, when St. Petersburg was the center of the Russian monarchy.

Our room is comfortable, modern and well equipped.  And it will be our home for the next 12 days.

More to come...