Home Sweet Home

I write this in the Newark airport with our last flight in front of us.   The day started awfully early with a 1:00 a.m. wakeup call to get us to the airport for our 6:35 a.m. flight.   Why so early?   There are 3 major airports in Moscow and ours was the furthest.   Traffic was incredible for this time of night, and it turns out that big semi-type trucks are only allowed out on the roads from midnight to 8 a.m., so guess what was clogging the roads?

We got to the airport about 3:40 a.m. and Swiss Air didn't open until 4:30 a.m., which was good as it took us a half hour to find where Swiss Air was (and only did find with Cheryl asking someone at British Airways).   After getting checked in by 5:30 a.m., and a couple missteps finding the gate, we made it on the plane for our trip to Geneva . .  . about a 3 hour flight.  And, once there, we had less problems getting on our United flight to Newark and that's where we are at this moment.

A couple thoughts on the trip will be the last post . . . Russia is a magnificent country.  It's hard to believe the turmoil they've lived through with the Revolution and World War II (not to mention the centuries of strife before that!).   And, only 20 years or so into the conversion to capitalism there are some shining bright spots and some problems to work on (e.g., traffic).

The people were lovely . .   friendly, charming, trying so hard to speak English to us, and admiring us as Americans.  They make political jokes (a positive sign) and yearn for the same things we do . . . a good life, love, and success.   I believe they're well on their way to everything they want and will be eagerly watching their continued transition.

To be there with Cheryl made it extra special.  I'm certainly blessed to have her as my partner and to be able to take vacations like this.   Next spring is spoken for . . . . Jenny's wedding in England, a stop in Liverpool for the Beatles immersion, and a few days in Ireland.   After that . .  . ?   Thanks for following us over the past couple weeks.

Riches Beyond Imagination

Friday, May 17 . . . our final day in Moscow with the long plane ride facing us tomorrow.   Our guide for today's excursion to the Kremlin and its spectacular Armoury said that the 3 best sites in Moscow were 1) Red Square, 2) the Metro, and 3) the Kremlin Armoury.  So, perhaps we saved the best for last.

Again battling traffic (a 1 hour 15 minute trip to the city center that should've taken 15 minutes), we managed to get a street or so away from the Kremlin and disembarked.   Hiking up a moderate hill we stood outside facing the gigantic walls of the fortress . .  something that cried out for a photo to illustrate how invaders wouldn't have had an easy pathway into the fortress.

The walls of the Kremlin

Reaching for my camera I came up with nothing but air, having left it on the bus.  Smooth move, huh?  Turned out to be not such a big problem because there are no photos allowed in the Armoury, and the walking tour of the Kremlin didn't cry out for a huge number of shots.  So, the photos you see on this posting are taken straight out of Google Images but are worthwhile to illustrate points.

The Kremlin Armoury showing display cases
full of Russian treasures of the past.

The Armoury is really room after room showing the collection of wealth from the various centuries and czars ruling Russia.  Room after room features artifacts often swimming in precious stones (diamonds, rubies, emeralds).  These stones cover objects as simple as a drinking goblet or as elaborate as a book cover is simply indescribable.  

And, that was just a start.  There were crowns, coronation dresses, carriages that defy description, armor for adults and childrens, and the list goes on and on.  There was so much opulence it was overwhelming.

Of course they had Faberge eggs, as well.  Apparently these were made for the Czars as Easter gifts, with there being about 50 of them originally.   Gathered up by the Bolsheviks during the revolution, most were sold off for a pittance and the Armoury has about 10 of them left.

I've never seen anything like this wealth, and it compares more than favorably with anything from England, France, Italy.   The Russians had it all and lost it through their revolution but seem to be finding it again.   I have great optimism for their continued success and growth in the world community.

We completed our Kremlin tour walking around to see the outdoor attractions, including the several remaining cathedrals.  There were 3 very large ones in a small square  - one for praying, one (Affirmation) for coronation, and one for dying.  When you've got more money than you know what to do with, hey, build another church!

Back to the boat for lunch and a long nap . . . .why?   Although our flight leaves at 6:35 a.m. on Saturday, we have to go to the furthest Moscow airport of their three, so our wakeup call will ring loudly at 1 a.m.   Bags in the hallway by 1:30 a.m., and bus leaving for the airport at 2 a.m.   That's why a nap made some sense, and because Cheryl is capping off her trip with Mary Lee and going to the Boshoi Ballet.  It started at 7 p.m. so I expect, with the agonizing traffic, their return about 11 p.m. or so.

I'll have one final posting once back in Ohio and we get our old friend, Montgomery Scott Mace, back in our clutches.  So, watch in a couple days (before the weekend is out) for my final thoughts.   In the meantime, thanks so much for following our adventure.  

Moscow at Night Sounds Like Rolling Thunder

Part 2 of our Thursday, May 17 was a tour entitled "Moscow at Night" which resulted in some surprises and some beautiful sights to behold, indeed. 

Our first surprise of the evening came about 30 minutes into the trip after boarding at 9:30 pm.   We fought the traffic to Sparrow Hill where we were earlier, except this time it turned out to be the nightly "Bike Night".  There were a couple hundred Muscovites on motorcycles of all kinds (mostly Hondas and BMWs, but a few good old American Harley Davidsons) gathered in the observation area, milling about, listening to loud music, ogling attractive young Russian women, and having a great time - just like at any American bike night except no one was drinking beer (thankfully).

The baddest looking guys in the crowd were sporting leather and denim jackets with American sayings (see photo at left) and/or Harley Davidson logos on them.  I struck up a conversation with a relatively clean cut Russian man who was riding an absolutely gorgeous 2013 Triumph.   His English wasn't great, but the shared language of motorcycling came through loud and clear.   He "got it" that I was an American and a Harley Davidson enthusiast, and I showered praise on his shiny black machine.   We understood each other quite well.

The Kremlin at night from the Moscow River

After descending from Sparrow Hill, we went to the Moscow River and boarded a boat for a canal ride around Balchug Island.   Sites included 16th. century buildings, skyscrapers, the Kremlin, Peter the Great's naval statue, and lovers . .  . everywhere in this city we see young lovers who, as in St. Petersburg, were too busy with each other to notice our passage.

One interesting site seen again and again while in Moscow was one of "Stalin's Seven Sisters". Built from 1947 through 1953, they are seven skyscrapers built under Stalin design and his watchful eye using techniques from American skyscrapers.   While we thought they were very interesting looking and, frankly, American-skyscraper-looking, the Russians apparently don't like them much.  


One of Stalin's "Seven Sisters"

 They do, however, compete heavily for the many apartments Stalin built for the people as they are larger, with high ceilings, and more accoutrement.   Those built later by Kruschev and Brezhnev were simple concrete boxes, with low ceilings and of very small size. 

Those built in the Stalin era fetch much greater prices and, like any other big city, those in Moscow proper go for big sums forcing many who work in Moscow to commute from as much as two hours away!  In a city of 15 million with as many as 3 million cars, you can imagine the chaos on the roads.  I'm sure that anyone who can take their Metro system (which was spectacular as earlier noted) does take the Metro.

Our final stop of the evening was a return to Red Square which was equally fascinating after dark, perhaps more so as I paid particular attention to Lenin's Tomb.  Earlier in the day I had googled it to learn more about it and, unlike my first trip to Red Square when it was raining, walked right up to it and recalled all the TV shots from the 60's and 70's, narrated by Walter Cronkite, showing the Russian leaders and generals standing on its balcony reviewing the troops, tanks, and missiles.  Up close it didn't seem so threatening but perhaps its edge was gone with the Soviets and further softened by my experiences with the kind, friendly Russian people on this trip.

Lenin's Tomb adjacent to the wall
of the Kremlin on Red Square.

They're trying to decide what to do with Lenin, now held in this tomb for 90 years.   The majority (about 60%) of Russians want to see him removed and buried with his mother in St. Petersburg.   "The Putin" is still in favor of keeping him there as part of Russia's history.  Meanwhile, the foundation is shifting and the roof just got repaired.   It will be interesting to follow this story in years to come.

Finally at midnight we got back on the bus and returned to the boat, another long day completed.   Tomorrow is our final day in Moscow and our sole activity is a trip to the Kremlin and the Kremlin Armoury, the museum of the Kremlin containing the history of the Russian czars and their "trinkets".   More on that to follow.

Shooting for the Stars with Yuri and Deke

A magnificent Monument to the Conquerors of Space,
opened on April 10, 1981 to celebrate the 20th.
anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's feat as first man in space

Today, Thursday May 17, started slowly as we weren't scheduled to leave for our day until 2:30 p.m. with a visit, first, to the Cosmonaut Museum.   I remember being fascinated as a kid with the space race, and vividly remember my late brother, Dave (who was 6 years older than me), bringing his classmates over to our house to watch the Mercury launches on our little black and white television.   Mom made cookies and about 20 kids crowded around our living room to cheer on our astronauts as they reached for space. But, the US wasn't the first as this visit so clearly brought home.  

On the bus ride over to the Cosmonaut Museum, our guide, Tatianya, explained that the atomic blasts at Hiroshima and Nagasaki frightened the bejeesus out of the Russians who were certain that they were a warm up for the Russian homeland.   Consequently, they poured billions of rubles into their space program and getting the most out of the German rocket scientists (and their own) that they snatched from Berlin and Germany at the end of World War II.    (Perhaps in a case of crying over spilled milk, Tatiana claimed "The US got 2/3 and we got 1/3 of the scientists".)


Sputnik 1 struck fear in American hearts and
precipitated the space race, eventually won by the US



And, their work was productive.  Without benefit of having it in front of me, my favorite author, Stephen King, describes in Danse Macabre's "October 4, 1957, and an Invitation to Dance" that Americans were simply stunned when the Russians announced the launch of Sputnik. 

As the first artificial satellite, it launched into a low orbit and was visible all around the earth and its radio pulses readily detectable.  Its surprise success was labeled the “Sputnik Crisis” because two earlier attempts by the US (Vanguard) resulted in flaming disasters.  It brought home the continual threat the United States perceived from the Soviet Union since the Cold War began after World War II.  

Following a number of successful (and unsuccessful) flights to and from orbit with dogs, the Soviets scored another triumph ahead of the US - the first man in space as accomplished by Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet/Russian hero to this day.  Other firsts included two spacecraft docking (Soyuz 4 and 5), and the Mir space station.   Of course, the US beat them to the moon but only money problems presented the Russians from achieving it as a full-scale model of their lunar landing craft was on display.   And, again when Gorbachev checked their raging budget, he cut their space shuttle program whose vehicle looked remarkably like ours.

One of my favorite moments was near the end of the museum.  A large color portrait was shown of one of the first international flights between the US and Russia.  Front row, left, sat Deke Slayton who may be a footnote to most Americans, but to me he exemplified our stick-to-it-iveness.  

He was in the first group of astronauts (with Allan Sheppard, John Glenn, etc.) but missed his Mercury flight (the second) with a heart murmur.   Every mission after that would have the commentators remarking about the sad case of Deke Slayton who had never been in space because of missing his chance, and they'd show him seated in Mission Control, helping out.  But, he was not to be denied. 

In 1972, he was granted medical clearance to fly, and was assigned as the docking module pilot of the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test project, becoming the oldest person to fly in space at age 51. His record was surpassed in 1983 by 53 year old John Young and in 1998 by his fellow Mercury astronaut John Glenn who at the age of 77 flew on the space shuttle. Hats off to American astronaut Deke Slayton!

I normally post about all a given day's events in one posting, but am breaking my own rule, and will write a second posting about our activities of the evening - "Moscow at Night" - as it deserves a few words and pictures of its own. . .  .coming next.

Let Me Hear Your Balalaikas Ringing Out

. . . take me to your Daddy's farm . . . . Beatles afficianados recognize the line from "Back in the USSR" belted out by Paul McCartney.   Late today, Wednesday, May 16, we heard plenty of balalaika music, but more on that later.

We cruised toward Moscow on the Volga River this morning for a 1:30 p.m. arrival.  On the way in, you could see increasing signs of life in terms of housing and also pleasure boats, jet skis, etc.  It reminded me of the difference in Hong Kong from the rest of mainland China in 1998 although I suspect that has abated with the growing middle class.   The real difference here is the massive territory that lies between St. Petersburg and Moscow, the capital of the Russian Federation.

The distance between the two cities is about 400 miles by train and 350 nautical miles (as we traveled).   It wasn't always connected, but was first envisioned as connected by Peter the Great for transport of goods and bypassing of ports.  While the canal system that makes these connections was envisioned by him, it was Joseph Stalin who made the most progress using forced labor from his gulags to make the connections in a project far greater than the Panama or Suez Canal projects.  This resulted in Moscow becoming a port city to connect all five Russian seas:  the Black, Baltic, Caspian, Azov, and White Seas.  Additionally, it provides about 50% of Moscow's water consumption.

Note the jumble of architectural styles in Moscow, with
this 17th. century church surrounded by skyscrapers

At 2 pm we boarded our buses for a tour of Moscow.  I found the ensuing hour frustrating as we whizzed by so many beautiful sites that deserved to be seen up close.   Even with a guide and a week or more, it would be difficult to see all of the beautiful Russian Orthodox churches which often stand beside towering skyscrapers, let alone the countless museums, monuments to Russian victory (and death), etc.   Moscow, unlike St. Petersburg, is a jumble of architectural styles from very old (16th. century forward) to Stalinesque (ugly Soviet style apartment buildings) to very modern glass and steel skyscrapers.

A view of downtown Moscow, city of 15 million, from
Sparrow Hills and Moscow State University

Our first stop was Moscow State University which sits on one of Moscow's highest points, Sparrow Hills, about 280 feet above the Moskva (Moscow) River.   Founded in 1755, it has about 50,000 undergraduate and graduate students - I wonder when we'll see them on the Buckeye's football schedule?  Across from it and advantaging the high terrain is an observation area which looks out over all of Moscow.  It also includes 2 ski jumps from the 1980 Olympic games (which readers will remember as being boycotted by Jimmy Carter over the Russian invasion of Afghanistan - wish we'd learned from their lesson).

Inside the Metro waiting for our train to Red Square

From here we journeyed to the city's southwest side to board the world famous Moscow metro system, the fourth most used in the world behind Tokyo, Seoul, and Beijing (sorry New York!).  It averages 9 million riders per day during the week.  Opened in 1935 under Stalin following construction by the British, it is incredibly deep and spotlessly clean.  The trains run extremely fast and the boarding platforms are adorned with beautiful art and statues of heroic Russian figures.   Four stops later we got off at the Red Square station and made our way to the surface.

A view of Red Square with the Kremlin on the left, Putin's
residence (round dome), and Lenin's Mausoleum (small
triangular shaped building in front of Kremlin wall)

Red Square (per Wikipedia) separates the Kremlin (the former royal citadel and current residence of "The Putin" from the historic merchant quarter.  It is considered the central square of Moscow and all of Russia, because Moscow's major streets—which connect to Russia's major highways—originate from it.  Although raining lightly, we stood and gawked after our entry.   We had all seen it many times on television . . . Russian tanks, missiles, and massive columns of men moving past stoic Russian leaders like Brezhnev standing on platforms with Russian generals.

St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square

Its main buildings include Lenin's Mausoleum (1924), St. Basil's Cathedral (the oldest building in the Square dating to the mid-16th. century), the Kazan Cathedral (early 17th. century) and GUM (pronounced 'goom'), Russia's famous department store (but just like any other high-end indoor mall anywhere in the US - big deal!).  Two of the most significant military parades on Red Square were November 7,1941, when the city was besieged by Germans and Russian troops left Red Square straight to the front lines, and the Victory parade in 1945 when banners of defeated Nazi armies were thrown at the foot of Lenin's Mausoleum.  Indeed, as said in the first posting of this blog, how blessed am I to have seen both Tianamen Square in China and now Red Square in Russia!

After this magnificent stop, we boarded our buses for a ride to a concert hall for a special performance of Russian music.   Young performers mostly in their late teens and twenties played traditional Russian folk instruments including balalikas, bayans, doras, and guslies, as well as other instruments.   With music by Tchaikovsky, Puccini and others, they were occasionally joined by a knockout Russian woman with a voice of an angel.   One song was music from Dr. Zhivago (pronounced Jivago by the conductor) and at its conclusion I looked at Cheryl and said "I thought you'd be crying" as it was incredibly beautiful.   She looked at me with tears in her eyes and exclaimed "I AM!".

So, of course I had to buy their CD .  . . that makes five I've accumulated on this vacation!   From here we boarded our buses about 9:30 pm for the ride back to the boat.   The traffic leaving central Moscow was unbelievable - worst I think I've ever been in - despite having 8 lanes of traffic moving outward.   We eventually arrived back at the boat about an hour later (for what is probably a 15 minute ride) and called it a day.



Russian schoolchildren on a class trip to Sparrow Hill,
wearing blue jeans and chewing gum, just like ours would be.
Some are listening intently, others are bored, and
some are being mischievous (just like I was!)



Tomorrow (Thursday) is slated for a visit to the Cosmonaut Museum in the afternoon, and a "Moscow by Night" tour on Thursday evening.   We're finding Moscow and its people to be equally charming as they were in St. Petersburg and elsewhere, and despite seeing Brezhnev on that platform and fearing the Russian nukes, I can tell you that these people are strikingly just like us . . . . one guide summed it up best by saying that during Soviet times, all they wanted (himself a kid then) were "chewing gum, blue jeans, Led Zeppelin, and Creedence Clearwater Revival" .  . . . heck, that's what we wanted.

Uglich Far from Ugly

Tuesday, May 14 and we docked in Uglich, Russia on the Volga River and got off to an early start. The name Uglich in Russian means "corner" as this town of 35,000 is on a 90 degree right angle corner of the Volga River.  Founded in 1148, it was favored by Ivan the Terrible as a base for his campaigns. 

Upon his death, his one-year old son, Dmitry, joined his mother who had been exiled to Uglich, only to be killed at age 8 on May 15, 1591 by Boris Godunov as part of a campaign to seize the crown.  Dmitry was the last scion of the Rurik dynasty, opening the way for Boris to be king. He ruled until 1605 and ushered in Russia's "Time of Troubles" which brought invasion and destruction from Poland.



The Church of Saint Dimitry on the Blood, colored red
for the blood of the child murdered on this site



The "official" story of Dmitry's death, commissioned by Boris Gudonov in Moscow, was that he stabbed himself in the neck due to an epileptic attack.  The story passed down from those present was that he was attacked by henchmen to remove him from the lineage of his father.   Enraged citizens lynched 15 of Dmitry's supposed assassins, and 60 locals had their tongues cut out.   Even the bell that had announced Dmitrys death was exiled to Siberia with its tongue (clapper) cut out.

 On the spot of the murder, the iconic Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood was created.   Two wooden churches preceded the beautiful stone one present today as built in 1690.  The entire site and surrounding area were part of the Uglich Kremlin (fortress area) of which only one original building from the 15th. century remains, and was the house from which Dmitry emerged to play in the garden where he was killed.

A priest holds mass at the Cathedral of Our Savior's
Transfiguration, an active Russian church

Nearby is the Cathedral of Our Savior's Transfiguration which is an active Russian Orthodox church.   Our beautiful Russian guide (Luba) told us that the people of Uglich fought back quietly against the Communists who tried to destroy all churches by taking icons out of them and hiding them "under their pillows".  They also continued holding secret church ceremonies (e.g., baptisms) in their homes at the risk to their own lives.  The church is now, however, making a comeback as she cited current participation at 25% and growing.

This cathedral was having a mass while we were there, and the guide indicated the priest was "liberal" and didn't mind us stepping inside as long as the women covered their heads and the men removed their hats.  As we were told previously, the Russians stand for their services (and do not sit) and we saw a number of older Russian women attending the service, intently watching the two priests conducting it while holy music intoned in the massive structure.  



The Uglich tourist market

 From here, our tour group split up with some going to a tour of Russian homes to be greeted by Russian families.   We chose not to meddle in that manner (who wants foreign tourists gawking at them?) and, instead, hit the local market for - guess what - shopping.  Again, it is a matter of sorting the wheat from the chaff but we came away with some beautiful objects for ourselves and some of you reading this! 

Vladimir Lenin

A couple interesting things in the nearby city park watched over us.  First, as in every town we've visited, there is some memorial to the dead from World War II and this one, as have others, had flowers on it on this Tuesday.   The second was Vladimir Lenin (with no flowers) who also seems to be omnipresent in these Russian towns despite being the one who kicked off the whole communist thing!

For lunch we're going up on the sun deck for "A Taste of Russia" as we cruise through the lock of Uglich on our way to Moscow.   This will be a relaxing afternoon which we'll need because our last 3 days are packed full of activities in Moscow.   And, tonight is the Captain's Farewell Dinner as he leaves the ship when we dock in Moscow on Wednesday (and Cheryl will go to the world famous Bolshoi ballet with Mary Lee).   More to come soon!

If It's Monday, It Must Be Yaroslavl

Time is picking up speed as we move toward the homestretch of our trip.  One more stop tomorrow (Tuesday) before arriving in Moscow.  


Our ship, the Viking Truvor, docked on the Volga
River as seen from the Governor's House

 Today we sailed into Yaroslavl, a bit behind schedule as a dense morning fog over the Volga River halted us in our tracks.   We passed the morning in one of the ongoing lectures, this one entitled "Putin and the Economy", and they kept referring in their sometimes funny English to Vladimir Putin as "The Putin".   We can see why, though, he was re-elected in a landslide because the economy has grown very solidly since he came to power at the end of the Yeltsin era.  In fact the speaker noted that Russians had grown so tired of having a drunken, bumbling leader (Brehznev and then Yeltsin) and are solidly behind "The Putin" because not only his performance guiding Russia in its fledgling democracy but also his physical fitness (and we saw photos of him doing martial arts, driving a race car, riding a motorcycle, etc.)

At 3:00 p.m. we disembarked for our city tour of Yaroslavl which stretches for 18 miles on both banks of the Volga River.  Founded in 1010 AD by Yaroslav the Wise (Kievan Rus) on the very spot where he killed a bear, it developed into a major commercial center by the 11th. century.   Renowned for its numerous 17th. century churches it became a premier example of urban planning .  The 1917 October Revolution triggered massive destruction of its 77 churches and 23 monasteries, with 60% destroyed by revolutionaries by the end of the 1920's.   Our guide indicated that the Communists simply got tired and couldn't destroy any more.  And, those that remain are wondrous indeed.

Our first stop was the Governor's House which originally was the home of the governor of the province, it is now a living museum of Russian art, history, and culture.   Aside from the many masterpieces by Russian painters, there was some absolutely massive and beautifully carved furniture.  The hallmark, though, of this visit was the guides who were dressed in period costume, and showed us in the ballroom what a typical social event would've looked like.   Men in uniforms danced with young women and involved people from the tour group, too.

Inside the magnificent Church of Elijah the Prophet

From here, the next stop was the magnificent Church of Elijah the Prophet which was filled with ancient pews, icons, and unique frescoes.  And, in a small room just before exiting, we were treated to two acapella songs - one Russian hymn followed by the "Volga Boat Song" - by a quintet of young Russian men.   Again, as at the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, we succumbed to the "gotta have it" pressure and bought two CDs.   I am looking forward to hearing them on a quality sound system and suspect many of these tunes will wind up as the soundtrack for the video I create of trip highlights.




The Eternal Flame tribute fronts the Church of Redemption
on the site of the original founding of Yaroslavl



Our final stop was a beautiful city park which sat on the site of the founding of Yaroslavl.    Yet another beautiful Russian Orthodox church - the Church of Redemption - sat on the former site of Yaroslavl's Kremlin (fortress), and the associated park overlooks the Volga River and a beautiful peninsula featuring a large bear figure waiting for its flowers to bloom.   A tribute to the Russian military is also in the area with an eternal flame present along with several flower arrangements to commemorate the dead.

A return to the ship and dinner followed.   Tomorrow we start early for our shore excursion and a guided walk and visit to the grounds of the former Kremlin in Uglich, followed by a visit to the home of a Russian family.  Uglich is said to feature one of Russia's most beautiful churches, the Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood, but it is hard to imagine anything more beautiful than what we saw today.   I'll let you know for sure in tomorrow's posting.

PS - Cheryl said to tell all those who know her that she's eating ice cream for lunch and dinner, and that she was "born to live this way".

While Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue . . .

Birch trees reflecting off the water

After leaving Mandrogi (where, you'll recall, we went a day early instead of going to Kizhi on northern Lake Onedoga because it was still ice-covered!), we sailed until 11 p.m. and docked in Kuzino on The White Lake (Beloye).   All along the way we saw almost nothing but trees, trees, and more trees.  In particular, the forest was heavily laden with beautiful white birch trees which turn out to be a mainstay for the timber industry of this part of Russia along with pine, elder, and willow.

During the 17th. century, White Lake was the fishing grounds of the czars, with boats patrolling the waters and enforing high taxes on the subjects and their catches.   Attempts at engineering water flow in the19th. century proved disastrous and widespread flooding occurred, eliminating a circular shoreline that had formed over thousands of years.   Today, an ecology center in Belozersk is established to monitor and repair the damage.

The town of Belozersk is one of the oldest in Russia.   The relative desolation of it (and we were clearly in the middle of nowhere) in early times attracted monks looking for solitude.  Finding it here, they established a large number of monasteries, including one we'd visit later - the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery which contains buildings rated among the best-preserved Russian sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Ray Urban, Viking prince (r) and his faithful bodyguard,
J.D. Mace (l) wearing 32 pound chain mail

Our first stop, though, was the recreation of an 11th. century Viking fort built on the banks.   The tall, handsome Russian acting as the host told the story of the Vikings who were the first settle in this area.  He indicated he needed help to illustrate the typical life of a prince and princess of that time.   Of course he selected Ray to be the prince, and dressed him in the garb of the day. 

And, that led, of course, to selecting Mary Lee as the princess and a similar fate awaited her.   And, as expected, that led to her selecting me as the prince's bodyguard and another man as her bodyguard (Cheryl begged off citing her role as the official court photographer).  All of this resulted in a big laugh for the group, but I can tell you that 32 pound chain mail is darned heavy, and the helmet I wore had some kind of bolt that seemed to go right into my forehead!  Ah, the price one pays to be the bodyguard of Prince Ray!

A young Russian girl recites a poem in English to the audience
against a backdrop commerating VE day from the prior day

From here, we boarded buses for a Sunday drive of about 11 miles on paved but incredibly bumpy roads to the town of Kirillo where we were treated to an overview of the local school in the town of 8,000.   Children were recruited to help portray roles of a typical student and were quite charming.   We saw the facility (built in 1974) and its various rooms, and tributes to former students (one who died in "the Chechnyan War") and sports trophies. 

And, as before on this trip, I was struck by how much things here, albeit on a lesser scale of wealth and opulence, are just about identical to the way it is in America.  The kids had a typical cloak room, their art projects included some with drawings of kids sleeping on desks (boredom), and those present were obviously proud of their school.   The teachers beamed.  As Sting sang "The Russians Love Their Children, Too!".

The visit concluded with a young girl (about 12) reciting a poem in English - absolutely charming - and a young man playing the accordion.   We were only too happy to put a $20 bill (600 rubles) in the jar labeled "Donations for School Development", the only sign in the entire building in English.

The main entrance to the courtyard
of Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery

Our final stop before lunch was the main monastery complex, the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, founded in 1397 by St. Cyril.  It featured a large number (20+) of churches built over time through the generous donations of centuries of Romanov czars (perhaps they were feeling guilty with their vast wealth while the serfs labored on their behalf!). 

Although we weren't allowed to photograph inside the museum buildings, their contents were true treasures and stunningly beautiful.  Many of them were produced at the end of the 15th. century . .  . .about the time that Columbus was sailing the "ocean blue".   These included magnificent religious icons, and doors with fabulous veneers made of pure silver . .  . there was certainly a lot happening over here in Russia while Columbus was traversed the Atlantic toward America.

We headed back to the boat for a 1 p.m. departure, and just had to stop in the souvenir shops that are springing up at the dock.  I give these people great credit for trying to expand their livelihoods beyond forestry and timber production, and can see where sites like this in 10 or 20 years will be overrun with tourists.  I'm glad we were here before that occurs (as it stirs fond memories of being in Beijing in 1998 when the roads were choked with bicycles instead of cars as today).

A 1 p.m. departure from the docks and we are headed toward Yaroslavl for Day 8.   Yarosolavl is a Golden Ring city that figured prominently in the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church, and is considered one of the most picturesque in Russia.  My mother, herself a Greek Orthodox before converting to Methodism because it was the only game in town in tiny Clarksburg, Ohio, is smiling down on us at our exposure to this ancient and beautiful religion.

Woody Called Them "Gyp Joints"

At the risk of using vernacular that offends, my late father (Woodrow "Woody" Mace) called places like we went today (Mandrogi, Russia) "gyp joints" . .  . meaning, your money for things purchased was wasted on junk.  And such was the case with a lot of what we saw here today.

The entrance to the Mandrogi "Vodka Museum"

At first glance, Mandrogi looked like Frontier Town at any amusement park in the United States.  Supposedly made to look like a traditional Russian village (I think not), its location was once a small village on the banks of the Svir River between Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega.   Wiped from the map in World War II by the advancing and retreating Nazis, it was rebuilt in 1996 by a Russian entrepreneur who thought an open air museum would benefit travelers taking river cruises (just like us), and/or get them to spend money that would inevitably benefit him.


Ray makes a friend at the Vodka Museum

 Consisting of a lot of small shops, there were, indeed, craftsmen creating items out of birch, iron, amber, and other traditional Russian things.  And, there was lots of plain old junk with high sticker prices made for people to waste their money.  

And certainly one of the main attractions - the Vodka Museum - fit somewhere in between.  That was the starting point for our entry into Mandrogi and a tasting included with the $7 entry fee (200 rubles) created the right mood for spending money.   Who knew there was a bazillion types of vodka . . . no Stolichnaya present, though, as that appears to be largely an American marketing creation.

I sampled three vodkas - one with no taste, a second that tasted like cough medicine, and a third like cognac.   That was more than enough for me to start searching out the craftsmen, and we did find some small Christmas gifts (and no telling what those are as the recipients might be reading this).  And, we did find a lovely watercolor to illustrate a typical Russian scene of a Kremlin (a citadel in a city) in the winter with children playing.  We purchase some piece of art from every place traveled to remind us of our adventure, and already have a spot picked out for it.

Matrioshka nesting dolls

Every shop at Madrogi featured "Matrioshka", nesting dolls.  They are seemingly everywhere in Russia and range from very inexpensive to fabulously costly.   Their introduction to Russia was from Japan, and were first made here in 1890.  I think they're interesting but creepy.

So, a quick 2 hour stop at the "open air museum" and we were back on the Svir River by 4 p.m.  A letter greeted us in our room and said that unforeseen weather conditions on Lake Onega did not allow safe passage (i.e., it is partly covered with ice - yes, in May).   So, we'll not call on the furthest northern point, Kizhi, and will instead continue straight to Kuzino in an all day cruise through the rest of today and tomorrow.  I'll be back to you when I have something to report.

Leaving St. Petersburg (from Russia) with Love

Wednesday, May 8 marked our final day in St. Petersburg.  We spent the morning sleeping in (I made it until 8 a.m., darn near a record for me as I've always ascribed to Ben Franklin's "early to bed, early to rise ..." notion).   Consequently, we intentionally missed our group's trip to the Peterhof Palace but felt o.k. about it since we'd seen Catherine's magnificent digs a day earlier and weren't sure how anything could top it.   No regrets on that but turns out the Peterhof Palace has a spectacular "Samson Fountain" in the back to represent Russia's victory over (again) the dastardly Swedes.   Oh well, next trip.

The afternoon brought a couple optional trips.  The first of these (which we didn't do) was to visit a Kommunalka.   This is a typical housing complex thrown up by the Soviets who intentionally shifted the population from 20% urban to 80% urban to work in factories (e.g., St. Petersburg's population is 6 million).   Apartments were commandeered and rearranged to put several families together.   Each had their own private room, but shared a hallway, kitchen, and bathroom.   Someone at dinner went on this excursion and their report sounded a lot like my college dorm room in Stradley Hall at Ohio State, but not nearly so nice.  While the hosts accepted their lives in this cramped environment as normal, she said it was depressing but made her appreciate her American lifestyle even more.

Canal boats line up behind us

Instead, Cheryl and I went on a canal cruise which I was all for since I'd done one in Amsterdam in 1990.  While Amsterdam may be a prettier city than St. Petersburg, seeing the city from the waterways gave a whole new perspective of its magnificence.  And, with the city celebrating its VE Day, the traffic to and from was almost nonexistent.  But the revelers were out in great numbers, waving Russian flags, singing Russian songs, and dressing up their automobiles to reflect the big party underway.  Each bridge we passed under (and there were many in a city with 696 of them!) had people hanging on the edges, smiling and waving, and having a great time.   The weather had been crappy in the morning but turned bright and sunny once again for the afternoon (a real treat because
apparently they only have about 70 sunny days in St. Petersburg each year, and we had 3 in a row!)

Onlookers share the party atmosphere of May 9, VE Day in Russia

One of the sites we saw on the canal cruise was a museum whose contents were devoted to the people of Leningrad (St. Petersburg).  1 million of them died of starvation and freezing in the 900-day long siege by the Nazi army during World War II.   Another 1 million died at the front line but the city was never taken and caused the long retreat back to Germany for their defeated army.  And, the pride of this (as well as a party day for the young) was evident everywhere yesterday.  But, suffice it to say that Russian life has been hard . .  . two revolutions, 20 million deaths in World War II, the Soviet era and all in the last century. . . .as I often feel in foreign countries, God has smiled on me to be born in the USA.

A view of Schlusselberg, fourteenth century fortress

At 7 p.m., the boat got underway for the cruise off the Neva River and toward eventual destination Moscow.  About 10 p.m., we passed Schlusselburg (Petrokrepost), a fortress that sits at the head of the Neva River on Lake Ladoga.  Built in 1323, it was captured by (guess who) the Swedes in 1611 only to be recaptured by (guess who) Peter the Great in 1702.  It served as a prison for high-ranking persons and political prisoners until 1917.  Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The lake behind it - Lake Ladoga - is the largest natural lake in all of Europe.   We motor across it for a 2 p.m. arrival in Mandrogy ("Upper Falls"), an open air museum, essentially, with a Russian entrepreneur recreating this traditional Russian village wiped off the map in World War II. 

Our entire route from St. Petersburg to Moscow is shown below . . .  .hope you'll choose to follow our adventures with us.

Peter and Catherine were Great Indeed!

First, a quick update on Montgomery (the Full Monty) Scott Mace for all the dog lovers. . . . .our terrific vet, Dr. Shields, is giving us 48 hour updates on our sick friend.  His first was encouraging and today's update from Dr. Shields told us "Monty has the heart of a lion.  He is continuing to eat well for us and his water consumption is good.   Yesterday we increased his food portion size a bit. . . .he is making the most of (it) and is enjoying the canned diet we have been feeding him.   Monty's promotion came through and he is now officially a 'boarder" rather than a 'patient'. "   Great news for the loving but far away parents, and we appreciate Dr. Shields for keeping us posted.

Front entrance to Catherine's Palace

Our second full day here (Wednesday, May 8) began with a visit to the town of Pushkin, named for Russia's greatest poet, and a suburb of St. Petersburg.   Its park and palace of Tsarkoye Selo very clearly demonstrates the extravagance of Russia's imperial rulers whose grandeur and excess is said to surpass even that of Versailles.. . . in fact, the opulence of Versailles turned out to pale in comparison. The estate originally belonged to a Swedish noble whose countrymen were seemingly at war with Russia for centuries, until finally conquered by Peter the Great.  

 

A ballroom at the Palace of Catherine I

Given to his wife, the future Empress Catherine I, as a present, she developed it into a royal ountry residence in a baroque fashion between 1744 and 1756.   The opulence - gold leaf on everything - was staggering.   She played chess with guests for diamonds . . . .a spoonful at a time.  If she lost (apparently seldom happening), a servant would give the victor their prize.  

A separate house on the grounds was a summer location for dinner where guests up to 20 were served by 480 servants who used a rope system to lower and raise food and place settings from underneath.  And, after dinner, they'd board ferries on the large, private lake to dance late into the evening on yet another smaller palace on an island.



Church of the Spilled Blood



The afternoon provided a city tour of St. Petersburg, beginning with a magnificent convent where Catherine intended to retire as a nun.   Guess giving up the good life was too hard for her, though, and she died on her magnificent estate.  From there, we went to the Church of the Spilled Blood (officially the Church of the Resurrection, a Russian Orthodox church), so named because it was the site of the mortal wounding of the czar, Alexander the II, in 1881 (apparently, the czars were always being hounded by anarchists intent on wiping out the Romanov family).   This church was beautiful and was of a style that would come to mind when one thinks of Russian architecture.    As we were preparing to leave, we were treated to another ad hoc parade of Russian military vehicles as they moved into positions for the following day's VE ceremony and again, the local Russians cheered

Russian soldiers and their vintage ride, preparing
 for the next day's celebration

Our next stop was the Church of St. Issac (yes, Russian Orthodox) which was adjacent to the center of the parade route.   A Russian military orchestra was rehearsing and treated us to a magnificent display of music, but only our first for the day.   Military vehicles were parked nearby including an awesome and obviously vintage motorcycle with sidecar and mounted machine gun (I wonder if Harley Davidson sells those?).  I attempted to ask its uniformed driver its age, saying very slowly, clearly, and loudly (as if that would help) "What - year - is - this".   He looked at me quizzically, obviously not speaking English, muttered something in Russian, and turned away.   Oh well.



The interior of the chapel at The Peter and Paul Fortress,

home to Russian czars including Peter the Great

and the Romanov family murdered in 1917



The final stop of the day was The Peter and Paul Fortress, the original citadel of St. Petersburg, and the oldest building of the city.    The brainchild of Peter the Great, it was built in 1706 as a defense against the dastardly Swedes, but they were defeated before it was finished.   Used as a prison until 1917, its residents included Dostoevsky, Gorky, Trotsky, and Lenin's older brother Alexander.  A second, and perhaps more impressive display of music, was provided to us by 5 Russian men singing acapella.   Their voices were simply wonderful together - I've never heard a bass voice go that low, ever!   Of course, being a music lover, I just had to buy a couple of their CDs (one religious and the other folk songs) . .  . reminding me of times I've been at concerts with best friend Tod where, after a few cold beverages, we'd spring up to buy the CD of some artist we thought was awesome but never heard from again (Tod, remember the Algerian singer who opened for Peter Gabriel?)  I doubt, though, that this will be the case with this acapella music.



The chapel at St. Peter and Paul, was also magnificent and houses the remains of many czars, including Peter the Great and the last Romanov family who were all assassinated by drunken Bolsheviks, including the famed Anastasia (or as Mick Jagger sang, "Anastasia screamed in vain" for all you Stones fans).

After this, it was time to return to the bus and the four of us - Cheryl, Ray, Mary Lee, and particularly myself - said little as we were all simply exhausted.  Having slept about 5 hours over two days, I don't remember ever being as tired as I was on that bus.  And, of course, the traffic on this national holiday was simply unbelievable (the busiest New York traffic pales in comparison).  Our driver decided that it was a good idea to return to the ship via Nevsky Prospekt, the main avenue where capitalism is on full display with swanky shop after shop.  

Even the Russians like Big Macs



An hour plus later we rolled up to the boat dock (and my father-in-law Ray, navy veteran, is cringing at my lack of clarity between calling it a boat or a ship!), we adjourned for dinner and decided to pass on the Cossack dancing show adjacent to the ship. We also decided to pass on the tour the following morning for  the other magnificent estate (the Peterhof) as a day sleeping in seemed the best course of action.   Although booked solid at the time of this writing (11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 9), an afternoon tour of the city's canals may still be possible so we're on the waiting list for that.   Otherwise, we rest and prepare for tonight's welcome dinner and departing for our next stop on Day 5 - Mandrogy - on the Svir River.   I'll give you the report of our day tomorrow!