Flew in from Miami Beach, BOAC
Didn't get to bed last night
On the way the paper bag was on my knee
Man, I had a dreadful flight
Even after pulling off the miracle that was obtaining a Russian visa on a day's notice I still wasn't confident that I'd actually get into the country. It was with trepidation that I caught the 3:05 a.m. flight on Alitalia from Casa to Roma en route to Moscow. Unlike the lads from Liverpool, my flight to the heart of the former Soviet Union was excellent. I've flown Alitalia a few times now and I'm a huge fan. Every part of the experience every time has been wonderful. Commercial over. I approached Customs at Moscow - Sheremetyevo International Airport...and glided right through!
I'm back in the USSR
You don't know how lucky you are, boy
Back in the USSR
For my next trick, I had to make my way to the Mercure Hotel - Moscow. They were supposed to have a shuttle waiting for me, but, nyet. A young guy at the airport info desk guided me to a bus and explained how I was to get to the Metro from there to the stop nearest my hotel. The lack of English-language signage was tough, but deciphering Cyrillic wasn't as daunting as I expected. Cost less than $2 to get from the airport to the hotel - must be a record!
Speaking of the Moscow Metro, I knew it was famed for its artwork, but I could not have possibly been prepared for what I saw! Here is a random photo - every station is different, but all were as remarkable...
I swear this is representative of the entire system! If you're from the Philly area like I am, think of SEPTA, but the exact opposite...
Been away so long I hardly knew the place
Gee, it's good to be back home
Leave it till tomorrow to unpack my case
Honey, disconnect the phone
As a kid who grew up in the 80s, the term "Evil Empire" is not a punchline; Americans lived with the very real concern that the Soviet behemoth which wanted to enslave the world under Communism might just nuke the world into oblivion on a moment's notice. Never in my wildest imagination did I ever believe that I would literally ever set foot anywhere even near Russia. This made standing at Red Square one of the most surreal experiences of my life.
You probably guessed they are, respectively, the Taleon and the Hermitage, but still...
Every time I walked through the lobby I did so in the hope that nobody would notice me..because I did not belong there! It was amazing. Just go to their website.
Anyway, the Hermitage Museum / Winter Palace at Palace Square and Peter & Paul Fortress were tops on my list of places to go. I'm going to borrow some aerial photos:
Well the Ukraine girls really knock me out
They leave the West behind
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout
That Georgia's always on m-m-my mind
I could go on and on about the sights of Saint Pete. Visiting Russia was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I can't wait until what is on tap for spring break ;)
Oh, show me round the snow-peaked mountains way down south
Take me to you daddy's farm
Let me hear you balalaikas ringing out
Come and keep your comrade warm
Didn't get to bed last night
On the way the paper bag was on my knee
Man, I had a dreadful flight
Even after pulling off the miracle that was obtaining a Russian visa on a day's notice I still wasn't confident that I'd actually get into the country. It was with trepidation that I caught the 3:05 a.m. flight on Alitalia from Casa to Roma en route to Moscow. Unlike the lads from Liverpool, my flight to the heart of the former Soviet Union was excellent. I've flown Alitalia a few times now and I'm a huge fan. Every part of the experience every time has been wonderful. Commercial over. I approached Customs at Moscow - Sheremetyevo International Airport...and glided right through!
I'm back in the USSR
You don't know how lucky you are, boy
Back in the USSR
For my next trick, I had to make my way to the Mercure Hotel - Moscow. They were supposed to have a shuttle waiting for me, but, nyet. A young guy at the airport info desk guided me to a bus and explained how I was to get to the Metro from there to the stop nearest my hotel. The lack of English-language signage was tough, but deciphering Cyrillic wasn't as daunting as I expected. Cost less than $2 to get from the airport to the hotel - must be a record!
Speaking of the Moscow Metro, I knew it was famed for its artwork, but I could not have possibly been prepared for what I saw! Here is a random photo - every station is different, but all were as remarkable...
I swear this is representative of the entire system! If you're from the Philly area like I am, think of SEPTA, but the exact opposite...
Been away so long I hardly knew the place
Gee, it's good to be back home
Leave it till tomorrow to unpack my case
Honey, disconnect the phone
As a kid who grew up in the 80s, the term "Evil Empire" is not a punchline; Americans lived with the very real concern that the Soviet behemoth which wanted to enslave the world under Communism might just nuke the world into oblivion on a moment's notice. Never in my wildest imagination did I ever believe that I would literally ever set foot anywhere even near Russia. This made standing at Red Square one of the most surreal experiences of my life.
St. Basil's Cathedral
Lenin's Mausoleum - closed for renovation :(
The Kremlin Wall
Then, it was time to go inside!
Entering the Kremlin
Inside the Kremlin!
A photo taken of Moscow from within the Kremlin walls
Back outside...
The Communist Party protests on Defender of the Fatherland Day
The former KGB headquarters at the end of the street
Moscow dates to to the 1st millennium, and has a lot more history going on than just from the days of the U.S.S.R., but if you want to have your socks knocked off, you must go to Saint Petersburg...
The "Venice of the North", Saint Petersburg was founded by Peter the Great in 1703. Called Petrograd during WWI, then Leningrad as it played little brother to Moscow during the Soviet era.
It. Is. Gorgeous. Let's play a game - it's called "Which photo is of the entrance to the world top-5 Hermitage Museum and which is of the 5-star Taleon Imperial Hotel just around the corner where I stayed for less than $100 per night?" (Thank you, U.S. dollar and Russian ruble :)
It. Is. Gorgeous. Let's play a game - it's called "Which photo is of the entrance to the world top-5 Hermitage Museum and which is of the 5-star Taleon Imperial Hotel just around the corner where I stayed for less than $100 per night?" (Thank you, U.S. dollar and Russian ruble :)
You probably guessed they are, respectively, the Taleon and the Hermitage, but still...
Every time I walked through the lobby I did so in the hope that nobody would notice me..because I did not belong there! It was amazing. Just go to their website.
Anyway, the Hermitage Museum / Winter Palace at Palace Square and Peter & Paul Fortress were tops on my list of places to go. I'm going to borrow some aerial photos:
The Hermitage is hard by the Neva River, the Alexander Column is in the center of Palace Square
The arch opposite leads through to Nevsky Prospect, the main road in St. Pete.
Peter & Paul Fortress
There are 3 churches that are highlights of a Saint Petersburg tour:
Saint Isaac's Cathedral,
the third highest cupola cathedral in the world
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan
Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood,
where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881
Well the Ukraine girls really knock me out
They leave the West behind
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout
That Georgia's always on m-m-my mind
I could go on and on about the sights of Saint Pete. Visiting Russia was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I can't wait until what is on tap for spring break ;)
Oh, show me round the snow-peaked mountains way down south
Take me to you daddy's farm
Let me hear you balalaikas ringing out
Come and keep your comrade warm
