Moscow calling
Trains so far:
DLR to Canning Town
Jubilee Line to Waterloo
Eurostar to Brussels
'18:16 Platform 16' to Moscow.
How very exciting, all that way by rail. The journey so far has been comfortable and on time (except for the Eurostar, which was 18 minutes delayed).
We had a very small, but perfectly ingenious, cabin on the international train which consisted of a row of seats that turned into one bunk and the other pulled out of the wall. In the corner was a little sink and a bathroom cabinet, complete with shaving socket!
We found ourselves resorting to the ancient art of the Mime for communication as no-one spoke English, French, Italian, German or Spanish. And we can only say mornin'! and thank you in Russian.
The scenery passing our window varied from golden-hued forests of Poland to the urban grey snow-sprinkled misery of Russia. There was some confusion at the border with Belarus as to which country we were entering. It turned out the customs was for Russia, which may cause us some problems when we try to enter Mongolia as I don't think we had the 'correct form stamped'.
Anyway, Moscow is pretty much as I expected it but a bit colder! We have so far seen St Basil's (something I have wanted to do for about 20 years), Red Square (named after the original brick flooring not the red of Communism) the Bolshoi Theatre, some of the 'wedding cake' buildings and a crazy market which sold everything avaliable on this vast continent.
And now, a rare appearance from TOH! Take it away darlink ...
"If there ever was a World Championship of Obstinancy, the Russians would win hands down. This morning we spent an hour-and-a-half gradually losing the will to live as we debated with various gulag-bound Soviets whether the voucher we possess, which states 'breakfast included' actually entitled us to the meal in question.
"No breakfast" said the dining hall babushkas. "Speak to the tourist company," said the hotel reception staff. "Sorry computer says no breakfast," said the tourist company's rep when she eventually turned up.
We wandered round Izmaliovsky Park flea market in the morning. All the Soviet era badges, uniforms and books that you could possibly want to have confiscated at customs. Oh, and an abundance of furs, chess sets and 'Faberge' eggs. Two bears cruelly chained up in a tiny park outside.
We spent the rest of the day exploring the majestic Moscow metro system, which is a museum in its own right. Millions of roubles of poor people's taxes were lavished in the 1930s creating a network of staions, each with its own subterranean marvels of chandeliers, mosaics, bronze statues, paintings, marble, alabaster, stucco and mile-high escalators. Later we had time to wander round a couple of the 'wedding cake' Socialist realism monuments to Stalinism's excesses which ring Moscow."
There, a rare guest appearance, and one well made.
Which leaves me to say just this, we are surviving on a 'vegetarian' diet of salmon and raw cabbage. Yum!
DLR to Canning Town
Jubilee Line to Waterloo
Eurostar to Brussels
'18:16 Platform 16' to Moscow.
How very exciting, all that way by rail. The journey so far has been comfortable and on time (except for the Eurostar, which was 18 minutes delayed).
We had a very small, but perfectly ingenious, cabin on the international train which consisted of a row of seats that turned into one bunk and the other pulled out of the wall. In the corner was a little sink and a bathroom cabinet, complete with shaving socket!
We found ourselves resorting to the ancient art of the Mime for communication as no-one spoke English, French, Italian, German or Spanish. And we can only say mornin'! and thank you in Russian.
The scenery passing our window varied from golden-hued forests of Poland to the urban grey snow-sprinkled misery of Russia. There was some confusion at the border with Belarus as to which country we were entering. It turned out the customs was for Russia, which may cause us some problems when we try to enter Mongolia as I don't think we had the 'correct form stamped'.
Anyway, Moscow is pretty much as I expected it but a bit colder! We have so far seen St Basil's (something I have wanted to do for about 20 years), Red Square (named after the original brick flooring not the red of Communism) the Bolshoi Theatre, some of the 'wedding cake' buildings and a crazy market which sold everything avaliable on this vast continent.
And now, a rare appearance from TOH! Take it away darlink ...
"If there ever was a World Championship of Obstinancy, the Russians would win hands down. This morning we spent an hour-and-a-half gradually losing the will to live as we debated with various gulag-bound Soviets whether the voucher we possess, which states 'breakfast included' actually entitled us to the meal in question.
"No breakfast" said the dining hall babushkas. "Speak to the tourist company," said the hotel reception staff. "Sorry computer says no breakfast," said the tourist company's rep when she eventually turned up.
We wandered round Izmaliovsky Park flea market in the morning. All the Soviet era badges, uniforms and books that you could possibly want to have confiscated at customs. Oh, and an abundance of furs, chess sets and 'Faberge' eggs. Two bears cruelly chained up in a tiny park outside.
We spent the rest of the day exploring the majestic Moscow metro system, which is a museum in its own right. Millions of roubles of poor people's taxes were lavished in the 1930s creating a network of staions, each with its own subterranean marvels of chandeliers, mosaics, bronze statues, paintings, marble, alabaster, stucco and mile-high escalators. Later we had time to wander round a couple of the 'wedding cake' Socialist realism monuments to Stalinism's excesses which ring Moscow."
There, a rare guest appearance, and one well made.
Which leaves me to say just this, we are surviving on a 'vegetarian' diet of salmon and raw cabbage. Yum!
posted by The WyeBird @ 4:37 pm
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