Moscow Surprises

Ten Surprises to Discover in Moscow

ByYvonne Lanelli, Freelance Writer

January 2008

Which foreign capital city claims the world’s richest diamond museum?

Which foreign capital city boasts 40% green space? Over 600 churches and cathedrals?

Which foreign capital city decorates its subways with fine art and sculptures?

If you didn’t answer “Moscow” to all four questions, you’re in for surprises—ten of them!

I lost count of the time zones I crossed to spend a little over two weeks sightseeing in Moscow and whitewater rafting in Siberia with Team Gorky, a Russian outfitter popular with American rafters. Sasha Tokarev, Team Gorky’s expedition leader, checked me and four more American rafters into the four-block long Hotel Russia, across the street from Red Square and the Kremlin. (Note: this hotel has since been torn down). “The afternoon is yours,” he announced. “I’ll meet you in the lobby at 6 PM for dinner.” Paul and James excused themselves and headed for naps. John, Dale and I, however, couldn’t wait to explore. We changed money, grabbed guidebooks and headed across the street.

First surprise: to cross major intersections in Moscow, you cross underground. Makes sense: no traffic. Just know on which street corner you want to emerge from.

The colored domes of St. Basil's Cathedral reach toward the sky near the Kremlin.

Surfacing next to the tall red-bricked Kremlin wall, we got our second surprise: the candy-colored onion domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral. Bright greens, pinks, reds and blues swirled up to gold tops that glittered even in the drizzle. “Looks like a birthday cake from Oz,” commented John.

We headed for the entrance of the Kremlin, named for “krem’l”, Russian for “seed,” Russia’s seat of government for centuries.

Third surprise: it’s HUGE. After an hour of walking we located the tourist entrance.

Fourth surprise: the Kremlin is a collection of historic and religious, as well as government buildings. Lydia (our private guide for an extra fee) pointed out the Tsar’s cannon and bell, Khrushchev’s theatre, Assumption Cathedral, Annunciation Cathedral, St. George and St. Michael Churches, monuments, ornate Italianate palaces dating from Catherine the Great, government buildings from the Soviet era, the Armoury Museum and its collection of Faberge eggs, and more. “We needed more than one day here,” we admitted regretfully when the gates closed for the day.

The fifth, sixth and seventh surprises sparkled: first, the Diamond Fund, a museum inside the Kremlin, reputed to be the richest in the world. Diamonds of every size, shape, color and cut, loose and mounted, filled room after room in two stories. Rubies, emeralds, topazes, tourmalines, amethysts--every precious and semi-precious stone known to man tantalized and twinkled from heavy glass cases.

And Moscow itself sparkled in August sun. We drove the city’s wide avenues, gaping at massive cathedrals and tiny churches, all topped by golden domes. Families enjoying the summer weekend filled vast green parks that appeared every few blocks, softening the cityscape. Zina, our guide, verified that Moscow boasts over 40% green space and over 600 churches and cathedrals, Surprises Six and Seven.

Zina dropped us at the entrance to a pedestrian shopping m A laerge cannon stands outside the Kremlin. all. Strolling past stall after stall, we discovered Surprise Eight: genuine Red Army souvenirs for sale. Guns and ammunition, uniforms, medals, old radios, compasses—if the Red Army used it, vendors were selling it—cheap—or so they said. . .

Drizzle came up, so instead of walking back to the hotel, we went underground. Surprise Nine: the Moscow subway is an art museum! Modern and traditional murals lined its walls and ceilings. Marble sculptures and benches filled niches.

Pleasant tenth surprise. . . . no graffiti or rubbish marred subways, streets, sidewalks or buildings. Muscovites take pride in their city—no surprise here!

If You Go

All Americans must obtain Russian visas either through Russian consulates in major cities such as New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC or Houston (www.consulrussia.org/visa), or through reputable visa services. I used The Travel Broker of Salt Lake City, Utah, tel. 801-266-6464, www.thetravelbroker.com. Read and follow all directions precisely. In addition to filling out the multi-page visa application, you must submit an invitation from the registered Russian entity with whom you travel. In my case, the invitation was supplied by Team Gorky. Attach passport photos and pay the required fees. For exact requirements, contact a visa service, consulate, a US travel agent familiar with Russian rules (I used Overseas Travel in Salt Lake City, tel. 801-296-8181) or click on www.consulrussia.org/visa.
When you arrive in Russia, you must register your passport with either your hotel or the local police station within 72 hours of arrival in the state of your final destination. Again, verify all these details with your Russian hosts, travel agent or website.