July 31, 2013

July 31, 2013

We only have the morning left in Moscow, so we head back to the Kremlin area for some quick last minute stops.  First is a colossal statue of Peter the Great.  It sits in the Moscow River and shows an oversize Peter atop a sailing ship.  It is a little tacky and Muscovites deride it.  I have to say it looks to me like a monument more representative of Christopher Columbus.

Next door is the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.  This is a famous church that was rebuilt in 1994.  It is an exact copy of the one that Stalin had destroyed in his anti-religious campaign.  It has a beautiful exterior but unfortunately the interior will have to wait; it doesn't open till 10 am.

We then walk up the east wall of the Kremlin looking for the Tomb of the Unknown soldier.  The next changing of the guard is also at ten.  We pass and instead head into Red Square.  I would rather see Lenin,  the man who caused all of Russia's modern problems.  His tomb opens at ten also.   Unfortunately one look at the enormous line to get in tells me this was a wasted trip.  We are going to have to skip it and head back to the hotel.  I don't want to cut it too close and miss our shuttle to the airport.  We don't want to overstay our visa.  In the US we would be eligible for food stamps, but here you could get sent to Siberia.

Our transfer delivers us to the Domoedovo Airport.  It is not very big, but it is mobbed.  Evidently Russian air travel is growing faster than its airports.  We are flying S7 Airlines to Vienna.  This is the former Siberian Air, so I am a little apprehensive about their legitimacy.  The ticket agent gives us a scare when they can't find any S7 flight going to Vienna.  Fortunately, ten minutes and a couple agents later, we have success.

After standing in several lines, we make it through security and onto the plane for an uneventful flight.  We land in Vienna, which is significantly warmer.

I was pleasantly surprised by Russia.  We had a great time.  I must admit, I brought memories of Soviet Russia with me and had heard stories of corruption and police harassment.  I saw none of that.  Instead the Russians were nice and friendly.  The country is still backward in some ways but has made major strides in a short period.  Construction is booming.  Russia has a bright future.  Too bad they live in such a cold northern climate.  But I guess that makes them a resilient people.  And they need it.  Over the centuries Russians have endured occupation by the Mongols, invasion by Napoleon, two devastating wars with Germany, a Civil War, terrible purges by Stalin, and decades of social and economic decay under Socialism.  The Russians deserve a good break.