Moscow by Night

I started my Russian river trip with four days in Saint Petersburg, formerly know as Leningrad. This city was old, filled with beautiful architecture, art, history and a very lively street life. Then at the end of the two week cruise we were in Moscow. I found it to be almost overwhelming mix of old and new. Wild traffic where it took two hours to travel maybe ten miles from the river port to city center, a beautiful metro system that had you dipping deep underground on dizzily fast moving escalators to catch trains for all parts of the city. And the construction--roads, modern new buildings mixed in with the history. And the tourists--thousands of them! 

Unfortunately, I came down with a really bad cold and cough early in the trip so that didn't help my travel stamina. So, there was one night that I especially enjoyed where we had a combined tour of Moscow by bus and river boat. In my opinion, Moscow is at its best at night when illuminated against the dark northern skies. Here are some highlights:

Cathedral of the Annunciation and lesser onion-domed Russian Orthodox churches on Red Square:

An Olympic Games billboard--expressing hopes for Russian glory:

The Red October Chocolate Factory (built in the late 1800s) still in operation on the Moskiva River:

Bridge over the Moskova River festooned with red-white-blue lights (for the Russian flag). In the background the "White House", scene of at least two coups to overthrow Communism:

The Historical Museum on Red Square:

Gorky Park-scene of fictional intrigue and real life family fun and amusement:

State Kremlin Palace built in 1961 for the Communist Party, now used for cultural events:

The fantastical domes, gables, and towers of St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square. Commissioned by Ivan the Terrible to celebrate victory over the Mongols. He is said to have blinded the architect so that he would never be able to design anything this exquisite again:

First Russian unmanned spacecraft:

Domed sports center that holds 85,000 people. I may have too many zeros here, but it was BIG! So big you could see from the city overlook many miles away:

One of many beautiful modern skyscrapers that could been seen from the Moskva River:

Later in the week I'll take us back to the country for a look at a gentler Russia--perhaps a welcome change from all the lights, motion, and confusion of Moscow. Hope you'll enjoy my travelogue.