Short visit to Fatherland

 Visit to Russia...........

We had extended our visit to Uzbekistan by including 2 nights at Moscow and another 3 nights at St. Petersburg(earlier Leningrad) which was actually too short a period to cover even the main attractions of these two historical cities but was still an opportunity to explore Russia as much was possible.

Tashkent to Moscow...........

We were transferred to Moscow by Uzbekistan Airways and had arrived by late evening. The immigration process at the Moscow Airport was rather cumbersome. Over-deployment of security personnel who were guiding the long queues was evident. It took long time to complete the arrival formalities due to excessive rush with constant changing of queues as directed by the security personnel. 

                        

We were accommodated in a huge hotel with suited security personnel(evidently armed also) in pairs at all nooks and corners. It had perhaps the largest dining hall that I have ever seen, of course, with adequate security. Since we had arrived at night, the sightseeing was planned only on the next day.

Moscow Sightseeing............

In the morning we were driven to the Red Square which is the heart of the city and is the oldest and the largest square in Moscow. Owing to its historical significance and adjacent historical buildings like St Basil Cathedral and Lenin Mausoleum(Tomb)etc. , it is a major tourist attraction. There is also a Gum Store, a chain of shopping complexes in Russia. The Red Square is located east of Kremlin.

St Basil's Cathedral is an orthodox church in the Red Square and is one of the major cultural symbol of Moscow.

Lenin's Tomb on the Red Square is the resting place of Soviet Leader Lenin where his preserved body has been on public display since after his death in 1924.It now also accommodates the body of Stalin after his death.

We also drove past with photo stops at Bolshoy Theatre , Famous Palace of Congress and Army Chamber, KGB Building, Christ Cathedral and 7 Sisters. 7 Sisters are 7 skyscrapers created between 1947-57 in Moscow in the vicinity of each other to demonstrate the triumph and regeneration of USSR devastation after 2nd World War built in Stalinist Empire Style.

Today 2 of them are luxury hotels, one is the main building of Moscow University, one is the office of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, others are residential, commercial and administrative properties.  

Visited Tretyakov State Gallery which is one of the world's largest museum , a treasure house of old Russian art from 11th century till date. It bears the name of its founder, who presented his collection to the city of  Moscow in 1892.Now the museum holds more than 50000 works of painting ,arts and sculptures.

In the evening witnessed a Russian Folklore which encompasses both folk songs and dance showcasing mythology, traditions and general non- academic culture of Russia. It stems from Slavic Folklore and the culture of the people who have been part of the history of Russia.   

Visited Kremlin, which is a world heritage site, a citadel within Moscow is a fortified complex and includes 5 palaces, 4 cathedrals and the enclosing Kremlin wall with Kremlin towers. This has also served as the official residence of the President of Russia. The Kremlin Ground includes the Bell Tower, Tsar Bell, Tsar Cannon and the Cathedral Square which contains an Assumption Cathedral where Russian princes and Tsars were crowned.

                                                             One of the metro station exit

A visit to Moscow is incomplete without visiting the Moscow metro stations which have been declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO for their Mosaic and marble architecture. Travel by underground Metro is a bonus but all sign boards are only in Russian besides all people speak in only Russian which can be an issue.

Shopping in Moscow...............

Moscow has rapidly established itself as a centre of fashion, with its own unique style and a growing number of young designers are making their name internationally. While Moscow is best known for its expensive boutiques offering both foreign and Russian Brands, the city now has increasing number of home grown High Street Chains.

If you wish to buy alcohol keep in mind that the alcohol is now sold between 7 AM & 11 PM only.

If you are looking for original gift ideas for family and friends or for yourself  by which to remember the time spent in Russia,  Moscow offers a grand selection of beautiful and unique souvenirs including  products of traditional Russian craft. Also increasingly popular in the city are quirky gift shops who are selling local hand made toys, household items and gadgets at a very reasonable price.

If interested in antiques or original art work in Moscow ,it is available in abundance, particularly for the sale of contemporary art, which has zoomed in the last few years. While visitors are unlikely to find any real bargain in Moscow savvy markets, icons and classic literature as original souvenirs are still popular among those who have the money. Be careful, however, that any art work, antique or literature that you buy is properly certified for export by the vendor. 

Arbat Street is ideal for buying souvenirs at bargain rates from hundreds of shops there.

Moscow to Saint Petersburg...................  

By bullet train covering a distance of around 650 kms in 4 hours. On arrival we were accommodated in a hotel  which was at a walking distance of about 10 minutes from the main train terminus.

In the evening witnessed Swan Lake ballet that has become a symbol of Russian art itself. It performances original scenario which was based on a fairy tale about princess Odette , who was turned in to a swan by an evil curse and was later rescued  by the love of Prince Siedfried. A must watch ballet.

Enjoyed a scenic ride on the canal of River Neva with a mesmerising view of the city. It was a great ride but it was very cold and they had catered for blankets even in the month of September.

A full day visit to Pushkin( now Tsarskoye Selo) located about 25 kms south of the city. The Imperial Estate boasts of a large landscaped park dotted with architecture follies centred on the magnificent blue, white and gold Catherine Palace that offers some beautiful baroque interiors, including a luxurious Grand Hall along gold mirrored Ball Room.

The main attraction of Saint Petersburg is the State Hermitage Museum which has a collection of 3 million works of art and artefacts from world culture and is also one of the most impressive collection in the world. The State Hermitage Museum was founded with the original collection of Empress Catherine the Great  in the Winter Palace which was also the main residence of Tsars and in addition, the collection is housed in the three other majestic buildings namely, Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage and New Hermitage.

Church of Resurrection on Spilled Blood and Issac Cathedral are also worth a visit.

Shopping in Saint Petersburg....................

Saint Petersburg has a growing numbers of stores offering variety of goods and services including everything from hand made art, craft and souvenirs to fresh fruit and vegetables. The shopping along the city's festive main thoroughfare Nevsky Prospekt makes you feel more like a native and offers the best variety of stores in the city. Bolshoi Prospekt on Vasilyevsky Island offers a comparatively good collection of stores. Nevsky Prospekt street is worth a visit where majority of city's shopping and night life is located in addition to the most exclusive apartments in Saint Petersburg .

Saint Petersburg to Delhi via Tashkent................

Returned to Delhi by Uzbekistan Airways with 6 1/2 hours lay over at Tashkent which was a painful finale to say the least.