words from the world

Fourth and last day in the Russian capital city. Tonight, that's the great departure by transsiberian train towards Siberia and the Baikal lake, a 4-day trip up to Irkutsk. WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH !!!! I can't wait for tonight !!
Here are my adventures in Moscow:

Saturday the 16th of june
Punctual arrival of the nighttrain coming from Saint-Petersburg at the Leningrasky station, northeast of Moscow. The metro entrance is located a few meters away. The Moscow metro has a distinctive feature, he has a loop line, a kind of underground ring road. But unlike the Parisian metro, here, walls are covered in marble ; a sort of giant bathroom for luxuous hotel (without water).


I get off at the Kievskaya stop before going to the family's house where I'll sleep tonight in. I struggle before finding the correct entrance, helped by a nice Russian woman. The addresses are actually different here. A figure indicates the block number, another one the entrance number and the last one the appartment number. I'm welcomed by Marianne, a very nice, smiling russian woman and more over she speaks French. She gives me some tips to go to the Kremlin, heart of Moscow and nerve center of Russia.
By boat, by tramway, by bus or by metro, I finally decide to discover the city on foot. I go through the Arbat pedestrian street, a lively street which is packed with talented portraitists, souvenirs shopkeepers, eclectic troubadours and sandwich men who are real travelling advertisings that invite you to go to a restaurant. Nothing better to start the day than wandering about a so lively street!
A few hundreds meters from the end of the street, I see the Kremlin red wall. This fortress, symbol of the Russian empire, always withstood the invaders, there was only Napoleon that succeeded in chipping it before giving up in 1812, then the bolcheviks who launched an attack on it in november 1917. A file of tourists having the precious key to visit it stretches out in front of the turnstiles. Each person has to show that one has the right credentials before getting in, every big bag are automatically rejected and walking under a metal detector is compulsory.


I keep the visit of the Kremlin for tomorrow and prefer heading towards the red square at one of the angle of the fortress. The feeling is very strong when I step on the paving square. Demonstrations, riots, celebrations or public punishments, this square symbolised the extremes. I'm one among the others and aware that millions of people preceded us and not always with the same state of mind. Digital cameras took the place of weapons. At the end of the square, there is the splendid, multicoloured blessed-Basil cathedral. Another lightning flash in this magical moment I'm living.








I walk on alongside the Kremlin belt, then I cross the Moskova and head for the Christ-the-Saviour cathedral, another moscovit jewel. I sit down on a bench to relax after this wonderful day.




Sunday the 17 of june
The visit of the Kremlin marks the rhythm of my day. The entrance is located under the Koutafia tower, metal detectors scan every visitor and the Russian agents don't have a smile on their faces. I pass these security constraints and go ahead on the paving way that drives me inside the fortress. I pass under a porch and go in the Kremlin. Official buildings are on the both sides and are watched by the Russian police. Everybody tacitly keeps on following the paving way. I have the impression to get in a temple, a forbidden place or reserved for an elite. This impression must be shared by the other visitors who whisper to talk to each other. The road turns on the left and surrounds a paving area which comes out into the Sobornaya square. The square is encircled by different monuments, the Ivan the Great's tower whose gilded dome is visible from kilometers around, the patriarches palace, the Asumption cathedral which holds most of the patriarches' tombs who lead the orthodox church from the XIV to the XVII century, the Archange cathedral where Ivan the Terrible is buried and the Anunciation cathedral. A summary of Russian architecture, culture and history, the tourist guides are inexhaustible.





Behind the Ivan the Great's tower, there is the Queen-bell, the biggest bell in the world that never rang. And not far from this place, the impressive-measured King-cannon that was never used either.



The road forms an arch around these monuments and goes down to another entrance of the Kremlin ; this time the entrance is forbidden for the tourists. Just before the exit, on the right, the armours palace that contains a lot of treasures collected by the State and the Church over the years. Diamonds fund juxtaposes this palace and shows jewels and gems worn by tsars and tsarinas.
And in the middle of all this wonders, I haven't seen Poutine, the G8 is finished though! Although I've seen his double in front of the entrance of the red square, I've also seen Lenin who played crosswords helped by Brejnev...



Monday the 18 of june
Relaxind day in Moscow where I wore my soles out in some less-known districts.


And I was surprised by the number of 4-wheels vehicles and big german cars that drive in the city, I thought the 4-wheels were made for the rough paths. At the time where the planet preservation is a major topic, being witness of this kind of exhibition is indecent. Some mentalities must change. When will we see business men driving Renault Twingo or Nissan Micra? To paraphrase a song : "I prefer to be poor with my mind than rich with their..."
I send you this picture to illustrate what I'm talking about.