Tag: Red Square

Moscow at night, take 2

SDSpivey

I left my room about 8pm, heading for the train station.

I wasn’t taking the train, but I wanted to know that I knew where it was when ready to leave. Easier with no bags than with two.

Good thing I did try, as the platform was under renovation, there was a significant detour across two roads. Normally, there is an exit right from the Metro station. If it rains Wednesday, I’m not going to be happy with these renovations, by far.

Some workers had half the stairway blocked off and were placing concrete “top stones” to the stairs. Which really makes no sense, the stairs are already concrete, so why bother. The workers had a large circular saw and were cutting them to size, without ear plugs or dust masks. Also, they were doing all this a few week from the passersby. No pesky OSHA here.

A building on a platform?

I verified this was the correct platform and then left, walking up the road.

It was on the verge of getting dark and I was hoping to see some building all lit up.

I passed a building that appeared to be built on a elevated platform or old roadway. Not where I want my million dollar investment.

There was a major roadway interchange. I should have used the crossing tunnel, but I didn’t. It was quite busy and took me a couple of minutes for a clearance.

As soon as I reached the other side, the lights on the overpass came on.

VTB Arena

There wasn’t much to see, except a large stadium, the VTB Arena, which hosts hockey as well as football (soccer) matches. It is also a popular concert venue.

I got on the subway, going back to my room, but I had to make a transfer right next to Red Square, so I decided to try again. Maybe with no rain, they might be more to see.

I’m in luck, I come out a different exit right at the Bolshoi Theater. There must have been a performance letting out, as there were a lot of fancy outfits, as well as fancier cars.

St. Basil’s at night

I headed towards the square, but no luck there, few lights on the Kremlin or St Basil’s.

But since the sun wasn’t directly behind the basilica, and there was plenty of ambient light, I think I was able to get a better photo than before.

I see that the concert stage and barricades are now gone from the plaza, so I take a stroll through.

Even after 10pm on a Sunday night, their are plenty of families around.

Bolshoi Theater
Bolshoi Theater

Surprise, the “paint” had dried on the riverview platform, amazing how that happens after the event finished. I got a few shots of the nearby scenery from the end of the riverview platform, including a photo of the crescent moon (and Venus) over St. Basil’s.

The park has so many different things, that there are maps all around. But even though the maps show toilet icons, I see no toilet anywhere. One sign said there was one, but it was just a grassy area, I’m certain I’d be able to spot that one.

As I leave, one of the church bells starts to ring, 8 minutes late. I’ve noticed that the church bells seem to not care about actual time, the one near my room is 5 minutes too early. Well, if it wakes me up, its hours too early.

Red Square

SDSpivey

I’m doing the touristy thing today, I’m going to Red Square.

The Metro exits right on to the square, looking straight onto the Kremlin. The clock chimes 10:30, just as I approach.

Turning left, there is St. Basil’s Basilica, in all its colorfulness. There is a barricade and an officer blocking the entrance, so no going in.

There is a race going on today, I see hundreds of people in race vests, down below. This may explain the closure of the basilica.

A stage is set up not to far from the finish line, music blaring.

They have another stage being set up in front of the Kremlin, but the signs specify a concert on May 24. Maybe I will swing by after checking out of my room, but probably not.

I see a large sign for Lenin, I spot the security entrance and doesn’t look too long. That was just those allowed up to the security, they only allowed a few from the line to pass at a time. The real line was about a hundred or so. Screw that, I ain’t waiting for no dead guy.

Walking around the side, there is a small flowery path.

The ticket to enter the museum is 1000 rubles. They call it the Armory, but there were few weapons on display. It was mostly ordinary (but extravagant) items, like bowls, platters, mugs.

There were a dozen chariots and sleds used by the various Tsars and Emperors. I’m surprised that they would have kept so many. You’d think that a 14th century wagon master would have sold off or destroyed any of them as they became worn out. They wouldn’t have had the appreciation of history we have now.

Several churches or chapels are inside the walls. Would you believe they want 900 rubles just to go it? Everything there needs a ticket.

I leave the walled area, and head towards Basil’s again, I’m just heading that way. The guard and barricade are gone, so the race did have something to do with it.

Everyone must go through metal detectors to get into the staged area, but I can stand right behind the stage outside the fence, if someone wanted to do something destructive.

Everything I marked was over 3 years ago, so I keep looking at my place marks and wondering what I wanted to see at that location. This one just gave an address, in a park. Park items don’t normally have addresses. There is a “rock” hill and on the other side is an amphitheater. I wend to the top, but I can’t see myself purposely tagging this.

Maybe what I really wanted is a walkway that goes out over the river. The sign for that says it is “closed for paint.” Sounds like a lie to me.

There are a few more items down the river bank to see,m so I walk on.

The next is a statuary sculpture “Children are the Victims of Adult Vices.”

The 13 “evil” sculptures depict alcoholism, exploitation of child labor, indifference, drug addiction, prostitution, sadism, ignorance, pseudoscience, war, poverty, theft, capitol punishment, and advocating violence. Each work is incredibly detailed, showing figures closing in on the little golden boy and girl. Besides the children, the centerpiece of the work is the statue depicting indifference to these vices, and showing a man with closed eyes, plugged ears and folded arms.

Of note is the familiar looking mouse head on War’s bomb. Propaganda at its finest.

Next was the “Love Trees,” a set of metal frameworks with thousands of locks and ribbons from travelers from around the world.

When a couple get married, they write their names on a padlock (which is often the shape of a heart), lock it to some free space on one of the metal tree frames, and toss the key into the river. Although the practice is common in many other countries, the iron trees that lovers affix their lock to make Moscow’s bridge of love a unique and romantic site.

The giant Peter the Great statue stands nearby. One of the tallest in Europe, it might not have even been Peter.

According to one prominent rumor, it was actually created as a tribute to Christopher Columbus to mark the 500th anniversary of his first voyage.

According to this version of its origin story, the sculptor couldn’t find an American buyer for the work, so his friend and former mayor of Moscow commissioned the piece. It was reworked to represent the 300th anniversary of the Russian Navy Peter the Great founded and was finally erected in 1997.

The people of Moscow aren’t thrilled they wound up with the statue—after all, Peter the Great disliked the city so much he moved Russia’s capital to Saint Petersburg. It’s been proposed to relocate the monumental effigy to the emperor’s favored city, but so far Saint Petersburg has kindly declined that offer.