Saturday, November 17, 2007
The Tchaikovsky's grave and St Peter's subway
In the metro it was totally forbidden to take pictures...but we did it! lol. They didn't see us and we didn't have to pay a fine, like Mery!
So, in the metro, they don't use ticket, only this money, as you can see...
We also visit the Tchaikovsky's grave....beautiful...
Nightclub after the Russian dinner
Well, everybody was completly drunk, so forget this pictures!! With David, we were joking, nothing happens!! Don't think bad!!
And we decided to come back to the hotel, the guide found a "special russian taxi" In fact, the poor russian used to have a Lada's car, adn they stop if you call one. After you have to negociate the price. We paid, this night 150 Roubles (4 € only between 4) I came back with Virginia (Ireland), Rebecca (Canada)& Vivi (France)
Russian dinner
I think that I will never forget this night....It was the best for me! We tasted all the russian food, and at the same time, we had typical russian music. They did a lot of russian games, and everybody participated.
And EVERYBODY WAS DRUNK!!!! (the Vodka was totally free, we could drink what we want: Happy hour!) Incluiding me and Vivi, as you can see in the picture...lol
The Cathedral on the Spilled blood
It 's also known as the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, was erected on the place where Tsar Alexander II was assasinated in 1881. The cathedral was uilt in the distinctive old Russian style, similar to the Basil's Cathedral, don't you think?
The interior was decored with priceless mosaics. Badly damages during the Revolution, it opened in 1997 (20 years of renovation!)
The last photo, is the place where you can buy souvenirs ( Russian dolls,...) and you have to negociate the prices!! When it's colder, the prices fall down!! lol
St Petersbourg
The photo where I am with Vivi, it's the Smolny Convent. The Empress Elizabeth commissioned Rastrelli to construct a convent where she planned on spending her last days. Alas, Rastrelli, who was busy constructing both the Winter Palace and the Summer Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, did not finish it before the empress' death and the convent was never completed. Catherine the Great in her endless desire to inflict enlightenment upon her subjects, took what there was of the Smolny project and turned it into a finishing school for daughters of the gentry, the first educational establishment for women in Russia. The young women lived and studied in the long blue buildings flanking the cathedral. As the school expanded, the neighboring yellow Smolny Institute was built to hold the overflow.
During the Civil War the beautiful cathedral was used as a vegetable warehouse and later closed while the icons and other valuables were stripped out.
It reopened after World War II as the Museum of Leningrad - Today and Tomorrow, exhibiting "the great contribution made by the people of Leningrad to the fulfillment of the resolutions of the Party and government." This too has closed and now Smolny is the home of temporary exhibitions and occasional choral or chamber concerts.
The statue is Pouchkin...Do you know him? He was a famous poet...
Behind the statue it's the Russian Museum. It's the largest museum of Russian art. It covers the entire history of Russian fine art from the tenth century to the present. It reflects virtually every form and genre of art in Russia (ol icons, paintings, graphic art...)
Our hotel in Moscow and St Basil's Cathedral at night!
I have completly forgotten to tell you that in Russia the water is not drinkable!! So we had to buy always bottles of water...As you can see we ate very very bad!! We tasted sweet things from Russian ( It was good, but french pastry is better!)
The Basil's cathedral at night is wonderful...It's imposible to describe Russia by night, it's so different!
This cathedral was commised by Ivan the Terrible ( Ivan, siempre pensaba en tí cuando llamaban a Ivan el Terrible, jejeje) and built on the edge of the Red Square between 1555 and 1561. Legend says that the Tsar ordered the architect to be blinded to prevent him from ever creating anything to rival its beauty again. The cathedral was built to commemorate Ivan's Victory against the Tatar Mongols in 1552 in the city of Kazan
The Moscow's metro 2
The stations are often called "the people's palaces" for their posh designs and lavish use of marble, mosaics, sculptures and chandeliers. Build during Stalin's rule, these metro stations were supposed to display the best of Soviet architecture and represent the wealth of Soviet citizens.
Today the Moscow subway consists of 11 really efficient subway lines with over 160 stations.
In the last photo, it was all our group! All crazy people who wanted to venture in the cold weather..I really laughted a lot with the spanish people...Thanks Mery, la Aurora, Carla, Emma, David el crazy, Jose, Sergi y Carmen!! You sang very well!! "Tira, tira, tira....papa ppa parapa...." With this song I will never forget this trip with you! You're the best!
The Kremlin, The cathedral St Saviour & russian lunch
The two first photos are the views of the Kremlin. It's the oldest part of the city, On these ancient grounds tsars were crowned and buried. Kremlin was the headquarters of the URSS, and nowadays houses the highest administration of Russia.
Inside the Kremlin walls there are medieval cathedrals and historical monuments (I took photos but I will put it in my space web, because I don't have enought space here, sorry!)
When we arrived by bus, we ate russian food: a sort of soap (with pasta, carrots...), russian salad and pasta with meats and for dessert, a simple ice cream!
The last photo, it's the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, is the world's biggest orthodox cathedral. Opened in 1883 after decades of constuction, it commemorated the victory over Napoleon in 1812.
The cathedral was blown away with dynamite in 1931 in order to replace it with the massive Palace of the Soviets. Due to lack of funds, the gap was filled with an open-air pool. With the end of Soviet rule, the Russian Orthodox Church raised funds for rebuilding the cathedral, wich was opened in 2000.
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