The Russian adventure begins with the nightmare of a Visa, which takes me 2 1/2 weeks to procure and $200 to purchase!
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On the way to Moscow, the plane flies over Greenland's stunning islands!
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From my hostel window is a typical view of Moscow.
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Bizarrely, you must get a registration stamp from each hotel you stay at for every three days you are in Russia. Failure to get stamps (or losing the card) can lead to detention in the country!
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The intellectural forefather of Communism: Karl Marx!
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I guess it means "Proletarians of the World, Unite!"
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A view at Revolution Plaza... You pass through Resurrection Gate to get to Red Square.
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Weddings are an obsession in Russia. Newlyweds are photographed at "tourist" attractions all day after the ceremony.
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Red Square with St. Basil's Cathedral!
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Sadly, the Central Lenin Museum has been closed since 1993. (I am 13 years too late!)
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The ultimate of Commie pilgrammages is still Lenin's Mausoleum--where the great leader's mummified body is still on display!
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Lenin's guards are obviously bored. I suppose not many people are trying to steal Lenin's body.
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The commie-to-capitalist GUM (State Department Store) is quite striking...
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...as are these shoppers sitting on a teacup!
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The 19th century architecture makes the mall a destination in itself.
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This Russian store mocks American "anti-Communist" paranoia.
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It is my favorite store....;)
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During Communist times, customers would pay a cashier who gave them a receipt. When the customer picked up their items at a different place, the new cashier would invalidate the receipt by ripping it. (People still rip the receipts though.)
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Just off Red Square is this incredible dome that depicts a beautiful map of the Northern Hemisphere.
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Walking around, I discover it is an underground shopping mall. This is the dome's map from underneath....
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...and the grandiose fountain beneath it.
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A corner of the mighty Kremlin with the tomb of the unknown soldier in the distance.
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In this touristy area, I find the classic/cliche matryoshky dolls and loads of (reproduced) Soviet memorabilia.
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A rare instance where I find a Russian wearing a USSR t-shirt.
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The McDonald's off Red Square is the only free bathroom around.
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Not everyone is just interested in the toilet.
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Across from the McD's is the tomb of the unknown soldier.
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Each block has a city that paid serious dues during the War: this one is Stalingrad (now called Volgograd).
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The soldiers begin the changing of the guard (at Smolensk).
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They pay homage to the eternal flame.
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And change out the ranks.
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This strange obelisk from the early USSR era has Marx's name engraved at the top.
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But I'm sure no one was drinking beer on it before Perestroika.
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Next, I pay a visit to St. Basil's Cathedral.
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The inevitable wedding party poses for photos...
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...beneath the colorful onion domes.
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People pay homage to the beautiful icon.
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These singers' voices bring many people to tears.
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I like the more spare look...
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...and pose for a photo op!
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