Bit of a blog – Legend of the Seas - Ultimate Scandinavia & Russia – June 18th 2014

[NorbertsNiece]

St Isaac's Cathedral

 

 

 

 

 

Back in the van

 

The Bronze Horseman : Peter the Great, whose presence is everywhere

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Canal boat tour

 

This reminds me of Venice

 

 

The Hermitage from the water..... it looks cold, we have blankets over our knees.

 

 

 

We have driven by here..... and we are here again.... we will be back on foot.... the Yusupov Palace

 

 

Am ashamed to say I have images of beautiful buildings the names of which now escape me..... and Google Images can't help..... :rolleyes:

 

St Michael's Castle (?)

 

[NorbertsNiece]

The Grand Choral Synagogue

 

 

 

 

 

 

Women are screened off in a balcony above the main body of the synagogue.

 

Edited June 30, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

The Saints Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral

 

 

 

 

 

The battery on my camera has now given up. Change to mobile phone camera.

 

 

Tombs of Alexander II and his wife made of semi-precious stones

 

[seaofwonder]

Thank you for the immigration details! Sounds like you made it off in under an hour.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[NorbertsNiece]

Thank you for the immigration details! Sounds like you made it off in under an hour.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Indeed....... 30 - 45 minutes..... we had to walk the length of the ship on the pier to get to the immigration building.

Edited June 30, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

The Tomb of Peter the Great

 

 

The cathedral houses the remains of almost all the Russian Emperors and Empresses from Peter the Great to Nicholas II and his family who were finally laid to rest in July 1998. The remains of Nicholas, Alexandra and their children who were so tragically assassinated are buried below this room.

 

 

We stop by a souvenir shop on the way back..... I buy some......

 

Edited June 30, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Back on board..... am too tired to head out to eat..... I'd pre-ordered my GF dinner the day before and the so very kindly had it delivered to my room. I got way more than I ordered.

 

 

 

 

Soup, a starter, lamb shank, 2 desserts, 2 little bottles of red wine (1 of which is sitting in front of me right now) and of course...... the bread....

 

 

I have a video of the video of the Peacock clock from the Hermitage.... trying to figure out how to post that..... may need to go to Youtube.....

[NorbertsNiece]

Sunrise, talking 0430 here..... we are being picked up at 0600

 

 

Train station

 

 

 

Pronounced Sapsan (Peregrine Falcon)

 

 

We have been brought to the station by the lady on the left..... there are 2 groups under Alla's wing.

 

 

Settling in

 

[NorbertsNiece]

I spy with my little eye......

 

 

 

We're right by the buffet car

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

I lost count of how many lanes this road through Moscow has

 

 

 

The Puppet Theatre

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

 

The Summer Olympics were held in Moscow in 1980; this is the Olympic Stadium

 

 

We are driven up to a lookout point...... this says LOVE

 

[NorbertsNiece]

The view

 

 

 

 

Yeap. It's a ski jump

 

 

Moscow University

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

Five star luxury

 

 

 

Monument to Peter the Great

 

 

I sense we are getting close to the Kremlin.

 

[CruiseMGM]

 

I sense we are getting close to the Kremlin.

 

Oh, Linda! We are just eating up these pictures, they're fantastic!! Thank you for sharing, so exciting!

Best wishes!

[NorbertsNiece]

Almost there....

 

 

Kremlin is the Russian word for fortress, a major fortified central complex . The word is most often used for the famous one.... in Moscow.... and then subsequently to the government that is based there.

 

 

The Red Square is not called red because of the preponderance of red brick / stone used there but stems from the Russian word for red and beautiful are the same, and the word beautiful was originally applied to St Basil's Cathedral.

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

A new bride and groom making a tour for photos

 

 

 

GUM, the famous department store is on the square

 

 

Opposite GUM

 

 

Lenin's tomb

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

It starts to rain so we head in to GUM.....

 

 

Selfie-taking

 

 

The interior is elegant

 

 

The escalators only go up.....

 

 

Rebuilt now, during the Communist era this had been knocked down to allow access for tanks and other war equipment to enter Red Square for military parades.

 

 

Iverskaya Chapel

 

Edited July 1, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

The story goes you stand in the circle, make a wish and throw a coin..... I watch for a few minutes..... the guy in denims and the black hoody is helping himself to the fallen coins.....

 

 

The statue of Marshal Zhukov, a WWII Commander, whose ashes are buried in the Kremlin wall. His horse is standing on a **** eagle..... am guessing CC will asterisk the 'n' word.

 

 

There are no food vendors in the square..... it is kept immaculate as a result. This is a short walk away.

 

 

Whilst everyone else is at lunch I head to the Hard Rock Cafe shop in Arbat, a pleasant shopping neighbourhood.

 

 

 

Edited July 1, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

This is on the ceiling at the metro station Smolenskaya

 

 

Back in the Kremlin this is the tomb of the unknown soldier.

 

 

Another bride

 

 

The story of the Ugly Duckling..... from Copenhagen to Moscow!!

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Our guide Iya

 

 

 

The double headed eagle is the symbol most recognised with Russia

 

 

We are heading up towards the Museums area

 

 

 

[happy trailer]

FANTASTIC pictures, Linda!! Thank you so much for taking the time to post them!

 

I love that the menu on the train noted vegetarian options (and they even appeared to be vegan!) :)

 

I have a question (apologies if you've already mentioned it)-

 

We're the synagogues you visited currently in use on a regular basis? Did you sense if they had active congregations? Thanks!

 

Ruth

[NorbertsNiece]

FANTASTIC pictures, Linda!! Thank you so much for taking the time to post them!

 

I love that the menu on the train noted vegetarian options (and they even appeared to be vegan!) :)

 

I have a question (apologies if you've already mentioned it)-

 

We're the synagogues you visited currently in use on a regular basis? Did you sense if they had active congregations? Thanks!

 

Ruth

 

Yes and yes..... wait for Tallinn...... unfortunately I didn't get to the one in Stockholm as it was Saturday.

[NorbertsNiece]

The Arsenal

 

 

 

 

Putin's office

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Archangels Cathedral

 

 

The Tsar Cannon :

 

 

A Cathedral Square

 

 

St Ivan's Bell Tower

 

 

 

Edited July 1, 2014 by NorbertsNiece