We had to check out of our hotel at noon. Our flight back to Kazakhstan wasn't until after 9:00 p.m. We asked the hotel if we could leave our bags, and they graciously let us keep them in a room in the back. We went and had a late breakfast/early lunch, and then checked out. We had decided that we would go and watch the new "Despicable Me 3" movie in the theater. We had looked at going to ice skating, but the ice arena was too far away, and the reviews didn't make it seem like a good option.
We took the Metro and found the mall where the movie was showing without any problem. The movie theater was quite small, but nice. We bought popcorn and water and settled in to watch. The Stice family just had to go off what was shown on the screen, but our girls could understand it. The movie itself was a bit of a disappointment, it was quite disjointed and didn't seem to have the same heart as the earlier films.
Adan and Eve fountain we found on our way to the movies.
While looking for the movie theater, we went the wrong direction and found this beautiful church!
After the movie was over, we decided we'd go and see the Moscow River up close. There was a canal and an industrial area right across the street, but a cross street led to the river, so we started walking. After two blocks, we were at the river, and we found ourselves right across from the Kremlin and Red Square. The view across the river was amazing, and we spent a few minutes watching the boats come by on the river, and looking at the view. The Metro station was the same either direction, so we walked across the bridge and for the third time in three days - onto Red Square.
Red Square across the Moskva River
Beautiful
About halfway across the square, it started raining, so we made our way quickly to the Metro station. We took a quick trip back to the hotel, got our things, and then back to the Metro to the train station. We took the AeroExpress train back to the airport. The journey was nice and we arrived at the airport at about 5:30 pm.
We went to the Burger King and had a slow relaxing meal. Then we went and stood in line to check in for our flight. We got through that process and had a few hours to wait for our flight.
The flight back to Astana went well. It was a bit turbulent, but no problems. We arrived and got through passport control and customs without any problems and were back at our house by 6:00 a.m. We had been gone for fifteen days, three countries, five cities, and a whole lot of walking and adventures. We had a lovely time.
Our last full day in Moscow we planned to spend time indoors in the afternoon because rain was in the forecast. We began the day with breakfast at KFC. Then we got on the Metro and traveled to the Bolshoi Theater. The theater was built in the late 18th century and is very beautiful. Yulia and I once attended an opera there. This time we just looked at the exterior. The opera house in Astana seems to be patterned after it in many ways. There was a fountain outside, and that attracted the kids immediately.
Bolshoi Theater
The kids were immediately glued to this fountain by the Bolshoi.
Another fountain we saw nearby.
After visiting the fountain, we went to Red Square and paid to go through St. Basil's cathedral. The church is very interesting inside - and quite different. The highlight of the visit was a group that was singing old Russian hymns on the top floor. The acoustics were amazing, and they sang very well. The group was selling cds, so we bought one.
Inside of St. Basil Cathedral
Men's group singing old church song.
After visiting the cathedral, we walked through the GUM store to take a look at how lovely and elaborate it was. Then we walked up to Old Arbat street. The street used to be the area that was full of art. It was very different from when we were there last time - it was much more commercialized and had much less art. We wondered if the weather played a factor in that too. After walking for awhile, the storm that had been threatening really started looking wet. We saw a shake shack and went in and sat down for lunch. We missed a huge rainstorm while we were eating. It cleared up after we ate, and we walked from there to the Dom Knigi (House of Books) and spent a few hours browsing there - missing a big rainstorm while we were there.
Arbat Street
Arbat Street
Arbat Street
This was probably the biggest bookstore we've seen, especially in Europe. The kids were in heaven!
Waiting out a storm in the reading corner.
After we waited out the worst of the storm, we walked to the metro and took a train back to our hotel. We spent a few hours just relaxing and then went over to the same restaurant we'd been to the night before and enjoyed another great meal. It was a nice calm day in Moscow.
Rain was promised on Friday, our last full day in Moscow, so on Thursday we planned the day so that we could do as much of the outdoor sightseeing as possible. The first thing we did was to visit Kolomensky Park. This was somewhere that neither Yulia nor I had been before, and we really liked it. We took the Metro there, and then it was about a 10 minute walk to the park.
The Park was a village, founded in the 12th Century, and which became the home to the royal family, specifically the Rurikovich dynasty, but also later the Romanovs as well. The park itself was free and had nice paths and facilities. It also has wooden architecture and areas that show how people lived earlier. We didn't pay to go into those demonstrations. We just walked through and looked at the gardens and orchards and at the church buildings. The most famous is the Church of the Ascension of the Lord which was built in the 16th century to celebrate the birth of Ivan Grozny (The Terrible) and is a UNESCO world heritage site. The church overlooks the Moskva river and is white and very beautiful.
Looking at the beautiful primroses.
Gardens
Papa and the twins and roses.
Gate to the park.
One of the churches, early onion dome architecture.
Bell tower and water tower
The family minus Mama the photographer.
Church of the Ascension
Observing the view across the river.
The View from the hill.
Lexa resting
Giant Samovar at the cafe within the park.
After we had seen the park, we took the metro to Red Square. We arrived there at about 12:30 and set up to watch the changing of the guard at the eternal flame which burns for those who died during WWII. It is my favorite place to go, and we wanted the kids to experience it with a good view. The uniforms of the soldiers has changed since the last time we were there 5 years ago, but the ceremony was still very touching.
At the eternal flame.
Guards at their posts.
Reading the cities where more than a million people died (Hero Cities)
New guards marching down the path
Relieved guards making their exit.
Marching
After the changing of the guard, we walked through Red Square and took lots of pictures and saw the sites. After that we went and looked at the fountains at the Okhotniy Ryad shopping center. We then ate lunch (we had pizza and salads) and then got on the Metro again.
Entrance to Red Square
Family portrait on Red Square - a long tradition.
The renovated GUM department store.
Having Fun!
Lenin's Tomb - We still haven't been inside.
St. Basil's Cathedral.
Kremlin Tower
Past Red Square and toward the Moskva River
Red Square from St. Basil's
Fables in the fountain.
Posing for pictures at the fountain.
Our last stop of the day was to visit the Izmailovo Souvenir market. We missed the station and had to go back one - something that's happened to us on that stop a couple of times, but got there at about 4:00 in the afternoon. We gave each of the girls 600 Rubles (about $10 dollars) to buy souvenirs. Lina and Nika had earned a bit of extra money by helping the Stice girls with their Russian on the trip. The girls had a great time looking around and bargaining. Lina got the bargain of the day, buying a ceramic turtle that is also a jewelry box, by talking the seller down from 1800 Rubles to 1000. She had enough to buy one of those infernal fidget spinners..... so we are not as pleased with the bargaining :)
Lexa bought herself a hat, and Sophie got a snow globe. They both then bought little metal collapsible cups that had Soviet Military emblems on the base. Nika bought herself a laser engraved crystal.
After our shopping excursion.
Overall it was a fun day. It started sprinkling as we were leaving, but we were in the Metro and home without getting too wet. We found a little restaurant across from our hotel: Vareneshnaya. It had great prices, good Russian food, and a fun atmosphere like an old Soviet apartment. We liked it so much that we went back for dinner there the next evening.
