Summer Trip 2017: Day 13 - 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.

Waiting for our food.

A lovely meal.

Great Atmosphere. 

On our way home.

Twins having the best time!

Our first day in Moscow was in the books.