Touring Moscow
This evening we took a walk down to the Red Square in Moscow ... it is only about a 10 minute walk from our hotel. The Red Square is the most famous square in Moscow, if not the world. The square separates the Kremlin (the official residence of the President of Russia) from a historic merchant corner called Kitay-gorod.
"Nika ... say cheese!"
The main area of the Red Square had construction because they are getting ready for the holiday season. It looked like they were building an ice skating rink and some other fun stuff ... I wish it was all done now!
The interior of the shopping center ... there was a random ballroom in the middle of the shopping center, on the top floor. There were people gathered looking in the windows, so I (of course) wanted to see what was going on. There was a full blown ball going on, with full on ball gowns and everything ... it looked awesome!
... and the doors open on the second floor and we see this barrier blocking us in ... seriously. Kyle is starting to think we may end up sleeping in this elevator. We push the button for the third floor ...
... and the doors open to this barrier blocking us in. Okay, what in the heck kind of elevator is this!? LOL. Kyle was not amused ... meanwhile I'm taking pictures. Hahahaha! We tried the fourth floor and finally got out. Fun stuff!
The Iverskiye Gates ... leading into the Red Square. Thanks to Jen and her husband, I now know that Stalin blew these gates up so he could roll his tanks in to have his military parades on the Red Square.
In this picture, you can see the Iverskiye Gates to the right of the large building ... I'm not sure of the name of this building, but it sits at one end of the Red Square ... thanks to Jen and her husband, I now know that this building is the State Historical Museum ...
The infamous St. Basil's Cathedral ... it sits at the other end of the Red Square ...
The Kremlin Wall ... a defense wall that completely surrounds the Kremlin (the yellow and white building) ... at its highest point, it is 19 meters tall ... at its thickest point, it is 6.5 meters wide ... the wall runs all along the side of the Red Square ... and then it keeps going around the entire Kremlin ...
A church in the Red Square area ... thanks to Jen and her husband, I now know that this church is called the Kazan Cathedral ... it was also blown up by Stalin ...
Backside of the Kremlin and the Kremlin Wall ... taken from outside of the Red Square. I'm not sure the significance of the stone and the white pillars, but it appears they have some significance. Ahh, thanks to Jen and her husband, I now know that these stones are all that is left of the original Kremlin Wall ... that makes sense to me now! :)
The infamous St. Basil's Cathedral ... it sits at the other end of the Red Square ...
The Kremlin Wall ... a defense wall that completely surrounds the Kremlin (the yellow and white building) ... at its highest point, it is 19 meters tall ... at its thickest point, it is 6.5 meters wide ... the wall runs all along the side of the Red Square ... and then it keeps going around the entire Kremlin ...
A church in the Red Square area ... thanks to Jen and her husband, I now know that this church is called the Kazan Cathedral ... it was also blown up by Stalin ...
Backside of the Kremlin and the Kremlin Wall ... taken from outside of the Red Square. I'm not sure the significance of the stone and the white pillars, but it appears they have some significance. Ahh, thanks to Jen and her husband, I now know that these stones are all that is left of the original Kremlin Wall ... that makes sense to me now! :)
This was taken just to the left of the picture you see above ... I believe the eternal flame commemorates the fallen heroes of WWII ... and I think Stalin's body was relocated and buried somewhere in this area years after he died in an effort to remove him from his original, honorable place of burial ...
"Nika ... say cheese!"
The main area of the Red Square had construction because they are getting ready for the holiday season. It looked like they were building an ice skating rink and some other fun stuff ... I wish it was all done now!
Getting in the holiday spirit ... I love it! This is the outside of a very upscale shopping center that runs along the Red Square, opposite of the Kremlin. There are a lot of upscale stores that would be in Beverly Hills ... I drooled on the window fronts. LOL.
The interior of the shopping center ... there was a random ballroom in the middle of the shopping center, on the top floor. There were people gathered looking in the windows, so I (of course) wanted to see what was going on. There was a full blown ball going on, with full on ball gowns and everything ... it looked awesome!
So, I have a funny, random story. We were up on the 4th floor of the shopping center trying to find a way down with the stroller. All of the escalators went up ... none went down. Seriously. So we finally found an elevator ... there is a sign that says "Personal Only" and I ask Kyle if he thinks they mean "Personnel Only". He shrugs his shoulders, so we get in and push the button for the first floor.
The elevator doors open on the 1st floor and we see this barrier blocking us in ... ahh! So we push the button for the second floor ...
... and the doors open on the second floor and we see this barrier blocking us in ... seriously. Kyle is starting to think we may end up sleeping in this elevator. We push the button for the third floor ...
... and the doors open to this barrier blocking us in. Okay, what in the heck kind of elevator is this!? LOL. Kyle was not amused ... meanwhile I'm taking pictures. Hahahaha! We tried the fourth floor and finally got out. Fun stuff!