At varying distances of between 2 to 5 hours drive north east of Moscow are a collection of small towns known as The Golden Ring. These towns date from the early 12C and contain some of the oldest and most beautiful early Kremlins, monasteries, cathedrals, and churches with their prominent onion domes. They are considered… Continue reading The Golden Ring Part 1: Vladimir and Suzdal
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An overnight train to Kazan
I have always liked going on foreign trains and especially overnight ones – it seems like such an adventure and a great way to see some of the countryside. But I do wonder if writers who say things like “I was gently lulled to sleep by the rhythmic sounds of the wheels on the track… Continue reading An overnight train to Kazan
2 Days in Yekaterinburg
I Am Back and blogging again! After a longer than planned stay in the UK, I am finally back in Russia! On the first day of freedom from my 2-week quarantine we got on a plane and flew to Yekaterinburg (also spelt Ekaterinburg). The city is the 4th largest in Russia and sits in the… Continue reading 2 Days in Yekaterinburg
‘All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey, I’ve been for a walk on a winters day….’ (Gorky Park part 2)
Firstly, if I had realised that there was going to be a part 2, I would have given you advanced warning by naming the earlier blog Gorky Park part 1. But I had no idea that this park could give me so much to write about! The other day I discovered a forest in the… Continue reading ‘All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey, I’ve been for a walk on a winters day….’ (Gorky Park part 2)
Moscow Staycation
I will start with a caveat that this blog maybe of more interest to those readers living in Moscow than elsewhere, but I hope it will also be of interest and amusement to those further afield as well. Last weekend we thought that we would save a bit of money and, rather than flying off… Continue reading Moscow Staycation
Ah, Honey Honey!
The lovely Kolomenskoye Park, on the south side of Moscow, is currently hosting the annual Honey Fair (until the end of Oct). Inside an enormous yellow tent, next to the children’s funfair, there are row on row of stalls selling honey, honeycomb, wax, honey drink, and all things related. Beekeepers and traders come from all… Continue reading Ah, Honey Honey!
A weekend in Volgograd and a night on the train
Anybody who has been to Russia, or who is into their military history, will know that Volgograd – known as Stalingrad during the Second World War – was the sight of a ferociously bloody battle. My husband was going there on a business trip and, being a bit of a military history buff, he thought… Continue reading A weekend in Volgograd and a night on the train
Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces (Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ)
Yesterday I went to see the most extraordinary church that I have ever seen – and I have seen quite a few. This snappily named cathedral took just two years to build and was consecrated on 14 June 2020 and officially opened a week later. The Cathedral and the adjacent museum were built in Patriot… Continue reading Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces (Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ)
‘This week I followed the Moskva, down to Gorky Park…’
When I first arrived in Moscow I knew Gorky Park was famous but didn’t really know why. Turns out, it’s about 100 years old; created in 1923 on 300 acres of wasteland, begun as an exhibition space and then quickly evolved to become an amusement park full of cheap and tacky rides. It was named… Continue reading ‘This week I followed the Moskva, down to Gorky Park…’
COVID – WHAT COVID?
After a semi-enforced 6 months away due to the pandemic I am now back in Moscow where it seems to be back to ‘business as usual’. I got an inkling of what to expect when checking in for my flight. Almost everyone at the airport was wearing a mask, as per the rules, except for… Continue reading COVID – WHAT COVID?
Russian Reflections 