Day 11 – Goodbye Moscow, Hello Trans-Siberian

To Infinity and beyond.........

2,892 Miles GMT +4 Temp -15

Today we've done the Cosmonaut museum, Victory Park the major Russian War memorial and Novodevichy convent, which is a world heritage site. They are all quite stunning in their own ways. The Cosmonaut museum is housed in a fairly small building, compared to the sculpture of a rocket tipped 110 metre stream of glistening titanium..........I want one, it's just so beautiful. As is the statue and column to Yuri Gagarin, which also glistens in the winter light, like a Soviet style Superman.

The war memorial is on a hill 'Poklonnaya Gora' literally Worshipful Submission Hill'. There are numerous memorials within the area known as Victory Park. The main building contains two halls. The first 'the Hall of Glory', which is embellished with the relief’s of the 12 hero cities on the walls, together with the names of 11,717 participants of the war who were awarded the honorary title 'Hero of the Soviet Union'. The award was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded for heroic feats in service to the Soviet State. The 'Hall of Remembrance' below hold the books of remembrance with the names of more than 26 million Soviet war dead. Outside a large and very striking sculpture of the victims of the Holocaust. 

As we walked back down there were maybe 20-30 people laying flowers at the various memorials, but I also saw people appearing the write on the memorials, so I asked Lena what they were doing. She took me over to one of them and showed me a box of chalk, "the Russian custom is to take a piece of chalk and whiten the name of the person, to show they aren't forgotten". 

We walked to Novodovichy, probably about 3 miles, which in the snow, that at times reached our knees, made it feel a lot longer. It was a pleasant walk, a lot of it by the river Mockba, well away from yesterdays madness. The monastery was founded in 1524, and remains virtually intact since the 17th century. Its history is long and chequered but very interesting. The convent was closed in 1922 by the Bolsheviks and turned into the Museum of Women's Emancipation. Nuns finally returned to the convent in 1994. The buildings are all beautiful and it's position within it's boundary walls on a small hill by the river is very picturesque. The cemetery adjacent to the convent is the resting place of many notable Russians, including Chekhov, Prokofiev and Shostakovich.


Moscow, I couldn't recommend it to anyone. I didn't feel safe or at ease - pavement rage, metro rage, queue rage, pick pockets - we've experienced it all. We are both happy to leave it behind.


We've finally boarded the Trans-Siberian Train - Woohoo!

Alina, our carriage attendant has brought our bedding and informed us where we can get hot water for drinks. She asked where we were getting off, checked our tickets and then asked if we wanted to keep the carriage to ourselves or if we are happy to share, as she thumbs her way through a roll of Ruble notes. Lena takes the not so subtle hint, and basically pays the required bribe, although Alina would, like all good Russian souls, call it commission. Well let's face it £4 isn't going to break the bank and if it means we don't have to share with pick-pockets or a mad Muscovite, then it's money well spent. 

The commission was obviously well received as she then digs in a pocket and hands Lena a wad of paper before leaving. I must have had a quizzical look on my face as Lena enlightens me - "For the bottom, toilet paper", before handing it to me. For the Russian bottom matey, you could strip floorboards with that. "You have to wipe bottom" Lena laughs. I dig in my bag and produce a roll of Russian Andrex. Anya laughed......"No spare toilet in there though" and laughs more. Suddenly the practical realities of this trip hit home when I go and inspect 'the facilities'. Yes they are very basic..........I am so happy I am not going to be on this train when it's crowded in the height of summer.

We are on route to Niznhy Novgorod. Full details tomorrow and an updated photo gallery.