Red Square

A full day sightseeing in the centre of Moscow. After breakfast, and a load of washing, we ventured onto the subway and emerged somewhere near the Kremlin. I started by processing through Lenin's tomb - don't talk, don't stop, don't have your hands in your pockets - the list of rules goes on and on, but there he was, lying in a suit and tie - very western.

We tested my Big Mac index theorem at lunchtime. For those of you who haven't followed my other blogs, the theory is that a Big Mac meal costs the same, when converted to Australian currency, anywhere in the world. Despite Moscow being touted as an expensive city, my Big Mac meal cost around AU$6.50, about the same as in Australia. In all the countries I've been to, my theory has not yet failed.

After lunch we went into the Kremlin, and saw the sights on offer - the Tsar's bell, the Tsar's cannon (it seems that size does matter), the outside of the Armoury Chamber, the Arsenal, the State Kremlin Palace and Senate, the Tsar's Palace (Grand Kremlin Palace) and the Patriach's Palace. We gazed upon the icons in the Archangel Cathedral where the Tsar's are buried, the Annunciation Cathedral where the Tsar's worshipped, and the Assumption Cathedral where they were crowned, along with the Church of the Disposition of the Robe of the Holy Virgin where the patriachs worshipped (if ever Syndal Baptist wants to change its name there's a snappy title!) A really interesting place and, if you are in to iconography it would be days of wonder.

We then walked back around the Kremlin walls into Red Square, and down the hill to St Basils where we paid yet again, and looked at all the 9 churches that make up the building. Guess we'd probably call them chapels as the are very small indeed. It really is as magnificent as it looks in the photos.

Wandered back up through GUM but weren't tempted to buy even though 'diamonds are forever' in Russia too, and hopped back on the metro to our apartment, detouring to pick up something to cook for tea.