Out On The Town

The late arrival our first day (which was supposed to be a rest day) put a bit of a crimp in our plans, but we gamely headed out early to visit the Kremlin.  Had planned to see the Armory Museum first (Faberge eggs are the biggest draw) but due to a scheduling conflict, wound up spending the afternoon doing the architectural tour, which means we walked around inside the Kremlin and visited the various churches and chapels.  Lots of pushing and shoving in the ticket lines and quickly learning this is a country where sharp elbows and quick reflexes come in handy.  Must go back to the days when people queued up for hours to buy a couple of lemons.  Historically a mind-blowing area as we wandered about the chapels of Ivan the Terrible and various Tsars with buildings and fortifications dating back to the 14th century.  Suzee's pedometer indicated that we walked over five miles and my morning walk and grocery store trip added another five to my daily total, leaving my feet screaming for an ice bath.

The following day we managed to get tickets for the Armory which is within the Kremlin walls.  The museum consists of artifacts collected by the Tsars, including the famous Faberge Eggs.  The museum offered a fantastic collection of jewelry, clothing, dinner ware and carriages, most all of which were gifts from other countries.  After the Armory, we took a stroll through Red Square where we encountered some famous historical figures:

Then it was on to the famous GUM department store before heading back to the apartment completely wiped out.  Heavy touring and an 11 hour time difference do not make for optimal travel, but essential to see the sights prior to the World's Championships which tend to leave little time for anything but track and field.