Moscow itinerary!

Ok, well I finally figured out how to fix the problem of posting pictures up here but conveniently coinciding with that discovery is the fall of my internet.  It works for small things (posting blog entries), but it is broken for big things like uploading pictures and stuff.  It will be fixed by July the 6th - the day before I go to Moscow.  Needless to say, I will be posting lots of pictures after I get back!

Speaking of Moscow, here's my itinerary!  I am very excited for this trip.  Last night I dreamt that I was turning the corner into the Red Square for the first time.  I can't believe I'll actually be there in only 19 days!  So, to pass the time and get even more ridiculously excited, I've planned out my first 3 days of being there and I've left day 4 open just in case I don't get around to doing everything the first 3 days.

MOSCOW.  Day 1 - July 8th!

I arrive and check into my hostel.

• Visit the Kremlin, Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral, Arbatskaya, Boat Tour

Kremlin & Red Square -
"Moscow's historic centre is the obvious starting point for tours of this ancient city, which started life as a 12th-century citadel enclosed by wooden walls.  Today the Kremlin, with its magnificent ensemble of palaces and cathedrals, is home to the Russian president.  Despite limited public access, it leaves a powerful impression of the country's colourful past.  Neighbouring Red Square, long used for public ceremonies and parades, continues to be a focal point of city life, adorned with the iconic domes of St. Basil's Cathedral."

St. Basil's Cathderal -
"With red-brick towers and swirling onion domes, this gloriously colourful cathedral is perhaps Russia's most emblematic building.  Ivan the terrible ordered its construction to celebrate capturing the Tatar stronghold of Kazan, 800km east of Moscow in 1552.  The cathderal was designed with eight chapels, each representing a successful assault made on Kazan.  A ninth chapel was added later to cover the grave of Basil the Blessed, the pious ascetic to whom the cathedral owes its popular name."

Arbatskaya -
"Radiating west from the centre, Ulitsas Arbat and Prechistenka are two of Moscow's oldest streets.  Both are lind with fine 19th-century mansions, built after the great fire that consumed most of the city's wooden architecture during Napoleon's invasion in 1812.  The district became fasionable at this time, and wealthy aristocrats moved in along with a bohemian circle of artists, poets, musicians and writers who frequented Ulitsa Arbat's cafés and bars.  After the six-lane Novyy Arbat was created in the 1960s, Ulitsa Arbat lost its importance and was neglected until the 1980s when pedestrianization brought a new lease of life.  Today the district boasts major museums, galleries and churches as well as shops, restaurants, clubs and bars."

Boat tour - 
There's not much information about this, other than that it's a boat tour.  It goes through the historical centre of the city which will make for great pictures!

Day 2 - July 9th

• Visits to Kitay Gorod neighbourhood, Polytechnical Museum, Lilienthal Café, Museum of Modern History, GUM

Kitay-Gorod -
"Moscow's earliest residential and trading quarter, Kitay-Gorod continues to be a thriving commercial centre and is home to numerous bars and clubs.  Its main shopping streets, Nikolskaya and Ilinka, are packed with malls and restaurants.  Despite the demolition of large parts of the area during the Soviet era, it still has some notable historic buildings, many of which can be found along Ulitsa Varvarka.  The area now stretches beyond its original boundaries to encompass the pleasant gardens and ponds of Chistye Prudy."

Polytechnical Museum -
"This is one of Moscow's most engaging museums, with a fascinating array of exhibits displayed over four vast floors in an imposing 19th-century building.  The fascinating themed exhibits include a wonderful selection of Soviet-era electronic equipment, such as early televisions, sythesizers and gramophones."

Lilienthal Café -
I'm going here for lunch!  "A very stylish bar, Lilienthal attracts an equally stylish crowd.  The bottled Russian cider is highly recommended."

Museum of Modern History -
"Charting the country's history from the early 19th century to the present, the museum's collection fills the extravagant halls of a mansion once known as the English Club, a high-class meeting place for foreigners in pre-Revolution Moscow.  Among the exhibits is military equipment dating back to the disastrous Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05, and weapons used in street fights during the 1905 Russian Revolution.  The exhibition culminates with a proud display of the country's recent industrial successes."

GUM -
"One of Moscow's major landmarks, GUM (State Department Store) was built in the late 19th century on a site where market stalls had existed since the 15th century.  It consists of three parallel halls faced with polished marble and covered with a glass roof designed by engineering genius Vladimir Shukhov (1853-1939).  The mall is now privately owned and has around 200 high-end boutiques, cafés and food stores."... I should point out that I'm going there not to buy stuff, because it will be horribly expensive.  I just want to go see the nice architecture!

Day 3 - July 10th

• Zamoskvoreche neighbourhood, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow Cats Theatre, Novodevichiy Convent

Zamoskvoreche neighbourhood -
"Zamoskvoreche was settled in the 15th century by merchants and artisans, and many of its streets still bear the names of their trades.  Prone to flooding, much of the land was given over to industry and farming.  During the 19th century a canal was dug to prevent the floods and several large estates were established.  These were built by wealthy merchants, such as the Tretyakov brothers and Aleksey Bakhrushin, who contributed enormously to the flourishing cultural scene for which Zamoskvoreche remains known today."

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour -
"Tsar Alexander I commissioned the construction of Russia's largest Orthodox cathedral to mark the defeat of Napoleon in 1812.  It was designed by the Russian architect Konstantin Ton (1794-1881) and completed in 1860, but was demolished in 1931 to make way for the Palace of the Soviets.  That plan was later abandoned and in 1960, the spot was filled by the world's largest outdoor swimming pool.  A fundraising campaign to rebuild the original cathedral followed the fall of Communism in 1991 and the existing replica was finished by 2000."

Moscow Cats Theatre -
"The stars of this surreal theatre are 120 cats trained by clown Yuri Kuklachev to perform simple tricks alongside actors.  The cats also feature in shows such as a rough adaptation of The Nutcracker." - They're playing a show called "Cat's House" when I'll be there.  I'm going to try to go because I think it'd be cute!!

Novodevichiy Convent -
"This splendid UNESCO-listed convent was founded in 1525 to celebrate Grand Prince Basil III's recapture of Smolensk in 1514.  Many aristocrats took their vows here and it became known as a nunnery of nobility.  Tsarevna Sophia Alexeyevna (1657-1704), who served as a transitional ruler of Russia, ordered the reconstruction of many of the buildings in Moscow Baroque style, with fine ornamentation.  The convent was occupied in 1812 by Napoleon's troops, and later used as a female prison before becoming a museum during Communism."

Day 4 - July 11th

• Catch up on stuff and do whatever I didn't get a chance to the preceding days.  Return to Brussels.

Well, I'm not sure if anyone will actually take the time to read all of that, but it makes me excited to just type it!  I encourage you to click on the links of those places, especially the Novodevichiy Convent - it's really beautiful.

Alright, well 19 days left people!

That's all for now!