Monday, March 31, 2014

Route One

The Bolshoi Theater

The brick wall is a remaining section of Kitay Gorod.


One of these buildings is the former KGB building Lubyanka Prison.



St. Basil's Cathedral




Kremlin



British Ambassador's Residence


Luzhkov Bridge ~ The trees on the bridge are placed by the city for lovers to fasten locks onto rather than bridges throughout the city.

We saw a bridal party taking photos and 



releasing doves.

Bolotnaya Square once a common place for fist fights and executions, now now for anti government protests.  The statue is of Russian artist Illya Repin who is holding a paintbrush.





The motorcyclist is wearing a hat with a mohawk.



Cathedral of Christ our Savior







Hotel Moskva ~ The explanation we heard for the two different facades was that the architect presented two different drawings for Stalin to choose one, Stalin signed both and rather than get clarity the architect built the hotel with both facades. 

Route One on the Hop On, Hop Off bus took us past familiar places but gave us more information than had our reading thus far.  The vantage point of the double decker bus was great.  We each had earphones that allowed us to listen to the tour guide in English, although seven other languages are available.  Although we chose not to, the bus stopped in 18 different places where we could have hopped off to look around more.  

City Sightseeing Tour ~ The Hop On Hop Off Bus






Ploschad Revolyutsii or Revolution Square