Literally dissolved in smoke has our visit to Moscow, after the morning served the physical (after two days of rail travel) and the mental (of course, for this blog) rehabilitation, the afternoon was reserved for the essentials of Moscow: the Red Square, the Kremlin, the metro, and what else Moscow has to offer and it has much to offer. But with an estimated 38°C, perhaps 40, and a smoke in the whole city, even in the subway,
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which is located very deep below the surface, this is a very limited pleasure. I got even difficulties with the breathing. And all the grand buildings such as St. Basil’s Cathedral, from the other end of the red square was barely visible, could not develop their splendour. Nevertheless, Moscow has me quite impressed.
Of course it is an imperial city, but much comes from the time of the tsars and their red and today’s successors, just quite a contrast to the Zwinglian base democrat, who I really am. On one side fascinated by all these buildings, also by the glorification of the working class in the metro stations of the ring line, the other one must know – at least George told so – that the whole underground was dug by hand, 1939-1954! This gives the magnificent a bit another touch.
Well, it is still smoky outside. This evening we will start to Irkutsk and Vladivostok. We will probably go right through the fire areas and not leave the train for another four days. To Vladivostok there are almost 10,000 kilometres, the longest rail journey in the world. Longer would only Lisbon to Hong Kong. But that I may consider later.
Pictures: see German version
This Post is also available up: German
