So, we've boarded the luxurious Volga Dream river cruise ship, and we are having a lovely and relaxing time taking in the countryside and listening to lectures by our hosts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Harvard Alumni Association, the Wellesley Alumni Association, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. I can't post pictures because the ship's internet does not support Macs, but I will add them when we get home.
Yesterday we had a private tour of the Kremlin that started an hour and a half before the museum opened. We toured the armory with no one else in it! The armory was full of coronation gowns, carriages, Faberge eggs, gifts to the czars, and the crowned jewels. The coronation gowns were fantastic--hand sewn with fabric made of silver! Sadly the silver has tarnished with age, and it is too delicate to clean, so they didn't shine like they did on the coronation days. Also interesting were the crowns, which had fur on the bottom.
We also walked around the Kremlin grounds, which has 5 churches. Following that we drove to the convent where Peter the Great locked up his sister Sophia, to keep her from stealing the crown from him. Finally, we visited the National Cemetery, which has graves of many famous Russians, as designated by the Russian presidents.
The evening ended on the ship, where they greeted us with an ice cold shot of the best vodka I've ever had and a piece of a welcoming bread. Our ship is delightful, and offers a reprieve from the heat in Moscow (it reached 100 degrees F our last day in the city!). There is a lounge with a live pianist in the evenings, 4 decks, a library, a dining room, a snack bar, a gift shop, and 2 bars. Our rooms are small, but feel quite roomy.
This morning we went through a lock (after going through several overnight, which I slept through), and it was really fun to watch the water level drop before the gate opened. The countryside is very beautiful, and is dotted with summer homes. Evidently about 50% of Moscovites have a country home, and we are passing by a lot of them over the next few days.
Later this afternoon we will visit the village of Uglich, which is known for it's souvenirs. Shopping here I come!
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