Salt Life

Big Day for the Boys!

Rather than give a long post on the boys first big day out on the town, I thought I do a photo post, describing each picture. Enjoy!


Starting out on our 1 1/2 mile walk to Red Square from the Marriott. The blue Mosmart strollers were just the ticket!


About half way to our destination we came upon TGI Fridays....yes! American fare! We had to carry the boys in their strollers up two flights of stairs to get to the restaurant. Restrooms were another two flights up. The food was good, but came slow and intermittently. When you eat out in Russia, plan on a good wait from beginning to end! Jadon didn't mind, as he got a sweet little nap!


Just one of the thousands of side streets with cars clumsily parked half on/half off of the sidewalks.


Another one of the many interesting sights on our long walk to the Square.. This one, the former KGB building, also know as Lubyanka, now the headquarters of the Federal Security Service (the new KGB). A little history lesson: The Bolshevik secret police seized this building from an insurance company in 1918 and used it to house their agency during the communist era. There is a bare patch of grass in front of the building where a monument to the Soviet secret police founder Felix Dzerzhinsky stood for decades before it was torn down in 1991 by pro-democracy protesters. It was a bit chilling to think about the many interrogations and torturings that have occurred in this building over the years.


Red Square coming into view as Penny and I pose with a smile.


The large brick building behind me is the National Historical Museum which is the official repository of Russian historic artifacts.


The Resurrection Gates are the best way to enter Red Square. It gives a breathtaking view as you enter with St. Basil's straight ahead, the Kremlin to the right and GUM, Kazan Cathedral (a 1990s reproduction of a 17th century church) & Gate Church of the Iberian Virgin to the left. The Square itself is almost domed, like a hill, the center of the Square being the top of the hill. It's covered with dark cobblestones and made for a very bumpy ride for the boys in their strollers!


Just before entering the Resurrection Gates we noticed a group of people enthusiastically gathered around an individual. Upon further inspection we observed what we later found out to be a great tradition amongst the Russian visitors. A circular brass medallion is embedded in the cobblestones. Apparently all of Moscow is measured from this point in the ground. It is considered "good luck" to stand on this spot and throw rubles over your shoulder. People were standing around waiting their turn to toss their coins, while "babushka's" patiently waited for the crowds to clear so they could collect the bounty scattered across the street.


To the right, inside Krasnaya Ploshada (Red Square), just in front of the Kremlin wall is Lenin's tomb--yes, he's in there!



We couldn't pass up the opportunity to have a family photo taken in front of the infamous St. Basil's. I overheard a couple nearby speaking flawless English. After inquiring, I found out they were from Washington D.C. They were happy to take our photo and we took theirs as well.


Chris & Dave in front of GUM, where we took a little side trip to warm up...it was cold that day!


Inside GUM...it's gorgeous! Very old world and glamorous, yet a bit eerie. I felt like we were being watched continually. There were Moscow police and plain clothes security everywhere...


...even inside the men's room! Dave & Chris took Roman "pees" and this is what they had to pay a few rubles for, all the while being watched by police and a "babushka" cleaning around them!



After a full day of sights, we made our way back to the Marriot via the Metro. What an adventure for the boys! Roman was wide-eyed and full of excitement. He asked Dodya Dave in Russian - "Can we do it again?"

What a memory! I'm sure as they closed their little eyes for the night their minds were filled with visions of all they'd experienced that day with their newly-appointed family!

Labels: adoption

posted by Kushmama @ 10:00 AM