Moscow - Wednesday 16 May

Today we did a group tour of the following:

St Basil's Cathedral
The most famous sight in all of Russia. Originally called the Cathedral of the Virgin of Intercession, this architectual fantsia of multi-coloured onion domes was raised by Ivan the Terrible in 1555-1561 in thanks for his victory over the Tartars in 1552. Legend has it that Ivan put our the eyes of the architect, for fear that he might build a more beautiful church elsewhere. The eight chapels set around the central church contain colourful frescoes and an extra chapel was added in 1588 to house the remains of St Basil the Blessed - the holy fool - who's name soon became synonymous with the whole cathedral.

This was the most amazing experience for me, to be standing in front of such a well known and architecturally beautiful Cathedral. It blew me away, and I just had to stand and stare for a while before going inside.

Red Square
The giant parade-ground where, ever 1 May and 7 november, the massed military might of the Soviet Union marched beneath the inscrutable gaze of the Politburo. At the far end of the square, rising high above the cobblestones, are the improbable towers of St Basil's Cathedral.

Lenin Mausoleum
In a low stepped pyramid in red and black Ural granite, lies the embalmed body of the founder of the Soviet Union. When the Lenin Mausoleum is open, most of the Red Square is closed to the public. It was freezing in the Mausoleum and we walked in knowing that we would be viewing a dead body, but it put a frightful feeling in your stomach all the same and I quite frankly couldn't get out of there fast enough.

The Kremlin
An ancient fortress, the existing Kremlin walls and towers were built by Italian masters over the years from 1485 to 1495. There are now 20 Kremlin towers.

I visited a few of the amazing towers and cathedrals, then left the girls and strolled the grounds on my own. I found a bench to sit on, amongst the beds of gorgeous tulips and various flowers, where I sat for a while and soaked in the ambience of Moscow, the sunshine and the tranquility.

We also went to the Cathedral of Annunciation which was the private church of the tsars, where they were chistened and married. Just near the Cathedral was a bridge crossing the canal, and on the sides of the bridge padlocks were locked on everywhere. Apparently tradition means that newlyweds lock a padlock on when they are married, I suppose to signify the unity and joining of two lives that supposedly should never unlock.

After pounding the pavement for hours, we found some markets with miles and miles of the traditional Russian Matryoshka dolls (sets of nesting wooden dolls), plenty of military wares and furs galore. We did some bargaining, downed a cold beer then headed home to get ready for our last night together as a group. Most were leaving for home the next day.

The night was one of much champayne, vodka and tequila, which started at a funky underground bar (where yet again not everything on the menu was available), went on to an underground Moroccan bar then ended in the hostel at around 5am. Sore heads the next day but a great farewell to some really great people we'd spent the last 2 weeks with.