Moscow day 2

We've had a really busy day and it's only 4:30 p.m.!  After breakfast we boarded the bus for a tour of downtown Moscow. It was really interesting to see many of the sites we've only read about in our history. Red Square, the Kremlin, the American Embassy etc.  The weather turned cool and rainy so it wasn't ideal for photos.

Moscow was founded in 1147 and its current population is 12 million. ( That is a correction for my statement yesterday. ) Moscow has 5 airports,  11 train stations, and 100 bridges. Moscovites brag about the efficiency and cleanliness of their Metro system which we  experienced today. Here are a few photos

                       

  

Views of Red Square

 (red means "beautiful" in Russian)

 The photos above are from inside the GUM department store in downtown Moscow.  It's famous for its expensive shops and is gigantic in its 3 story building.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The following are from the Metro.  Russians are proud of saying their metro stations are underground palaces.

America is everywhere!!

Welcome to Moscow

A short one hour and 20 minute plane ride got us to Moscow, a city of 7 million.   Here are a few photos of our boat and Moscow traffic.
                           

   
                                               

Our boat

Our Russian guide Asia 

Friday night rush hour in Moscow

Russian Cyrillic writing

The dining room on board

Mel and Judy having dinner

Kiev part 3

Today was our last day in Kiev. I feel like I've seen a lot and had a good introduction to the largest country in Europe (Russia is in both Europe and Asia) . The history, politics, and people have been fascinating.

This morning a Kiev resident gave his opinions about his homeland and some predictions about its future.

Then we went on a private tour and saw the oldest synagogue in Ukraine, the Podol Synagogue, built in the late 18th century.  .

This evening we had dinner at a local restaurant and celebrated our time in Kiev with some of our fellow travelers.  

We're getting organized for our flight to Moscow tomorrow where our river boat awaits us.  

Kiev part 2

Last night was a fun dinner at a "typical" Ukrainian restaurant complete with servers dressed in traditional garb and singing Ukrainian folk songs. Below are some photos.

It is traditional to offer your guests a piece of  bread as they enter

                                                                                                               

Today was very busy.  After breakfast we went to the famous Monastery of the caves. It was founded in 1051 by the Russian Orthodox Church. We walked in a short catacomb  where monks lived, prayed and died.   

Next we visited the Chernobyl Museum where we heard one of the engineers who was in charge of the fourth reactor on the fateful day in 1986, the catastrophic accident at the nuclear power plant. We learned how it occurred, impacted the town and world, and how it continues to influence the world. 

Last, we went to the site where are over three hundred and thirty thousand Jews were massacred during two days in Sept, 1941.

The site is the ravine at Babi Yar.  The Jews were lead down an alley, lined up above the ravine and shot . Here is the monument remembering the atrocity .

Kiev Ukraine part 1

We arrived at the Radisson Blu hotel in downtown Kiev late yesterday afternoon after a long journey. We had dinner on our own at a local Italian restaurant with some other travelers in our group.  Then we all met for cocktails before retiring for the evening. This morning we had a buffet breakfast in the hotel restaurant and then went for a bus tour and a walking tour of the city of Kiev.  Kiev is a city with ancient roots that are still visible in this city of 3 million.  There are 10 districts, 5 on one side of the Dneiper River and 5 on the other. Below are some photos that we took on the city tours.
Tonight is dinner at a traditional Ukrainian restaurant and a folk dance performance.

               

 skyline view of part of Kiev and the Dneiper River

St. Sophia's Church

Ready for our Travel Adventures

Sidewalk shopping