Day 3: Sergeiv Posad

We decided we would not only tackle the metro train BUT also a suburban train as well. We like to live on the wild side. I had spent some time reading other people's blogs on how to do this as English is ZERO and I have to say, Russian people do not go out of their way to assist an obviously confused mature couple. Anyway when we  got to the station I confidently said to BR to told up ten fingers at the counter and we would get a 10 journey card. BR did this and she just shook her head. He tried 1 finger, then 5...still no help...I happened to see what looked like 20 so BR tried 2 lots of 10 fingers....Bingo we were on.  Arrived at suburban station and went through more screening...I asked the big Russian guard where to go to buy a ticket and showed him some words I had written down...at the same time I beeped as I went through. He looked at me and then gestured I go with him. I raised my arms expecting he wanted to search me and he looked a little confused at my gesture. I then pointed to my knee to say that was why I beeped. Again he looked at me confused. He then pointed to counter and said ticket. Lol, he was only helping me and I have basically said pat me down. Bit embarrassing. Anyway got to the platforms but had no idea which was our train. Asked another ticket lady who told us to wait. A few minutes later a random lady walked over said "alexandovsky" and pointed to our train.
The train trip out to Sergeiv Posad was long...about 1.5 hours and boiling...no air conditioning and train very crowded. But, nice to get out of the city. Our destination was the monastery complex at Sergeiv Posad. I had read a lot about how stunning the Trinity Lavra of St Sergii was. I looked up what Lavra meant and it is the highest rank of Orthodox Monastery and that there are only 4 in the whole of Russia. In fact it is the Russian equivalent of the Vatican. It is a significant site for pilgrims and the insides of the churches and cathedrals we as stunning as the outside...and there were 100s of very devout and emotional pilgrims. The whole place felt calm and was truly beautiful. Well worth the hot train ride, the train sagas and the 1 km walk in the heat to get there. We also found a bakery and purchased what we thought and hoped were Pirozhkis. Fortunately we guessed right and had a little picnic. Bought a drink for a lady making drinks in a van...no idea what it was..tasted a bit weird. Took a photo of the name so I can try and translate. Hope it is nothing untoward.
Heading out to check out the Rusiian space race tomorrow and later to a cemetery to see the final resting place of famous Russians.
NB...BR always finds an interest in steel...guttering, fencing etc...doesn't matter. Today it was fencing and he had to go and take photos. It's always something every holiday.

Day 2: Kremlin and Red Square

Day 2: Kremlin and Red Square.
Well, after 8.5 hours of walking we are back in our room nibbling on Camembert cheese and crackers. BR is downing a Tubog beer and I a refreshing cup of tea...with ice pack....whilst Stargate is on in Russian. It was quite hot today which was nice, though with all the walking we did indulge in a very expensive iced coffee and brownie in the iconic GUM State Store. This was built in the 1800s and is now a very exclusive shopping centre...only stocking designer stuff. It is a really  beautiful building...looks like a palace

The day began heading towards Alexandrovsky Gardens to convert my online museum ticket purchases to entry tickets. The gardens were really lovely and obsessively maintained. After waiting for about 45 minutes to be screened and checked by a very scary dude, we entered. Headed up,to Cathedral Square and was surrounded by amazing churches and cathedrals. All of them operate as museums and they are truly spectacular, inside and out. Made our way around and through: the Assumption Cathedral, the Annunciation Cathedral, the Archangel Cathedral, the Patriarch's Palace. We also saw the Tsar cannon and bell, and the Ivan the Great bell tower. What was amazing about these Cathedrals was that the Romanov tombs were there, along with Ivan the Terrible. We also had tickets to The Armoury Museum. OMG...enough gold in this place to stabilise the global economy. After looking at hundreds, maybe thousands, of plates, ornaments etc, we found the truly remarkable Royal carriages...for Catherine...boy she had a few...carriages that is. They were so grand they were somewhat over the top.
After spending nearly 6 hours going through all of the above, we exited Red Square and took in the amazing, famous and iconic St Basil's Cathedral. I had been really hanging out to see this. How many times have we seen in spy movies and even the occasional James Bond thriller. All of the coloured spires are named after a saint. It was the most vibrant and beautiful building.  Walking along we ventured into the Gum store on the left and then Lenin's mausoleum on the right. At the end of this square was a massive red building which is the State History Museum. We plan to visit it tomorrow evening. It does not matter which way you turn here, there is amazing architecture everywhere. Another observation, moscovites seem to be obsessed with ice creams. Little stores are everywhere. Second observation: I think I walked about 6-7 kms today by BR's calculations....a bit sore, limp pretty badly by arvo, but coping quite well. As muscles get stronger, hope limp gets less.
Off now to source train travel. Heading out 70kms tomorrow. Need to figure out how to get there. It's very hard to read the Russian symbols...they don't have the English version anywhere....as when yesterday BR returned from hunting and gathering...with my "milk". As I made a cuppa I discovered it was actually yogurt. BR saw a cat on the front and assumed it was milk. We have since googled how milk is written and have some in the fridge.