The Stolitsa, Part Two

Back to the heart: the Kremlin. We had a tour within the walls, and though I kept my eyes peeled, because before I left, my host brother told me to say hi to Putin. Also, there were no sightings of our dear Vladimir Vladimirovich. As it turns out, the Kremlin is home to the world's largest cannon, and the world's largest bell, which is featured on the right. The young fellow standing in front of the behemoth of a bell is the tallest member of our group. He's well over six feet. But the bell well over two hundred tons. And is six meters. My money's on the bell. (Photo courtesy of Tess S. via facebook.com)

Or rather, under the bell. (Photo courtesy of Carly C. via facebook.com)

The highlight of this tour was end, when we went into one of the churches, where it was warm. Also, there was a totally sweet chandelier with grain on the top, and grapes hanging from the bottom. Geddit?! I'm pretty sure there were also some famous bones lying around, but again, end of the tour, tired of listening to the endless Russian, didn't catch names. After the tour ended, spurred by a desire for warmth and prompted by our Stalinist Culture class, Margo, Carly, Ana and I rode the Moscow metro and ogled the stations constructed during the time of Stalin which featured socialist realist art, a topic recently covered in class. We were at it for hours. I got really warm. Unfortunately, taking pictures of the metro is strictly forbidden, luckily, there are pictures online. One of my favorite stations is Park Kultury, which features reliefs of young soviets engaging in enlightening pastimes. Check out the proletarians reclaiming the art of ballroom dancing from the aristocracy! (Photo from beeflowers.com/Metro)

The next day, we went to the Novodevichy Convent and Monastery, conveniently located a few blocks away from our hotel. Our program director thought the tour was really interesting and keep talking about it during the lunch that followed, but he was in a different group and is fluent in Russian. I looked at the buildings, the falling snow, the icons, and occasionally asked questions of Liza, my hotel roomie and Russian tutor. She explained to me how to weave with silver and pearls. That was interesting. The other part I got into was a visit to the neighboring cemetery, where many prestigious Russian are buried. I spotted Rostropovich, famous cellist and conductor, freshly sunk into the ground, and Kruschev (Photo courtesy of Carly C. via facebook.com). I didn't see too many other famous grave sites due to lack of a map, guide, and time. I'm ok with that. I can always go back. They aren't going anywhere.

The highlight of the trip, hands down, was visiting ВДНХ - Выставка Достижений Народного Хозяйства (VDNKh - Vystavka Dostizheniy Narodnovo Khozyaystva, Exhibition of the Achievements of the National Economy), also a recent topic of "Stalinist Culture Before WWII." Constructed between 1935 and 1939, this massive exhibition was originally planned to celebrate the mighty and multifaceted USSR. Each republic had their own pavilion showing what they contributed to the economy of the CCCP in the style of their own culture, etc. etc. To the right is the fountain Дружба народов (Druzhba narodov -- Friendship of Nations), fifteen (15?) maidens, one from each nation, circling a sheaf of grain. (Photo courtesy of Carly C. via facebook.com.)

Grain was a running theme at this place. Can you spot some on the Central Pavilion, behind the fountain?

Nowadays, the pavilions are less exhibitions and more places to sell honey, underwear, and dishes. We went into Aremenia and found excellent truffles, mediocre baklava, and white mystery khalva, discovered by yours truly at Tsarskoe Selo and beloved by Margo, Ana, et al. We also watched a sweet but cryptic movie at the Theater of 360 degrees. That is, there were twelve (12?) rectangular screens hung on the walls of the circular room onto which were projected twelve images of, well, the countryside, the forest, or art -- whatever struck the director's fancy. It was a trip.

Unfortunately, not all the highlights of the exhibition were present: the giant statue of Stalin was taken down long ago, as well as the statue of Рабочий и колхолница (Rabochi i kolkholnitsa - Worker and Kolkhoz Woman). The latter was taken down for restoration in 2003, but then Moscow didn't get to host the World's Fair and they didn't have money for it, and now they say that it has been irrevocably damaged and will probably never return.

I'd better quit before I add more links.