Around Moscow

It was another interesting day around Moscow. I started the day tired, since I still didn’t sleep too well last night. [I am hoping tonight is the night I sleep well.]

My hotel includes breakfast, and it was very good. There were some interesting things offered, including cold cuts and various kinds of salads. I opted for a form of fried potatoes, a slightly different looking bacon, juice, water, coffee, and some bread with honey. Hmm. Those probably wasn’t the healthiest choices. Oh well. I walked enough today to take care of everything.

Today was the day I was to finally see the icon pictured on this blog. Several of Andrei Rublev’s icons are in the Tretyakov State Gallery. I don’t know of anyone who understands my fascination with these things, so I won’t say a whole lot. I will say that it was a wonderfully moving experience. They were larger than I imagined and more captivating in person. They all date back to the 1400s. Wow!

My plan today was to see the icons and some of the other amazing art in the Gallery and then possibly go to another monastery and museum. I got to the Metro just fine, and then rode it to Red Square. It was really strange walking into Red Square. Of course growing up during the height of the Cold War I remember seeing it on TV a lot. It was always frightening to see the Soviet army display their military might on the bricks on which I walked today. St. Basil’s Cathedral was simply stunning to see.

Even though I enjoyed seeing all the things in and around Red Square, including an Orthodox Church broadcasting its worship over a P.A. system, my main goal was to see the icons foremost and first . This turned into a 2 hour frustrating exercise in futility. Evidently the dozens of people I asked had never heard of the Gallery or did not know where it was. I was told to go here, there, and back to where I started. What to do? I needed another “angel.”

I saw a person coming and decided not to ask her, but at the last second she made eye contact. I asked her if she knew where the Gallery was, showing her a picture. She answered me in English, saying, “I don’t know.” At least her answer was in English! Then she stopped and pulled out a map and started working with me. She thought she knew where it was and indicated that she might go too. I said, “Do you want to go together?” She said yes, and it was an unbelievable blessing.

Afet, from Kazakhstan, led us to the Gallery. She asked several people how to get there, and once inside she was able to get me to the icons. She left me there for more than an hour, and then, together, we took in a lot of the wonderful Russia art in this facility. She was able to explain a lot of it to me. We had a very interesting time of conversing about life and culture. At the end of the day I left her at bus stop and made my way back to the Metro, thankful that God had provided what I needed again today.

On my way back through Red Square an Orthodox “sister” held out a little money box and asked for some. I showed her a $5 (U.S.) and asked if she would take it. She nodded enthusiastically and then tried to talk to me. We didn’t understand each other’s words, but our hearts communicated somehow. I stood there for a little while, and she disappeared. She came back out of the building and brought me a picture of an icon and blessed me with the sign of the cross. Interesting (and very nice)!

The ride from Red Square back to my hotel was smooth and well-timed, which has not been the case so far. I didn’t eat lunch today, and I didn’t want to spend $40 in my hotel for a meal of grilled chicken and vegetables (last night). I decided to spend about $7 and eat at a McDonalds. There is one by the Metro station. I don’t usually eat at McDonalds, but it sure tasted good tonight.

I am still not sure what is going to happen tomorrow, but I’ll let you know tomorrow night what I did.

My impression of Russia so far is mixed. It has been very gray, and the snow is dirty and melting just a little bit. There are a lot of muddy puddles on the sidewalks. The people that I have met have not been very helpful or friendly. (But I saw a different side of them today as I watched Afet talk to them.) In spite of the frustration of communication it is an amazing feeling to be here in a place that is so foreign in so many ways. Viewing the icons today made everything worthwhile.

Love to all.

Here are a few slides. Remember to move your curser over them until you can click to open up the show, complete with captions.

Oh, one other thing! Michelle knitted me a really cool wool hat, and I am wearing in my "Russian" picture below.