Moscow Day Two - on the metro!

We had a slow start today, wandered across the road to the coffee shop we found yesterday, for breakfast......in the rain! :( after paddling back to the hotel, changing into walking boots and collecting our waterproofs we set off on an expedition to work out the Metro system. We played safe to start with by sticking to one line and just going two stops. It sounds easy but is not a simple as it may seem as all the place names are in Cyrillic. I have realised that I have not persevered enough with my language learning! Anyway we made it back to Red Square and wandered through the souvenir stalls, lots of dolls, hats and beautiful painted wooden items. However we resisted as we feel sure we will see more as we progress across Russia.

After a quick lunch in a pizza place we joined the Q to buy tickets for the armoury. There are timed sessions with tickets only available 45 mins in advance. I was at the the ticket window on the dot and all the tickets had gone!!!!!! Anyway undeterred I went back to another window to be told that the tickets were finished for the day, I persisted ;) and asked about the 4.30 session and was told to come back at 3.45.......so we had a couple of hours to fill.

We walked to Arbat street (ulitsa), this is a pedestrianised street with great architecture, interesting shops, buskers, artists, and street performers. At the far end the skyline is dominated by an ornate 27 storey building which is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one of 7 major government buildings in the city. We walked as far as Pushkin's house, then turned back to return to the ticket office. I was delighted to find a shop selling handmade embroidered items and lace. I was hoping to see some Russian lace and the ladies kindly allowed me to take some photos.

Back to the ticket office.......hope the suspense is killing you ......;) ....... We got tickets!!!!

After killing another half an hour in a cafe, we joined another Q and went through the security to enter the Kremlin, then another Q to enter the Armoury. It was well worth it! The guidebook said that it is gobsmacking and it is, the most amazing collection of priceless treasures, many of them ambassadorial gifts from Europe. We saw the Faberge collection, beautiful and richly decorated church icons, gospels and other artefacts. Then there was the armour, guns, carriages and clothes. Beautiful coronation robes, vestments, shoes, and accoutrements.........well worth the waiting!

We then ventured back onto the metro, ended up going the wrong way on the wrong line to start with, but someone put us right, sent us back two stops and by then I had worked out where we were! Suffice it to say we made it back to the hotel with a good look at some amazing stations on the way.

I am writing this blog over dinner at the Tchaikovsky cafe which is just across from the hotel, good food and service unlike last night in the hotel where we joined the in-crowd in the Radio City bar !

Tomorrow we plan to go on a river trip after shopping for supplies for the Trans Siberian and packing. Until then......

PS a couple more photos will follow.