Thursday - a perfect day: history, parades and ballet

Everything today was unplanned and was serendipity at its best. St. Basil's opens at 11:00 so planned to look at a couple of other churches first. Could not get there. Roads all blocked off -more rehearsals for Monday. Walked along exploring new area. Found a tiny church surrounded by well tended garden. Went in. Had headscarf. Small service was underway. The warmth, the incense the singing the robes really got to me. Its amazing how active the churches are after all those years of suppression.

Back into the world - decided to head back to hotel to get umbrella. Came back down to main road just as the parade was passing. Tanks galore, huge warheads, missiles. I took video clip. The tanks were really disturbing. All I could think of was Hungary in 56 and Checkoslovakia. I don't think I have ever been so close to this kind of military before and after the quietness and peace of the little church it had a profound effect on me.

Headed round other side of Red Square (still all blocked off) to St Basil's. Found myself in a very old area of churches and a medieval building which said it was the first British Embassy in Moscow. Went in. In the 1500's a group of Brits on a ship were looking for another way to India. found themselves in Murmansk. Got horses to drag them on sleds down the Moscow River and arrived here when Ivan the Terrible was around. Began trading outpost which morphed into first British Embassy. The trade was so active that wood from here was used for masts for the British ships for the Spanish Armada. Quite a story and one Marvin would have loved. His love of history, and he always said how amazing that people from such a tiny island as England could have had such an influence on the world. Well its because of intrepids like those guys being dragged down the River! Apparently Queen Elizabeth I even got a marriage proposal from Ivan the T who was then in the middle of building the Kremlin! They also refer to the Cromwell era in England as "The British Revolution" Oh well...

Lots more to that history story and the area which was the main medieval part of Moscow razed by Stalin to make way for a 6000 room hotel which is now being razed...

Looked in Gum, did a bit more exploring. Then went to see ballet. Was able to walk there and back - its still twilight at 10:00 pm. Cinderella with Prokofiev music. Wonderful production, dancing, music, costumes and people watching. A fine conclusion to an amazing day. Oh by the way St. Basil's was closed because of parade - will have to do next time in Moscow. But what I did do was something not in any guide book and all so very memorable. TTFN