Today was our last full day in Russia. Tomorrow we head back to the USA. We had a great time over here, and we’ll probably have a lot more to say once we get home and have a chance to digest everything. For now, I’ll leave you with a link to our ***’Featured Photos’ gallery|http://gallery.prwdot.org/russia_featured_photos***, which has some select photos from the last few days of our adventuring. Enjoy!

fff|ggg|russia_featured_photos/P1010674|Space Obelisk|ggg
ggg|russia_featured_photos/P1010709|Church of our Lady of Kazan|ggg|fff

Today’s featured photos are the Space Obelisk from VDNKh (aka VVTs aka All-Russian Exhibition Center), and detail from a dome on Church of Our Lady of Kazan, Kolomenskoe.

Tonight we’re taking a train from Moscow to Saint Petersburg (or simply “Piter” as the locals call it). We probably won’t be online while we’re there, so you’ll have to wait until we get back to Moscow on May 4 before we’re able to post more. Da svidaniya!

fff|ggg|russia_featured_photos/P1010654|Church at the Novodevichiy Convent|ggg
ggg|russia_featured_photos/P1010666|Tzar’s Box at the Bolshoi|ggg|fff

Today’s featured photos are a detail from one of the churches at the Novodevichiy convent in Moscow, and a view of the Tzar’s Box at the Bolshoi Theater. Kim treated us to an evening of ballet at the Bolshoi, where the featured performance was “Notre Dame de Paris”, aka, The Hunchback of Notre Dame with Modern Dance.

fff|ggg|russia_featured_photos/P1010538|Becky in front of St. Basil’s Cathedral|ggg
ggg|russia_featured_photos/P1010521_edited|Guard at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier,
outside the Kremlin wall|ggg|fff

Today’s featured photos come from our visits to the Kremlin and Red Square. The first is St. Basil’s Cathedral (with Becky!). The second is a soldier guarding the Grave of the Unknown just outside of the Kremlin wall. Enjoy!

fff|ggg|russia_featured_photos/itar_tass|ITAR-TASS|ggg|fff

Today’s featured photo is of the headquarters of ***ITAR-TASS|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITAR-TASS***, Russia’s state-run news agency. Enjoy!

We have arrived safely in Moscow, Russia! Our plane touched down right on schedule at 11:20 a.m. Moscow time (3:20 a.m. EDT). The only minor trouble we had was at passport control, where the name change on Becky’s passport confused the Russian immigration officials. But after consulting with a number of other officials, they decided to give her the stamp. 🙂

Kim’s friend Misha met us at the airport and drove us in to Moscow center… lots of traffic and smog, but also lots of wonderful and beautiful sights.

More updates later, but now we have to get acquainted with our surroundings and get the heck out there and explore this place! 🙂

P.S. It is currently 2:08 PM Moscow time, 6:08 AM EDT.

I think Becky and I were just a little too prepared for this trip. We’ve been sitting around at home for a few hours now trying to think of things to do before we leave, and there’s really nothing left for us to do! I think we’ll be leaving in a few minutes so that we can eat our last Taco Bell meal for the next 11 days, on our way to the airport. Our flight doesn’t leave until 3:30, so we’ll have plenty of time.

I’m guessing this will be the last post until we arrive in Moscow, which will be at 11:35 a.m. Tuesday, Moscow time, 3:35 a.m. Tuesday, Boston time. So until then – da svidaniya!

Today: Ran errands and purchased a few random things to take on the trip. Got a pocket-sized Russian phrasebook/dictionary. Very handy, since we haven’t exactly mastered the Russian language.

Tonight: Met my Aunt Joan, my cousin Mark, and Mark’s girlfriend Ethel for dinner. Joan brought along some things for us to bring over to Kim. When we got home, we started arranging things in our suitcases, and it looks like we’re in pretty good shape! We each have one medium-sized suitcase for clothes and gifts, plus one carry-on backpack each. Not bad at all.

Tomorrow: Becky has to work. I’ll be at home doing some house cleaning, as well as squaring away a few last minute details. In the evening we’ll be meeting Becky’s parents for dinner.

Monday: A few final preparations, and then an afternoon departure!!!

Stay tuned to our website for updates before, during, and after the trip… I’ve set up a easy URL so that you can jump straight to the “Russia” category: ***http://prwdot.org/russia|http://prwdot.org/russia***. Enjoy!