WATERWAYS OF THE CZARS
AUGUST 19-SEPTEMBER 1, 2008
(Please click on any picture to enlarge it.)
AUGUST 19-20
NEW YORK * MUNICH * MOSCOW
Left JFK via Lufthansa flight LH411 AT 5:40 pm, arrived in Munich at 8:10 am, left Munich via Lufthansa flight LH3194 at 11:10 am and arrived in Moscow Domodedovo airport at 4:10 pm the next day.VIKING'S PAKHOMOV
A Viking representative picked us up and took us to Northern River Terminal on the Moscow Canal where we boarded the Viking Pakhomov, assigned us to cabin 318.AUGUST 21
MOSCOW
After breakfast at the Neva restaurant onboard, we took the tour bus for a shore excursion of Moscow.
First stop was Red Square.
The colorful domes of St Basil Cathedral
Lenin's Tomb
Kazan Cathedral
Also window-shopped at the world's largest deparment store, GUM, and visited another Russian church in the area.
Later, the bus took us to a park where we saw the Newmaiden or Novodevichy Convent, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004. I will later visit this site including the adjoining cemetery.
I bought a watercolor painting of a Russian onion-domed church from the artist.
The bus took us next to view the Lomonosov Moscow State University.
Across the street were souvenir vendors and a panoramic view of Moscow.
We took a Metro ride from Park Pobedy to the Arbatskaya, to walk around the pedestrian-only Arbat street.
Drove back to the Pakhomov and rested until dinner. This evening's entertainment was at the concert hall of the Tretiakov Gallery where we were regaled with a Classical Russian Folklore Concert.
Back at the ship, we were treated to a late snack at the Neva and then listened to music by the ship's band Novgorod at the Panorama Bar.
AUGUST 22
MOSCOW
Novodevichy Convent
Today, on my own and using the Metro, I went to the New Maiden's Convent.It was founded in 1524 and had sheltered many royal ladies who had been forced to take the veil. Boris Godunov, his sister Irina, Peter the Great's sister, and his first wife once lived there.
Novodevichy Cemetery
Anton Chekhov
Nikolai Gogol
Raisa Gorbacheva
Spent part of the day at the Novodevichy Cemetery and found Chekhov, Gogol and Raisa Gorbacheva's graves. Other famous people interred here include Krushchev, Yeltsin and Shostakovich.
AUGUST 23
MOSCOW*KREMLIN
Kremlin Armoury
The Kremlin includes four palaces, four cathedrals and the Kremlin walls with its towers. Originally the residence of the tsars, it is now the official residence of the Russian president.
Kremlin Square with people waiting for the Kremlin guards parade, the Annunciation Cathedral in the background
Kremlin guards marchingChurch of the Twelve Apostles, Spasskaya Tower, church domes
We also visited the Kremlin Armoury which houses an enormous collection of Soviet national treasures, including the famous Fabergé eggs, the Imperial Crown of Russia, several imperial carriages, and the ivory throne of Ivan the Terrible.
Lunch back at the Pakhomov and then we were on our way to Uglich. Attended a lecture about Russia, then a toast at the Welcome Cocktail Party at the Sun Deck with Captain Igor Stepanov before the official Welcome Dinner prepared by Executive Chef Wolfgang Frese.
We spent the night cruising down the Moscow Canal to the river Volga. The Volga, the longest in Europe (2286 miles), meanders up the Rybinsk Reservoir to the Caspian Sea.
AUGUST 24
VOLGA RIVER*UGLICH
The morning lectures were about Russian souvenirs and the Romanovs and after lunch we finally arrived in Uglich. Local tradition date Uglich's origins to 937.
Church of Dmitri on the Blood
The most famous event in the town's history took place on May 15, 1591 when 10-year-old Dmitry Ivanovich, Ivan the Terrible's youngest son, was found dead with his throat cut in the palace courtyard. Suspicion fell on the tsar's chief advisor, Boris Godunov. The church was later built on the spot where he died.Transfiguration Cathedral
Costumed street musicians
AUGUST 25
VOLGA RIVER*YAROSLAVL
We visited a soldier's memorial park, the St John the Baptist church, and walked around the city.
St Elijah the Prophet Church
Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, was born in a nearby village and went to school in Yaroslavl. It is also the site of the Volkov Theatre (built 1750), the oldest theater in Russia.At noon we set sail for Goritzy passing the Rybinsk Reservoir. Took Russian language lesson after lunch. Caviar tasting was scheduled before the "Russian Dinner" followed by a Russian Concert at the Sky Bar.
AUGUST 26
GORITZY*VOLGA-BALTIC WATERWAY
Goritzy is a village renowned for the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery which St Cyril founded in 1397.
Church of the Ressurection
A film company was shooting a movie when we visited.
The much-awaited Vodka tasting was tonight's highlight. There were six varieties of Russian vodka and had to drink them in six different ways!AUGUST 27
LAKE ONEGA*KIZHI
Cruised through the morning on Lake Onega and arriving at Kizhi mid-afternoon.
Church of the Transfiguration
Built in 1714 without a single nail.
Windmill, wooden house.
More wooden architecture.
AUGUST 28
SVIR RIVER
Today was spent cruising Russia's intricate waterways, from Lake Onega to the Svir River, taking the 139-mile "Blue Route" to Lake Ladoga. Lectures onboard were on "Putin and Democracy" and "Modern Russia". Victor, the ship's videographer, presented the "Video of the Cruise" in the Sky Bar.
At the Captain's Dinner
Waitstaff Ivan and Olga
The "Passenger Show" followed.
AUGUST 29
ST PETERSBURG*HERMITAGE MUSEUM*BALLET
Toured the famous Hermitage Museum.
City views
Russian souvenir at the Pushkin Art Gallery
Peter & Paul Cathedral is the burial place of all the Russian tsars.
Tombs of Nicholas II and his family.
Tomb of Peter I (left)&
Michael Chemiakin's statue of Peter I
The Smolny Cathedral of the Resurrection
Closed in 1923; reopened 1982 for exhibitions and concerts.
Mariinsky Theatre, home of the Kirov Opera and Ballet
Tonight's entertainment was Swan Lake at the Conservatory for the Ballet.AUGUST 30
PUSHKIN*CATHERINE'S PALACE
Our Russian tour guide Valery took us to Catherine's Palace in Pushkin.
Inside the gold-leafed palace
Statue; painting of Elizabeth of Russia
Another view of Catherine's Palace
On the way back to St Petersbug we passed through this entrance.We stopped at the Epiphany St Nicholas Naval Cathedral, the only church in St Petersburg that has been an active church during all the post-revolutionary period.
Lunch was at a local restaurant called Academia in downtown St Petersburg.
After lunch we had free time to explore the city. I went to see the Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood and walked along Nevsky Prospekt, the city's main avenue.
Bought 2 RussianT-shirts.
AUGUST 31
PETERHOF PALACE*ALEXANDER NEVSKY MONASTERY
Peterhof Palace, sometimes called the "Russian Versailles", is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was the summer residence of Peter the Great.
Peter the Great's throneand
his bed
The East Chapel and the Grand Cascade which leads to the Sea Channel that goes to the Baltic Sea.
At the Lower Gardens
Rehearsal of a pageant at the palace grounds
More Peterhof Palace pictures
Passed by the Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Peterhof on the way back to St Petersburg.Went back to the Pakhomov for lunch and ventured out again. This time I took a bus to explore the cemetery at the Alexander Nevsky Monastery where several famous people were buried.
ALEXANDER NEVSKY MONASTERY
Alexander Nevsky statue
Alexander Nevsky, a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church, is remembered for his numerous military victories over the German and Swedish invaders.The monastery was founded by Peter the Great in 1710 to house the relics of Alexander Nevsky, patron saint of the newly-founded Russian capital.
Tikhvin Cemetery and its famous people.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Alexander Borodin
Modest Mussorgsky
Mikhail Glinka
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Anton Rubinstein
Marius Petipa
Fyodor Stravinski
Here are some pictures of the Russian people I've seen or met.
SEPTEMBER 01
ST PETERSBURG*FRANKFURT*NEW YORK
Flew out of St Petersburg at 6:15 am on Lufthansa LH3221 to Frankfurt, then on LH400 at 10:35 am to New York arriving at 12:45 pm. What an end to a wonderful river trip!
