A Trip to Russia
I grew up with Tchaikovsky’s music, such as the 1812 Overture, Italy Capriccio, Piano Concerto #1 etc. In particular, the 1812 Overture; my brother told me a story behind this music. Napoleon brought a half million of soldiers over the Alps mountains to Moscow and only one hundred thousand lsurvived. To celebrate this victory, Tchaikovsky composed this music. When I listened to this music often I hoped to see and hear this overture when they a real canon with orchestra. I did this at the Ravinia Music Festival in Highland Park. Now I wanted to listen to this music in Moscow after a tour so it could be more realistic for the music. Also I wanted take The Siberian Express train to Vladivostok over 7 days. While I was planning I heard that The World Martial Festival would be held in Uzbekistan. Now I was confused: which one should come first? I decided to visit Russia after the festival.
I went to Tashkent airport for my next plan: touring Moscow and 7 days of crossing Russia from Moscow to Vladivostok. I was excited, but anxiety was deep inside: what could happen and what would I do in case something happened? While I was thinking and planning, I heard that the Turkish Air plane to Moscow would be delayed. Late that night Turkish Air employees took everyone to a hotel, and on the way to the hotel I saw people speaking in loud voices but I had had no idea what they were screaming for, so I took a video and sent to an Uzbekistan friend who responded back saying, “Move to the front.” When I arrived at the hotel, I went to a restaurant and after the meal took a shower and was ready to sleep. But the front desk called me to prepare to leave the hotel for the airport soon. Ten hours later I arrived in Moscow and stood in a very long line to get through customs. One officer who was in the box office stood up, looked at the line, and asked the people to line up straight by moving her right hand side to side and then checking if the line was straight by turning her head to the side and looking, and when the line was straight, she took care of one person and then stood up checking the line again. She did it every time after she took care of one person. I thought to myself, I am in the country once controlled by communists and it still feels like they are alive.
I arrived at the hotel in the morning and checked in after breakfast and left for the Red Square by taxi. I visited a gift shop where I purchased a soccer ball hat. They just had a World Cup game. From the shop I looked to the left side and saw St. Basil’s cathedral, one of the most popular symbols of this country. Located right next to the Kremlin, the shape of the building is like flames of many candles fires. There were incredible colors around the nine chapels in the middle of Red Square, which is now a museum. I took several pictures of the Virgin in the moat and Jesus, symbols of unifying power for the people.
When I tried to buy a ticket to the Kremlin, I found it was already sold out and had to visit the next day.
The entry of the Kremlin is a Baroque style stairway. Many people were waiting to enter, moving very slowly, and a man who controlled the entry often halted the line and made the front people clear on, and then allowed the line to move on. One time I heard English from behind saying, “Oh my god the whole Chinese population is here.” I looked at him. I smiled and looked around. Many Chinese were going upstairs and trying to enter. As soon as I passed the gate there were the smells of food. Not far from the gate there was a food truck. I bought a bottle of water as I passed the truck and I saw a very bright gold color of a few domes. It was Cathedral of the Dormition which was completed in 1479. These domes were pasted with a large amount of small rectangular plates. When you see from afar from it looks like one piece of sheet metal but looking closer I could see it. It was a wooden church in the 12th century and replaced by a limestone around 1326.
Inside the cathedral there were art works displayed on pillars, walls and ceiling. Most of the color had fade away but they still look great, and any art work on bronze plates were very clear. I pulled out my cellphone and immediately one lady said something to me. She had earphones on, and I told her that I didn’t understand. She told me don’t take pictures! I moved to the other room and my cellphone was still in my hand. I heard again, no pictures. I went out and walking towards the Cathedral of the Annunciation and I took a few pictures from outside because the other tourists were all busy taking the pictures of this church. Inside there was a large pray room and a few galleries but I was not able to take any pictures.
Three young men ran into me. I was under arrest!
I was walking toward the exit I knew it was not far away from the river on my left side. The street toward the exit was wide open; on the right side was a walking path and the left side was open. I walked on the left side and saw three young people speaking loudly and running toward me. I told them I did not understand what you were saying, then one started speaking English asking me why I was walking on this side and asking me to hand over my cellphone. I said why? Another man told me that he was going to arrest me. I asked him why? Instead of answering my question, he ordered a man to take my phone and delete all my pictures. I told him he should not do that and two men held my arms. I moved both arms, pushing down, and then immediately pushed up and freed myself from them. The man who had my cellphone now asked for my passport. I pulled it out immediately from the side pocket of my shoulder bag. He looked at the passport and said “exit is this way.” I looked at where he pointed his finger and saw one gate guard waiving hand asking me to come. I was released! Walking toward gate, I wondered what was all that about, why did this happen? Was it because I was walking on the wrong side? Or if they thought I took pictures in the cathedrals, then why did they release me after they saw my passport. Did they think I was Chinese? Was it because the Chinese copied the Kremlin in Beijing? I was not able to figure it out.
Now I headed to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, which was built after the retreat of Napoleon in 1812. Also Tchaikovsky’s famous overture 1812 was composed to celebrate the victory. Inside the center of the dome building was a large painting on the ceiling. A god sending his son to the earth. A god in human image, his son with wings, descending. It looks very primitive but I thought it was a very pure idea. All over the inside were paintings and ornaments, all very colorful
After the Christ of the Savior Cathedral, I went to the Tchaikovsky concert hall and discovered they didn’t open until September. So I found a restaurant right next to the concert hall and while I was having dinner I listened to the 1812 Overture with earphones. There are so many people restaurant but it was very quiet with the earphones on, and most of time I could not hear because of the overture music. After dinner and music, I took a taxi to the hotel and prepared to take the Siberian Express train.
I once met a train officer who had a hand-held mobile translator. Anything I asked him in English was translated into Slavic. It was a slow process but I loved it—I felt I was able to communicate with him. Otherwise I could not find anyone who could speak English, so I just showed my ticket and asked where to go with body language. Finally I found where to go around 11:30 pm. When I walked in the train platform I realized I saw this view in movies a few times but I did not remember which movies. The light was very dim and I took one picture of the Moscow train station. I went to sleep right away when the train start leaving because it was too dark to see outside. When I woke up my train was running through a prairie filled with green vegetation. I found a hot water pot in the train and I thought it would be great to make my own coffee. I brought enough Yirgacheffe. I started the day with great smells in the running train and drinking coffee and watching outside, but then one man surprised me. He was walking in the hall only wearing underwear! Nobody would believe me if I told people back in America so I pulled out my cellphone and took a picture for evidence. After picture was taken still I couldn’t believe what I saw and was more surprised because the people who were standing in the hall didn’t look like it bothered them. But still I did not think I could walk around like this man.
I ate some fruit, vegetables, and cheese which I had brought to the train. During 7 days of train travel, there were 3 different way to get foods: I could bring them to train; when the train stopped every 5 to 7 hours I could buy them at train station platform from local people; or there was restaurant food in the train which is very expensive, but I ended up once a day eating in the restaurant. It is tough to go to the restaurant: from my car to there I needed to pass 7 cars. In one of the 7 the bedrooms were not blocked so feet were sticking out in the hallway. I needed to duck down to get through and take a picture. A few times I met a group of people speaking English, listening to Russian military music and glorifying Stalin. They were from all over the world, the leaders of the YMCA. When they talked about the war, I asked if I could ask questions. I heard that Russians respected Stalin. How many people had he killed? I ended up receiving a gift from them.
When train stopped in Omsk station for 45 minutes, I decided to go out to find a real meal. I felt I was doing time travel because of the buildings, tram, and ways of dress. Time travel to 1960 in Korea. But I guess it was not really 1960 because I found a Kentucky Fried Chicken. I pointed my finger to what I wanted. While I was eating I thought about how I could find a pharmacy. From the restaurant to the street I asked where I could find a pharmacy. Nobody understood. I looked around to see if anything looked like a pharmacy, and in the meantime I asked a young man selling bread, telling him by moving my body and showing that I am throwing up and looking for moving sickness pill. I got the medicine and went back to the train.
To be continued…
