Moscow

June 29, Saturday. Our train was supposed to be pulled into Moscow by a steam engine, so we sat on the track in the town where the switch was to take place for a couple of hours waiting for the engine to arrive. And waiting. And waiting. We were finally forced to give up and keep our electric engine. Big disappointment for the train buffs, including John, of course. Tim Littler, the owner of this train, was livid, saying the Russian train people lied to him about the proximity of the steam engine as well as their ability to deliver it in time. I wonder how often this happens. No matter, we eventually arrived at the Kazanski station in Moscow and were soon headed for the Pushkin Cafe where we had another delicious Russian lunch. We will miss those!  

We have arrived in Moscow and must say goodbye to the Golden Eagle.

All sorts of buildings greet us...

...new...

...old...

The former KGB headquarters under renovation.

...classic...

...pricey modern...

...massive...

...small...

...enormous...

...EVERYWHERE!...

...church...

...and small towers

After lunch, we joined two other passengers, Geoff and Faye, for a guided tour through the art museum that specializes in Russian art. The alternative was a tour of Red Square, the Kremlin, and the Armory. We had seen all that when we were here a few years ago, so opted for the museum. John wasn't thrilled, but in the end he said the tour greatly exceeded his expectations. It taught me the value of having a knowledgable guide in an art museum. All of us enjoyed the tour, and then arrived at our hotel in time for a little rest before our last dinner together. The large tour had a private after hours tour of the Armory, which meant they had no rest, but we all enjoyed our last evening as a group. 

The Tretyakov Art Gallery

The initial collection in this gallery was the private collection of exclusively Russian art belonging
to a very wealthy Russian, whose intension always was to donate it to his country for a museum.
The collection has continued to grow and includes everything from early
Russian religious icons to modern Russian works.

The museum's facade is decorated in an unusual fairy tale style.

We were able to see only a very small portion of what is here in the two or three hours of our tour,
and as usual, we were not allowed to take photographs inside.

Leaving the museum, we walked across this bridge to meet our minivan.

If it's a romantic location, there WILL be a bride and groom--and their photographer.

There were 2 or 3 dozen of these metal trees for couples to padlock symbols of their enduring love.

The Marriott Hotel where we stayed

The lobby dome

The lobby

After lunch I cornered Marina, the COO of the train, to tell her how much we had enjoyed having Kristen along to help Tatiana shepherd us around. Technically Kristen was with the ABT group from Australia, which was included in our Independent Travelers group, but perhaps she was on a trial run with the train. Just yesterday I had told Kristen how much we thought she had added to our very positive experience even though we weren’t technically in her group, and she had laughingly said, “Don’t tell me, tell Marina! I’d LOVE to work for her!” In any case, Marina told me she had offered Kristen a job based on her intelligence, initiative, and personality. Well deserved! Before dinner I congratulated Kristen, who was flying high!  

I probably should say a word about our overall train experience.  I had not wanted to come on this trip, thinking two weeks on a train would be about 12 days too many for me.  John finally prevailed on me to reconsider, and I am so glad I did!  The train itself was wonderful, the entire crew went well beyond the call to make everyone happy and comfortable, the day trips were excellent, varied and interesting, and our guides--from Tatiana to Kristen to every one of the local guides--were exceptional. We had made sure ahead of time that they knew we are vegans, and the kitchen did an excellent job of accommodating our admittedly difficult food requirements--no meat, no dairy, no eggs. They even made certain all the off-train eating venues were attuned to our needs. That said, note to travel industry:  There is more to vegan cooking than grilled vegetables, especially if you are feeding vegans more than a single meal. I AM looking forward to getting home and having some plant-based protein!  But the meals we had were all beautifully prepared and flavorful, so we remain most appreciative. All in all, I think I would have to rank this trip in the top two of all the places we have been in the world. Kudos to all!

If you are interested in taking a trip on this train, you can find information on the International Railway Travelers website.