Hi guys :) here are a few pictures from my trip home (dec 04-jan 05).
Just scroll down for more pictures.
I hope you will enjoy these pictures. I love Moscow. It's so amazing and majestic, you can sense history in every corner. Pictures are not the same as being there, so if you ever get a chance - visit Moscow!
You can also check out Moscow Kremlin here and the city here.
marina :)))


click on the link below to see a little video of me in the Red Square. My brother Alex took it.
http://www.marinav.com/komrades/moscow05/red/PICT1638.AVI (4.2MB file)

the Kremlin and Red Square


at night with special holiday decorations

Resurrection Gates (restored in 1995)

the Cathedral of Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (1633, restored 1993)

State Department Shopping Mall (GUM, pronounced goom) 1893 (it says Happy New Year) :)

the very famous St Basil's Cathedral, also known as Cathedral of St Vasiliy the Blessed or the Cathedral of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God), built in 1561

By Father Frost (Russian version of Santa Claus).

in front of Lenin's Mausoleum and Spasskaya Tower on the very left (built in 1491)

Lenin's Mausoleum, built 1930

GUM & Kazan Cathedral

State History Museum (1883)

the Eternal Flame at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside the Kremlin walls

Novodevichyi Monastery & park
I grew up 5 walking minutes away from Novodevichyi and spent a lot of time in the park.

Built in 1524. You can see kids on sleds. I used to go sledding all the time!!!


Novodevichyi park!! it was snowing when I was taking this picture. Isn't it the most idyllic place? :)

Moscow Metro
I took a few pictures on January 1. Everybody usually stays at home on January 1st, that's why the metro is so empty. A lot of stations are made out of marble & gold. Most of the stations were built in the late 1940s and early 1950s.






a couple more - I didn't take 2 pics above, they're from metro.ru

Around the city

ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1950s. There are six more similar looking buildings in Moscow in the style of Stalinist Classicism.

little specialty stands with various products: flowers, snacks, grilled chicken, Russian pancakes & pirozhki, newspapers, etc. :)

famous Arbat Street. Similar to the 3rd Street promenade of Santa Monica, CA :)

souvenir stand on the Arbat Street. you can see rows of famous Russian stacking dolls - matryoshkas.

T.G.I. Friday's


McDonald's. It was the very first McDonald's in the Soviet Union. Now there are quite a few.

Holiday decorations on the famous Tverskaya Street

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour


It's 103.5 meters (340 feet) tall!!
it was built in 1881 and then destroyed by the Soviets in 1931. There was a giant public outdoor swimming pool built in the 1960s. After the Soviet Union fell, it was decided to restore the Cathedral and it was rebuilt & finished by 2000!!!

the doors are 9.6 meters tall (31 feet tall)!!!

view of the Kremlin from the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour courtyard

view of the city from the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour courtyard

view from a terminal in the Sheremetievo Intl Airport