All roads lead to Moscow...

and we arrived in sweltering bus yesterday! Our hotel is Hotel Ismailovo. It is a huge hotel complex with 5 buildings (i think) each one with hundreds of rooms. Zoe (my roomy) and I lucked out and got a newly renovated room on the 9th floor with the best shower Ive used since I was home at Christmas and air conditioning. After arriving we quickly refreshed ourselves then took the metro to Red Square. What an amazing city! The sky was clear last night and while it was warm it was comfortable. St. Basil's Cathedral was picture perfect with the clear night sky as a backdrop. After dinner we sat on the grass in front of the Kremlin and enjoyed the light. It was 10:00 when I started heading home and the sun was just setting. There were hundreds of people out on the street, sitting around us on the grass and swimming in the famous horse statue (cant remember the name at the moment).

Today we rose early to line up to see Lenin's Mausoleum. Yup...nothing like a waxed dead guy to start your day! Unreal! We had a few hours free time to wander at will then met at 3pm for the never ending (OK..so it was only 3 hours) tour of the Kremlin. Most of the explanations of the buildings and churches just went right over my head, but in this one Cathedral 6 monks stood up at the front and started to sing minutes after we walked in. Now I don't think Ive ever felt goosebumps like that before. And, the suck that I am had tears streaming down my face by the end of their song. Just beautiful! Of course I bought their CD!

The Armory was overall the most impressive. All the exhibits are original artifacts in impeccable condition. We saw Catherine the Greats Robe, Ivan the Terribles throne, carriages, you name it..its there! Just really well presented and interesting.

That's Moscow! Tomorrow is another free day, then its off to St. Petersburg at night!

Thanks all for the comments too...i look forward to reading them!!