Historical Moscow

May 22/23, 2013

Each weekday we have classes, and in the afternoon we go on excursions.  Yesterday, we went to Red Square and saw the sites to see there: St. Basil’s Cathedral, ГУМ (GUM), and the Kremlin.  Today we went back to Red Square and toured the Historical Museum.  Later, we went to the circus, which was absolutely delightful.

 GUM, the "state department store" is an absolutely gorgeous shopping mall commissioned by Catherine the Great.

 St. Basil's Cathedral was built during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, who had just defeated the Kazakhs and had this cathedral built in celebration.  It's absolutely beautiful.  It seems that Ivan agreed, because he had the architect blinded so that he would never make anything so beautiful anywhere else.  Nice.

Unfortunately none of my pictures from the circus turned out well, but nothing compares to the sight to which we came "home."  The fog settled so beautifully, and the building is lit so magnificently.   

Good night from Moscow!