Independence Day: June 12

Komsomolskaya Metro Station. One of the fanciest and the gateway to three railroad stations.

On Thursday, Independence Day, we went to a railway station to purchase tickets to Sergiv Posad (our destination for Friday) before heading out to Kuskovo. According to the history books, Kuskovo was the country seat of one Russia's wealthiest aristrocratic families, the Sheremetevs. (One of the main airports in Moscow is called Sheremeteva, after this family.) It is sometimes referred to as the Versailles of Russia. It has elaborate gardens, in addition to some beautiful buildings. Of course, we didn't see much of it.

We got a late start, due to more stomach problems. First, we went to the train station to buy tickets for Sergiv Posad (the main Russian Orthodox Church Monastery). We finally did manage to find out where to purchase the tickets, but for our destination and the type of train (an electrushka) they don't sell advanced tickets. So we got back on the metro and headed out to Rayanskiy prospekt for Kuskovo. We went directly to the park that is adjacent to the palacial estate, not knowing really what to expect. We walked the distance of the park both ways, before discovering the buildings, pond, and gardens, which were probably about a half mile from where we started, hidden by a forest of trees. By the time we rested and had a snack, we arrived at the gate of the estate at just about closing time. So we took what pictures we could and now we have a good reason for a return engagement.

We are just getting off the metro headed for the "Kassa" to purchase our train tickets. Of course, we have been riding for at least 10 minutes since we picked up the Irelands, so it was time for a snack!!
On the road that took us through the park, and ultimately to our destination about three miles later!!!

Well, we finally made it. We did get closer to the building, but this was the best angle for the picture!!

Leaving the estate, on a different route from the one we took to get here, we got a little lost. But with our broken Russian and some broken English we were able to find a bus that took us to a metro station, but not the one we came from. By this time we were ready for dinner and at a place called Elki Palki, the equivalent of a casual dining restaurant, but not quite a Chili's!!

Chris and Sam ordered chicken cesear salads and Norene and I ordered Shashleek (pork, chicken or lamb on a skewer and bar-b-qued. Sam and Chris got their dinner, completely finished it and Narene and I were wondering if this was going to be a repeat of her attempt to eat the night we went to the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, when she failed to get her dinner. But it did come and it was very good.

The next day, Friday, we met the Irelands at Cokol at 8:00 and bought our tickets and were on our way to Sergiv Posad by 9:00. After nearly two hours on the train, about 75 km, we arrived at our destination. It is a very hard seat and quite jerky as one pulls out of each stop. I took a video to give you some idea of ride, but while it plays OK on my computer, it failed to load on the blog.

While on the train there is an endless parade of vendors trying to sell you something. It is well orchestrated. No two ever seem to appear at the same time. They sold everything from bandaids to dishtowels and food.

When we got off the train we just looked for where most of the people were walking and sure enough they led us to the site of the Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius. Founded around 1345, by Sergius of Radonezh, it became one of Russia's most important religious centers and places of pilgrimage. During the Time of Troubles, the monks sruvived a siege by the Polish army and in the 1680's Peter the Great found refuge here during the Streltsy Rebellion. It was shut down in 1919 by the communists, but was later allowed to open again in 1946.

You can see why someone was overheard saying, "This is like a religious Disneyland!!

Vendors selling their artwork and handicrafts.

The ornate little building in the foreground is where the members of the Orthodox Church can purchase holy water.

There must be about 15 buildings in the compound. Each has its own distinct architectural look and feel.
This holy water is free.

Don't let a door get in your way of your painting!!!

More interesting architectuaral elements:



Here are a couple of buildings that show what the Russians used to live in before the advent of the Stalinesque type apartment buildings. These are commonly referred to as country dachas today. It sounds more romantic that it is. Many of these buildngs don't have electricity. They are much to cold to live in during the winter, so they come in the summer on the weekends to get out of the city and raise their vegetables.


This last picture should be somewhat familiar to regular blog readers. This is the finished park we now get to walk through, behind the grocery store, on our way to work.