Keeping Up with Ireland's

They set a torrid pace.

On Thursday, Sam called and asked if we wanted to go on the Moscow River Cruise. We thought that would be fun, so we got off a little early and met them at the metro across the street from the boat dock. We took the cruise (which is one-way!)and walked quite awhile to get to a metro afterwards, which was about two or three stops to Red Square. We couldn't figure out our connection to get on the line to Old Arbat from Lubyanka (where the former KGB headquarters is located), so we just walked the rest of the way. We ate dinner at Sbarros and got home about 11:00 p.m. that night.

The next day, we got off early again (our painters were painting my office, so I had to go!) and went to the apartment to change our clothes for our cultural event for the evening. The Irelands had been out all day and got caught in a good rainstorm and were soaked, so they dried out and passed on going out to dinner. We ate peanut butter on toast and met them later at Cokol to head for the theater. (A good excuse for a little nap!) The Russian Folkdance presentation was at the Cosmos Hotel, across the street from the All Russian Exhibition. We saw a fabulous show and then headed for home, again about 11:00 p.m.

Earlier in the day, the Irelands decided that they were going to try to make the Suzdal trip in a day (Saturday), so that they could take their kids to church on Sunday. Chris and I stayed home this time. We'll go another time when we can go up one day and come back the next. Sam and Narene are determined to pack in as much Russian experience as they can for their kids. They walked the legs off the last group [of their kids] and are determined to do the same with this group. They still have Monday and Tuesday to go. I am sure their kids will sleep like babies all the way back to the U.S. I am pretty sure we are glad we have to work on Monday and Tuesday, so we can get some rest!!

Here are a few pics from the river cruise and dance performance.

Sam with Chris at the fountain near the metro station and the boat dock.
Fancy glass enclosed bridge spanning the Moscow River.
A boat, across the river from us, just like the one we were on.
On the top deck of the boat. Sam, Narene and Chris and the right and Curtis and Marla and Todd and Beth on the left.
One of several barge-like restaurants along the river.
University of Moscow up on Sparrow Hill.
Olympic stadium built for the 1980 Olympics that the U.S. boycotted.
Christ the Redeemer Cathedral.
St. Basil with a man flying through the air with the greatest of ease!! We hope. We didn't discover him until I started putting this post together!
One of the Sister Buildings to the East of Red Square.
Theater that we went to earlier in the year where we saw and listened to performers from Turkey.
Coming out of the Lubyanka metro station: The old KGB headquaters building.
The group coming up to the Cosmos Hotel.
At the Cosmos Hotel we were greated by this giant statue of General Charles De Gaulle.
A look back from the hotel to the TV antenna and Space Museum sculpture.
The inside of the theatre. Our group is on the 5th row of the first section.
The final bow.

For me, the most memorable moments of the show were (1)the equisite way the women dancers traveled across the stage as if they were gliding and (2) the acrobatic talent and energy associated with several dance routines that just made you want to gasp for air and sit down and rest. We were disappointed, initially, because the music was taped, then we figured out no band could play the kind of music that was required to support the dance numbers for an entire show!!