Travelog for: Bernie

Hi, mom! It was cold but sunny today, so I decided to visit one of the busiest squares in Moscow - Komsomolskaya Square (in the honour of the Komsomol - Communist Union of Youth) with gorgeous Stalinist architecture.
Look at beautiful metro (subway) station. You've already prepared for something sublime from here.



Do you know, who was the first man meeting us there? There are a few monuments of Lenin in Moscow, most of them were broken with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. I think, it's a really bad idea, because all statues have architectural and historical value and it's a crime to destroy them. Do you agree?

It is often referred to informally as Three Stations thanks to three ornate rail termini situated there: Leningradsky

Kazansky



and Yaroslavsky,. Unfortunately, Yaroslavsky is closed now, so you can’t see it.
You know, that this square greets most visitors arriving to Moscow from Saint Petersburg and the whole northwestern Russia (through Moscow-Saint Petersburg Railway), the Volga region, and Siberia (through Trans-Siberian Railway). 
And there is a small park in the center of this area. The ncie view of stations opens from here, there are small benches and it is possible to take rest, waiting your train

Also I visited small group of monuments and fountain that stay on the square, to commemorate the Russian minister of transportation - Pavel Melnikov - who superintended the construction of the first railways in Russia.





Opposite to stations there is a hotel - a huge Stalin skyscraper. There are only 7 tese buildings across all Moscow and they are fantastic! But I do not think that all visitors can lodge here - it is very expensive

And last but not least my impression was the view of Saint George and the dragon - one of the most celebrated saint in Moscow. He was the patron saint of Yury Dolgoruky, who founded the city of Moscow. The name "Yury" is Russian for "George".  And now the Coat of Arms of Moscow depicts a horseman with a spear in his hand slaying a basilisk and is identified with Saint George and the Dragon. Isn't it interesting?

Hi, mom!

Today we went to the concert of my host’s favorite Russian folk rock band “Melnitsa” – “Windmill”.  It was founded in 1999 by Natalia "Hellawes" O'Shea and Alexey "Chus" Sapkov around the remnants of a local folk band 'Till Eulenspiegel'.
The band fuses Russian, Irish and other North European folk influences with guitar pop/rock. Natalia "Hellawes" O'Shea, the lead singer and primary songwriter, is an academic and a specialist in medieval European languages and cultures by day. Her expertise lends the typically complex fantasy-laden lyrics a degree of authenticity. Texts are based on national (Russian, Celtic, Scandinavian, Balkan), and also medieval ballads and legends.
Well, photos are not so good, but I have a lot of fun! 
In the beginning it was necessary to defend huge queue in Arena-Moscow club.

Inside there was too many people therefore we appeared far from a scene. But look, what a beautiful control panel of light show! 



We could buy T-shirts and posters with symbolics of group, jewelry in celtic style and many musical instruments.

I couldn't make satisfactory photos of me and singer of the group, but it is impossible to ignore, such an authentic look. 

My host asked me to give references to some of songs of "Windmill" - I don't know, is it legal? I hope if it is impossible – somebody will send me a message  . This group has not official clips, therefore these videos are fans’.
This song is called "Werewolf". It is about a soldier who lost his peace. He hears whisper from a door on the street - it urges to leave doubts, to release an internal animal to freedom. Thus, the soldier has a girlfriend who cries and asks him to remain. But most likely, he won't obey.

This song is called "Dragon", it tells us about a dragon.  Now he is very old and lies, protecting a treasure. Shine of gold reminds him of his darling who died many years ago. And he starts to dream of the country very far away, where still live his majestic relatives, the most beautiful beings of the World! But some heroes feast in a palace and they are going to kill the dragon - till Christmas.

Hi, mom!

Today the weather is so fantastic and warm that we decided to go to park. Do you remember that Moscow isn’t just megalopolis but also a green and pretty place? I do now!
We chose a park called “Park of Friendship”
In the 1957th year in Moscow passed the VI World Festival of Friendship between nations. Planting of trees by participants was an every year tradition of such festivals. In Prague, at the V Festival Avenue of Friendship was open. In Moscow the whole park was decided to open. Now park very well-groomed, avenues are laid out by gravel or asphalt, trees and bushes are beautifully cut, there are playgrounds, cafe.

There are endless amount of flowers here. Generally it is tulips, but wild dandelions bring brightness.



Also there are a hundred of monuments and sculptures. As it’s the Park of Friendship, all monuments are devoted to one subject.
It is a monument to the Indian writer and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore (the sculptor - G.Pal). It was open in 1990 and is adored by skateboarders.  The Indian is dressed very modestly and simply. From a low granite pedestal wise and sad old man looks at us. The sculptor skillfully transferred a reflected light of philosophical thought in eyes and the press of long reflections on a face of the writer.

Two-figured decorative sculptural groups "Fertility " - two female figures, in difficult spiral movement the holding over the heads basket of fruits.

The Kirghiz national hero Manas the Magnanimous, according to the legend, united all Kirghiz many years ago. And now his task - to connect the people of two friendly countries, the Kirghiz Republic and the Russian Federation.

In April, 1975, in 30 anniversary commemoration from the date of liberation of Hungary from fascist aggressors armies by Red Army, Budapest Park of Friendship and the monument of the vengero-Soviet friendship was open. In day of solemn opening of the monument citizens of Budapest decided to transfer a copy in gift to Moscow; and exactly in one and a half years, on September 15, 1976, in the Moscow Park of Friendship there was constructed a "twin" of the Hungarian monument.
The friendship between Russia and Hungary is displayed in a material choice for a monument also. It is revetted with tiles of pirogranit. This ceramic material, is made only in the Hungarian city “Pech”.

As we are walking nearby, it is necessary to visit the river station!
The North River Terminal or Rechnoy Vokzal (River Station) is one of two passenger terminals of river transport in Moscow. It is also the main hub for long-range and intercity routes. It was built in 1937.
This station is an example of communistic constructions. The stateliness of new communistic religion is emphasized with the sculpture "Waterway" meeting us at the entrance in park. There are no more places in Moscow where are such strong and exciting snow-white girls holding in a hand model of the yacht moreover with a wave.

The park near the River station is full of children attractions, but now it’s evening therefore the majority of them are closed. It is "ice hill" - I don't understand, is it really filled in with ice??

Bzzzzzzz, I’m flying round Earth!

And again, flowers, flowers, flowers!! I feel spring in the air!





The building is costructed in the form of the huge ship. The most characteristic architectural elements of the building — a high spike and a wide central ladder. The spike is topped with a star which in 1935 — 1937 was on the Spassky tower of the Moscow Kremlin. The sickle and a hammer are inlaid with the Ural semi-precious stones.



The entrance is decorated with maiolicas representing «Moscow of the future».

What a fine view of the dormitory areas of Moscow! If I live nearby, I would walk in this park every day!



Huge cruising motor ships constantly depart from the mooring to St. Petersburg, Astrakhan, Rostov-on-Don. My host told me that she floated by such motor ship several times - for a week and more - to the different cities of Russia. Ah, I hope, I can travel thus too!

We are leaving this fine park. I am lucky that I was in Moscow in the spring and could visit such peace and cozy place.

Hi, mom!

Today my host suggested me to learn to kook small pies. They are vegetarian and very easy to make. And absolutely delicious! May be, we will kook them home?
At first we will take all components - sugar, salt, water, oil, a flour and yeast.

Then we take... basin. Yes, in the Soviet Russia food prepare in basins! I'm joking. Simply my host has no big pan, and dough grows very strongly.

We mix warm water (but not hot), sugar, yeast and stir, till yeast are dissolved.

Then we add oil and salt. We stir and add flour gradually.  Knead well. Dough should be very soft, a little stick to hands.

We cover "pan" with dough and we put in the refrigerator on all night long.

Oh how dough grew! If we don't put a cover - it would get out in the refrigerator.

Let's roll balls about Ø 4 cm and display them on the oiled table at distance from each other. We cover them with a pure towel and leave for 15 minutes.

We unroll dough on a table with a rolling pin, put in the center a stuffing and form a beautiful pie

Let's put in an oven and bake at temperature 190 ºС 15 minutes to golden color.
Bon appetit!

Hi, mom!

Today we visited one of my host’s the most favorite places in Moscow - the Novodevichy Convent! Its name, sometimes translated as the New Maidens' Monastery, was devised to differ from an ancient maidens' convent within the Moscow Kremlin. Unlike other Moscow cloisters, it has remained virtually intact since the 17th century. In 2004, it was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Novodevichy Convent was founded in 1524 by Grand Prince Vasili III in commemoration of the conquest of Smolensk in 1514. It was built as a fortress at a curve of the Moskva River and became an important part of the southern defensive belt of the capital, which had already included a number of other monasteries. The Novodevichy Convent was known to have sheltered many ladies from the Russian royal families and boyar clans, who had been forced to become nuns.

The Preobrazhenskiy church is constructed over a northern entrance of the monastery. It is well visible from the neighboring area.

We can get a bird's eye view of a monastery at the beginning of excursion.

The oldest structure in the convent is the six-pillared five-domed cathedral, dedicated to the icon Our Lady of Smolensk. Extant documents date its construction to 1524–1525; yet its lofty ground floor, magisterial proportions, and projecting central gable are typical of monastery cathedrals built at the behest of Ivan the Terrible. Most scholars agree that the cathedral was rebuilt in the 1550s or 1560s; it was formerly ringed by four smaller chapels, in an arrangement reminiscent of the Annunciation Cathedral in the Kremlin. Its frescos are among the finest in Moscow.

The cathedral may be a focal point of the convent, but there are many other churches. Most date from the 1680s, when the convent was thoroughly renovated at the behest of the regent Sophia Alexeyevna (who, ironically, would be incarcerated there later). The blood-red walls and crown-towers, two lofty over-the-gates churches, a refectory, and residential quarters were all designed in the Muscovite Baroque style, supposedly by a certain Peter Potapov. In the old cathedral, a new bowl for holy water and gilded carved iconostasis were installed in 1685.

An arresting slender belltower, also commissioned by Sophia, was built in six tiers to a height of 72 metres (236 ft), making it the tallest structure in 18th-century Moscow (after the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in the Kremlin). This light octagonal column seems to unite all major elements of the ensemble into one harmonious whole.



Especially interesting story is connected with this tower. After Peter I dethroned his elder sister, tsarevna Sofia, and forced her to the nun in 1689, she lived in this Naprudna tower. The kind brother decided to entertain his sister, and hanged out dead soldiers and her guards on trees under windows of her cell.
But you cannot hang everybody. Even having become nun, Sofia found possibility to leave a wall of the dungeon for the purpose of love adventures. Today it is considered that the tower (or spirit of tsarevna Sofia) can grant the desires connected with love! It is enough to write it on a wall, to enclose a note between bricks or simply ask very strongly. Do you believe in it?

Like other Moscow monasteries (notably the Danilov and the Donskoy) the New Maidens' Monastery was coveted by the Russian nobility as a place of burial.  The Napoleonic hero Denis Davydov is also buried in the grounds. In 1898, the so-called Novodevichy Cemetery was opened without monastery walls. Anton Chekhov was one of the first notables to be interred at the new necropolis, and Nikolai Gogol was later reburied there too. During the Soviet epoch, it was turned into the most high-profile cemetery in the Soviet Union, with the likes of Peter Kropotkin, Nikita Khrushchev, Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitri Shostakovich, Konstantin Stanislavski, Boris Yeltsin, and Mstislav Rostropovich being interred there.

Especially I like figures of angels - often it is female graves,  the inconsolable spouse gave them a statue



Now we left the monastery constructed 500 years ago. At once behind a local pond the modern city begins - skyscrapers are seen on the horizon. Two different worlds incorporate here. Hey! Can you see a duck?

Let's take a farewell look at monastery walls - how beautiful it is!

Monument "Let pass to ducklings" was established in Moscow, on the square avenue opposite to the Novodevichy Convent in 1991. It is an exact copy of a monument in Boston, in the USA. The sculptural composition was created by the architect, the sculptor and the restorer Nancey Shen. The plot is taken from the old fairy tale written for the American kids by writer Robert Makkloski many years ago. In it it is told about mother duck looking for a convenient and safe place for the family. On the way they meet many people. Someone treats them with a peanut, and policemen block off traffic to help ducklings quietly cross the road. In Moscow the monument appeared as a sign of friendship between the USA and the USSR. It was Barbara Bush a's gift to Raisa Maksimovna Gorbacheva.
Now the monument is adored by children - I hardly found second for a good photo!

Hi, mom!

Today we decided to visit one of the most well-known church of Russia - Cathedral of Christ the Saviour! With an overall height of 105 metres (344 ft), it is the tallest Orthodox church in the world.

When Napoleon Bonaparte retreated from Moscow, Emperor Alexander I signed a manifest, 25 December 1812, declaring his intention to build a cathedral in honor of Christ the Saviour "to signify Our gratitude to Divine Providence for saving Russia from the doom that overshadowed Her" and as a memorial to the sacrifices of the Russian people.

The cathedral took many years to build and did not emerge from its scaffolding until 1860. The painting were overseen by Evgraf Sorokin and thereafter some of the best Russian painters continued to embellish the interior for another twenty years. The cathedral was consecrated on the very day Alexander III was crowned, 26 May 1883.

After the Revolution and, more specifically, the death of Lenin, the prominent site of the cathedral was chosen by the Soviets as the site for a monument to socialism known as the Palace of the Soviets. This monument was to rise in modernistic, buttressed tiers to support a gigantic statue of Lenin perched on top of a dome with his arm raised in the air.
On December 5th 1931, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was dynamited and reduced to rubble. It took more than a year to clear the debris from the site. Some of the marble from the walls and marble benches from the cathedral were used in nearby Moscow Metro stations. For a long time, these were the only reminders of the largest Orthodox church ever built. 
The construction of the Palace of Soviets was interrupted owing to a lack of funds, problems with flooding from the nearby Moskva River, and the outbreak of war. The flooded foundation hole remained on the site until, under Nikita Khrushchev, it was transformed into the world's largest open air swimming pool, named Moskva Pool. 
Finally, in February 1990, the Russian Orthodox Church received permission from the Soviet Government to rebuild the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The restorer Aleksey Denisov was called upon to design a replica of extraordinary accuracy.
A construction fund was initiated in 1992 and funds began to pour in from ordinary citizens in the autumn of 1994. In this year the pool was demolished and the cathedral reconstruction commenced. About one million Muscovites donated money for the project. 

The Spaso-Preobrazhensky belltower located in the lower part of Cathedral is constructed in 1998.  The white limestone brought from Bethlehem was used at construction.
The Cathedral has 4 belltowers, and each is used according to its own destination. The Spaso-Preobrazhensky belltower is used at a meeting of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia and at commission of religious processions.

The monument is located in the city center therefore you can enjoy such beautiful views of the old, not reconstructed quarters of Moscow around!

Especially I like this bridge - very popular place for wedding ceremonies and simply walks.

On the right you can see one of the chocolate factories oldest in Moscow, and also Peter the Great notorious statue on a ship. So many people consider that it is ugly, but it can't be demolished. The designer Zurab Tsereteli is known as a friend and favorite of Moscow's former Mayor, Yury Luzhkov, and the artist has received many municipal art commissions in recent years, such as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
The Peter the Great Statue in Moscow was designed by the Georgian designer Zurab Tsereteli to commemorate 300 years of the Russian Navy, which was started by Peter I of Russia. At 94 metres, it is the eighth tallest statue in the world.

And at the left - a view which is often printed on postcards - the Kremlin ashore. Do I need to say anything else? Fantastic!

And the monument to emperor Alexander II the Liberator of Russia from a serfdom, in fact, from slavery, is located near the temple. Alexander is represented in a military uniform and with an imperial cloak.
The five-meter bronze figure is placed on a stone pedestal with a graceful colonnade. Behind the back of the emperor two bronze lions sit. They, as a plan of author Alexander Rukavishnikov, symbolize old traditional Russia.

Hi, mom!
Today we decided to visit an exhibition of cats with my host’s father - he works as the seller of any goods for animals and never will miss such an important action! These exhibitions often pass in Moscow and fans of cats from all over the world come here to learn something new, to get something necessary or simply to show their pretty pets. On this poster you can see a variety of cats... their evolution... or degradation... 

Perhaps, and me it is necessary to buy something? I very much like here this bed... So soft and convenient...

And here is host’s father! Left his buyers for a second to make a good photo.

Generally cats sit in this transparent plastic "aquariums" at an exhibition. So they can be examined quietly and they won't escape! There are not only adult cats on sale, but also kittens, probably, hundred breeds!

Many owners care of their pets and put for them beautiful sofas for comfort. And what about the TV? I wouldn't refuse to sit in such aquarium! 

This little kitty looks so serious.

Other owners are richer (for example, nurseries), they bought a place not only for one table, but for the whole showroom! Yes, it is much cozier...

Here the Scottish cats are presented – if you have the huge stone castle with beautiful windows and candles, such cat is your best friend! 

Oh, it seems, he doesn’t like me 

And it is a cat for real Vikings! Can float with you on drakkars and battle in fight shoulder to shoulder (the helmet doesn't enter into a set - buy separately) 

So beautiful! 

Here the most necessary for cats is on sale. You knew, that fillers for cat's toilets have so many different types? *cough*Could you turn away for a second - I have some things to do here...

And certainly, beautiful jewelry for owners of cats. It is possible to buy a collar for a cat and a coulomb for yourself in one style! 

And here competitions pass for choosing the best cat - separately for breeds and all together! They are head by the best world judges, this woman, for example, is American. Though it is not so pleasant for cats, probably. 

Dear Mummy!

Today I arrived save and sound at my new hosts! I didn´t know what was happening, I only felt like rolling 

Then there came some light into my envelope. And the first thing I saw was a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig nose!!! The nose introduced herself as Maeusle and I think she is a very nice girl!

Then I saw the other TVs! So much cute fellows! I showed them my souvenirs from Moscow and talked about my adventures.

But now I am tired and I will take a nap.

See you soon, Mummy!

Yours, Bernie

Hello to Australia!

Guess what! I made a trip with hostmum, hostdad and a lot of other plushies!

We went to Berlin, the capitol of Germany!

And the very best! I fulfilled another life mission! But step by step...

We went by car to Berlin, we got stuck in traffic jam and I took a short nap.

After reaching in Berlin we decided to make a boat trip. I screamed Horrayyyyyyyyyy, because I like boat trips very much! Hostdad bought a ticket for me and the trip started.

On the riverside where deckchairs and I waved to the people there. I felt like the Mrs. President 

Then we reached the Reichtstag, where the german parliament is located. See another pretty impressions from the boat, e.g. the television tower in the background, a nice bridge and the Bode museum on the museum island. Wow, great to fulfill a lifemission!

But that was not all!

We visited even more! The Reichstag, where the german parliament is located with it´s new dome out of glass and the famous Brandenburg Gate, where the border between west and east Berlin was. But these times went by since twenty years and now you can move whereever you want!

Last but not least we had a meeting with other TVs! We met Alex_Squirt and his guests! We had to chat soooooooo much!

That´s it for today!

Love you, Bernie

Hello to Australia!

Guess what! I made a trip with hostmum, hostdad and a lot of other plushies!

We went to Berlin, the capitol of Germany!

And the very best! I fulfilled another life mission! But step by step...

We went by car to Berlin, we got stuck in traffic jam and I took a short nap.

After reaching in Berlin we decided to make a boat trip. I screamed Horrayyyyyyyyyy, because I like boat trips very much! Hostdad bought a ticket for me and the trip started.

On the riverside where deckchairs and I waved to the people there. I felt like the Mrs. President 

Then we reached the Reichtstag, where the german parliament is located. See another pretty impressions from the boat, e.g. the television tower in the background, a nice bridge and the Bode museum on the museum island. Wow, great to fulfill a lifemission!

But that was not all!

We visited even more! The Reichstag, where the german parliament is located with it´s new dome out of glass and the famous Brandenburg Gate, where the border between west and east Berlin was. But these times went by since twenty years and now you can move whereever you want!

Last but not least we had a meeting with other TVs! We met Alex_Squirt!

Hello Mummy!

On our way back from Berlin we visited the Miniwelt, where a lot of sights are rebuilt in scale 1:25. At first I explored a castle, the Wartburg together with Wavy Gravy and Günther. It was exactly our size 

The next famous building was the leaning tower of Pisa.

After that we went to the east and saw the Taj Mahal.

And last but not least: the Opera House of Sidney! There I thought exspecially for you, Mum!

And I sent you a kiss,
Your loving Bernie

Hello Mummy!

Today we spent the afternoon inside, it was so ugly weather outside!

Hostmum bought a mini Bobby car in Berlin and I was the first test driver! Oh my god, I was soooo fast!
The others clapped their hands when I reaches the target!

I don´t know if I was the winner or not, but this doesn´t matter. In the end Maeusle invited us to have coffee. She got new dishes, maybe her dowry? Maybe she will marry Baerle? We will see
But if they do, I would be proud to be her witness 

Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Mummy, have you ever tried Yoga? Today I got my first lesson!
Bierle was our teacher.
To get in a calm mood we meditated for beginning. Then we started our exercises. Bierle showd us the figure called "dog" and we tried to do it 
Next position: Cobra. Important to open the breast and take a deep breath. I did! But what I liked most was the relaxing at the end.
Have you ever seen so much happy TVs?

Ommmmmmmmmmmmmm

Hello Mummy!

Today we made a trip to Coburg, a nice little city with a long history. Coburg was a residence city until 1918. The Coburg people are still very proud of their past.
We started out tour on the historic market place with two big and nice houses. One is called the city house and the other the town house. Crazy, isn´t it?
The manholes attracted our attention. Hostmum explained that the head on it is the emblem of Coburg. The patron of the city is St. Moritz and this sounds like "Mohr" (german for black man)
So they have a black man on nearly everything 
After so much culture we needed something to strengthen us. Hostmum ordered a coffee and a chocolate muffin. Bit she was a little bit to slow... we only left the water for her 

On our way back home we passed the "Ernst-Alexandrinen-Volksbad". This was a public swimming pool, established in 1900! Very historic and built in Jugendstil. So pretty!

Love you,

Bernie

Hello Mummy!

Today we accompanied hostmum to Wuerzburg, a nice town at the river Main. While she was at the docters we explored the city. Wuerzburg is a junction of the ICE, the german fast train.
Then we came to the residence. A building of the prince-bishop, built in the 18th century. We marveled at the entrance door of the garden. Isn´t it beautiful?

Haha, I saw a lion and wanted to take the chance to walk all over 

On our way back we saw a funny label 

Many many greetings to Australia!

Bernie