Filipinos supply the restaurant service, and Towns and churches follow, each with its
the dining is mostly western-style food. idiosyncrasies and stories to tell. Seemingly
If you are used to big ship cruising, Viking busy markets with plenty of fresh vegetables
is in some ways a culture shock, but a from all over the world. Friendly coffee
pleasant one. The ships used on this shops and smiling people. The Rybinsk
particular journey hold around 210 people. Reservoir, man-made and flooded by Stalin,
The cabins are smaller than deep sea with the church towers still pointing
vessels, but just as well-equipped. There is a skyward above the waterline. 700 villages
shop for essentials, a library, a small were lost here.
boutique and two lounges. Moscow has been the capital of Russia on
It is generally during the dark that your and off for 1,000 years. For the last three
ship cruises through 18 locks and the centuries it has competed for the title with
world’s largest fresh water lake, making a St. Petersburg. However, Moscow is the
total journey of 685 miles. You don’t go political, economic, cultural, religious, including the remarkable St Basil’s
direct. Your ship diverts in Lake Onega to financial, educational and transportation Cathedral at one end of Red Square. Stalin
Kizha Island, famous for its wooden centre of Russia, a global city and always ordered it to be pulled down and then
architecture, and to the ancient city of has been. changed his mind.
Yaroslavl on the Volga. There are supposed Sited by the Moskva River, the Kremlin Easily the best way to get around in
to be 170 churches here, and they are just and Red Square dominate the city. The Moscow is the splendid Metro (and the
completing another one. There are icons Kremlin is a combination of 18th century same goes for St. Petersburg). Opened in
galore. towers, churches and palaces, with plenty of 1935, it is well known for the ornate design
On the fourth day the ‘Kirov’ emerged Soviet 20th century additions. It is steeped of many of its stations which contain
from the Neva River into the freshwater Lake in history. Visit the Armoury, much more outstanding examples of socialist realist art.
Ladoga, 124 miles long and 75 miles wide, than a museum of weapons, a very visible On a normal weekday the system can carry
the home of salmon and sturgeon. exhibition of the wealth of the Tsars up to seven million passengers.
On up the Svir River, linking the lakes of including their wedding gowns, thrones, Eating in Moscow is a delight as befits an
Ladoga and Onega, through 140 miles of vestments and jewels. The state coaches are international city. It is reputed to host 6,000
pine forest that provide cover for bear, elk on display, with some made in England. restaurants. Russian food is hale and hearty
and lynx. On into Lake Onega and a Moscow is full of museums, galleries and and is really a requirement during the cold
diversion far to the north brought us to the exhibition halls catering for all tastes. The winters.
little island of Kizhi, now a museum and the Pushkin State Museum and adjoining Moscow and St. Petersburg should be on
home of the restored Transfiguration Museum of Fine Art are close by the everyone’s list of places to visit.
Cathedral, originally built in 1714. No nails Kremlin. Of the churches that survived the
were used in its construction. Bolsheviks, many are now museums www.aerbt.co.uk
the north magazine 29
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