Moscow

Moscow

Another chance to visit Moscow and its charms. This is the MS Pyotr Tchaikovsky which will be my hoe for the next three weeks as I sail south.

 But first there is the tour of Moscow and the Bolshoi Ballet...

....and one of the entrances to Red Square next to the Museum....

 ...another entrance which Stalin wanted to demolish but some brave people persuaded him not to demolish it...

 ...a statue of Stalins favourite general as he won so many battles but was banished as Stalin felt that his generals' successes would eclipse him as the hero of the people.

 One of the towers of the Kremlin.

 One of the many cathedrals within the Kremlin...

 ...the Tsars cannon...

 ...the Tsar's bell, which weighs 200 tons and even the little bit bit that bore off weighs 11 tons.

 A close up of one of many cathedrals in the `Kremlin...with another to the right...

 ..and yet another...

 ...and along one side of Red Square is GUM, the department store that sells everything but was converted to the offices for the launch of the first Five Year Plan by Stalin.

 And another view of St Basils's.