Moscow sightseeing and Star City

Russians are fiercely proud of their country and their heroes of the past. How much this influences their thinking going forward I cannot say but most seem to want to expel the image of a threatening Russia.

Muscovites are incredibly fashion conscious and appear very sophisticated. Outside Moscow it's not at all like that but there are 67 million in the city, one tenth of the entire Russian population in fact!

The Metro is incredibly deep underground and the trains run on all lines every minute, yes every single minute, and 8 million people use the service each day - only Tokyo has a busier system. Stalin's war time bunker is located within the tunnels complex. Eight lanes of traffic flow in both directions on some city center roads. Cruising on the River Mockba appears less hectic!

Red Square stands alongside the Kremlin which is not the residence of Vladimir Putin (whose residence is a secret) but does contain offices of the state government. The Russian flag always flies over the Kremlin. It is a very large complex within fortified walls. Adjacent these wall in Red Square Lenin's embalmed body lies in a mausoleum. 

The iconic (chocolate box cover) St. Basil's Cathedral, built by Ivan the Terrible, survived the 1812 fire and stands majestically at the end of the Square. GUM shopping centre is like a modern Mall in concept with imperial elegance inside and out. The Romanovs (as in Tsars) original residence lies just beyond St Basil's where a huge ugly communist hotel complex has been demolished and new landscaping will replace. The State Museum is at the other end. 

Peter the Great statue stands on the banks of the Mockba as a tribute to him and his development of the mighty Russian fleet. The  Alexander Gardens, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Bolshoi Theatre,  changing of guards, mystical clock chimes ...... all make this an extraordinary and truly memorable experience.

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The Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, outside Moscow, was a top secret Soviet Military Base where Yuri prepared for his 'first man in space' flight and Sergie Korolov, chief scientist for the Soviet space programme, was a sate secret. The complex is where all astro/cosmonauts prepare for their time in the International Space Station (ISS).

Moscow

My Euro Velo Capitals Route 2 journey comes to an end at the gates of the Kremlin.

My back streets route planning has brought me here safely via the astonishing impressive and monumental Victory Square at Poklonnaya Gora - dedicated to the Russian victory over the Fascists in the Great Patriotic War (WWII as we know it). A holocaust memorial is an unforgettably moving work of art.

I will continue with images of Moscow for a couple of days before flying home......

Tuckovo to Zveningorod

Apartment room to apartment room via Savvino-Storozhevsky monastery on very hot day.

On the Moscow dartboard, from doubles to trebles with bullseye to finish

Borodino

Oddities from the past are not uncommon to see in Russia and, as if caught in a time warp, the Diving Center enters a new day.

The deadliest battle of all the Napoleonic encounters was centred around Bordino in 1812 when the Russian army, led my its new leader Michail Kutuzov, prepared to make a stand. Napoleon won the battle, but not the war, and Kutuzov withdrew not completely beaten to allow Napoleon to walk into a burnt out Moscow. The Russians months later chased out the remnants of Napoleons Grandee Armee.

A Russian family visiting the memorial practice their English and are a real tonic to meet. The Ukranian mum suggested and took the photos. They were on holiday and most engaging.

Hitler's Wehrmacht were beaten back  beyond here to Vjas'ma and up against the extreme Winter weather conditions and swampy terrain were finally chased out too.

A sparse number of villages, a few towns and vast areas of forest and swampy plains is the road to Moscow.

Gagarin

No option on minor roads without doubling the distance and 50 kms of main highway (M1) too dangerous. Tumbling off the 'heavy metal shed on wheels' in Gagarin was the right choice.

Gagarin is if course Yuri's hometown and his statue resembles superhero comic characters. He is dearly loved by the Russians and there is something curiously fascinating about that period of time. 1961 and the first human in Space!

Gagarin's cosmonaut training took place in the top secret Star City military base deep in the forests east of Moscow. Tim Peake and all other astro/cosmonauts train there too prior to missions to the ISS. Amazingly, Sandra has arranged for me to make a visit in a few days time - what a birthday present!

Sleeping arrangements at the Diving Center next to a lake are pretty strange and not a diver in sight!

Vjaz'ma recovery day

St John the Baptist monastery and its rather 'oriental' church is the jewel of Vjaz'ma. It offers a place of tranquillity and time to reflect. Branches of birch trees decorate the interior for reasons I cannot explain.

A single fortified tower rebuilt in recent times represents the former extensive Kremlin completely destroyed by Napoleon's army. It appears in the sculptured bronze plate with defenders surrounding it. Numerous Lenin statues, many memorials to fallen heroes and an eternal flame burns to remind all of the sacrifices made!!

A young Russian woman with some English helps me make some travel enquiries. Her mother is Turkish yet she is Buddhist and an open minded. She works for the Military and suggests big spending is taking place here and little in comparison for the average person. The place to find 'real' Russia is east of the Urals - Siberia, she says!

Viaz'ma by night

Tuesday

This day goes down as one of the toughest and most nerve racking cycling days in my life. It corrected any thought that reaching Moscow was going to be plain sailing!

All the back up equipment was in use by the time I arrived at the level crossing in Viaz'ma at 11pm. I didn't know the time, only that it was dark, concentrating only on avoiding the endless deep potholes and moving forward.

On my knees earlier in the most violent storm that took place (navigating around a remote industrial plant) I knew weather was key to progress. The dust tracks became almost impassable - my journey doubly hard!

Smolensk - Drogobuzh

Smolensk Kremlin is the largest fortified city defence in Europe although only about half of the 6kms length now remains. Built by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century to originally protect Russia from the Polish/Lithuanian Empire and since then countless other invasions including Napoleon and Hitler.

Hurtling down and crawling up steep valleys formed by tributaries to the Dneipr and a distance signpost for Mockba (Moscow) but no towns of any consequence until Drogobuzh in 90 kms. Depressing place on the Dneiper and an abundance of mosquitos.

Stages of Napoleon's march to Moscow are signposted - chasing the Russian retreating army then vice versa. Of 600,000 soldiers less than 30,000 made it home.

Dogged defence of Smolensk had frustrated Hitler's march to Moscow and his expected victory over the Red Army.

Today these heroic efforts of the past are  evident on the road to Moscow. The communities reflect a less upbeat present day.

Smolensk and failed invasions of Russia

Krazny memorial to victorious Russia dismissing Napoleon

 

Krasny, my unscheduled overnight, is the place Napoleon faced humiliating defeat as the Russians overwhelmed a retreating  French army. Napoleon had failed to extend his Empire as the Russians never conceded ..... remember 'War and Peace' .....even  though a burnt out Moscow had been handed over on a plate to Napoleon. With Winter kicking in Napoleon's dejected army made its way back towards France and at Krasny the pursuing Russian army heavily defeated the French. Napoleon himself made a run for it back to Paris and his army was in tatters.

Hitler's 4 million soldiers attacking the Eastern front in 1941 were also unsuccessful and the operation became the downfall of the Nazi régime.

Smolensk remembers both invasions as a crucial step towards Moscow. It honours its heroes accordingly!






















My issues over accommodation increase and the alternative apartment I am allocated isn't so bad......really!

From Russia with love!

Not by choice but I am in Russia - ahead of schedule!!!

Today's 'ups and downs' are rarely more pronounced. Fast roads, sunshine and a tail wind to Orsha. Bike safely stored away in Hotel Orsha, reservation paperwork good and then a rapid change of well being - scrutiny of visa indicates expiry today and that means midnight today!! Travelling into Russia tomorrow is unacceptable, telephone call with Police, no flexibility ......... start cycling soon and you can make the border!

Another 70+kms and I am in Krasny, Russia and the sun is setting fast. Three guys from Belarus speak English and save me from a night in the woods. First they find a small hostel - it's closed so they locate the owner who immediately drives over and opens up. The ATM is located next and I pay the owner in Russian rubbles. The whole place is mine for the night and WiFi is available too!





















Thankyou 3 guys from Belarus who just happen to be in Krasny, you have been wonderful 'ambassadors' for your country....

Dust roads to avoid motorway

Directions for those approaching the motorway from a minor road leaving Barysau. Moscow straight on, Brest on Belarus/Polish border left.

Simple for motorists but the motorway has replaced the original road system and its a very difficult 20 to 30 kms navigating through villages on dust tracks and sand paths.

Talachyn is very similar to the other small towns in Belarus. Nobody seems happy about anything around here and my BelHotel.by hotel bookings continue to be very poor standard.

And another thing, everyone in a shop or cafe (virtually none outside major towns) wears white or blue overalls and is always mopping up or furiously cleaning surfaces. I have never been in any shop where I haven't had to queue although you can rarely buy anything fresh. Fruit and veg is poor but most people grow their own in their garden from what I've seen. Bottled beers are plentiful and you take them home to consume - no bars are to be found anywhere outside major cities. I could keep going .... I will, the shops have several assistants behind a counter and you have to ask for things and then pay in hundreds of thousands which is usually a couple of Euros or less......and they don't usually have the correct change and you play 'swap and change' for a while until its right.

I was recently informed by the Belarusian guy that shops have (uninviting) lobbies to cope with the severe cold conditions in Winter. Fair point!

Barysau

Minsk skyline is highrise and the Belarusians are smartly turned out and sophisticated. There is a marked difference between here and life in the smaller country towns. Cycling provisions are surprisingly advanced  helped by the fact that streets are very wide and pavements have plenty of room for cycle lanes.

It doesn't take long to find the dust tracks once beyond the city ring road and its a bumpy ride to Barysau.

Knowing the standard of my previous Belarussian BelHotel accommodation it is a relief to find this is a larger establishment. In fairness the cost at less than 10 Euros is very small. The stamped paperwork and payments in advance were made weeks before I left and each place included in my visa. The 'insitutional' showers were refreshingly cold.

Its nice to meet a Belarusian couple in a restaurant next to a square with a statue of Lenin. He's everywhere in Belarus  (Lenin that is) but less so in other former Soviet States - apparently. Stanislava and Kirril speak English and Stanislava teaches English in a local school. Kirril is in the business of manufacturing mechanical 'diggers' and sees a Brexit bringing a downturn in European economy which will have an affect on global economy and potentially harm his business. Who would have thought such matters in Europe would be looked at with concern in Belarus?

The struggle to improve economies and standards doesn't come easily in many less wealthy countries.