The bus to the station took us passed another of Stalin’s Seven Sisters – the Leningradskaya Hotel, now run by the Hilton.
We allowed loads of extra time after our other train-catching experience but still only made it by skin of our teeth! The ticket was just £3 for both of us for a journey of just over an hour and we sat in a carriage of very ordinary people packed three to a bench. During the journey a steady stream of people came and made their sales pitch to the passengers, everything from work gloves and handy household items to children’s books and bandages. This was punctuated by a busker with an accordion barely discernible above the noise of the train selling his cds.
Worryingly in times of heightened security awareness, there was also a chap brandishing an 18 inch scythe for all those pesky gardening chores. There are no pictures of any of this as people really don’t like having their picture taken, unless they are in historical costume and charging!
The blue and gold cupolas offset by snowy white walls are colours that epitomise the Russian perception of divinity. The monastery was founded by St Sergius of Radonezh in 1340 and soon became the spiritual centre of Russian Orthodoxy. St Sergius became the patron saint of Russia after his death and pilgrims continue to journey here to pay homage.
Spruced up for St Sergius’ 700 year anniversary in 2015, the buildings were very photogenic – except I somehow didn’t take a picture of the Trinity cathedral where St Sergius is buried and a constant memorial service is held for him, but let’s be fair, one whitewash church with gold domes looks much like another!
The iconic image, and so I’ve inserted it twice, is of the Cathedral of the Assumption paid for by Ivan the Terrible in a fit of remorse for killing his son together with the well and the Chapel at the Well built when a spring was said to have appeared during the Polish siege.
We also saw the The Refectory Church …
The Bell Tower …
and other views in the grounds …
We had time to stop for a lunch at Varenichnaya № 9 and chose salad to keep up our 5 a day, which always seems so hard when we are away and wandered through the back streets to the station for our train back.
There were several people with huge kegs on trailers selling kvass, a chilled, tangy fermented drink made from Russian brown bread, soaked in water with yeast and flavourings like raisins, honey or mint. At 20p a cup they were doing a roaring trade on such a hot afternoon and it was really refreshing.
Happened to notice some signs today … Russia style!
We tried Katchapuri, another Georgian place for dinner where the piano played and we enjoyed delicious Georgian food in a friendly urban cafe.
With energy remaining, we headed to Red Square to see it lit at night, and although less was lit than we expected, it was still atmospheric.
Off Travelling Together 