Recent Trip:

Journey through the Past - Walking Downtown Moscow

After a very long time since I´d last been to Moscow, there was an opportunity to visit and see the city where I spent three exciting years back in the Soviet Era Eighties. A trip like that is definitely a tour de reminiscence. Every stone is compared, every corner turn evokes memories and stories from eventful adolescent years.

As my political views were developing in young years, I was a prone subject for Western Cold War propaganda, being infused by a hovering red danger; the evil  nuclear menace which would surely be upon us, if the West would not arm itself accordingly. As much as Germany would be the center of the next super destructive war, Moscow was the headquarter of all the Worlds evils. As I arrived in Moscow in 1981 I was sure to find my ill fate in that city, never to return to the free world again. Things came differently and my young brain was under constant World view bombardment, which was one reason why the Moscow episode became the most influential of my teenage years.

Even though I managed to reduce the level of my initial fear significantly, the presentation of the city didn´t get friendlier. Moscow had a grey and monotonous look and feel to it. Restoration efforts to the buildings were basic and the implementation of these were ridden by the socialist working attitude, which in turn was highly effective to the general appearance of things in public space, sad and dull. Rainy days and long dirty winters were especially harsh to the mindset, but this was balanced by the ever exciting daily life of a teen in exceptional circumstances.

The first thing which meets the eye after returning is the very different appearance the city has nowadays. Most major structures are still there, but in the meantime they´ve been professionally restored, many other buildings of contemporary architecture have been added. In general, Moscow has become another metropolis of this world. 

Nowadays the Moskva River is used much more in daily life than used to be the case in the Soviet

past. The "House on the Embankment" at right is an apartment building built for the Soviet

Elite. Today it´s still an apartment building with movie theaters, restaurants and shops. 

Christ the Saviour Cathedral. This is a new structure on the site where the original was located. Stalin had it demolished for plans of a super structure which should´ve become the worlds tallest building, including a 100 meter statue of Lenin on top. The soft and sandy ground prevented the mega project from coming to life, instead a huge public swimming pool landscape dominated the grounds by the bank of the river.

Everything religious was neglected and partly forbidden as the Soviet version of Socialism became

the new opium of the masses. Now churches, chapels and cathedrals are reappearing in

great numbers. Religious symbols are en vogue.

A tele shot of part of the cathedral, the Russian Foreign Ministry

(one of the seven sisters), and Moscow City in the background.

Clouds over the Kremlin.

People on the streets seem to be more friendly and open-minded than thirty years ago.

Red Square with the Lenin Mausoleum on the left in front of the Kremlin wall,

the State Historical Museum in center, and the GUM shopping center at right.

Global selfie craze.

The Duma building in the background. Part of Detsky Mir building, childrens world at right.

The Neo-Baroque Lubyanka, former Cheka and KGB headquarters, now Russian Border Guard

Service and partly Federal Security Service (KGB successor). It also houses the KGB Museum.

At least in the old days it incorporated a prison as well.

Hooray!!! Ice Cream! it says on the umbrella. Hooray indeed, Russian

Ice Cream is one of the best I´ve tasted so far. A typical and

happy sight during all seasons.

More Moscow walks to follow...