MOSCOW MONDAY

ST BASIL'S CATHEDRAL AND THE ENTRANCE TO RED SQUARE

Monday morning before my flight home I make out a small tour of Red Square, my driver drops me off outside St Basil’s church. Its coloured minarets and golden crosses impale a grey sky.

The tomb of Lenin, plain and imposing by its simplicity: marble black and the colour of dried blood. I am asked by an elderly couple to take the photo outside the mausoleum.

To the airport, via the Metro system train, a worrisome experience as I try to correlate my travel map with the station signs in Cyrillic. By chance I get off at the right station and see striking brass Soviet insignias embedded in the marble roof of the concourse of the airport express train stop.

LENIN'S PLACE OF REST

MOSCOW METRO STATION

MOSCOW: THE MAP IS NOT THE TERRAIN

MOSCOW WEEKEND

MOSCOW: A CHURCH A FEW MINUTES FROM THE OFFICE

On Saturday my colleagues tell me of a church only three minutes from the office. I arrive to the chime of bells.

Many bells in a sound unfamiliar, I attempt to capture this on my phone.  It is music composition created all by one man, the prelude to a service inside.

A great city that has a great river snaking through it. Grand buildings are part of capital build to impress, remodelled by Joseph Stalin.

The Moskva River clasps to the last rays of a murky sunset.  It is the end of my work here. Sunday and two fishermen loll against the stone balustrades along the river in the hope of a catch.

THE MOSKVA RIVER  CLINGS TO THE SUNSET 

MOSCOW FRIDAY

After the first day my driver returns me to my hotel. I grab my drawing book and venture out. The sun is setting behind the great façade of Kievsky Station.

People are hurrying home, it is Friday, party night in Moscow. A Hare Krishna band makes music an on a bench near by a party has already started.

MOSCOW KIEVSKY STATION