Today is our last day in Russia!
This morning we headed back to the city center of Moscow and went to the Assumption
Cathedral and the Cathedral of the Archangel. The Assumption Cathedral’s
design is based on the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir and made with heavy
limestone. This cathedral has been destroyed by many fires and had to be rebuilt
several times. This is also where Ivan The Terrible was coronated. The Cathedral
of the Archangel is where most of the Tsars of Russia are buried until they
were moved to St. Petersburg. The iconostasis in this church is unique because
it’s a collection of icons from cities that Tsars have conquered.
After our tours of the cathedrals we decided to stay in the
area and take a later shuttle back to the ship. We went back to the Red Square
and explored the World Cup Fan Zone. There was a gift shop, vendor demo booths
and an exposition game going on. It wasn’t too busy when we were there, most of
the fans were probably exhausted from last night’s celebration or at work. We
had a hard time filling our time before the shuttle picked us up. We went back
to the GUM, another mall and some grocery stores in the malls. All of that
walking around was exhausting!
When we got back we immediately started packing and went to
a farewell reception. This reception was a little more intimate than other
farewell receptions. Since we weren’t traveling with a large group of people
and staff, we really got a chance to know everyone.
This trip has been filled with pleasant surprises! I learned
a lot about Russian culture, visited some incredible museums, cathedrals and
palaces, walked amongst some of the most passionate soccer fans in the world
and met some pretty awesome people.
I can’t wait for my next trip. Here’s to many more!