Monday – June 30, 2008 (Jacob’s Birthday and sightseeing)

Sherri and I are not really sightseeing type people but with an open day and so many spectacular sites to see, it would not be right to pass up on the opportunity. Last time we were in Red Square, it was so cold and windy the only thing we could think about was leaving. This time we could take a good look around. The Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin’s tomb, the Armoury – National museum and Christ the Savior Cathedral are just a few of the sites we visited within walking distance of our hotel today. And even if you are not a museum type, these sites are so historically significant and so beautiful that words can not really describe them adequately. The Armoury is filled with historical artifacts such as coronation clothing from centuries back, silver and gold artwork that were gifts from one head of state to another as far back as the 1600’s and the highlight of the tour – 10 different Faberge eggs. There are reportedly approximately 55 total eggs worldwide and this is one of the largest collections. Each Faberge egg comes with a surprise inside and each is a testament to the ingenuity and skill of this unique St. Petersburg organization. The Christ the Savior Church is not only breathtakingly beautiful inside but also a busy place. With a line to get in even on a Monday morning each visitor can purchase a small candle to light and place in a holder to bring wishes and prayers to loved ones past or future. We lit three and said a prayer for our big man JC, our little big man Jacob on his birthday and of course one for baby Jill who we hope to meet tomorrow.

Traffic in Moscow gets rolling around 11:00 am in the morning and is relentless all day long. Main city streets can be 10 lanes wide and every one might be packed solid. The city is also designed to make walking a desirable and relatively safe option. Most of the busy streets have underground walkways so pedestrians do not have to compete with the cars when crossing. This is helpful as pedestrians do not have the right of way on the streets so walking so caution is the key and the best bet is to move across with the packs of locals that are out in force.

Walking also has its benefits as you never know when you will stumble across something interesting. On the walking bridge that crosses the Moscow river near the Christ Church, there is an ornate iron railing on both sides. Apparently this has become a place for newlyweds to show the security of their love by placing a lock on the rail. As you can see in the picture, this is a popular activity.



Tomorrow we will be picked up by Max at around 3:15 for a drive to the department of Education where we will find out some information on the child who may become Baby Jill. After this short introduction, they will grant us permission to go see her at the orphanage. If all goes according to plan, we will then have to go back to the Department of Education to make it official. So tomorrow is a big day and we will report back in our evening on how things went.

Until then, thanks for following along.

Tim and Sherri