Tsaritsyno Park

We have just returned from a couple of weeks in Greece – the winter in Moscow has been particularly long and we had to do something to get rid of our persistent colds. We also just need to feel the sun and warmth. 

Something I have consistently noticed is that many Russian passengers clap when their plane lands. The applause is possibly due to the rise in Russia’s rate of outbound tourism, which has grown from being one of the world’s lowest during the USSR years to ninth. There are currently 40 million tourists a year departing Russia and this number is growing rapidly. Most of them would therefore be inexperienced and nervous air travellers. Hence the clapping. Relief, I suppose.

The paradox of this, to me at any rate, is that flying in large commercial jetliners is quite safe, whereas catching a Moscow taxi to the airport would be very hazardous indeed. Do taxi drivers also get applause for a safe arrival at Sheremetevo airport? 

Back in Moscow and the weather has finally warmed up. Sunny days the past week and those piles of snow are finally disappearing. The trees still look like sticks, but the birds sitting in them seem quite chirpy now.

To mark the change of seasons I have photographs from Tsaritsyno Park taken at various times of the year. This park is about 10 kilometres south of Red Square and easily accessed from Tsarisyno metro station on the dark green line number 2.

Catherine the Great's palace at Tsaritsyno

This is a park I enjoy very much. It has some magnificent buildings set in a charming mix of landscaped grounds and forest. 

The park passed through the hands of several noble families before being bought by Catherine the Great in 1775. Catherine ordered a palace complex built, but decided she didn’t like the centrepiece mansion and ordered it pulled down. Another architect designed a new mansion, but, not surprisingly I suppose, with that sort of frivolous approach to money, Catherine ran short of funds. It was unfinished at the time of her death. 

 

Church of Our Lady of the Life Giving Spirit, Tsaritsyno

Autumn at the lake in Tsaritsyno

Red squirrels are quite common in Moscow forests

Hermitage Garden

Supporters of the Geelong Australian Rules football club may be amused by this Moscow milk carton. This link will help those sadly deprived people who do not follow Australian Rules football understand what I mean - http://www.geelongcats.com.au/

It’s quite a sunny afternoon, nice after an extended period of gloom. It doesn’t help that Moscow is in a permanent state of daylight saving, which means it still doesn’t get light until around 9.30am. Nice in the afternoons, but 5 months of getting up in the dark is difficult.

Last Sunday was also fairly pleasant, so we took a walk to the Hermitage Garden which is located on Ulitsa Karetnyy Ryad, close to where it joins the Garden Ring (which is actually a multi-laned traffic snarl of a ring road).

This small, manicured park, opened in 1894, surrounds the Hermitage Theatre. In summer the gardens are popular with wedding groups, people quietly sitting and reading, and kids running around the playground. In winter, there is a skating rink, but otherwise not much to do other than take a short stroll along the snowy paths. 

Childrens' slippery dip (slide) sculpted from ice. Photographed in the Hermitage Garden last Sunday (20 Jan)

 What I particularly like about this park is the Art Nouveau fence and entrance. Still, being currently ranked 547 out of 592 things to do in Moscow by the Lonely Planet, I doubt too many tourists will be seeing it. 

The rest of these photos I took last summer - the gardens are at their best in the summer and I need to remind myself occasionally that there is such a thing.

The wonderful Art Nouveau garden entrance and fence.

The Hermitage Theatre

One of the grand garden pergolas

Not too surprising that this park is popular with wedding groups.

Kolomenskoe sand sculptures

 
A number of excellent sand sculptures depicting historic characters and events have been created in Kolomenskoe Park. Tickets are only 100 rubles, about $3 - they are worth a visit (price quoted does not include airfares)

St Basil's in sand

Napoleon. This is a thoughtful sculpture, with his Russian adversaries on the far side and a broken chessboard in between.

Looking far less relaxed than Napoleon are these French soldiers, no doubt wishing they were sipping wine in Provence rather than dragging this cannon through the mud (sorry, sand).

Tolstoy, writer of that epic novel of Napoleon's invasion of Russia 'War & Peace'. Despite its size, the book is quite readable. Give it a go sometime.

View of the sculpture park. They will be removed in September 2012. The face on the left belongs to Maxim Gorky, about whom you can read in an earlier post.

Tchaikovsky

And of course, it wouldn't be complete without good old Peter the Great.

Patriarch's Pond

Sorry I haven’t written for a while. Wendy’s work took us away again, this time to St Petersburg and Helsinki. I’ll write a post about those places when I’ve had a chance to browse through the photographs.

It has been warm with passing thunderstorms in Moscow the past few days. The occasional downpours have made it fairly humid.

I thought today I’d write a post about a small park near our apartment called Patriarch’s Pond. 

Patriarch's Pond. The building contains a restaurant.

The Patriarch is the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. In the past he may have lived close to the pond and I assume the Church must have once owned it. It seems they stocked it with fish. Wikipedia also says an 18th century Patriarch’s goat, called Sloboda, used to hang out here.

Originally a swampy piece of ground, after the fire that razed most of Moscow during Napoleon’s 1812 occupation (exactly 200 years ago), this area was revamped. Apparently 3 ponds were created, which were later amalgamated into the single one seen today.

When the Bolsheviks took control in 1917, pleasant evenings fishing by the pond with his trusty goat were over for the Patriarch. The pond was renamed Pioneer Pond, only getting its original name back with the end of the Soviet Union. 

More recently, there was a shopping mall and car park proposal for the site, which was thankfully canned. As Moscow drivers would rather park on the footpath than pay to use a parking station, it would have been a pointless construction anyway.

The park is now within an affluent residential district, not far from Mayakovskaya metro station. In the winter it freezes and is groomed for skating. With the arrival of summer, the kiddies playground is getting a lot of use, as are the paths. It’s a pleasant place for an evening stroll for both Muscovites and expats.

Skating on Patriarch's Pond. February 2012

Slippery dip on to the pond

The plaques show scenes from tales by a popular 19th century Russian fairy story writer named Ivan Krylov.

Follow this link to see the location of Patriarch's Pond on Google Maps

Cycling in Moscow

At last, cycling weather.

I couldn’t find much information about opportunities to ride bicycles in Moscow before we arrived. What I did see was not encouraging. In particular I recall watching a You Tube video shot by some nutty guy cycling through the Moscow traffic with a camera strapped to his head. It was pretty scary. 

My winter explorations by foot and ski had convinced me there would be places to ride once the snow disappeared. There are plenty of large parks and there is a path along the river, though I didn’t know how far this went. The main problem would be linking them together. There was no way I was riding on those roads.

I have no idea whether it is legal to ride bicycles on the footpath in Moscow. But what the heck – people park on the pavement and I have even seen motorists drive along it looking for somewhere to park. A bicycle is comparatively innocuous. So I have become a footpath cyclist. Thus far, no one has taken the slightest bit of notice.

Last Saturday we took a ride along the northern bank of the river. So far I have measured 22 kilometres of cycle friendly path. The route ends at a road and a wall about 6 kilometres east of the Kremlin, but to the west, it follows the long bend in the river past Sparrow Hills, at least as far as the skyscrapers of Moscow City. 

Me cycling beside the Moscow River. The Kremlin walls in the background (photo by Wendy)

 

I see few other cyclists, and most of those, like me, are on the footpath. This is not a bicycle-friendly city. With a bit of patience and care though, it is not only possible, but an enjoyable way to get around. 

Wendy on one of the very few marked cycle paths in Moscow. The skyscrapers of Moscow City (which is several kilometres from the Kremlin) in the background, Sparrow Hills across the river on the left.

Of course, painting a bit of green on the footpath in no way negates a driver's right to park on it.

A few kilometres further on the green paint has run out. The covered bridge at Kievskaya in the middle distance..

Lebedyansky Lake

In January I posted an item about Izmailovsky Park which included a picture of Lebedyansky Lake. I took a walk in the park today and photographed the lake again from a similar location.

Follow this link to see the location of Izmaylovsky Park on Google Maps

Summer arrives

I have recently returned from 3 weeks in the eastern USA. Wendy had a meeting in Washington for a few days, so I added a week on either side to visit New York and have a look around the Appalachians and Niagara Falls.  

This might seem a little extravagant so soon after a fortnight in Turkey, but seeing these places while we are in Russia makes a lot of sense. I have always wanted to visit New York, but the journey from Australia takes about 24 hours and is considerably more expensive than the 9 hour flight from Moscow.

It was also pleasant to spend some time in an English-speaking country. It can become a bit isolating, spending one’s days in a city where most of the conversation is all but incomprehensible. Though the speech of some Americans can be as difficult to understand as Russian. I gave up trying to order at one salad bar in New York – the youth behind the counter was using an almost unrecognisable dialect of English.

I returned to Moscow last weekend and have been struggling with jet lag since. I find it much harder to go from west to east than the other direction. Heading in the same direction as the sun, one simply gets a longer day (or night). 

But going west to east is like going against the grain of time. I woke in the morning, caught my flight, journeyed through a short sleepless night, arrived in Moscow the following morning and then had to stay up until the evening. Two short days, a short night and a completely confused biorhythm. 

Moscow is transformed. There had been just a hint of spring before I left. But spring seems to have been and gone while I was away and the city has already moved into summer. Rather than a gradual transition between seasons, it is as if a coin has flipped. 

All those trees I had become convinced were dead sticks are fully leaved, the snow has gone and cafes have put tables out on the footpath.  

Yesterday I took a walk in a large forest park a little northwest of the city called Timiryazeva. Plenty of people enjoying the sun. Some have dusted off their bicycles. A couple of sunburnt backs beside the lake. This is a pleasant park, but probably not one a visitor to Moscow should bother with unless they have plenty of time on their hands (I’m talking months). 

Walking track in Timiryazeva Park. With the burst of green and accompanying tee shirt weather, Moscow is suddenly a different city.

 The northern end of the park, where the lake is located, is the most visitor friendly. Here most of the happy family activity occurs. 

Part of the lake in Timiryazeva. Just a few weeks ago, this would have been frozen.

Towards the south, tracks deteriorate into muddy pools and there are far fewer people about. This end of the park is probably not the sort of place I would go for a stroll in the evening. 

The ubiquitous bird feeding house. I see these in most parks. They may help the few birds that hang around during winter to survive. After 6 months of seeing nothing but ravens, pigeons and sparrows, I am now seeing more varieties.

Skiing in Izmaylovsky Park

I am a keen cross-country skier.

It sometimes surprises non-Australians when they learn that we have extensive winter snow-fields downunder. It is possible to ski for days with a back-pack in remote wilderness, staying overnight either in a tent or a rustic stockman's hut.

I had hoped to cross-country ski around Moscow. After all, there is plenty of snow. It is surprising, though, how difficult it is to find information about local skiing opportunities, either in guidebooks or on the internet.

So for other cross-country skiers who may be wondering ahead of a trip to Moscow - don't worry. There are plenty of large parks in which to ski just a few metro stations from the city centre.

Today I took the metro to Ismaylovsky Park, just six stations from the centre of Moscow. Just before arriving at Ismaylovskaya Station, the train emerges from its tunnel and the birch forests of the park appear on the right.

This park is, I understand, about 15 square kilometres in size. It was inaugurated in the 1930s, when it was known as Stalin Park. In the 1950s it was renamed after the 14th century boyar (aristocratic) family who owned the nearby village.

The better known (to tourists) Ismaylova Markets are on the edge of the park (one gets off a station earlier - at Partisanskaya - to access the markets). I actually don't like the markets much - I think they are a bit tacky.

Anyway, that's enough text. Here are today's photographs, hot off the SD card:

Getting away from it all just a few kilometres from Red Square

Lebedyensky Lake looking back towards high rise at Ismalovskaya

Perhaps a little chilly for using the swings today

I can't say I've ever encountered prams while skiing in the Australian Snowy Mountains.

Off the Metro and on to the snow. Couldn't be better.

Follow this link to see the location of Izmailovsky Park on Google Maps

Gorky Park in winter

The sky has settled daily into featureless grey with occasional offerings of snow.

On Saturday we took the metro to Gorky Park. We had visited Gorky Park previously, a few days after we arrived in late November. Not much happening then. A dull place. 

The entrance to Gorky Park

 Gorky Park is about 1.5 kilometres from Red Square, on the opposite side of the Moscow River. It is the first part of a narrow green belt that runs west along the southern shore of a long bend in the river, ending at Sparrow Hills.  

The tame and pleasantly wooded Sparrow Hills is a wilderness compared to the ornamental gardens of Gorky Park.

But from the bleak urban landscape of November, Gorky Park has now transformed into a cheerful little winter world.      

"But Dad, I thought there was only one Ded Moroz!"

OK, so Santa can't skate.

And when I've pushed this one over, you're next, Pinky

Boy meets Mammoth

Wendy meets Moose

That's enough for this post.

Follow this link for the location of Gorky Park on Google Maps

Sparrow Hills

I had been warned that Moscow weather in November is bleak and depressing, but I haven’t found it so. Still, I suppose if I had spent my whole life passing through cold, damp Novembers, instead of sunny Australian ones, I might have a different view of things.

Over my first two weeks it has generally been overcast, sometimes raining or light snow, with an occasional more or less sunny day. Not that the daylight lasts long – it doesn’t get light until about 9.30am and is dark again by six. The sun is low in the sky.

I have been told that Moscow has been placed in a permanent state of daylight saving. Tough in the morning, when everyone arrives at work while it is still night. It doesn't become light until about 9.30am. But I think having a little extra daylight at the end of the working day compensates. At least most people aren’t also coming home in the dark.

The temperature has been hovering around zero degrees, so the occasional snowfall has been quickly melting. The streets are damp and can be little hazardous with ice. But it is still possible to go for long walks – rugged up with a scarf and gloves it can be quite enjoyable.

I have also been pleasantly surprised – delighted - at finding so much open space for walking in Moscow.

This morning I took the Metro to Sparrow Hills (Vorobyovy Gory). I decided to get off at University station, only 7 stops from Red Square. One of the seven Stalin Skyscrapers is located at the university, which I wanted to see (I’ll write about those buildings in a later post). From there, it is only a couple of kilometres to the reserve at Sparrow Hills.

View from the top of Sparrow Hills

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I could find little information in the Moscow guide books, nor on the internet. Located some 6 kilometres south west of Red Square, the hills are located on a steep embankment along a bend in the Moscow River, rising quite steeply to an elevation of  perhaps 50 metres. The park is a crescent shape, following the bend of the river, maybe 3 kilometres long and 500 metres deep. Behind the Sparrow Hills the elevated terrain continues towards the university and the suburbs beyond. 

Near frozen pond, picnic facilities and track

For the most part it is forested, with pleasant, well-maintained walking tracks. There are cycle paths (though I have no idea how anyone is supposed to get a bicycle to the reserve through the dreadful Moscow traffic) and gazebo-like picnic shelters. Surprisingly there is also a ski lift, together with an enormous ski jump which would provide an excellent launch ramp into the river.

Sparrow Hills chair lifts

The ski jump of death

I spent a delightful couple of hours wandering the reserve. Very few people about, not unexpected on a chilly Wednesday in November. I expect the place is packed on a summer weekend. A metro station (called 'Sparrow Hills', but in Russian, of course) occupies the lower tier of an interesting 2 tiered bridge (the upper tier being for cars) at the eastern end of the reserve.

Sparrow Hills extends along the left shore into the distance

Looking in the other direction. The two tiered bridge in the distance holds the Metro on the lower lever and cars on the upper.

And yes, there are sparrows, quite tubby ones larded up for the winter. But that's not how the reserve got its name. According to Wikipedia, the hills are named after a village (Vorobyovo) acquired by a Grand Duchess in 1451 from a priest named (you guessed it!) - Vorobey (Sparrow).

Follow this link for the location of Sparrow Hills on Google Maps