Explore More - 2018

and the nine-dome Church

and the nine-dome Church of the Intercession, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. After Kizhi our ship began its southerly journey toward Red Square and the Kremlin via the Volga-Baltic Waterway and the Moscow Canal. As we cruised in sunshine over calm blue lake waters with fir tree-lined shores, life continued on board with entertainment, Russian language lessons and lectures. There was a brief pause at Kuzino to visit the fascinating 1397 Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery and the Resurrection Convent. Next stop was Yaroslavl, an old city which sits 170 miles from Moscow at the confluence of the Volga and Kotorosl Rivers. Containing a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is one of the eight Golden Ring cities which were important in establishing the Orthodox Church and are so rich in historic architecture they, like Kizhi, are open air museums. The next day, as we sailed serenely toward RUSSIA’S ARCHITECTURAL GEMS ARE BEAUTIFULLY PRESERVED IN OPEN AIR MUSEUMS Moscow, I had a light breakfast in the Panorama Lounge at the front of the ship with its uninterrupted views. I was most struck by the huge and numerous modern high-rise apartment blocks. Over the next few days we explored the efficient metro system and its decorated stations, enjoyed an evening folk music concert, cruised the Moscow River, and visited the Red Square and took a tour inside the walls of the Kremlin. Viking covers virtually every “must-see” aspect of Moscow, with opportunities to visit the fascinating Cosmonaut Museum, the Jewish Museum, the Moscow State Circus and the Tretyakov Gallery with its fine art collections. Overall, our Russian river cruise was a relaxing and hugely stimulating experience. One of my most striking memories might seem odd: the cleanliness we saw everywhere. No empty packaging, cigarette butts or chewing gum littered the streets, and our guides found it hard to comprehend that people in other countries will casually drop their trash. Now when we see uncollected street trash at home we say, “It definitely would not be like that in Moscow.” Oh, and it is still illegal to have a dirty car in Russia. GETTING THERE: Viking offers its 2018 13-day Waterways of the Tsars itinerary. Go online: A video of the Waterways of the Tsars cruise is available online at vrc.com/videos 120 EXPLORE MORE 2018

WATERWAYS OF THE TSARS St. Basil’s Cathedral on Moscow’s Red Square was completed in 1561 EXPLORE MORE 2018 121