A Capella on the Metro

As fate would have it, heading home on the Kiev Metro, we encountered a lively group as soon as the doors opened. Matt caught a sound bite incognito. 

I love this country.

Unexpected Kiev

Well, Christine mentioned in the previous post...the train ride to Kiev involved some unexpected awakening in the middle of the night.  Poor Christine has been fighting a pretty bad cough/cold...and felt "foggy" for the past few days.  So needless to say she was ready for some rest upon arrival, but of course that couldn't happen until we found our hostel.  So far, we've managed to do it solely using the public transit system which has been really cheap.  Thankfully, this time was no different.  We hopped on the Metro and within 10 minutes we were within walking distance to our hostel.

Amazingly even with the fog, Christine saw the sign through a narrow courtyard that I had completely missed.  She said, "Wait!  It says hostel!."  The words "HOSTEL" in block letters was on the window of a building that appeared under construction (large piles of earth and wiring in the front).

It was glorious to have found "Dream House Hostel," but even better was that it turned out to be our favorite place yet in terms of having a good value.  It's only been open for 3 weeks and everything is brand new!  All wood floors, big common areas, awesome showers, and super fresh down sheets.  And even better was that it was half the price of previous hostels we've been staying at.  ($11 and some change / person).  That said, this isn't really the norm, but we weren't going to question it.

Christine slept like a rock which dealt a solid punch to her cold. Our 9-person room was empty (except for 1 other person who was there only at nights).  So, it was quiet at night....perfect for great sleep.

Kiev, has been unexpected in many ways, too.  It's smaller and more quaint than we had expected.  It's very lush in terms of a capital city and has a ton of small boutique restaurants.

It also set the bar extremely high for Cathedrals.  St. Sophia's Cathedral (another UNESCO World Heritage Site) was incredibly intricate and amazing in so many ways.  It has one of the greatest number of Mosaics and Frescos in the World.  Many of which are originals from the 11th century.  Thankfully, it was one of the few religious buildings not destroyed by the former USSR government.  In short..it was awesome and another unexpected amazing part of Kiev.

Lastly, we have to mention the Kiev Perchersk Lavra (translated the Kiev Caves Monastery).  The Cathedrals within the compound were definitely great to check out, but the caves beneath were the most unique part.  The two caves are full of glass enclosed sarcophagi of many revered Eastern Orthodox Priests.  (No pics allowed.)  We walked through with our candles lit and attempted to not be too out of place as observers.  People were paying their respects by kissing the top of the sarcophagus and saying prayers.  Yet another very interesting and unique experience from visiting Kiev.

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Train to Kiev

Matt and I would say that we're what you call 'Train People.' We love them. You always feel like you're getting somewhere, because when you look outside, things are continually speeding by you, no matter what time of day.


However, there is just one thing that doesn't quite gel with our personalities, and that is: TRAINS RUN ON TIME! They depart and arrive on time. There's no ifs, ands or (especially) buts. Now, in our A.D.D. world of tra-la-la, we tend to miss this very large characteristic of our beloved trains. May 29th (Andrea's B-day/Daniese's Wedding Anniversary) was such a case.


We left an hour early to the Moscow train station, carefully planning out our route via the Metro, so that we would arrive a responsible 45 minutes prior to departure. Which in turn would give us plenty of time to print our tickets and find the proper track - in theory. We, however, are tourists and don't account for the massive droves of people bottle-necking their way through the station during rush hour. It was so congested, that I had to hold onto Matt's pack like a baby elephant holds onto its mother's tail.


We successfully weaved our way underground and popped out right in front of the train station - Hooray! And then DONCHE! Where do we print our tickets? "Its-be-neet-ze-a, va ga-va-reech-e pan glee-skee?" (Excuse me, do you speak English?) After about 30 minutes of this, various sign language, running up and down stairs like mules with full packs of snacks and juice, we managed to figure out what track was OUR track to glorious 'Kneb' (Kiev).


"Matt! Drop the packs and run to find the ticket kiosks to print the boarding passes!" So, off he went with all his courage and Dawn's gift of energy. After checking my watch repeatedly, his powder blue shirt emerged from the crowds only 5 minutes before the train was supposed to leave the station, our tickets waving in his hand.


Thank you, Lord! We made it on, and sat at our seats in a heap of sweat. Delish!


In another turn of events, someone forgot to tell us that when you're on an overnight sleeper train crossing the border to another country, the car steward will wake you up (twice) during an already fitful sleep. Once, by the Russian border patrol as we are about to breach the border, and once by the Ukrainian border patrol after we've crossed.


Matt had just drifted off to sleep both times (12:30am & 3:30am) when the cheerful steward tapped him on the foot. Poor guy, he didn't know who he was dealing with - the world's deepest sleeper. To be honest, it was a little daunting when you're half awake, being interrogated by an officer with a very stern hat, lying in bed with only a sheet between them and your skivvies.

Moskva

We arrived in Moscow (pronounced Mos-co) on a warm and cloudy afternoon, so we thought - YES, we can go jacket-free! So, the next day we prepared for warm weather with our shorts, tanks and even flip-flops. It was wondrous. Walking around the Kremlin, strolling along it's open courtyard, watching as people set up for an annual sporting event for the upcoming weekend - it was a kind of mock-Olympics with ping-ping, boxing, weightlifting, volleyball and even paintball. St.Basil's Cathedral was lit up with the late afternoon sun, which was still very much set high in the sky due the city's spot far from the Equator.

The next day, we decided to hold out on the Kremlin and go to The Cosmonaut Museum, since the USSR put the first man in space, not to mention SPACE DOGS! They also had the infamous space suit of MICHAEL COLLINS! (If his name doesn't ring a bell, he was the guy who stayed inside the lunar command module, while Aldrin and Armstrong got all the glory for being the first to walk on the moon. Now, THAT'S an unsung hero.) All in all, we mostly ate meat pies, laughed at a song we made up in memory of the courageous space dogs and got some sweet pics of a life size mock-up of the MIR space station.

What we didn't realize when we exited the Museum was how quickly the temperature dropped. We had to retreat into the Metro to get away from the wind. Homey don't like wearing shorts in mother Russia. The weather changes so drastically here, from day to day. So much so, that I (christine) have since been nursing a cough/cold from the extreme degree changes.

Another thing that crept up on us was how much more expensive it is from other places we have visited. It's been quite a surprise and have had to curb our appetite (and not our enthusiasm) to eat at the Chocolate Hostel every other day for dinner. We were also invited to dinner by this guy, Ben, whom we met at our St.Petersburg hostel, who is getting his doctorate in Russian history. We met him and his girlfriend, Kelly, at their apartment for a home cooked meal and some hookah. It was awesome to get away from the cramped hostel and enjoy a great meal with some really interesting people, including Courtney and Jeff. It has really helped keep our budget at a more reasonable level. We did a bit more research and have found that Moscow is one of the most expensive places in the world.

Moscow is also known for it's impeccable Ballet. Marsha, the receptionist from our hostel was nice enough to come with us to the ticket office to buy tickets to a performance at the Kremlin Theatre, called 'Esmeralda' for only 450 Rubles a piece. She thought it was such a great deal that she bought tix for her and her mom, sitting right next to us. The ballet did NOT disappoint. It was truly one of the most technically precise ballets we've ever seen. Now, I'm not sure if it's some kind of placebo effect, but we both thoroughly appreciated the physicality of it - the story was equally superb.

We could keep going, but to wrap things up, here are some other sites we visited (favorites at the top):

1. St.Basil's Cathedral (Red Square)
2. Novodevichy Convent and Cemetery
3. Gorky Park
4. Lenin's Mausoleum (Red Square)
5. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Red Square)
6. State Museum (Red Square)
7. Kremlin Cathedrals (Red Square)
8. Moscow State University
9. Olympic Compound (The Arena)

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St. Petersburg

We wanted to backtrack to recap on our time in St. Petersburg.  The main reason being that so far it's probably been our favorite of the three cities we've visited in Russia.

Matt - Winter Palace

St. Petersburg had an abundance of museums, cathedrals, rivers, and historic buildings.  Much of wich are deemed World Heritage Sites by the United Nations.  We found the city to be very unique and interesting in a number of ways.  The city is full of small canals that give it a more quaint feeling.  That said it has so many unique historical sites and grandiose buildings that its indeed something to behold.  The Hermitage Museum is one of those well known sites, located within a number of buildings (one being the Winter Palace which was home to the Russian Monarchs) and is considered to be one of the largest museums in the world.  The museum contains everything from Egyptian antiquities to famous Italian art (like Picasso and Da Vinci), but the most incredible part was the side of the museum housed in the Palace.  The walls, the columns and even the floors were all incredibly unique and ornate.  We couldn't get over it.

Wood Floor - Room In Winter Palace

Ballroom - Winter Palace

Another incredible spot was Catherine's Palace (there are a ton of Palace's here) which is located just outside of town in an area called Pushkin.  The Palace sustained significant damage during WWII and was occupied by the Germans.  The restoration of the site is incredible and a true testament to the Russians' commitment to the preservation of their history.  The Palace is made of various rooms that all have different themes and purposes.

Christine - Catherine's Palace

Amber Room - Catherine's Palace

Christine took some amaaazing photos from within Kazan and St. Issac's Cathedral.  The lighting and ceiling photos were too good not to put on here. :) 

Kazan's Cathedral

St. Issac's Cathedral

We spent a week in St. Petersburg and still feel like there was more to be seen.  That being said we felt like a week allowed us to see the major sites and still have time to stroll down some back streets.  We think anyone who comes to Russia to see sites shouldn't miss coming here.


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Day 9 - Train to Moscow

This past Sunday night, we took an 8 hour overnight train from Veliky Novgorod to Moscow on the top bunks of a 'Platskartny' sleeper car (3rd class), for around 2000 Rubles total ($33/each). It's an "open-plan dormitory car with 54 bunks per car, arranged in beds of 4 on one side of the aisle and beds of 2 along the car wall (parallel to the windows) on the other side of the aisle." 


The other sleeper option you can take is a 'Kupe' (2nd class), which is essentially the same, but you share a private compartment with doors and it's a bit more expensive (sometimes twice as much, depending on when you buy it).


We met a super friendly Belarusian from Minsk, named Alexia, who gave us some very sound advice for when you travel on Russian trains: 1) try to get a bed in the 1-36 range, the beds have more leg room (we had top bunks at 42 & 44), 2) DON'T flush tissue down the vaccuum flush toilets, 3) we know you're not Russian when you put your shoes near your head and not on the floor like everyone else, and 4) either lock up your baby packs and keep your important belongings near you or put your baby pack with the people across the aisle. Otherwise, consider them gone in the morning.


Here's a vid from our train ride, when everyone's getting ready for bed (and a small anecdote from our time at the Veliky Novgorod hostel): "HELLO FLORIDA!" 

Veliky Novgorod

We spent 3 days/2 nights in Veliky Novgorod, otherwise known in my mind as 'The Land of The Dandelions.' They blanketed every field of green, making all the buildings at the Novgorod 'Kremlin' seem like they were from a painting. 


We entered the Kremlin walls for FREE! Matt and I were half expecting for someone to stop us at the gate and demand payment, but alas we went through scott-free. St.Sofia's church was also free and had some of the most beautiful paintings covering every centimeter of the walls and ceiling. Unlike many of the churches we've seen, there was no gold to be found. We thought it looked like 'Jesus' church,' much like the wooden chalice, not the golden chalice, was the Holy Grail in 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.' It has been our favorite thus far. 

Left: Chapel with Dandelions within Kremlin / Right: Inside St.Sofia's Cathedral

Later that day, we witnessed the most horrid of events: 'The Massacre of the Dandelions.' Men were flanking them from all sides with their mowers and weed whackers, the poor helpless flowers grinning at the sun were sitting ducks, sideswiped by the unmerciful blades of Russian grounds keepers. A moment of silence...spasibo.

Outside the Kremlin Wall

Day 3 - St.Petersburg

We decided to make a one minute (sometimes 2 minute...oops) clip every night before we go to bed as a kind of snapshot video diary of our trip. :)


Here's one from our third day in St.Petersburg, where we went to go visit Peter and Paul's Fortress. (May have to turn your volume up.)

Travel vs Vacation

So, we’ve arrived here in St. Petersburg, Russia!!  FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE!  I’m still not sure what that means, but we saw it on a t-shirt here.  Russia is fantastic and has been a great start to our travels.  We absolutely love our hostel here.  It’s small, but has great personality.  We have to admit that getting around here isn’t a piece of cake.  We took public transport from the airport to city center and quickly realized that Russian is not an easy language to speak or much less read.  With that said, we found our hostel and all was fine.  

We’re staying at the Baby Lemonade Hostel in a 10 person bunk room (pretty avg for hostels) in an 18 total person hostel (smaller than avg).  Some people hear the word “hostel” and they have a vision of scary movies.  The reality is quite the opposite.  Warm, cozy, friendly and brightly colored are some of the best words to describe our hostel here and the same goes for most hostels we’ve stayed at in past trips.

They’ve given us free breakfast, fun conversations with our bunk mates and helpful staff that offer advice on what to see.  It’s also centrally located so we are only a short distance walk to all the major sites.  What’s even better is the small kitchen that has allowed us to cook two of our dinners thus far. (Not intending for this to sound like an infomercial.)

The only problem we are facing is in reminding ourselves that we are traveling and not vacationing.  We have been going non-stop since we’ve arrived (visiting the Hermitage Museum, Catherine’s Palace (in Pushkin), St.Issac’s Cathedral, Peter & Paul Fortress, and the Church of the Savior’s Blood).  Even though the city is walkable (for the most part) we have literally almost walked ourselves to death the past 4 days.  We both looked at each other and said, “We can’t keep at this pace for 1 year straight.”  We have been thinking of things as we would for our standard 2 week ‘vacation’ from work, but in reality this is a whole other type of travel.  We actually have time to relax, grab coffee at a local cafe and just be leisurely. We did just that as of this morning and it’s been medicinal in all sorts of ways.

Heading to Novgorad tomorrow on the train and plan to spend 2-3 nights there, before moving on to ‘Holy Moscow’.  

Side note: We’ve been recording 1 minute videos every night before we go to bed, so we’ll start posting some of these in the near future.

Checklist

We've got 10 days to go until we leave and my notebook is getting mighty full of checkboxes, some conquered and some staring me down, daring me to cross them off at high noon with their pistol drawn. So, with all these checkboxes defying my every move, I've decided to add yet another TO-DO to my list - blog about it.


When Matt and I were planning this trip, I never really thought about all the logistical stuff that would need to happen before we could break free from all our responsibilities. There's a GINORMOUS amount. Now, this is not to scare anyone, but it's simply to say I was a bit dumbfounded by things that crept up once I started cleaning house.


MAIN THINGS TO DO BEFORE LEAVING THE TARMAC:

• General Itinerary
• Budget??
• Weather / Time of Year
• Tourist Season?
• ATM availability
• Visa Requirements
• Foreign Embassies / Consolates - To obtain visas.
• Vaccinations / Anti-Malarial Pills
• Work / Volunteer Opportunities
• Book Departure Flight (one-way ticket out of the US)
• IDs - Up-to-date
• Passport - Make sure there's enough pages. If not, can always add more at any US embassy abroad.
• Passport Photos - Make sure you have enough for number of countries requiring visas.
• Driver's License
• Diving License (PADI?)
• Make copy for family, in case you lose any of these
• Credit / Debit Cards - Cancel, Keep, Enroll
• Find ones that reimburse you for transaction and exchange fees
• Capital One Venture Card (Credit Card)
• Charles Schwab (Debit / ATM)
• Travel Notification
• Go Paperless
• Change address on all of them to permanent address
• Check when they expire
• Permanent Address?
• Absentee Ballots
• Cancel or Forward Mail
• Taxes
• Pictures / Video / Electronics
• Camera
• Storage - Hard drive, external hard drive, memory cards, flash drive, online storage?
• Computer? iPod? Tablet? E-Reader? None?
• Backpack Items - Do you really need every shoe in your closet?
• Household Items - Sell, Keep, Donate
• Doctors Appointments
• Immunizations / Vaccinations Clinic (Including Anti-Malarial Pills)
• General - Yearly physical
• Dental - Teeth cleaning
• Dermatologist - Yearly check-up
• Gynocologist - Yearly check-up
• Optomologist - Order contact lenses for the year
• Make sure there aren't any outstanding claims
• Insurance - Decide if you want to sell or keep the house or car(s) and if you want insurance on anything. 
• Travel - Scan receipts for anything expensive you're taking
• Health - Any outstanding claims?
• Car - Would you rather sell or turn in your tag for your car?
• House / Apt
• House - Who is going to make the payments? What about renewing the lease?
• Insurance
• Mortgage
• HOA
• Tenants
• Contact Sheet for family and friends - How are they going to get ahold of you?