A random travel moment!

A random travel moment happened today. Since I have been working from home I have been trying to schedule contractors out for yearly maintenance issues. Today I had the chimney sweep folks out to clean and inspect my fireplace prior to winter and prime fireplace weather. So when leaving today the man who completed the work noticed my photos on the wall in my house. I have several pictures (blown up to 16 X 20) that were taken on various travels displayed in the house. He noticed the very colorful picture of St. Basil’s Cathedral and wondered if I took the photo myself or if it was something that I purchased.

 

The picture that hangs in my dining room!

I was only too happy to discus it! Yes, I told him that I was lucky enough in October 2009 to visit Moscow where my daughter was studying abroad for a semester. My good friend Carrie came with me and we spent a week touring the city. We navigated the subway, toured the Kremlin Armory, saw dead Lenin and visited St. Basil’s.  (BTW, if you don’t know the story about dead Lenin and his resting place in Red Square for all to see, Google it. It is strange and fascinatingly creepy at the same time!)

I took this picture of St. Basil’s with one of those simple point and shoot cameras that can fit in your pocket. As colorful and vivid as the picture is, the actual cathedral is so much more impressive! Commissioned by Ivan the Terrible, it is actually a collection of smaller cathedrals housed in the building.  There are no photos allowed inside due to the age of the building (built in the 1500’s) so I only have outside pictures. The cathedral sits at the edge of Red Square which itself is massive. 

St. Basil's sits at the edge of Red Square

Me and Meghan in from of the cathedral. 

So there is your random travel moment! The kindly Chimney Sweep (alas, not Dick van Dyke) asked about a photo on my wall and that one act brought back my entire week -long trip to Moscow back in October 2009. I don’t know if I will ever get the chance to visit Moscow (or any of Russia for that matter) again but I can cherish the trip and remember the memories simply by looking at my dining room wall!