04-06/vii/2008: Weekend trip to Moscow - overlapped with 4th of July weekend. Not the most traditional way to celebrate the Independence of the U.S.A., but there is something to be said for traveling from one of the most closed cities of the former Soviet period (Nizhny Novgorod) to the capital of Moscow.When Napolean surveyed Moscow from Sparrow Hills he remarked, "There it is at last, this famous town...Are they abandoning all this?" Almost 150 years later, Stravinsky returned to the country of his birth and went to that same spot. It is recorded that he was "silent and more moved" than ever before.
I traveled with much excitement, for when I lived in Turkmenistan, Moscow was often on our minds. All roads once led to Moscow and most of Central Asia is still dependent on its connections to that city. In the end, contemporary Moscow seemed mostly the product of the Soviet period (and the architecture that went along with it) and the emerging market economy now dominating Russian cities. This is, of course, the impression only after a few days.
There are the major sites to see, which remain impressive. Just after seeing Lenin's tomb and while we were in the middle of Red Square, a nasty storm swept in and we took refuge in ГУМ
(formerly the main goods store of the Soviet Union, now converted into a mall - It's the bottom right-hand picture).
Like St. Petersburg there is construction everywhere in Moscow. What this will mean in the long run is unclear. I've never been one to support the proposition that development inherently leads to a better way of life. But one thing is certain, all roads in Russia will continue to lead to Moscow for many years into the future. It is the spiritual and physical "center" of Russia and decisions made there will shape the furture of Russia and its people.
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