Moscow: Kremlin and Gum Store

Friday, June 8

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Today, we tour the Kremlin. First, some fun facts.
1. It’s 70 acres – the size of a medieval Russian own. It’s in the shape of a triangle. The walls were wooden. It’s bordered by two rivers. The top of the mountain is Red Square.
2. The first stone wall was built in the 14th century; the present wall was built in the 15th century and had 20 towers.
3. Moscow was founded in. People lived inside. T they starthen the Kremlin was used as the residence of officials and clergy, nobility.
4. In the 30’s, they started to build apartments buildings and officials started to move out.
5. In 1955 the Kremlin was opened to the public – so tourists could visit.
6. It is used today for receptions, gatherings.
7. It was rainy and windy, but not too cold.

We see the Church of St Basil’s – the one you always see in the pictures. It’s wonderful – very colorful. We didn’t do a tour.

Red Square was closed off because they were erecting scaffolding – in preparation of a big celebration in the next few days.

Adjacent to Red Square is the Gum (pronounced ‘goom’) Shopping Mall. This is a wonderful mall with multiple floors and some very nice shops.
On the ground floor is a fantastic market – make that – a gourmet market. Look at these pictures – oh the food was spectacular.

On the other floors were all the typical stores you’d expect to find at any high end shopping mall – shoes, clothes, Apple (selling iPads), accessories (purses, jewelry), lots of jewelry. Very nice place – and indoors – so conducive to shopping in the Severe Russian winters.