Gorky Park Gawking

Moscow, Russia

By the time I’d navigated three metro lines from ВДНХ to Park Kulturi (Gorky Park) I had just about finished drinking the local summer brew of honey beer (medavukha). There was another massive Euro 2012 fan zone on the edge of the Park on the banks of the Moscow River, with lots of doof doof music. I went instead cruising Gorky Park along with 100,000 other muscovites on foot, bike, skates, you name it. Some eating, some sleeping. Some arguing, some loving. Some playing table tennis on the public tables.

It was after midnight and the crowds were still huge. I was enjoying the stroll and taking night photos with my tripod (using the old mini one as the telescopic one I got from Leedervillle is useless). The huge bronze statue of Peter The Great stands taller than the Statue of Liberty at the head of a small island on Moscow River. It’s a bit controversial as Peter the Great didn’t like Moscow. It was he who moved the capital to St Petersburg. By the time I walked back to a different metro it was nearly 1am. Back at the hotel I was quick to remove my big Scarpa boots. All this city based walking was taking its toll. No blisters. Just tired feet.

It had been another busy day. But one spent on my own for the first time. I’d by chance bought a cheap small Russian guitar at the massive soviet era exhibition park – ВДНХ – now sadly a shopping zone for the el cheapo. But the soviet era monumental style is awesome. And the 1964 100m high monument to soviet space endeavour, topped by a rocket is simply soviet!! (see previous post).

It’s a go city Mockba (Muskva). Leave for Nizhny Novgorod tomorrow (Friday) on train. Then from there to Perm on Saturday night train.