From Russia, with mixed feelings
As the world’s eyes focus once again on Russia, Tom Albeson visits galleries, walks the streets, and gets a feel of contemporary life in Moscow and St Petersburg
magine going to Moscow and
not seeing Red Square. From
behind the police cordon l cursed Condoleezza Rice — not for US foreign policy. but for potentially messing up my trip. She was visiting the Kremlin and as a result everything was closed. including Lenin‘s sombre mausoleum and the riotoust
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colourful St Basil's Cathedral. She wasn‘t even doing any sight— seeing: she was there to discuss US plans for missile defences in Eastern Europe.
Like the needlessly-closed Red Square. it would appear the drama of Putin‘s sabre-rattling is just part of life in Russia. Having been turned away from Krumuya
Plus/iclzar/ (that’s Red Square). I tried to buy some water. Separated from the balms/ku at the kiosk by an unassailable language barrier. I somehow managed to become embroiled in a full-scale argument. I thought she was going to call the police. but as fast as it had flared up tension subsided and I had the
ST PETERSBURG AT DAWN IS SERENE AND SPLENDID, ALL CALM WIDE BOULEVARDS AND MAJESTIC CANALS
bottle in my hand. none the wiser as to what had upset her. This is the way things go these days. in the former Soviet I.'nion.
I met an cx—soldicr who had been in Chechnya. and. trying my best to be a polite visitor. I asked him what the Russian was for ‘please‘. ‘thank you‘ and ‘sorry’. He told me. but then added dryly. 'You will not need these words. These are not words we really use in Russia.‘ It was at this point that I decided my visit was going to be hard work. That is not to say it wasn't rewarding. There is a lot of drama and ceremony surrounding everyday life in Russia. That is what makes it such a thrilling destination.
There‘s just no middle ground and this is a principle which applies as tnuch to the architecture as the people. I did eventually make it onto Red Square and to the other-worldly St Basil‘s. Commissioned by Ivan the Terrible in l552. the Cathedral is a labyrinth of small stone chapels with the haunting strains of Gregorian chant echoing around the chambers. The more imaginative visitor might see it as ‘a cryptic clue to the mysterious Russian soul’. as my guidebook put it. What struck me was the marked contrast between it and those other well known Moscow landmarks. the Seven Sisters: vast. monumental buildings which encircle the city centre. bttilt in a style known as Stalin (iothic. Huge and magnificent edifices. they block out the light and. as intended. leave you in awe of the