Arriving in Tula

Arriving in Tula .. June 6, 2007

All of this will reach the blog at the same time because we couldn’t get access to the internet on Tuesday in Moscow. Access was shut off in the hotel after 9pm and Wednesday morning we were out bright and early…. Off to the Kremlin, the Armorment museum and a host of magnificent ‘onion top’ museums.
First – the kremlin – the word basically means fort … every big Russian city has a kremlin – a walled area. Within the walls, the original center square. Much of what had been as in wood homes burned through the ages, much of what came later was destroyed by the Communists and now, it’s a blend of a number of meticulously cared for buildings, including the Russian Senate where Vladimir Putin’s office is located.
Within the tightly guarded museum fabulous “gift’s” given to Russian Czars through the centuries, including 9 of the remaining Faberge Eggs. They truly are magnificent. Within the eggs are surprises including a miniature boat that seems to float toward you as the egg is opened. Further in the display halls, some 10 or so carriages used by the czars and family members, including one fitted with runners for the snow. Also in the armorment museum, jewels. Seems Russia didn’t find diamonds within her borders until the mid 1950’s. After that, magnificent pieces of jewelry were commissioned but only for display. It was considered inappropriate for a Russian, particularly a Muscovite, to wear diamonds in public. The collection is so tightly guarded the IN door and OUT door can’t be opened at the same time. Heck, you’re not even allowed to bring your cameras IN with you. We had to check our cameras and cell phones.
Okay, enough travelogue – time to move onto to Russia ( oh, but we did stroll along Old Arbat Street – a pedestrian way with goods sold from kiosks as if you were on Canal Street in NYC.
And then TULA . --- yes, we arrived. It’s bustling – we meet with the Mayor in the morning. TBC.