Tourist Weekend Pt 2

ok.  i have to admit it.  i ate McDonald's yesterday.  it was a desperate measure!!  i'm sad and embarrassed that I had to go there.  but it was the only option (besides sbarro, but i'm avoiding pizza at the moment...so i had to go to the devil.)  I had only about 20 minutes between finishing my visit to the Armoury museum and starting a tour of the Kremlin.  there was no time to run to the quite tasty and inexpensive soviet-style cafeteria in the GUM, and there were no other shops around.  and there are NO food places in or around the Kremlin.  good for the historical and visitation experience, but bad for the stomach.  so i raced around the kremlin walls to the nearest food place, which happened to be the sbarro/mcdonalds strip mall.  and since big mac was truly the only thing i could read on the menu, that is what i got.  i only ate half of it, as i was short on time and practically running back to join the group.  it was the first time i've eaten mcdonald's in probably 10 years.  sigh.

but i got over it, and had a fabulous day despite it.  the armoury is AMAZING.  all the greatest luxury pieces of not only armour, but also dish sets, gospels, jewels, crowns, sabers, rifles, wardrobes...from medieval times thru the 18th and 19th centuries.  the best part was the room full of CARRIAGES!!  i've NEVER seen carriages like that.  sleighs, winter carriages of velvet, summer carriages of gold-plated wood and leather.  gorgeous sight for the eyes to behold.

and the Kremlin.  we toured the inside with our guide from sunday, airat.  another terrific afternoon.  saw again, medieval churches, imperial palaces, and a soviet-era concert hall.  aside from the concert hall, everything was quite small in size, at least compared to what i'm used to seeing as palaces and churches.  saw the biggest canon in the world that has never been fired, and the biggest bell in the world that has never been rung because it has a giant crack/piece that fell off in the casting process.

then back to the hotel to warm up!  and then to see a lot of ceremonies staff that arrived last night in time for the workshop starting this week.  so fun to see everyone again that i met in december, and to meet the new folks.  the team is now around 100 and counting.  we are on our way up to i think 650 by the time the games start.  huge team, all the best at what they do, and all quite games-savvy.  hoping to get some tips.

ok, pics below:

russian duma.  (parliament building).  near red square.

bolshoi theatre!  going to see ballet there as soon as possible.

medieval russian orthodox church...can't remember which one at this moment in time...i think it's the one that was used for coronations of the kings.

biggest bell in the world...that is also the biggest broken bell in the world.

basically the only real street in the kremlin...this is the one the president uses to enter and exit.  gate is in the background.

overlooking the kremlin wall to the moscow river...and i think one of the seven sisters (buildings built during stalin's time) in the background.

had meetings all morning on the latest creative for the show, then relaxed a bit this afternoon, another meeting, and now getting ready to go the gym.  trying to remember to balance my "real life" and my life as a person getting to know her new home.  i may even try cooking dinner tonight!  woo hoo!