Tretyakov Gallery

The State Tretyakov gallery possesses a unique collection of Russian art which includes masterpieces created for more than a thousand years. The Gallery was founded by a Russian merchant and maecenas Pavel Tretyakov. He donated his collection to the city of Moscow in 1892. The State Tretyakov gallery has since become a world-famous museum. Nowadays it contains more than 170 000 works by Russian artists from the early religious paintings to the modern art objects. 

Russians - People

бакшевская масляница - Maslenitsa

The Maslenitsa event - бакшевская масляница 2013 - was held in the middle of a snowy forest, a one hour train ride from Moscow. Let's celebrate the Spring, in the middle of a snow storm! One of the funniest and more interesting Russian traditional events ever!

To get in you need to smile, dance and sing a song (we were doing the chorus for Maria's song "nuda nuda nuda") otherwise you cannot enter and you will be assaulted by shovelfuls of snow! I love how Luis philosophically takes it: "The entrance fee? a song or a batch of snow in your face. Take your pick. We went for both…."! (I suggest you to actually read his story of the day). The bear is woken up from its lethargy and climbs the fort that will need to be conquered to burn Winter and let Spring begin - see the videos below - ...spring? 

Snawballs flying everywhere, games starting around, fightings and so much fun! A greatest experience, a great luck to have the chance to participate in this unique celebration - many thanks to our two wonderful hosts, Luis and Maria.

Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro, a state-owned enterprise, is a rapid transitsystem serving Moscow and the neighbouring towns. Opened in 1935, it was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union. As of 2013, the Moscow Metro has 188 stations and its route length is 312.9 km. The system is mostly underground, with the deepest section 84 metres at the Park Pobedy station. The Moscow Metro is the world's fourth most heavily used rapid transit system after Tokyo subway, Seoul Metropolitan Subway and Beijing Metro. Almost 10 million people ride the Moscow Metro every day, which is more than the New York and London systems combined.

The Metro is impeccable, very clean and controlled, with trains running every minute, all day long. It is interesting to note that each line is identified according to a number, a name and a colour. Voice announcements refer to the lines by name. A male voice announces the next station when traveling towards the centre of the city, and a female voice when going away from it. On the circle line the clockwise direction has a male announcer for the stations, while the counter-clockwise direction has a female announcer. 

The Moscow Metro was one of the USSR’s most extravagant architectural projects. Stalin ordered the metro’s artists and architects to design a structure that embodied svet (radiance or brilliance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future). With their reflective marble walls, high ceilings and grandiose chandeliers, many Moscow Metro stations are actually sights to visit, characterized by an incredible architecture. The most beautiful stations are: Polshchad Revolyutsli, Mayakovskaya, Teatranaya, Komsomolskaya, Novoslobodskaya and the ones in the ring line.

   

Большой театр - Bolshoi Theatre

A ballet at the Bolshoy Theatre, yet another must in Moscow! Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty, featuring some of the contemporary best ballet dancers in the scene, was a marvellous show and a memorable experience. The theatre, opened in 1856 on Tsar Alexander II's coronation day and recently restored,  is very beautiful and has a magic atmosphere. Our balcony front seats were just perfect and with the opera glasses I could easily see all the details of the costumes. Every time the top dancers, Obraztsova, Ovcharenko, Lantratov and Abdullin, entered the stage the public was in exctasy. Like the time I went to La Scala in Milan, I will never forget it!

цирк - circus

The Old Moscow Circus in Tsvetnoi Boulevard is one of the oldest circus in Russia and of course a not-to-be-missed experience while visiting the city. The clown was so funny that I laughed until I cried and the acrobats were spectacular, flying around the stage and jumping all over. Obviously I felt terrible for the poor animals, it's awful that they are still using them, but it's a tradition, an innate part of the show, yet to be changed.

Fashion arms

I've got a present! My new Vita Fede bracelets in silver are fantastic and all my friend fashion bloggers are wearing them.

 

Me, my Seconda Base iphone case and my bracelets - taking a shot of the pink Converse for girls in the LUISAVIAROMA store!  

Rumi on the left, and mine and Shea's arm on the right wearing Vita Fede, Patricia Al'Kary and Identify bracelets!