Red Square

Saying Russia is cold is a complete understatement. The temperature is cold, yes. However, once you factor in the wind, the snow, and the “70 degrees is cold” mentality of a South Carolinian you have an absolutely arctic combination. I should say that it’s not entirely intolerable, but categorizing it as slightly unfavorable doesn’t do the weather justice. This is a necessary preface because it gives insight into the reasoning behind my unwillingness to leave the hostel. I’m not usually a boring person, but I am afraid that I have caught a case of boredom recently; I think it’s safe to say that we all have. (This is no reflection of the Russian’s hospitality btw, it’s just cold and we prefer to hide from it than venture out)
So, on one fateful night, I was sick of it! I came into the classroom where everyone was congregating and announced to everyone “We are doing something fun tonight, dammit!” Everyone ardently agreed and we set out to find something to do. This was our first venture without the Russians (Nadia was with us though, so I suppose that’s not entirely true) and we couldn’t have been more excited. The metro was much more enchanting while riding it with only Americans. I think after riding it over and over, the Metro would become standard and mundane, but not for us. We took pictures of the stunning stations and looked around at all of the colorful passengers.
Miles looked up a restaurant before we left that had traditional Russian food. However, when we went to the address, the restaurant was gone! We couldn’t find it anywhere! The whole experience was hilarious because it was just our luck to lose a restaurant. So, we decided to go to a sushi restaurant that was nearby. Let me tell you (in case you were wondering), sushi tastes exactly the same in Moscow as it does in the US. I don’t think we’ll go there again, not because it wasn’t delicious (because it most certainly was) but I would prefer to engage in the Russian experience sans the ubiquity of modern mass culture.
Okay, so dinner is over! What next? Well, we weren’t exactly sure (we hadn't planned that far ahead). To pass time we walked back to the Metro, taking pictures and gabbing about the magnificence of Moscow. Seriously though, Moscow is beautiful. There is such culture and charm within the center of the city; charm that is rooted in its age and history. The buildings are stunning and intricately ornate, and the people are fascinating. They are eclectic in style and dress (I'll try to get pictures without being awkward or creepy!) I love it here.
Anyway, on our way back to the metro we decided to go to Red Square! I was so excited because I missed out on the scenic tour of Moscow that the other students participated in upon their arrival. We studied the Metro stations, found the right one and began walking to Red Square. I know this sounds corny, but my anticipation grew and grew the closer we got to the landmark. I mean come on, Red Square is the pinnacle of Moscow. When you’re standing on the sidewalk in front of traffic, you can be in any city. There is a sort of anonymity associated with busy streets, the cluster of people and traffic lights. But standing in Red Square there is no denying you are in Moscow. Red Square IS Moscow.
It was one of the most breathtaking sights I’ve ever seen in my life. St. Basil’s Cathedral does not look real. As one of my friend’s said, it looks like it belongs in the game Candyland and I couldn’t agree with her more. I was completely overcome by the majesty of the place and I had the enthusiasm of a small child as I was skipping on the cobblestones. I think the feeling was transcendent throughout our entire group, because we all had a magnificent time. I want to go back again soon!