WATERWAYS OF THE TSARS: MOSCOW TO ST. PETERSBURG ABOARD THE VOLGA DREAM

Table of Contents

Thank You ...... 2 Introduction...... 2 Summary Overview ...... 3 June 17 - Prague - Bridges to dynasties, history and culture...... 5 June 18 - Prague - Castles, palaces and more steeples ...... 10 June 19 - Prague to Moscow - An introduction to the Tsars and some new friends...... 12 June 20 - Moscow - The world of Pushkin...... 13 June 21 - Moscow - A private collection now public, and the ballet ...... 17 June 22 - Moscow - Anniversary of Germany’s declaration of war on Russia (1941) ...... 21 June 23 - Uglich - Our 38th wedding anniversary! ...... 26 June 24 - Plyos - Russian politics update and our first stop on the Volga...... 28 June 25 - Yaroslavl - The oldest city on the Volga...... 30 June 26 - Goritsy - Two monasteries, Basil II gets a "Terrible" son, and we see eagles...... 32 June 27 - Kizhi - Log cathedrals and onion domes ...... 34 June 28 - Mandrogi - Vodka culture and Farewell Dinner...... 39 June 29 - St. Petersburg - Peter’s dream and the city of palaces and poets ...... 40 June 30 - St. Petersburg - Two palaces: built, destroyed and restored; and Hermitage #2...... 43 July 1 - St. Petersburg - Fountains, “cottages” and world class Russian art...... 49 July 2 - St. Petersburg to Helsinki - A “doormat” survives and excels...... 52 July 3 - Helsinki - Reliving a 57-year memory ...... 54 July 4 - Helsinki - No fireworks, but lots of weddings...... 57 July 5 - Helsinki to New York - Homeward bound...... 59 Epilogue - “Discovery” ...... 60 Appendix - The History of Prague...... 61 Appendix - The History of Russia ...... 62 Appendix - The History of Helsinki ...... 63 Index - Chronological Order of Churches and Monasteries Visited...... 64 Index - Chronological Order of Museums Visited...... 65 Index - Chronological Order of Lectures ...... 66

1 Thank You

We are immensely grateful to David and Charlotte, who, again last Christmas, gave us two roundtrip air tickets to anywhere in the world we wanted to go! It is such a generous, yet challenging gift as we consider what’s left on our “bucket list”. The gift is without limitations, except it can’t be to do business and we aren’t allowed to take family members with us. This unique opportunity stretches our sensibilities, fulfills our dreams and lets us reach into uncharted waters (literally and figuratively).

We want to also acknowledge the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s role in initiating and organizing “The Waterways of the Tsars” trip along with their tour organizer, Academic Arrangements Abroad. Two of AAA’s Russian experts, George Garber and Olga Kovalenko, who traveled with us in Russia as tour directors, were immeasurably helpful in seeing that things ran smoothly. They were also good company. Our lecturers and fellow travelers, Helen Evans of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Simon Marks of Thirteen/WNET greatly expanded our horizons in understanding the history, art and politics of Russia. Finally, we are indebted to Greg and Andrea Elphinston for taking us into their home for dinner in Helsinki.

Note should be made of the author’s dependence on DK Eyewitness Travel Guide books for explanation, spelling and various descriptions.

Introduction

Right after Christmas, we received an invitation from the Met to “join us for a very special voyage aboard the Volga Dream. As we navigate the gentle Russian waterways, the countryside will unfold, revealing a fascinating land of peaceful villages and domed monasteries. Moscow and St. Petersburg will delight us with their splendid palaces, extraordinary museum collections and architectural treasures.”

In our home, Judith opens the mail, sorting it: for her, me (mostly bills), us (for discussion) and the trash can (ads, catalogs, etc.). We both hit on this exciting travel opportunity at the same moment: could we fit it into our schedule? afford it? was it at the top of our “bucket list”? Yes, maybe and yes. By January 27th, we had submitted our applications and deposits. The time since then has been consumed with the excitement of planning, reading and dreaming.

2 Summary Overview

First, a declaration: this journal was prepared for our own record and enjoyment and for family and friends that may want to sample a small part of our incredible experience. The Table of Contents provides daily highlights; the Indices catalog, in chronological order, the museums and churches visited and the academic lectures attended; the photographs portray a small percentage of what we saw. Given the uncharted experiences for us, nearly every section includes a historical perspective or background to form a platform for our findings. More complete histories—of Prague, Russia and Helsinki - are included as Appendices.

The impetus for the trip came from an invitation from the Metropolitan Museum of Art “to visit Ancient and Imperial Russia via “The Waterways of the Tsars” aboard the Volga Dream. Our goal was to study, or at least get an exposure to, the incredible history, art and politics of the regions visited. The “bookends” to our trip (see cover) were added as a first visit to Prague and a return to Helsinki, where a significant part of my life was shaped in 1952. These opening and closing venues were visited in each other’s company, while our Russian journey was with a great group of like-minded individuals who (mostly) shared our passion for the “academic” approach to and opportunities offered through focused travel.

Our emphasis on Church and State is driven by the recognition that, particularly in the areas visited, there are rich and complex examples of the relationship and the priorities of each. In addition, churches offer the best in art and architecture, and museums often expose the best and the worst of history. Our focus was on the geographic areas between the Baltic and Black Seas, encompassing roughly 12 centuries of history, art and politics, not to mention dozens of wars, occupations and treaties, made and broken.

The duration (19 days) and intensity of this trip set a record for us: 34 churches and monasteries, 29 museums and 8 dance and concert performances. Our hotels were some of the best in Europe: Four Seasons Prague, Ritz Carlton Moscow, Grand Hotel Europe St. Petersburg, and Hotel Kämp Helsinki. The food was some of the best we have ever eaten; the weather was close to perfect. What’s not to like about that!

Prague, despite its wars, occupations and republic splits, is today on the threshold of a new era. It is a beautiful and warm city with 21st c. ambitions and the inspired people and leadership to make them happen. It is the quintessential example of a city that has weathered the worst and now offers the best. It should be close to the top of places that everyone must visit.

Russia is-uniquely-Russia. It has been variously influenced by the Kievan Rus, the Mongols, Poland, Sweden, France (Napoleon), Germany (Hitler), revolutions and civil wars, World Wars I and II, the creation and dissolution of the USSR and especially, by the Russian Orthodox Church. Over that time, it has had strong and weak leadership, but consistently it has fostered some of the world’s best artists, musicians, dancers and writers, not to mention, scientists (Sputnik I was launched in 1957). It represents (even after the 1991 split), an enormous territory (at one time, one-sixth of the earth’s surface) and possesses an abundance of the world’s greatest natural resources. Still, are today’s Russians

3 happier? Not necessarily; while things are better, many miss the “order” and comfort level of the Communist state. Moscow is experiencing an economic boom, notwithstanding the current global crisis. The standard of living is rising in general, especially for the “New Russians”, i.e. the oligarchs or wealthy elite.

Moscow has always been a city apart from the rest of Russia. In the recent years, this gulf has widened leading to a wave of immigration from the provinces and former Soviet republics. It is increasingly aware of the value of tourism and is reaching out as never before. On the other hand, St. Petersburg has retained its beauty and its brilliance, just as Peter I ordered. Russia’s capital from 1712-1917, in the 20th c. alone, that city has gone through three name changes, three revolutions and a horrific 900-day siege. For a city little more than 300 years old, it has an amazing history. And it may well be the most beautiful city in the world. Some call it the “Venice of the North.” While no longer the center of government, St. Petersburg remains the center of Russia’s arts and culture.

Helsinki, in most respects, cannot be compared with Prague, Moscow or St. Petersburg. Museums are a little less dramatic. Churches are Lutheran and, therefore, more conservative in decoration. Only 500,000 people live within the city limits. However, those people are warm and hospitable and a determined walking tour yields a variety of sights and sounds that are at once, enticing and unforgettable. Long the doormat for Sweden and Russia, it now has strong, popular leadership and has found its own comfort zone in the world. Most complain about its high taxation rates, but the quality of available education, health care and other social benefits is significant. The Olympic Stadium, the Finn’s coup in the 50’s, hasn’t changed a bit. Visiting only Helsinki leaves so much of the country unexplored, like Lapland and the Arctic. By the way, Finnair is a terrific airline!

So, enjoy your perusal. This journal ends with a Epilogue setting forth final memories of our discovery. We were afforded a wonderful window on a special and vital part of our planet.

______Charles H. Moore July 27, 2009

4 June 17 - Prague - Bridges to dynasties, history and culture

Czech Air’s Airbus 310 posted a “block time” in Prague’s Ruzyne International Airport of 6:07 am, 8 minutes ahead of time. Departing from JFK essentially on time, it had been a good flight: good food, excellent service and intermittent sleep disrupted with only occasional air choppiness.

Ruzyne Airport was built in 1936, modernized in 1960 and acquired by Air France in 1992. We moved through customs and baggage claim quite swiftly as we were one of the first arrivals; even the money changers had yet to open.

A Four Seasons hotel driver met us and comfortably drove us through pretty countryside and the attractive streets of Prague. We were greeted by the exceptionally friendly staff of the Four Seasons. Located in the Old Town, this two-year old hotel is right on the Vltava River, (think Smetana’s “Moldau”) the longest in the Czech Republic. It flows south to north, reaching the North Sea (with the help of the Elbe River).

We had already learned that the city of Prague, population 1.2 million (10 million for the entire Czech Republic), has four sections: Old Town (11c.), New Town (founded by Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emporer in 1348) and the Jewish Quarter, all on the east bank of the Vltava River, and the Little Quarter on the west bank. The river, itself, is spanned by many bridges, including (formerly) the Judith Bridge, which was washed out by a flood in 1342 and replaced by Charles IV. Only the tower remains of the former Judith bridge, now called the Charles Bridge.

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Three great dynasties have shaped the history of Prague: the Premyslids, the Luxemburgs and the Habsburgs. According to Slavonic legend, the Premyslids were founded by Princess Libusa as early as 900. Premysl Otakar II (1253-78) was killed on the battlefield at Marchfield, which paved the way for the Luxemburgs, who reigned from 1310 to 1471. This family produced one of Prague’s greatest rulers, Charles IV, who was King of Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire. In 1526, the city came under the control of the Austrian House of Habsburgs, whose rule lasted for 400 years, until October 28, 1918, when Czechoslovakia gained its independence. Since then, there has been a succession of presidents, notwithstanding the effects of war and occupation. World War II brought occupation by the German army, followed by four decades of Communism. Since the “Velvet Revolution” of 1988, Prague has created a new identity. In 1993, the Czech and Slovak Republics were split. Today, the Czech Republic is bordered by Austria, Germany, Poland and Slovakia.

For a more complete history of Prague, refer to the Appendix that follows. Back to our check in at the Four Seasons. Miraculously, despite the early hour, our room was ready, so we took a nap, followed by a lunch of delicious goulash soup and a three and half hour walking tour with a hotel-supplied guide called Mahulena.

We taxied directly to Prague Castle, high on a hill above the city, founded by Prince Bořivoj in the 9th c., overlooking the Vltava River. In about 1320, a town called Hradčany was founded as part of the Castle’s outer bailey. The Castle has been built and rebuilt many times, most notably during the reigns of Charles IV and Vladislav Jagiello (1471- 1516). There are all kinds of palaces, churches, government buildings (including two Houses of Parliament), an opera house, you name it. It’s the seat of the Catholic Cardinal and of the President. There is a wonderful sculpture of the first democratically elected president (1918-35), Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. Coincidentally, a similar statue was erected on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington D.C., across from the Cosmos Club, just before we moved from D.C. to New York. It now has more relevance to us. Architecture ranges from Renaissance to Gothic to Baroque. There are courtyards and gardens everywhere.

6 On the grounds of Prague Castle, the “signature” attraction was the gothic Catholic Cathedral, St. Vitus, which is truly splendid. Started in the 14th c., it was not finished until the 20th c. The original architect was French; the outer material is sandstone. All

kings of Czechoslovakia have been crowned and are buried there. The stained glass windows are relatively new (within the last 100 years) and dazzling. A 14th c. saint is entombed in a silver casket made from more than two tons of silver. Frescoes adorn many of the walls. The organ is enormous with pipes and console looming over the south aisle because the east end has only recently been finished. Services are held in St. Vitus for all

7 denominations. It’s interesting to note that while Catholicism is the dominant religion in the Czech Republic, the percentage of active Catholics has dropped to 25%.

As we walked down the hill, an amazing view of Prague unfolded, dotted with vineyards and flowering linden trees, the Czech Republic’s national tree. (The lion is the national animal, notwithstanding the fact that none has ever been sighted in the entire country.) We crossed the Vltava River on foot, passed the National Theater and an airy, modern sculpture of a man’s torso, before entering the Jewish Quarter, part of the Old Town. The Jewish population has fallen to 5,000, so six of the city’s synagogues are being converted to Holocaust museums (one has the names of 80,000 Jews who disappeared). One of the two surviving synagogues, the Old-New, was built around 1270 and is the one of the earliest gothic buildings in Prague; wonderful, simple architecture. Czechoslovakia had only one concentration camp, which was used as a transit, rather than an execution camp. All around, are beautiful, expensive apartments in the “history architectural style” (according to our guide).

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Old Town Square is spellbinding! Like most streets in Prague, it is all cobblestone pavers, a bit difficult to walk on but beautiful and long lasting. Highlights include the Protestant St. Michael’s Church in the baroque style, a 14th c. gothic Catholic Church with two towers, an 18th c. baroque palace and a 16th c. Renaissance building (former school), all in a row! The Old Town Hall, built in 1395, has a chapel inside and houses the famous and still working astronomical clock with a face containing 365 names of angels, zodiac signs and two sets of symbolic figures: four figures representing vanity, greed, death and pleasure, and four figures representing literature, science and history with an angel to protect them. Traffic-free, the Square serves as a lively meeting place with cafes and bistros abounding.

After a rest, we had dinner on the terrace of the Four Seasons’ Allegro restaurant, rated by many as the city’s best dining, and we were not disappointed! From our table, we watched a tethered (with passenger) balloon rise above Prague Castle. We finished our first evening in this amazing city with a walk along the Vltava. What a start to our holiday!

9 June 18 - Prague - Castles, palaces and more steeples

Another pleasant day: 50˚ Fahrenheit, a slight breeze and scattered clouds. Our original goal was to explore as many churches (steeples) as possible combined with museums scattered along the way. Our journey started, appropriately, on the Old Town side of the Charles Bridge, where we found the baroque Church of St. Francis, once part of the monastery of the crusading knights of the Cross with the Red Star. Crossing the bridge, an important Prague ritual, we found all kinds of artists and crafts salespersons, leading to the twin towers at the other end: a shorter “Judith” (all that’s left) and the taller “Charles”.

Next stop was the gothic (now baroque) Church of St. Thomas, home for English- speaking Catholics and originally created by Wenceslas II in 1285 as a monastery church of the Augustinians. It was destroyed by lightning and rebuilt in 1723. There is a copy of Rubens’ “Martyrdom of St. Thomas” over the altar; the original is in the Sternberg Palace. We then visited St. Nicholas Church in Little Town, whose robust dome and thin bell tower are an inseparable part of the Prague Castle skyline. Considered the most beautiful building of Czech Baroque, construction started in 1702, although the parish of St. Nicholas existed as early as 1283. Although there are no stained glass windows to allow light into the interior of the Church, it is still very dramatic, as is its exterior. An oval chapel of the dead, called the Chapel of St. Barbara, is located to the left of the entrance. It is richly decorated with artificial marble and gold. A fresco depicting St. Francis with the Church Fathers hangs above the Presbytery. Rococo classicist statues of four Eastern Church Fathers stands in front of the four supporting pillars of the main dome. We found modern Rembrandt-style paintings of Christ in the gallery (high balcony) where the organ console is also located. The late baroque organ was built in 1745 and after several “renovations”, was restored to its original sound in 1834.

After climbing hundreds of stairs to the Prague Castle, we visited one of six National Museums, the Castle’s Picture Gallery. There we saw 16th-17th c. paintings by Holbein the Younger, Tintoretto, Veronese and Titian, among others. One of the highlights was a painting of Jesus in a straw hat by Anthonis Santvoort. All of this was the collection of Emperor Rudolf and his ancestors. Emperor Matthias, Rudolf’s successor, moved much of the collection to Vienna. The Prague Castle Administration was able to recover and return the collection to the Prague Castle Picture Gallery in 1998.

10 Next stop was the Sternberg Palace, another one of the six National Galleries, and its “Collection of Old Masters” featuring 16th-18th c. masters from Italy, Spain, France and Flanders/Holland. We enjoyed the works of Tintoretto, Goya, El Greco, Brueghel, Rembrandt, Rubens, Hals, van Ruisdael, Poussin, Boucher, van Dyck, Cuyp and Jan Steen.

We then tried to get back on our “steeples chase” but St. George’s Basilica required tickets, and a long walk, so we had to pass it up. Founded by Prince Vratislav II, the basilica predates St. Vitus’s Cathedral and is the best-preserved Romanesque church in Prague. Instead, fortified by the “best ice cream in Prague”, we turned our full attention to the Lobkowicz Palace, one of the palaces that was constructed after the fire of 1541, when Hradčany (the old city) was almost totally destroyed. It dates from 1570, but most of the present palace is Carlo Lurago’s 17th c. reconstruction for the Lobkowicz family, which inherited it in 1627.

For 300 years, the palace was passed down to each reigning Prince Lobkowicz. After WWI, and following the abolishment of hereditary titles in 1918, Maximilian, son of the 10th Prince, demonstrated his support for the new Republic by making several rooms available to the Prime Minister’s office. At the beginning of WWII, the invading Nazis confiscated the Palace, along with other Lobkowicz family properties. Returned in 1945, the Palace and all other properties were seized once again just three years later by the Communists. After more than 40 years of Communist rule (1948-88), and a further 12 years seeking restitution, the Lobkowicz family are once again the owners of this Palace. In the spring of 2007, following more than 3 years of planning, careful restoration and refurbishment, the Palace opened to the public for the first time as a private family museum (part of the National Museum), with its permanent exhibit “The Princely Collection”. This visit proved to be one of the most enchanting and exhilarating cultural experiences of my life! Judith wisely insisted on an audio-guided tour, with 34 stops, narrated by living family members and accompanied by appropriate music. It was truly ethereal and an amazing retrospective of Czech culture.

Room after room of family portraits unfolded and much more, including Veronese’s David with the Head of Goliath, Ruben’s Hygieia and the Sacred Serpent, and Brueghel the Elder’s Haymaking (painted in 1535 and my favorite). There were so many exquisite paintings including two by Canaletto - The River Thames on Lord Mayor’s Day and The River Thames Looking Toward Westminster from Lambeth. There are rooms displaying decorative arts: from Romanesque silver-gilt and rock crystal crosses and Delft service to all kinds of armory and guns. My favorites were the result of the family’s patronage of music, especially that of Joseph František Maximilian, 7th Prince Lobkowicz (1772-1816), himself a talented singer, violinist, and violoncellist. His most important musical relationship was with Ludwig van Beethoven (when both were in their early twenties). The Prince guaranteed Beethoven an annuity that would allow him to work without financial worry. In turn, Beethoven dedicated a number of pieces to the Prince, including his 3rd (Eroica), 5th and 6th symphonies. We saw many of the original manuscripts (including Mozart’s instrumental arrangement of Handel’s Messiah!). Our tour ended with the chapel and the Palace’s magnificent reception rooms, today known as the Concert Hall, the Balcony Room and the Marble Hall. We did not see the Palace’s Library, considered one of

11 the great noble libraries of Europe, including a rare copy of the 48-line Bible (printed on vellum in 1462) and a copy of St. John’s Account of the Apocalypse. We had to save something for our next visit.

We left the palace in a daze; there is no way to adequately describe the scope, beauty or cultural preservation of this collection, all shared with us by living family members! One of the Lobkowicz sons took Judith’s tickets and orders for the audio tour sets! It was worth our entire visit to Prague and more.

We walked, maybe floated, down the big hill and fell into a small touring boat to “cruise” the Vltava for an hour. Aimlessly, we wandered into a street-side café in Old Town and had a terrific bottle of Czech white wine with pheasant (JMM) and branzino (CHM). We finished our day with a walk to the Old Town Square, saw the Town Hall’s great clock do its act on the hour and returned to the Four Seasons for a short gin rummy game (and a big win by Judith).

June 19 - Prague to Moscow - An introduction to the Tsars and some new friends

Leaving the Four Seasons was sad; it had been so comfortable, so elegant with the best service possible. Leaving Prague was even sadder. In the Middles Ages, during the reign of Charles II, Prague enjoyed a Golden Age and grew into a magnificent city larger than Paris or London. It has also faced wars, weak kings and occupation, but today, it’s a vibrant, positive city that is as exciting as any we have ever visited. We left only on the promise to ourselves that WE WILL RETURN.

Flying to Moscow for the first time provided another “first” time experience. Czech Air did its part: left on time, arrived on time. Our disembarking had to wait until a person checked our temperatures with a device that looked like a camera; that’s after we each completed a Mexican (read “swine”) flu certificate. Our Czech Air plane parked beside an Aeroflot plane named the “Kandinski”; leave it to the Russians to name their airplanes after their artists. The airport is under lots of construction (as is much of Moscow). The temperature was mild (65˚ F). Customs clearance was fine, but we were anxious about the baggage claim. In New York, we had purchased a bottle of Chivas Regal (the only way you can happily play gin if you’re losing). Now opened and lightly sampled, we foolishly thought it would pass security in a carry bag. Not so, but we were able to check one of our carry bags at the plane and to our relief, the Chivas showed up with the rest of our bags.

12 A Ritz Carlton driver met us; his first name was Yuri, just like the Russian who finished second in the 400 meter hurdles in 1952! Traffic, along the Moscow River, was somewhat heavy, as many Russians headed for their dachas on a Friday afternoon. The Ritz Carlton, also just built two years ago, is quite “old world” and very elegant. At 7:30 pm, our Waterways of the Tsars group—from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Trust of Historic Preservation, Channel 13/WNET and the Virginia Museum of Fine Art—gathered for cocktails and introductory remarks, followed by a lovely dinner in the Moscow I and II rooms. It’s a very interesting group of fewer than 50, plus lecturers and tour directors, coming from as far as California, Texas, Alabama, Maine, Italy and South Africa. Interestingly, there were only 9 couples. I have no idea what that means!

June 20 - Moscow - The world of Pushkin

After a buffet breakfast in the “old world” Caviarterra Restaurant, we bussed to the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, with our local guide, Rosa. On the way, we passed the History Museum (all red brick), the Resurrection Gate (entrance to Red Square), the former KGB building (now the Federal Security Bureau, or FSB), a 19th c. synagogue, President Medvedev’s office, the National Library, St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Part of our trip was along the Moscow River with the Kremlin Wall on our right.

Founded in 1647, the Pushkin Museum is made up of three buildings: one for private collections, one for Old Masters and the third for French Impressionism. We visited all three starting with the special exhibition hall where we had pre-opening exposure to the “Era of Faberge”, a private collection purchased through Sotheby’s from Malcolm Forbes’ collection among others. The “eggs for royalty” display of Easter eggs and all kinds of

13 jewelry was very impressive (ornate detail and gems), including a simple gold egg commissioned by Alexander IV, an enameled egg owned previously by Forbes (he had 11 of them at one time), an egg in the shape of a clock with a rooster on top and a Coronation egg with a tiny “surprise” carriage inside. A Faberge exhibit from the collections of the Kremlin, Queen Elizabeth II, and Malcolm Forbes toured the world five years or so ago.

We began in the Old Masters building with Italian “icons”. I was really taken by a painting of a boy with an arrow by Gioyanni Antona Boltraffio (1467-1516). Other favorites included a Christ by Veronese (1520-88) and St. John the Baptist by El Greco.

We toured a room full of Egyptian Coptic art, funeral portraits, painted during the patron’s lifetimes, and mummified bodies, before entering a room given over to Schliemann’s gold from Troy (dating to 2500 B.C.) recovered in Turkey, which was first exhibited in 1996. While this includes mostly jewelry (rings, earrings, etc.) the most sensational piece is a diadem (hair piece).

Next, we came to a room with six Rembrandts (all painted around 1600) along with two other rooms of Flemish paintings. Since I can’t make up my mind, my five favorite Rembrandts were:

• “Doubting Thomas” • “Portrait of Old Man” (Rembrandt’s brother?) • “Portrait of Old Woman” • “Portrait of an Elderly Woman” • “Incredulity of St. Thomas” We were also taken by Albert Cuyp’s 17th c. “Cattle on a River Bend”.

14 In the third building of the Pushkin, we “overdosed” on all our favorite French Impressionists, plus some we hadn’t ever seen before. At the entrance, there were two large Bonnards and a figural sculpture by Aristide Maillol. Judith found a wonderful painting by Theodore Gudin. We own a small seascape by Henriette Gudin who was taught to paint by her father.

With twenty minutes to spare, we dashed across the street to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. This Russian Orthodox Church was consecrated in 1883, having taken 44 years to build. Stalin ordered its destruction in 1931; it was rebuilt in 5 years in the 1990’s with the re-consecration service held on January 7, 2000. The church is beautiful, but overwhelming with a huge central dome. There are no seats. Everyone stands for Russian Orthodox services and there is no instrumental music, so no organ. The service is sung by men only with those lovely rumbling bass lines.

We drove to the new, elegant Bolshoi Restaurant down the boulevard, again passing the gate to the Kremlin and National Library of Russia. Luncheon was a “bit much” -- with five courses and wine!

During lunch, it had started to rain, so we changed our afternoon plans to include the New (State) Tretyakov Gallery to get really serious about 20th c. Russian painters beginning with the Avant-garde (1910) and through the Constructivist period. I had never heard of any of these artists but know that they are prized at the Tate, MoMA, etc.:

Mikhail Larionov (1881-1964) Natalia Concharova (1881-1902) Vladimir Tatlin (1888-1953) Niko Pirosmani (1862-1918) Alexander Shevchenko (1863-1948) Pyatr Konchalovsky * (1876-1956) Ilya Mashkov * (1881-1944) Alexander Kuprin * (1880-1960) Vasily Rozhdestuensky (1884-1969) Aristarkh Lentuluv (1882-1943) Robert Falk (1886-1958)

*Members of Society of Jack of Diamonds; one of the most significant artistic societies of the avant-garde.

15 In rooms that followed, we saw paintings by artists more familiar to us:

Mark Chagall (1889-1988) Yuri Amenkov (1899-1974) Vasily Kandinsky (1866-1944) Alexel Yawlensky (1864-1941) Pavel Filonov (1883-1941) – “most mysterious” Kazimir Malevich (1897-1935) – “black square on white” Lyubov Popoya (1889-1929) Nadezhda Udaltsova (1886-1961) Kusma Petrov-Vodkin (1897-1939) – Impressionist with focus on red

Finally, on another floor, we viewed an exhibit of “those that got away”: American Artist Descendants from the Russian Empire”, dedicated to the art of Russian émigrés to the United States. The exhibit was large and very good, and we were surprised by how many we knew including Rafael and Moses Soyer, Louise Nevelson, Mark Rothko, Archipenko and Jacob Lipschitz.

With the rain now only drizzling, we decided to walk through the Open Air Sculpture Park, including the corner they call “Graveyard of Fallen Monuments”. Some of the more familiar figures were: Lenin, Stalin, Kosygin, Brezhnev and Gorbachev.

There were many other sculptures, some very funny and some sad. There was a tiny one of Peter the Great and a huge one of that ruler (one of the three tallest sculptures in the world) to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the launching of Russia’s navy. Designed by Zurab Tsereteli and dedicated in 1999, this piece dominates the park. There was a band playing in the background, and the park’s gardens attracted much of our photographic attention.

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It had been a full day. With such an immense lunch, we settled for a relatively late snack at a nearby all-Russian restaurant (where we ate alone), Russian vodka on our hotel’s O2 Summer Terrace on the top floor (with a terrific 360 degree view of Moscow and where the Obamas would dine several weeks later) and a short game of gin rummy. My game is now on the upswing.

June 21 - Moscow - A private collection now public, and the ballet

After breakfast, we were off to the Old Tretyakov Gallery via the 12-lane boulevard heading straight for the conspicuous Gates to Red Square. The skies were overcast. Locals describe summer in Moscow as “nine months of expectation followed by three months of disappointment”. To get to the Gallery, you cross a bridge with trees decorated with padlocks which Russian lovers have placed there; very strange looking.

17 Paul Tretyakov, a wealthy merchant who was largely self taught in artistic matters, founded the Tretyakov Gallery in 1856 and then, presented his private collection of Russian art to the city in 1892. His brother Sergei also donated a number of works, and the Gallery’s collection has expanded since. Today, the Tretyakov has the largest collection of Russian art in the world. The building has a striking facade, designed by artist Viktor Vesnetsov, with a bas-relief of St. George and the Dragon at its center.

We proceeded to view Tretyakov’s collection of Russian art ranging from 12th c. icons to 20th c. paintings. Just some of these treasures included:

• V. L. Borovikovsky (1757-1865) — Catherine II in Garden with Dog • O. A. Kiprensky (1782-1836) — portrait of Pushkin and a self-portrait (“I see myself as if in a mirror but the mirror flatters me”) • K. P. Bryullov (1799-1852) — portrait of woman and a self-portrait • A. A. Ivanov (1806-58) — a mammoth painting of Christ with Russian soldiers, Jewish peasants and slaves, as well as “The Appearance of Christ to the People” 1833 (unfinished) • V. A. Tropinin (1776-1859) — former slave, became famous for his “Lady Lace Maker” and portraits of wife and son • P. A. Fedotov (1815-52) — “Storyteller” and “Matchmaker” • Pryanishnikov (1840-94) — “Jokers” • Grigoryevich Perov (1833-80) — evoked a “strong social conscience” with his “believers” and “more believers” • A. K. Savrasov (1830-97) — “Rooks Arrived” and other landscapes • I. K. Aviazovsky (1817-1900) — “Russian Turkey” (Istanbul) • M. Vrubel (1856-1910) — “Lilacs”, sketch for façade at Hotel Metropole, and painted “demons” to reflect his vision/philosophy • I. N. Kramskoy (1837-87) — critical realism; painted “Jesus in the Desert” (MOST POWERFUL); also portraits of Tolstoi and Tretyakov • I. I. Shishkin (1832-98) — “Noon in the Environs of Moscow” • V. M. Vasnetsov (1846-1926) — storyteller, “After the Birth” • V. V. Vereshchagin (1842-1904) — oriental influence; became pacifist • V. I. Surikov (1848-1916) — “historical” paintings, showed sketches with two major paintings • I. Y. Repin (1844-1930) — “Easter Parade” showing step-niece of Peter the Great scowling, as well as portrait of Moussorgsky-Kachina (opera) • I. I. Levitan (1869-1900) — “Golden Autumn”

Many of the rooms were filled with paintings by just one artist. It was extraordinary! Then, we proceeded to view the Gallery’s collection of icons, including the schools of Kiev (much symbolism), Novgorod (brightly colored) and Moscow. My overall favorite was a copy of “Holy Trinity” painted by Andrei Rublev in 1420; it depicts three angels representing the Trinity sitting at a table. The dominant brilliant blue color indicates spirituality. We later went into the Church of St. Michael where we saw the original of this powerful icon flanked by a wall of icons.

18 Lunch at Zurab Tsereteli’s Artist Gallery was fine, but visiting his immense indoor sculpture room with huge scale pieces was something else! Not only did he do Peter the Great’s celebration of Russia’s naval fleet (see June 20th), which you can see from all over the city, but he did all kinds of crazy reliefs and sculptures exhibited in this space. A giant walk-in “apple” got the most attention as, upon entering, the inside walls are covered in the most erotic figures in every conceivable position (I was embarrassed; the rest of the group found it very entertaining).

So off we went to Red Square, to see St. Basil’s Cathedral, Red Square including Lenin’s Tomb and/or GUM department store (the largest in the world). The Square was filled with a festival of all kinds of athletic events, including volleyball, soccer machines, climbing walls, basketball and “bike gymnastics” (with which I was intrigued). Judith and I concentrated on the Pokrovsky Cathedral (St. Basil’s) where with the (partial) help of an audio tour we visited the Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin, the Chapel of St. Cyprian, The Chapel of Three Patriarchs, The Chapel of the Holy Trinity, The Chapel of the Venerable Alexander, The Chapel of St. Nicholas, The Chapel of the Venerable St. Varlaam of Khutynsky, The Chapel of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem and The Chapel of Bishop Gregory. There are 10 chapels in all and some tricky climbing (no handicapped ramps in sight).

19 From there, we visited the Church of Our Lady of Kazan, most important for its bells which are played manually as are most “Russian bells”.

We walked past the mammoth History Museum, out through the Gates and to our hotel barely in time to dress for “Giselle”, a full-length, two-act ballet. The peasant girl, Giselle, was danced by Marianna Ryzhkina and Count Albrecht by Dmitry Gudanov. The music was written by Adolphe Adam (1803-1856), and this performance (Giselle’s 1,166th at the Bolshoi Theatre) was a tribute to Maya Samokhvalova (a former Bolshoi ballerina), who was there and was introduced. The theatre was quite elegant and in fact, had been redone to continue Bolshoi performances while the larger Bolshoi (established in 1776) is being refurbished. In Moscow, they hide a construction site with a massive curtain painted with images of what the building will look like, rather then the awful netting we use in the U.S.

Two hours and twenty minutes later we were heading out of the theatre for dinner. We ate at Café des Artistes (the same name as one of our favorite Manhattan restaurants), and had a quiet supper washed down with a good bottle of Chilean wine. Globalization is good, and we were having a terrific time!

20 June 22 - Moscow - Anniversary of Germany’s declaration of war on Russia (1941)

No rain today, so we walked to the Kremlin through a convoluted series of tunnels and pathways dictated by the Russian police who seemed to think all the alternatives should be closed off for the commemorative proceedings. In 1156, Prince Yurij Dolgorukiy chose the confluence of the Moskva (Moscow) and Neglinnaya Rivers (now paved over) as the leading site for the first wooden Kremlin. Late in the 15th c., Tsar Ivan III invited several leading Italian architects to build a sumptuous new complex. They designed the Cathedral of the Assumption and the Faceted Palace, among other buildings, in the form of early Russian and Renaissance styles. Over the years, this has been the Citadel of the Tsars, headquarters of the Soviet Union and now, the residence of Russian President Medvedev. The Kremlin’s wood walls were replaced with white limestone and then in the 15th c., with red brick. Today, it is an impressive and formidable fortress.

Alexander Park, at the foot of the Kremlin, was closed due to the Day of Mourning (flags flew at half mast), so we proceeded to the State Armoury, which was built in the 18th c. as a storage place/museum, next to the original 15th c. Armoury workshops, which were demolished in 1960 to be replaced by the Nikita Krushchev’s Kremlin Palace, the only modern building in the Kremlin.

Our tour of the State Armoury was fascinating, including: 1. Faberge eggs (10) Four were particularly interesting: • A tiny replica of the Cathedral of Assumption with mica windows and frescoes painted inside, along with a music box • Map of 1900 Trans-Siberian railroad with gold carriage and platinum engine nestled inside • Forget-me-not flower • 48 miniature emperors (1913)

2. Cabinet after cabinet of precious objects including the wedding crowns of Pushkin and his wife. 3. All kinds of armour — European style and Russian (much lighter) 4. Diplomatic gifts for Russian Tsars (i.e. 16th c. English silver and gift from Napoleon to Alexander I in 1807) 5. Olympian china service (200 pieces) — all mythology scenes 6. Clock with eagle feeding pearls to babies which plays 18 different tunes (appropriately received but sent directly to storage!) 7. Alexander I’s crib, which took 10 years just to restore 8. Costumes: • Catherine the Great left 20,000 gowns behind, many never worn • Coronation Crown of Ivan the Terrible (1547) conferred at age 16 • Double Throne: built for Ivan, age 16 (mentally retarded and mostly blind) and Peter, age 9. Ivan’s sister, Sofia, stood behind him to help him answer all questions, leading to the expression “behind every great man is a great woman”

21 • Sable fur trimmed royal crowns from the 15th c. Crowns became more traditional from Peter the Great’s era onward • Peter the Great’s coronation robe - he was over 6’7” but had very small feet • Carriages: oldest (15th c., made in England); Catherine the Great’s carriages prominently displayed the Romanov double-headed eagle

Somewhere in the carriage display I carelessly touched a roped stand, which set off an alarm - that place was really wired!

There are 9 churches on the grounds of the Kremlin. Responding to a teaching of Karl Marx in which he claims, “religion is the opium of the people”, many churches were repressed and even destroyed between 1917-1949, and Kremlin houses of worship were no exception. This represented the supreme separation of state, church and school. We visited two of the three significant Kremlin churches which have been restored, covering the “philosophy of life”: birth, crowning and burial.

The Cathedral of the Archangel was the last of the three churches to be built and the first one we visited. It was commissioned by Ivan III in 1505 and designed by a Venetian architect. It is the burial site of Russian princes and tsars from 1340 onward. The walls, pillars and domes are covered with superb frescoes, and the iconostasis contains an icon of Archangel Michael which dates to the 14th c.

The ornate Cathedral of the Annunciation was designed and created by Russian architects and artists, as opposed to Italians who designed and constructed the other Kremlin cathedrals. Commissioned by Ivan III in 1484 as a royal chapel, the whole of the interior, including galleries, is painted with frescoes. Four of the greatest Russian masters of icon painting, the monk, Feodosius, the son of the icon painter, Dionysius, Andrei Rublev and Prokhor Gorodetsky all contributed to the richness of decoration. This was the tsars’ family church.

22 The third cathedral is the Cathedral of the Assumption, which from the early 14th c. was the most important church in Moscow, and is where Russian princes were crowned and metropolitans and patriarchs of the Orthodox Church were buried. Unfortunately it was closed on the day of our visit. We were told it is filled with glorious icons, frescoes and the royal throne of Ivan the Terrible.

The highest point on the Kremlin hill is Ivan the Great’s Bell Tower (1508). The name is taken from the Church of St. Ivan Climacus, which stood on the site in the 14th c. It is called “the Great” because of its height (in 1600, this was the tallest spire in Moscow). Outside the bell tower, rests the Tsar Bell, the largest in the world, weighing over 200 tons. It was being cast when the Kremlin caught fire. Cold water was poured over it causing a huge fragment to be broken off. This fragment now sits beside the monumental bell and must weigh several tons by itself.

23 As we exited the Kremlin through a single gate, we were reminded that Russia’s original flag was changed during the Soviet period to the hammer and sickle, and has now been returned to the original red, white and blue. Very sobering was the thought that 3 million Russians were killed in the first two weeks after the outbreak of the war with Germany in 1941; 27 million Russians in total were killed during WWII, compared with the total number of casualties worldwide of 50 million.

After lunch and hotel checkout, we did a bus tour of Moscow. Our first stop offered two options: visit the Novodevichy Convent (founded by Basil III in 1524 to commemorate the capture of Smolensk from the Lithuanians) or the Novodevichy Cemetery, where many famous Russians are buried and is full of fascinating tomb sculpture. We chose the latter and saw the resting places of Anton Chekhov (playwright); Nikolai Gogol (writer); Sergey Prokofiev, Aleksandr Scriabin and Dmitry Shostakovich (composers); Nikita Khrushchev (1999) and Boris Yeltsin (2007); and many more (ballerinas, comedians, cellist, Mstislav Rostropovich (see photo at left), heart surgeon Bakulev, etc.). The monuments were fascinating and each had its unique story.

Our bus tour continued through Sparrow Hills, past the University of Moscow (30,000 students), the 1980 Olympic Stadium, (boycotted by the USA and others because of Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan), a new business district, a movie filming district, all the way to the Volga port. As we drove through the city, we saw several of the “Seven Sisters”, the huge gothic apartment buildings constructed in the Stalin era.

Even a brief visit to Moscow merits a serious reflection on the experience. From 12th c. origins as an obscure, defensive outpost, Moscow rose to govern one-sixth of the earth’s surface and cast her shadow even further. The story of Moscow’s history is laced with glory as well as setbacks, including the two centuries when St. Petersburg was the capital of Russia, and Moscow lived the life of a disgruntled dowager. A more complete chronology of the history of Russia follows in the Appendix.

Is Russia a better place to live today than during the Communist period? It depends on who you ask, but most would agree that the times are better, but not necessarily more certain. Communism did provide order which some miss. However, there is no question that Moscow has changed: it’s more prosperous, it’s growing and there appears to be more freedom. Population is estimated at 12-17 million. Is the country big? Yes; it’s the largest country in the world and incorporates eleven time zones. It’s interesting to note that the

24 USSR, at its zenith, recorded a total population of 250 million, compared to today’s 145 million.

Russians take their religion seriously, at least on the surface: 70% of Russians are registered in one denomination or another, but only one half of the claimants are active. Russian Orthodox is dominant, although Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and Jews (200 thousand) are represented. Still, Russians look sad to me. There is little expression and almost no animation in their faces. Alexander Pushkin wrote, “There is no truth when there is no love”. These words may provide the key to the understanding of the mysterious Russian soul and its everlasting search after truth - perhaps the essence of Russian life.

We were greeted at the Volga Dream with lots of enthusiasm, the traditional bread and salt and, of course, icy shots of vodka. We moved into our home for the week on the Promenade Deck, Cabin #310, which was very comfortable. After the usual safety drills and Captain’s greeting, we enjoyed an excellent dinner - and retired to bed (no gin rummy). The ship has a staff of 58; that’s more than the number of passengers.

25 June 23 - Uglich - Our 38th wedding anniversary!

Last night, we embarked on a journey of some 1700 kilometers (roughly 1100 miles), including the Moscow, Rybinsk and Onega locks (6 in each place), through gates weighing up to 300 tons. We traveled through mostly pastoral lands in relatively narrow canals and traversed the two largest lakes in Europe: Lake Onega and Lake Ladoga, as well as the Rybinsk Reservoir. Started in the early 1930’s, the purpose of the canal system was (and is) to deliver water to inland cities.

Our anniversary morning dawned with a temperature of 68˚ F (going up to 75˚F). We attended lectures on board, and enjoyed a leisurely day (including catching up on my diary). The staff left anniversary gifts in our state room: “towel art” that looked like two swans and a card and later, a bottle of cold champagne.

The producers of our trip had three objectives to share with us: Russian art, history and politics, in person, through lectures and by advanced reading. On June 23 and 24 we enjoyed two lectures by Simon Marks, Special Correspondent for the Jim Lehrer News Hour (PBS). A Brit, now living in Washington D.C., Simon lived and worked in Moscow for several years (above a McDonald’s) and is very articulate, insightful, and entertaining

Gorbachev (1985-91) and Yeltsin (1991-2000) In today’s lecture entitled “Democracy Deferred”, Simon developed the case for a broken system, politically and economically, the reshuffling of the political elite and the rise to power of Yeltsin. He characterized Yeltsin as a pragmatist (and Gorbachev’s alter ego), not a believer in a free market or democracy. Still, he praised Yeltsin for his realistic decision making. In 1993, Yeltsin put tanks on the streets as factories closed. At the same time, the super wealthy elite class was being created. Simon described Yeltsin as an alcoholic, who was very careful to make sure Putin would grant him immunity from the consequences of his errors in judgement. He described the Kremlin government as endemically corrupt.

Disembarking to visit Uglich, (Russian word for “sharp corner”) was fun; we were greeted with a band playing Mack the Knife and Hello Dolly! Founded in 1017, at one time, Uglich was a serious contender for fame. Today, it is a sleepy village with 36,000 residents, 8 schools, two colleges, 17 active churches and is very dependent on summer tourism. In fact, most of the village was there to greet us—behind their arts and craft concession stands. Mr. Smirnoff lived there at one time, and a Vodka Museum exists but we never found it.

26 After leaving the ship and running through the “gauntlet of commerce”, we passed the ever present Lenin Monument in a leafy square, just like in all other Russian towns, on our way to visit the 17th c. Church of Prince Dmitry on the Spilled Blood (built on the site where Ivan the Terrible’s son met his death), and the Church of the Transfiguration (noted for its green domes and baroque icons).

Our first stop was a church which had been converted to a museum, as so many had after the Revolution. Waiting for us, was a five-man, ten- year-in-training choir called Noah’s Arc, who performed two very well-received Russian pieces: one folk song and one sacred piece. Their bass singers were very strong; Judith purchased a CD of their music and gave them a much appreciated copy of St. Thomas’ recording of Rachmaninov’s Vespers.

Next we visited the Church of Prince Dmitry, built by Ivan the Terrible, to honor his youngest son. The first son drowned. Ivan IV killed his second son. I never understood what happened to his third child, and the death of the fourth boy is still a mystery. Choices of scenarios include: he killed himself with a knife during an epileptic fit; he was killed by henchmen of Boris Godunov (the scene is vividly painted on one of the church’s walls); or he disappeared to Poland, only later to return later as “False Dmitry”. In the end, the villagers caught and stoned Godunov’s men to death, but when the case was tried in Moscow, they concluded that Dmitry had killed himself and that the villagers should be punished: 200 were put to death, 2,000 were exiled to Siberia along with the church’s bell! The bell was returned to the church after 300 years; we weren’t told what happened to the people who were exiled. The church, built on the spot Dmitry is said to have been murdered, is colored red (for blood) and white (for purity). As we exited, we learned that part of the floor was made of cast iron panels, which are heated to help control the cold and damp of Russia’s severe winters.

We then visited a palace dedicated to Dmitry, where we learned that this “False Dmitry”, after reigning for eleven months, was proved to be an imposter. He was killed and his remains put in a cannon and shot back to Poland! Our final visit was the 15th c. Cathedral of Transfiguration, which boasted a copy of a Raphael painting as a fresco. The Cathedral was rebuilt in the 18th c. and has a very impressive iconostasis.

27 We stopped at the only ATM in town, and set our sights on shopping. Uglich is world reknowned for its watches. We didn’t get one of those, but Judith got a pretty amber pendant. In the evening, the chef and staff honored us with a special anniversary cake. After dinner, we were entertained by the Vis-á-vis string quartet, four attractive young ladies from Moscow, who performed Haydn, Schnittke and Tchaikovsky; really good. We still had our champagne to finish, along with a partial game of gin rummy. It had been quite a day!

June 24 - Plyos - Russian politics update and our first stop on the Volga

We sailed out of the canal and into the Rybinsk Reservoir and turned east into the Volga River which was much wider than the earlier canal. The scenery was spectacular as we passed miles of forest land and quaint villages with glorious church domes. The weather continued to be good, but bird life, outside of the ever present gulls and a few terns, was non-existent.

Sleeping late, I just made breakfast, while Judith didn’t. Still, she did attend the introductory Russian language and singing classes, which I passed in order to shower and shave. It’s all a matter of priorities, and we both managed to make Simon Marks’s lecture entitled:

Putin (2000-08) and Medvedev (2008 to present) - “Russia Resurgent” Marks talked about “who they are” and “how they get along”, starting with Yeltsin’s resignation on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1998, his request for leniency and his plan for Putin to serve as Acting President for three months. Yeltsin had run through a string of Prime Ministers (some called this job “a one way trip to obscurity”), so at least the press was not expecting a smooth transition from the post of Prime Minister. Putin’s background is career KGB, and prior to that, he worked for the Mayor of St. Petersburg. He is seen as young, charismatic, determined and in tune with Russian youth. He demonstrated distrust for the past (Yeltsin era) and was against “loans for shares” and the oligarch movement. Marks readily admitted that Putin’s success and prosperity were driven by oil and gas. Putin led a crackdown on criticism and pushed for a “support the leader” acceptance. In the process, he was seen as tough on NGOs and faith-based organizations. His successful core strategy was to restore stability, pride and prosperity while overlooking any necessary infringements of “civil liberties”; that is, he saw a broader national purpose. Still, he was term limited (according to the Russian Constitution, which he probably could have changed given his popularity). As we have seen, Putin used his “levers of power” and anointed as president, his Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev (Putin’s former campaign manager and chairman of Gazpro). In effect, the lead guy in the Kremlin swapped jobs with the lead guy in the Russian White House, and “Putin’s poodle” conveniently solved Putin’s two-term limitation. Marks then answered a variety of questions, including international business partnerships with Russia (they have no respect for property rights) and the appropriate U.S. policy (think “realism and respect” as we face this “nuclear armed petro state”). Marks thinks this “political act” will last as long as Putin wants it to and expects that he’ll return as President in several years.

28 After lunch, we took in a lecture on Plyos, and one on Yaroslavl, the next day’s stop, as well as a documentary film “Russia — Land of the Tsars (from its origin to Ivan the Terrible)”. Plyos is the smallest town of the Golden Ring with only 2-300 residents and 9 churches. The streets are lined with wooden houses. We visited the Travkin Museum of Primeval Man. This particular house was built by the present occupant’s great grandfather. Among other things, we inspected shoes made of both birch and linden; they were so rough the wearers had to first wrap their feet with cloth. While there was a cooking oven in the house, much of the cooking took place in the “back yard”.

We then visited the house museum devoted to landscape painter, Isaac Levitan, who came to Plyos in 1888, at the age of 28, to find his inspiration and stayed for several years. Before returning to the boat, Judith and I explored, the Eternal Peace Wooden Church (see photo above). There’s a large domed church across the street that’s in ruins, but is in the first stages of restoration (below). Very romantic!

29 Piano music before and after dinner was the order of the day. The sunset at 10:00 pm was magnificent!

Courtesy of Giack Selloni

June 25 - Yaroslavl - The oldest city on the Volga

It got colder overnight (60˚F) and as we went further north clouds hovered, but it wasn’t raining. We got an early start (8:15 am) for our exploration of Yaroslavl (population 638,000), at one time referred to as the “capital of merchants”. Founded by Prince Yaroslavl the Wise in 1010, the town is preparing to celebrate its 1,000th anniversary. At one time, there were 50 Orthodox churches. Since the Revolution, there are only 20. There’s also one each of Catholic, Muslim, Lutheran and Baptist churches, as well as the usual monasteries and nunneries.

Passing a leafy square with the ever present Lenin Monument and a Drama Theatre (built in 1750, and decorated with Greek mythology reliefs), we visited the 16th c. Transfiguration of the Savior Monastery, noted for its architecture and icons. We also toured the small Church of the Epiphany, decorated with five-color glazed tiles. The monastery, surrounded by white walls, has lovely gardens and a very interesting sculpture of black arrows at its

30 entrance representing the “Wounded Russian”. A Byzantine church serves as the monastery’s concert hall. A Gothic-style bell tower was added later but it, too, is under restoration. We did have an outdoor bell concert by “Andrew”, who played twelve small

bells attached to his fingers by strings. The monastery is also famous for its library, apples and honey (which is produced in a miniature “village” of beehives). Two kinds of crosses decorate the steeples and domes – the classic Roman one and one much more decorative type.

Yaroslavl has two rivers: the Volga and the Kostromaq. Our tour guide imparted to us a great appreciation for the charm and prosperity of this place (apartments sell for $5,000 per square meter). From 1917 to nearly 1962, churches were mostly closed, during which time some were converted to museums. The Church of Kazan was built in 1995, and the Eternal Flame War Memorial was built in 1962 and faces the Church of St. Michael. The buildings of Yaroslavl were largely unharmed by WWII.

Next, we visited the Church of St. Elijah the Prophet, one of five churches being patronized by UNESCO, with its richly decorated icons and five domes. It has garlands from linden trees on its iconostasis and wonderful frescoes, but no heat. Next to it is the winter church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, with a heating system. There, we were entertained by a four- man choir who sang “Glory to Jesus” and a romantic ballad. Judith purchased the CD in a glazed tiled case. Outside, in the vestibule are frescoes of the Last Judgment. After wandering through a marketplace off the square and, one more time, hitting the ATM to replenish our supply of rubles, we visited the Institute of Artists, which was featuring a wide assortment of exquisite lacquer boxes (made of a base of papier mâché, plus 12 or more coats of paint and lacquer). We purchased one depicting Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Our box had been made in the village of Kholuy, and will be used as a special gift.

After returning to our boat and having lunch, we listened to our first talk by Helen Evans, specialist in Byzantine Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She attended a worldwide conference of Byzantinists in Russia in 1991 at the time of Gorbachev’s arrest (August 18, 1991). Gorbachev’s most notable achievement was, however unwittingly, to dismantle the USSR, with a minimum of bloodshed — earning him admiration abroad and enmity at home. An eight-man “Emergency Committee”, comprised of the heads of the military, police, KGB, and government was formed to affect a coup. The plotters believed that

31 Gorbachev would accede to the demand that he resign, which he flatly refused to do. The following day, Moscow broadcast an appeal to the Russian people, claiming that Gorbachev’s policies had failed and left the country ungovernable and on the verge of collapse. The plotters sent tanks into Moscow to arrest Yeltsin, who boldly made his way to the Russian White House, passing through the line of tanks and daring anyone to arrest him. His refusal to acquiesce proved the turning point; standing on a tank, Yeltsin demanded the reinstatement of Gorbachev as President, called for a general strike, declared the Russian Federation sovereign and ordered all authorities to obey him. Eventually, the military itself split, with some tanks and units changing sides and coming to defend the White House. The plotters had to abandon their plans as, by August 21st, they had obviously suffered a complete rout. Gorbachev now returned to Moscow, but the capital in fact already belonged to Yeltsin.

So, against this backdrop, Evans’ address was “Present at Gorbachev’s Arrest”; and she shared her experiences in this unprecedented situation, with the USSR being dissolved in December. She described the sense of the interplay between Moscow, St. Petersburg and cities like Yaroslavl, and between church and state.

After a brief review of the next day’s visit to Goritsy, we walked ten laps around the boat and caught up on our diaries, while others met with our chef for pelmeni and blini cooking lessons. Around 5:00 pm with the sky clearing, we passed the city of Rybinsk and its magnificent 19th c. Cathedral of the Savior of the Transfiguration. An hour later, we were enjoying the string quartet we had heard two nights before. They played selections from Prokofiev, Dvorak and Alyabyex (“Nightingale”), as well as three more modern encores. At the same time, we navigated the Rybinsk going through locks no. 11 and 12 to raise our boat to the level of the Reservoir, formed in 1941, when the Rybinsk hydroelectric station was built.

Another “festive” Captain’s cocktail party and dinner, and we were ready for gin rummy and bed, passing up the after-dinner piano music.

June 26 - Goritsy - Two monasteries, Basil II gets a “Terrible” son, and we see eagles

Another great day, 75˚ F going up to 80˚ F and virtually no clouds. After breakfast, we watched the documentary film “Russia – Land of the Tsars”, part 2: “From the Time of Troubles to Peter the Great”. Then we were ready to step ashore at Goritsy (“small hills”), a small town of 600 residents founded in the 9th century White Lake region. We were to visit two significant monasteries. En route, we passed lots of wooden houses which are heated exclusively by wood stoves. There are already huge piles of split and stacked wood in readiness for the long Russian winter. The area is dotted with glacier lakes in which can be found 29 different species of fish.

32 The Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery (Monastery of St. Cyril on the White Lake) is in the village of Kirilov, some 8 km away from the river. The legend is that a monk from Moscow named Cyril had a vision from the Blessed Virgin that he should go north and found a monastery. This 11’ high fortress was used not only as a monastery, but also as a defense against the Swedes and Poles during a five-year siege. The main church was built in 1497 by 20 men in 5 months. Its icons from all three schools — Moscow, Novgorod and Kiev — are magnificent, including “Trinity” (3 angels), “Our Lady of the Burning Bush” and “Resurrection” (descent into hell). Most importantly, Basil II desperately wanted an heir. In time, he banished his first wife to a convent and took another (younger) wife but without much more success. The couple prayed for a son at Kirillo and a miracle happened —they had a son, who would become Ivan IV “the Terrible”. This piece of good luck resulted in Kirillo-Belozersky becoming the wealthiest in Russia because of its “VIP” patronage.

The two monks who founded Kirillo Belozersk in 1392 eventually split on fundamental differences, so Ferapontov left to establish his own, to which we then drove. On the way, we passed a parish church (closed in 1917) and another Lenin Monument in the town of Kirillo (population 8, 000). Under a clear blue sky, the Ferapontov Monastery, built on a lake, is enchanting. Its cathedral is dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin and to the Virgin Mary. The frescoes are by Dionysius, perhaps the most important Moscow artist of his day. In 1502, Dionysius and his two sons completed this monumental work in only 34 days. Of note is that there are 50 colors in the frescoes using only 5 minerals. The Dionysius figures are very distinctive: elongated (skinny) bodies and small hands and feet. There is a side chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas. Both monasteries function as museums today.

We returned to our dock around 2:00 pm, where the merchants were all selling fur coats, hats, etc. Disciplined as we are, we bought nothing. Once underway, we made our way through Lake Beloye (White). Following lunch, we listened to another lecture by Helen Evans: “The Monasteries of the North”. She covered the monasteries that we had just visited, pointing out that Kirillo Monastery had the most important library in Russia in the 17th c. (“the power of Moscow to the north”) and developed the role played by St. Cyril and the “miracle” of Ivan IV’s birth. She described the use of icon covers (or veils made of silver) and why they never cover the face or hands. She particularly emphasized the differences in the Latin/Roman liturgy versus Constantinople Orthodoxy and how the Russians have developed profound rituals (and attraction) for their own style of worship.

33 Having learned, earlier in the day, that life expectancy in Russia is 73 years for women and only 57 for men, I decided to skip the Russian language and singing lessons and concentrate on sunning myself. We did pull ourselves together in time to make the traditional Russian dinner accompanied by Russian vodka. We were all expected to make some effort to wear a Russian outfit. The best I could muster was a red-striped shirt!

Before dinner, Judith and I were walking laps around the boat and mostly complaining about the lack of bird life—nothing but sea gulls, scarcely even a tern—when we spotted an eagle on top of a dead tree! We were thrilled! Then, at our Russian dinner, I was seated facing the porthole, enjoying an endless panorama of birch trees, when I spotted another, which turned out to be two eagles sharing a post. We had the whole dining room cheering—in English and Russian.

Courtesy of Giack Selloni

After dinner, we enjoyed our boat’s pianist, Vasiliy, performing Tchaikovsky’s “The Seasons”—one short piece for each month introduced by a verse from a famous Russian poet or author. Quite lovely. A rare visit to our TV, which was almost exclusively devoted to the death of Michael Jackson, completed our “Russian Day”.

June 27 - Kizhi - Log cathedrals and onion domes

I woke up during the night, and we were in queue to go through Lock 6, to be followed by Locks 5 to 1. This adjustment of 70 meters, was our greatest elevation change during the river trip. We entered the Vytegra Canal, near the town of Vytegra with its over 10,000 persons, and then came our grand entrance into Lake Onega. This is the second largest lake in Europe after Ladoga. It is fed by 50 rivers and 1,000 streams, but only the Svir River

34 originates from the lake. Lake Onega boasts 40 species of fish, including trout and salmon, and 200 varieties of birds (it’s about time but we still didn’t see any).

After breakfast, we attended our “Byzantinist’s” third lecture - this one on the “origins of icons”. Helen Evans traced that origin to the 4th c., based on letters about icons of the time that have survived. She reported that there are great icons that date from the 6th c.; that in the 7th c., a religious “civil war” broke out with respect to their use and that it was not until 843 that the church affirmed the legitimate use of icons. 12th c. icons were identified in Novgorod (“mother of Russian Orthodoxy”), showing Boris and Gleb, the first Russian martyrs. (Evans refers to Novgorod as Russia’s “Williamsburg, Virginia”.) John VIII and Kiev were willing to accept a union with Rome in 1439, but not all were willing to go along with this. Actually, Constantinople set the stage for Russian Orthodoxy in 988, when ecclesiastic leaders visited Hagia Sophia to sort out the choices between Catholicism, Judaism, Muslims and Orthodox beliefs. Orthodoxy reform came in 1666 (in form of the “third Rome”) and lasted until the Revolution in 1917.

In short, the three most famous and significant Russian icons are Rublev’s “Holy Trinity” (which shows the godhead as a triune), the “Virgin of Vladimir” (we saw the original of this in Moscow) and the “Virgin with the Golden Hair” (which we will see in the Hermitage).

We passed on the Russian dance class, but I did manage to make the Captain’s bridge tour. The Volga Dream, considered to be the most comfortable ship in these waters, is 96 meters long x 15 meters wide (the locks are 17 meters wide). She has three engines, three rudders, no stabilizer but all kinds of electronic gear. She travels at a maximum speed of 14 knots, and her season runs from April through October. These lakes freeze in November; for

35 example, the island of Kizhi is served by a bus which runs on the ice in winter. Moscow is 102 meters above sea level; St. Petersburg is 15 meters below sea level, making our total elevation change on this trip 117 meters. All crew shifts, whether on bridge or in the engine room, are 4 hours, with 8 hours rest around the clock.

After lunch, we watched a History Channel documentary on the Hermitage, this part focusing on Flemish and Dutch painters including:

• Rubens – “Descent from the Cross” • van Dyck (student of Rubens), who became painter for the court of Charles I • Jordaens – “Bean King”

Peter the Great loved and collected seascapes. Church and royalty were becoming secondary players as private collectors took more of a role in amassing great collections. The Hermitage collection of Dutch painters includes:

• Rembrandt – “Descent from the Cross” • Hals • Steen (humorist) • Claes – “Breakfast with Crab” • van Ruisdael – “Watery Gloom”

The Kizhi State Museum of Architecture and Cultural History was founded in 1966. Situated on Kizhi Island in Lake Onega, it is one of the first outdoor museums in Russia. The architectural collection includes 87 buildings and structures. The center of the attraction is the Kizhi Architectural Ensemble with the Cathedral of the Transfiguration and the Church of the Intercession — outstanding monuments of traditional wooden architecture built in the 18th and 19th centuries. Your first sight of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration is guaranteed to take your breath away. The world community has recognized its value by including the Kizhi Pogost on the World Heritage List of UNESCO in 1990. During the brief period of the museum’s existence, many buildings have been moved to the island, among them are the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus, the oldest wooden church in Northern Russia, several chapels and nearly 20 farmhouses and many other buildings such as barns, granaries and saunas.

36 Courtesy of Jamie Salomon

37 The 22-domed, 5-level (123’ high) Cathedral of the Transfiguration (1714), with its transfixing architecture, gives the appearance of “upward movement” and is mesmerizing. Its siding is made of pine and aspen logs; shingles (some 30,000 of them) are aspen and applied with 3 nails. The logs that make up the building’s walls are hewn and no nails were used in the construction. The domes are the traditional onion domes of various sizes. There is a myth that the entire church was built by one carpenter who, when it was complete, threw his hammer into the lake, exclaiming that “There will never be another church like this!” The church is currently closed as it will be taken apart and rebuilt by 2018. They have already built an internal metal superstructure to contain the form and expect to replace 18% of the logs. It’s a mind-boggling project. The church’s icons are in gold frames and have been moved to a museum.

The Church of the Intercession (1764), although smaller, takes a similar form and required 3,000 hewn logs to construct. It is heated and has been conducting year-around services since 1994. Its iconostasis is predictable but lovely. There is a separate bell tower (1862).

38 We also visited one of the homes in which 10 to15 people would sleep in one room, mostly on hay-filled mattresses. There’s also a wonderful windmill to grind grain.

The Chapel of the Archangel Michael (17-18th c.) has a bell tower and faces another part of the lake. As you can imagine, bells were an important (sometimes the only) means of communication in this period. The bell master played his 9 bells for us, in a similar manner as our man, Andrew, in Yaroslavl. There was time for shopping as we wandered back to the boat through vast fields on wood walkways (to avoid the vipers!). It was over 80˚ F and very sunny. Our young travelers went swimming where the water temperature was a chilly 58˚ F.

After dinner, we passed on the “Cranes are Flying” movie to check out world developments on BBC and to play a little gin rummy. Cruise-wise, we had to retrace our steps in Lake Onega in order to head west on the Volga.

June 28 - Mandrogi - Vodka culture and Farewell Dinner

It’s raining hammers and sickles! After breakfast, we watched another “Russia – Land of the Tsars” documentary, which let us trace the lives of Elizabeth (daughter of Peter the Great), through Catherine the Great to Nicholas I. We covered the War of 1812, the burning of Moscow and the defeat of Napoleon, all as a dominant Russia was contemplating freedom, civil rights and a constitution (they called it their “age of enlightenment”).

The village of Mandrogi is unique in respect to its geographic, historical and natural parameters. One of the largest villages on the shores of the River Svir, it was crucial in Peter the Great’s effort to open a seaway to the Baltic. In Mandrogi, they produced iron, quarried granite and constructed ships. The village was destroyed in WW II and completely disappeared from the record books. A St. Petersburg entrepreneur and patron of the arts had

39 the idea to revive the village and turn it into a tourist destination in 1996. Despite the now drizzling rain, we enjoyed seeing the wooden houses, richly decorated with carvings, and the Vodka Museum. Actually, it turned out to be a

high-end shopper’s paradise for crafts with artisans in every room (jewelry, Matreshka dolls, lacquer-ware, amber jewelry, embroidery, paintings, etc.). The Vodka Museum handles 2,800 different kinds of vodka and, has on display over 2000 unique bottles from all over Russia. Our admission ticket qualified us for 4 shots each; we quit after 2, including “Ctahoapt” and one called “birch tree”.

After lunch (which was to have been on deck) of terrific bar-b-qued pork ribs, we set sail for St. Petersburg (215 miles) on the Svir River and through Lake Ladoga. Rachmaninoff’s “Vespers” by our Saint Thomas Choir (courtesy of Judith Moore) was played to listeners in the lounge prior to a final lecture by Helen Evans, “Medieval Muscovy: Real and Remembered”. In her presentation, she reviewed the limitation on the Russians to “westernize” Moscow (each tsar trying to distinguish his/her own reign), in terms of inadequate engineering and contractors who couldn’t make structures big enough or high enough (i.e. they didn’t know how to construct large vaults or domes out of brick). So, Ivan II imported Italian architects and workers to build St. Basil outside the Kremlin and tried to compete with Jerusalem, as he looked to the east for inspiration. In St. Petersburg, Peter I and Catherine II (the Greats) reached west to Europe for their neoclassical and baroque styles of architecture. They added the first clocks to their bell towers, and imported bells from the best foundries in Holland. Evans finished by telling us that we would see a church similar to St. Basil in St. Petersburg, the Church on Spilled Blood.

In our daily agenda bulletin in the morning, we were invited to the Captain’s Farewell Cocktail Reception and Dinner, with the suggestion that we “wear the best you brought”. We did, including Judith wearing her new yellow, brown and cherry amber beads. Our six- course farewell dinner, starting with caviar and finishing with Baked Alaska, was terrific; we followed that with a nightcap in the lounge to check out a beautiful 10:15 pm sunset. We’ll miss the Volga River, and especially the Volga Dream.

June 29 - St. Petersburg - Peter’s dream and the city of palaces and poets

It was 65˚ F and overcast which was not surprising when you consider that St. Petersburg only gets 60 days of sun per year. We had worked our way from Lake Ladoga to our dock via the Neva River, which enters into the Gulf of Finland, and which gave Peter the Great his most prized goal: access to the Baltic Sea.

40 Founded in 1703, within a few years St. Petersburg had become the capital of the vast Russian empire and quickly gained a reputation as one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, as it still is today.

The second largest city in Russia, St. Petersburg’s population is 4.5 million. Named for the Apostle Peter in 1703 as St. Petersburg, it became Petrograd in 1914, Leningrad in 1924 and in 1991, went back to being called St. Petersburg. It served as the capital of Russia from 1712 to 1918, when Moscow reassumed its role as the seat of government. St. Petersburg has 65 theatres, 80 rivers and canals, 320 bridges and 42 islands. 10% of the city is covered by water, hence the name “Venice of the North”. It has also had its share of floods; as it lies 15 meters below sea level. It’s also known as the “City of Palaces”; there are 500 of them. St. Petersburg’s represents 46 different nationalities.

While our destination for the day was the Winter Palace and the Hermitage, we also had a great bus tour and saw or passed by:

• Oldest porcelain business in the world (1744) • Hundreds of spectacular buildings, palaces and churches. Peter the Great insisted on stone construction (no more flammable wood like Moscow) and required barges to deliver granite blocks as payment in order to dock. Today, most buildings are painted stucco over brick. • The first monastery was erected by Peter the Great in 1710 in honor of Alexander Nevsky, who defeated the Teutonic Knights in 1242. There are two churches in the monastery we would visit: Annunciation (1722) and Old Testament Trinity (1790), as well as a cemetery, the burial place of many famous Russians. • Empress Elizabeth’s girls school (“New Maidens”) designed by Trezzini, an extravagant blue and white secular building, along with an 1807 extension • The Square of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat • Pink Church of All Sorrow • Small Marble Palace • Summer Garden (1704), along Fountain St. • Michael Castle, across from the former headquarters of the Singer Sewing Machine • St. Simon and St. Mary Church • Nevsky Prospekt (“main drag”) • Many sculptures by Pyotr Klodt

We went straight to the Winter Palace to visit the Hermitage Museum after it was closed to the public for the day. Preceded by three earlier versions on this site, the existing Winter Palace (1754-62) is a superb complex of Russian Baroque. The architect of the original Winter Palace was Bartolomeo Rastrelli (1700 – 1771), who worked for Peter the Great. Later, Catherine II, preferring a simpler Classical style, added the more intimate Small Hermitage. In 1771-87, she built the Large Hermitage to house her growing collection of art. The Theatre was built in 1785-87; the New Hermitage in 1839-51. The New and Large Hermitages were opened by Nicholas I in 1852 as a public museum. From 1918-39, the Winter Palace was slowly incorporated into the museum ensemble. Today, the combined

41 museums welcome 3 million visitors a year. There are 2.7 million works of art in the collection.

Our visit began with the Jordan staircase, where each Epiphany season they bless the water in the Neva River. We passed through all kinds of rooms: Small Throne, Emblem, Gallery of the Battle of 1812, Large Throne Room, etc. We passed through 30 rooms of Italian paintings (Botticelli, Robusti, Veronese, Tintoretto, Canaletto, etc.); Spanish paintings (Velazquez, Goya, Murillo, El Greco); and of course, the Rembrandts. Titian’s “Dance”, Caravaggio’s “Lute Player”, and Rembrandt’s “Return of the Prodigal Son” stand out. But to be honest, we were on “painting overload”, not to mention sculptures and furniture. It was a good thing that we went to lunch at the Noble Assembly, after which we were finally able to check into the impressive Grand Hotel Europe.

By 4:00 pm, we were walking to the Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood (also known as the Resurrection Church of Our Savior). It was built on the spot where on March 1, 1881, Tsar Alexander II was assassinated. The story is told that Alexander II (“the Liberator”) had been told that he would have 8 attempts on his life. On March 1, 1881, a man threw a bomb that was intended for him but missed. Despite protestations by his guards, Alexander insisted on getting out of his carriage to see if he could help the injured, when another attacker killed him with a second bomb. In 1883, his successor, Alexander III, launched a competition for a permanent memorial. Foundations were laid in October 1883 for the Church on Spilled Blood. Completely covered in sparkling colored mosaics, the overall spectacular effect of the church is enhanced by the imaginative juxtaposition of materials. Inside, more than 20 minerals, including jasper, rhodonite, porphyry, and Italian marble are lavished on the walls and columns, the iconostasis, icon cases, canopy, and domes. It took 25 years to build. The interior reopened in 1998 after more than 20 years of restoration. It’s quite mind-boggling.

That night, we went, on our own, to hear the St. Petersburg’s Academic Symphony Orchestra play Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concertos No. 3 and 4 with soloist Kun Woo Paik (Republic of Korea) and conductor Alexander Dmitriev. Paik had played the Nos. 1 and 2 the previous evening. It was outstanding! Our plans for dinner were thwarted because the

42 restaurant was closed for a private party. So, we went next door and had a four-cheese pizza. We’re back to “city life”.

June 30 - St. Petersburg - Two palaces: built, destroyed and restored; and Hermitage #2

We were impressed with the Grand Hotel Europe, even before we had experienced their buffet breakfast! It starts with champagne and caviar (seriously) and soothes you with harp music while you enjoy a variety of fruits, meats, cheeses, etc. from all over the world. This was before 8:00 am, at which time our buses left for Pavlovsk Palace.

It was a nearly cloudless day and got up to the mid 70s˚ F. The palace is southeast of St. Petersburg, about a 75 minute ride as you work your way through the “old” part of the city, through the Moscow District and into the country. We followed, for a while, Nevsky Prospekt, enjoying the Art Nouveau buildings, Academy of Royal Ballet and wonderful gardens and flower pots along the street, until we crossed the bridge at Fountain River. There were originally 5; now there are only 2 identical bridges that cross this waterway that bustles with barges and sightseeing traffic.

Among other things, St. Petersburg is known as the “City of Poets”, Pushkin and Dostoevsky to name two. On Moscow Avenue, we noticed obelisks, which serve as mile markers for the trip to Moscow (700 km away). We passed a statue of Dmitry Mendeleyev (1834-1907), who compiled the Periodic Table of Elements, and the Church of “Teetotalers”. We were told that St. Petersburg has the deepest metro in the world, because it passes under so many navigable waterways. We passed, again, the New Maidens Convent, adjacent to Smolnyy Cathedral; the Arch of Triumph, celebrating Russia’s victory over Turkey and Prussia; the large Siemens operations and lots of faceless apartment buildings. Russians rank their post-revolution apartments into 4 categories: Stalin (biggest), Brezhnev, Gorbachev and Modern. An average Russian apartment is 2 rooms (total of 60 square meters); they sell for U.S. $4,000 per square meter (or an average of $240,000). In Moscow Square, we saw (of course) a big statue of Lenin and in Victory Square, a monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad, called “The Winners”. The Intourist Hotel we stayed in on our first visit to St. Petersburg, (now called the Park Inn) is opposite this square. By now, we’re well out into the country.

The town of Pavlovsk (population 60,000) is charming. It’s a town in which many wealthy St. Petersburgers have their summer places. There’s a statue of Johann Strauss, The Younger, who was rejected by his lover’s mother and was sent packing (as Judith would say, “good riddance”). We will visit two important 17th c. palaces today, Pavlovsk and Tsarskoe Selo. The challenge to assimilate this vast amount of information is real but well worth the effort. The architecture, the art and the gardens are unbelievable, but what stood out for me are the following points:

1. The cost to so many (it was all about royalty) and the far-ranging collecting of art and the amazing gifts received by Russian royalty as they traveled throughout Europe to seek the “treasures of the west”.

43 2. The devastation caused by the Nazis - first, as they occupied these palaces (900-day siege in 1941) and then, the destruction (bombing) they wrought as they retreated. These palaces were mostly ruined; a huge effort was made to remove and hide the portable objects before the war but only a percentage of the art objects could be saved. 3. The amazing restoration (and its cost), still going on. There is still much scaffolding visible, and many rooms are not yet available. Even so, the restoration detail, authenticity and richness are not to be believed. Arguably, the real heroes are those who managed this meticulous restoration and the spirit of a government and citizens who cared enough to fund these impressive projects.

A little background is helpful to understand St. Petersburg and its surroundings. In the early 18th c., this city, then the new capital of Russia, sprang up on the low swampy shores of the Neva. It was flanked to the south by a semicircle of Imperial residences. Peterhof (we visit it tomorrow) was the first to be built as a symbol of the Russian power on the Baltic. It was followed by Tsarkoye Selo (coming up this afternoon), located on the highest geographic point of the surrounding area.

Catherine the Great became Empress in 1762, following the murder of her husband, Peter III, in a palace coup. She was an enlightened leader despite her reputation concerning affairs of the heart. During her reign, Catherine expanded the Russian Empire to include Turkey and Poland and built many palaces. She laid the foundation for Gatchina in 1760, which she presented as a reward to her favorite, Grigoriy Orlov, the man who had helped her to succeed to the throne. Later, after Orlov’s death, Catherine gave Gatchina to her son, Paul, and it became his favorite summer residence.

Catherine also built Pavlovsk for Paul, who later became tsar. Some researchers argue that Catherine did not approve of Paul, but after his second marriage to a 17 year old German princess who converted to Russian Orthodoxy and who produced ten children, Catherine began to see Paul in a different light. She considered him to be the continuation of her undertakings and tried to cultivate his love and devotion, often resorting to expensive gifts. The Empress deliberately chose to build Paul a private residence in Pavlovsk rather than to have him in residence in Tsarkoye Selo. She herself spent the greater part of her time in the latter palace and may have feared Paul might become party to potential court intrigue.

In late 1877, Paul’s wife, Maria Feodorovna gave birth to a son, Alexander. The appearance of her first grandson prompted Catherine to present Paul with 1,000 acres of woodlands, plowed fields and two villages (with peasants) lying along the bank of the Slavianka River, four miles from Tsarkoye Selo. Incidently, Catherine also took Alexander away from his parents to be raised by herself (a not uncommon practice at the time), and, as well, invited her favorite architect, Charles Cameron of Scotland, to construct the palace in Pavlovsk. The design was started at once. While Paul and Maria traveled extensively in Europe, they sent their ideas back to Cameron. When they returned, they didn’t like the results and ordered a second architect, Vincenzo Brenna to add wings and complete the design. As Paul preferred Gatchina, Maria was given Pavlovsk to do with and decorate as

44 she pleased. She created a delightfully charming, harmonious series of rooms which has now been fully restored after the devastation left by the German occupation.

You enter Pavlovsk through the Egyptian Vestibule with 12 allegorical sculptures, (one for each month). The first state room interior, the Italian Room, has wonderful marble sculptures. The next room, with very little decorative finish, the Valet de Chamber, contains two large pictures of Paul and Maria’s trip to Europe in 1782. Then, there is an interconnecting room linking Paul I’s dressing room with the north annex of the palace, the Grand Palace Library. One wall of the Emperor’s Study is taken up by a portrait of Peter the Great, idol and great grandfather of Paul. From there, we walked through the Carpet Study, the War Room, the Greek Room (place of official receptions and balls), Library of Maria Feodorovna (noted for its abundance of decorative design), the State and

45 Dressing Rooms of Maria, the Maid of Honor’s Room, various interconnecting studies, the Picture Gallery, Throne Room (largest in the palace), the Ante-Chapel Gallery (the Knight’s Room, originally conceived as a gallery for ancient sculpture), the Palace Chapel (the finish and décor of which was mostly post-war), the Crimson, New and Common Studies, White Dining Room (with major portrait of Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna), Old Drawing Room, the Lantern Study (my favorite with Bronzino’s painting Madonna with the Child and St. John the Baptist) and more dressing rooms, apartments and studies, all exquisitely decorated and appointed. We had little time to explore the wonderful parks outside, including The Obelisk of the Founding of Pavlovsk.

It is worth noting that throughout our tour, we saw photographs of the destruction during WWII. While shocking, it does underscore the immense job of restoring Pavlovsk (30,000 objects are still missing!) In 1978, with restoration completed, Pavlovsk became the first palace to rise in full from the ashes.

However, our morning’s exploration was only half done. We immediately went to Tsars Village for a specially arranged private visit to the Catherine Palace, which was not yet open to the public during our visit. Tsarskoye Selo comprises the Catherine Palace and Park and the Alexander Palace and Park. In 1744, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna

46

commissioned Rastrelli to build “A palace with truly splendid ornaments fit to be an abode for the ruler of the empire.” During the reign of Catherine the Great, Tsarskoye Selo was further enriched with the work of a number of architects, including Rinaldi, Cameron and Quarenghi, whose tastes were formed under the influence of ancient architecture. As has been noted, the Alexander Palace was built by Catherine the Great as a gift to her first and favorite grandson, Alexander Pavlovich (future Alexander I). We concentrated on the Catherine Palace, the fronts of which extend for 740 meters. What a place! Starting with the main staircase with two tiers of windows overlooking the Catherine and Alexander Parks, you then enter the Great Hall (or Ballroom), a masterpiece of the decorative genius of Rastrelli with gilded carvings. This was followed by the Dining Room for Cavaliers-in- Attendance, the Portrait Hall, the White Dining Room, the Crimson and Green Pilaster Drawing Rooms and the enchanting Amber Room, ranked by connoisseurs as among the “treasures of the world.” While many of the amber objects were removed ahead of the Nazis, the wall panels, themselves, were destroyed. If you can, imagine the magic of the wealth and warmth of the tones, which encompass every shade of yellow, from dusky topaz

47 to bright lemon. The rooms that follow are nearly as captivating: the Picture Hall (150 paintings), the Green Dining Room, the Blue Dining Room (maybe the most remarkable interior of the palace with silk upholstery on the walls and paintings on the ceilings), the Chinese Blue Drawing Room (or Main Study), the Bedroom (simply amazing), the Choir Ante-Room, the State (marble) Study and the Church of the Resurrection. Again, we had little time to enjoy the Catherine Park, to which Rastrelli added mirror ponds, parterred flowerbeds and intricate mazes.

We had lunch at Podvorye, a restaurant in a 17th c. log house, where we had, family style, course after course, an assortment of traditional dishes, as well as vodka and wine. They had three musicians to entertain us and then, lead us in a song we had learned on board the Volga Dream: “Kalinka, Kalinka, Kalinka, Maya.” It’s sort of like “they’re laying eggs now!”

We were supposed to have the afternoon “at leisure,” but by the time we bussed back to the hotel from an incredible morning, it was practically time to go again; this time to the Hermitage for a private after-hours tour of Impressionist Masters and an operatic performance in the lavishly ornate Italian Hall.

We started on the third floor - viewing paintings by Cezanne (1839-1906); Pissarro (1830- 1903); Monet (1840-1926) including his “Lady in the Garden,” “The Poppy Fields,” and “Waterloo Bridge;” Sisley (1831-99); Henri Fantin-Latour (1836-1904); Boudin (1824- 1918); Renoir (1841-1919); van Gogh (1859-90) including his “Thatched Cottage” and “Area of Arles;” Gaugin (1849-1903); Valtat (1869-1956); Matisse (1869-1954) including his “Music,” “Red Rose” and “Dance;” Gauguin (1874-1949); and Derain (1880-1954). In many of the rooms, there are sculptures by Rodin. Other rooms showed Picasso (1881-1973), mostly Cubism and some from his “Blue Period,” as well as Picasso ceramics. On the second floor, we saw more French paintings by Lorrain (1602-82), Poussin (1594-1665), Daret (1615-68), La Hyre (1605-58), and Vouet (1590-1649), before we moved through the Flemish rooms with Rubens (1577-1641), Breughel The Younger (1564-1638), van Dyck (1599-1640), and Jordaens (1593-1678). Next, we saw small paintings by Hals (1582-1666), Claez (1594-1662), Cuyp (1620-91) and Murillo (1617-66). After all that, we ended up in the Great Italian Hall for arias from Don Giovanni, Barber of Seville, The Snow Maiden and Eugene Onegin, accompanied by The State Hermitage Orchestra and conducted by Mikhail Pabuzin. The soloists, a soprano and a tenor, were from the Marinsky Theatre. They deserved their standing ovation from our small delegation. Having had all the stimulation we could absorb (two palaces and parks, extensive luncheon, two floors of the Hermitage and an operatic performance), we settled for frozen vodka, Ossetra caviar and a decadent dessert in the Lobby Bar of the Grand Hotel Europe.

48 July 1 - St. Petersburg - Fountains, “cottages” and world class Russian art

Last day, and we’re heading for Peterhof to visit the Cottage Palace, favorite residence of Nicolas I and then, to stroll in the fountain-filled gardens and visit Peter I’s favorite pavilion, Mon Plaisir.

On our bus trip out, we passed St. Isaac’s Cathedral (one of the world’s largest cathedrals and the largest in Russia; opened in 1858 and filled with hundreds of impressive 19th c. works of art); Theatre Square (once known as Carousel Square); Cathedral of our Lady of Kazan (commissioned by Paul I in 1811 and one of St. Petersburg’s most majestic churches); an 18th c. monastery where they hosted the G-8 Summit in 2006 and the Business School of the University of St. Petersburg.

The neo-Gothic Cottage Palace was designed by the Scottish architect, Adam Menelaws, in 1826-9. The Study is of oak wood with Dutch seascape paintings. There is a rose window motif in the carpet of the Great Drawing Room and a 5,200-piece crystal and porcelain dining service in the Dining Room (and this is a “cottage?”) The top floor was Alexander’s favorite, his Maritime study area. Perhaps most interesting was the use of Keralian birch.

With its commanding views of the Baltic, Peterhof is a perfect expression of triumphalism. Originally designed by Jean Baptiste Le Blond, the Great Palace was transformed during the reign of Elizabeth. It’s now under restoration, so we concentrated on Peterhof Park, totaling some 1,500 acres. Le Blond submitted his “water plan” to Peter the Great in

1717, by which time the tsar had begun sketching his own ideas. The centerpiece is the Grand Cascade, fed by the underground springs of the Ropsha Hills about 14 miles away. The Cascade is a celebration of the triumph of Russia over Sweden, symbolized by Mikhail Kozlovsky’s glorious sculpture of Samson rending the jaws of a lion. Peterhof Park is a

49 riot of fountains: Roman, Adam, Neptune, and Pyramid, as well as the Grand Cascade, a photo op for everyone.

Mon Plaisir is a delightfully unpretentious palace, designed by Johann Braunstein in 1714. Even after the Great Palace was built, Peter continued to live and entertain here, where his guests were usually subject to a punishing regime of heavy drinking. Seven rooms in total, they include a wood-paneled Ceremonial Hall, a Lacquered Study in the Chinese style, Peter’s Naval Study and a Delft tile small kitchen. Adjoining Mon Plaisir is the Catherine Wing, which was built for her by Rastrelli in 1747-54. Catherine was staying here in 1762, when her lover, Count Orlov, arrived with news of the coup which was to bring her the crown. From the palace, we walked to the Baltic dock to pick up our box lunch and our private hydrofoil to return to St. Petersburg and to visit the Russian Museum. Our ride back presented an interesting perspective of St. Petersburg from the water, as we passed dry docks and ended up in one of the many canals.

The Russian Museum is housed in the Mikhailovsky Palace built in 1819-25 for Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich. Alexander III’s plans to create a public museum were realized by his son, Nicolas II when the Russian Museum opened in 1898. Today, the museum holds a world class collection of Russian art. Our tour included old Russian art, 18th-19th c. art and 20th c. art; we didn’t make the fourth division, Folk Art. We were impressed with the “Virgin with the Golden Hair,” an icon of the 12th c., as well as the poetically expressive work of Andrey Rublev (14th c.). Peter the Great, himself, was the first patron to send young artists, often serfs, to study abroad. Secular art began to gain momentum in 1757 with establishment of the Academy of Art, which placed heavy emphasis on classical and mythological subjects. One of my favorite Russian painters is Ilya Repin (1844-1930), a realist painter who taught at the Academy of Art. His bold canvas “Barge-Haulers on the

50 Volga” combines a visually powerful attack on forced labor with a romantic view of the Russian people. Vasily Perov’s (1833-82) “A Meal in the Monastery” offers a satirical and equally effective attack on social injustice. Vasily Surkov (1848-1916) turned to Russian history for inspiration in treating his subjects and produced some huge battle scenes (see photo below). In the 20th c. period, Vasily Kandinsky was a key figure in Russian abstract art, followed by the likes of Marc Chagall (1887-1985) and Alexander Rodchenko (1891- 1956).

Our Farewell Dinner took place at the Victoria Restaurant, which offered a great view of St. Petersburg. The evening was festive with no speeches. We chose to walk back to the hotel; the beautiful palaces and buildings served as a great backdrop for the interesting people on the street.

51 July 2 - St. Petersburg to Helsinki - A “doormat” survives and excels

One final Grand Hotel Europe buffet breakfast, and we’re off to the St. Petersburg airport with very few rubles to our name! Finnair declared one of our bags over 23 kg, so we had to pay dearly.

After a short flight on Finnair to Helsinki, the taxi ride to Hotel Kämp Helsinki took about thirty minutes and we passed right by our 1952 Olympic Village. The little road we crossed to get to the training track is now a highway. The high security fences are gone. The weather was great: warm and sunny. Helsinki has a population of 500,000 and was made capital of Finland in 1812. Architecturally, Helsinki is no match for St. Petersburg; few cities are! Most road signs are in three languages: Finnish, Swedish and English.

Finnish history is the story of a people who for centuries were a bone of contention between two heavyweights—Sweden and Russia—and this nation, eventually, emerged from their grip to become one of the world’s most progressive and prosperous nations. What is now Finland was inhabited way back in the mists of time: pre-Ice Age remains have been found at Susiluola cave, near Kristiinankaupunki, dating from some 120,000 years ago. The first post-thaw inhabitants had spread themselves over most of Finland by about 9,000 B.C. At this period, too, the Baltic was formed, as the sea reached into what was once a freshwater lake. In the first century A.D., the Roman historian Tacitus mentioned a tribe called the Fenni, who he described as “wild savages who had neither homes nor horses”. He probably was referring to the Sami culture, which eventually migrated northward, likely being replaced in the south by two Finnish tribes that led a warring coexistence in the 1st c. The Karelians in the east had extensive cultural contact with Russia, while the Hame tribe of the west had trading contacts with the Viking groups in Sweden and Aland.

By the 12th c., the nascent Kingdom of Sweden saw the territory today occupied by Finland as a natural direction for extending its influence in the Baltic and countering the growing power of Novgorod (later to become Russia). The Peace of Oreshek (1323), between Sweden and Novgorod, established a frontier in the Karelian Isthmus. Sweden’s squabbles with Novgorod went on for two centuries, but it was the treaties drawn up by the two powers that define the influence. Sweden gained control of southwest Finland and much of the west coast, while Novgorod controlled Karelia, spreading the Orthodox faith and Byzantine culture in the region. In 1527, King Gostav Vasa of Sweden adopted the Lutheran faith and confiscated much of the property of the Catholic Church. The Finnish Reformation dates to 1527. Peter the Great took advantage of Sweden’s troubles/wars on many fronts eventually storming through Finland (a land which in 1714-21, was decimated by famine), a time still commonly referred to as the “Great Wrath”. The Treaty of Uusikaupunki in 1721 brought peace at a cost – Sweden lost south Karelia to Russia. Swedish King Gustav IV was drawn into the Napoleonic Wars and lost his crown in 1809. Russia’s Alexander I signed a treaty with Napoleon and then, attacked Finland in 1808. Sweden ceded Finland to Russia in 1809.

52 In the 19th c., there were early stirrings of nationalism: “Swedes we are not, Russia we will not become, so let us be Finns”. The Russian Revolution of October 1917 enabled the Finnish parliament to declare independence on December 6 of that year. Shortly afterwards, the Finnish Civil War broke out between the Communist Reds and the Establishment Whites. The Whites, with substantial German help, eventually gained victory. The war ended in 1918. The Winter War in 1939 saw the Soviet Union invade Finland; a “friendship and cooperation” treaty was signed between Finland and Russia in 1948. In 1952, Helsinki hosted the Summer Olympic Games and completed its war repatriation payment of US $300 million to the USSR, as decreed by the Peace of Paris in 1947. Finland joined the EU in 1995 and elected its first female president in 2000 (she was elected for another 6 years in 2006). A more complete History of Helsinki follows in the Appendix.

That’s the background and history for both country and city, that we were determined to absorb in two and one half days. After checking into our pleasant hotel (our travel guide described it as “if Helsinki is the daughter of the Baltic, then this grand hotel is her most dashing suitor”), Judith headed for the spa, and I for Nokia, a member of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy. Nokia began life as a pulp mill in the 1860’s before diversifying into other industries and eventually, mobile phones. Nokia sold off operations in forestry, paper, rubber and computers. It took 17 years of unsuccessful research and a short-lived experiment in car phones before Nokia turned the corner. Today, more than 2 billion people worldwide own a Nokia handheld, and this telecommunications giant accounts for more than 20 % of the nation’s exports. They moved their headquarters from downtown Helsinki to neighboring Espoo (population 300,000), where I visited with their new Vice President of Environmental Affairs, Corporate Relations and Responsibility and Greg Elphinston, Director of Community Investment, Corporate Relations and Responsibility. I hope to get Nokia’s CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, to participate in our global leaders conference in London next May.

After returning to the hotel to gather up Judith, we were invited to the Elphinstons (Greg, Andrea and three-week old, Isabel) for dinner. What a nice way to be introduced to Finland. On the way, we stopped to get a bottle of wine and ended up in Helsinki’s mega- department store, Stockmann; it would give any of our U.S. stores a real run for the vast scope of product lines.

53 July 3 - Helsinki - Reliving a 57-year memory

With no one to set our schedule, we slept until 10:00 am! The weather was perfect and we were anxious to get to the 1952 Olympic Stadium — via tram. On the tram, we got into a conversation with a young Finn who travels the world break dancing and has been to New York four times to compete. He was on his way to practice at the pavilion next to the Stadium.

As we approached the Stadium, we were greeted with a sculpture of Lasse Viren, who we had seen win four golds in the 5 and 10 K for Finland in 1972 and 1976 and a sculpture of the incomparable Paavo Nurmi (1897-1973) who won 9 golds and three silvers in 1920, 24, and 28. He lit the torch before 70,000 in the rain and chill in 1952. The XV Olympic Games were held from July 19-August 3, 1952, which many refer to as the “last real Olympic Games”.

We first went into the Stadium’s visitors section, where we purchased tickets to go to the top of the tower for lots of photos. Remarkably, it was just the way I remembered it. Then, the nice ticket man, when he learned that I was “returning”, unlocked doors and let us have the run of the stadium. We stood in

the box where Mr. Paasikivi, President of the Republic of Finland, presided over the Games and where Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip sat during their attendance. We went down on the track; nothing has changed expect they have covered lanes 1– 4 to widen the football pitch. That’s a problem because I won my heat, quarter-final and semi-final from lane 1 and the final from lane 6! I easily remembered the victory lap and the place where the awards ceremony took place but couldn’t remember where my family was sitting in the stadium. The most important part was sharing this experience with Judith. Neither of us will forget my return.

54

We then visited the Finnish Sports Museum, which was first established in 1938 but on a much smaller scale. It’s worth remembering that Helsinki was scheduled to host the 1940 Games, but WWII intervened. Today’s larger museum is quite extensive and appropriately focused on Finland’s development in sport. They also had a very nice gift shop.

Our next stop was the National Museum of Finland, resembling a Gothic church with its heavy stone work and tall steeple tower. It was opened in 1916 and was divided into rooms covering different periods of Finnish history, including a large collection of prehistoric finds, church relics and cultural exhibitions. First point of interest was the cracked glass in the front door, which was a result of a shot during their Civil War in 1918. We traced the history and objects of the Ice Age and of the first settlers about 10,000 years ago, their tools, pottery, perforated battle axes and burial sights (including cremation), followed by the Bronze Age (up to 550 B.C.). Just four years ago, they excavated a seal skeleton with a harpoon still in it; this type of seal in the Baltic is believed to be extinct right after the Stone Age.

We next toured the Early Roman Period (0 to A.D. 200), the Merovingian Period (A.D. 575 to 800), the Increased Trade and Formation of States in the North

55 (A.D. 575-1025) and the Vikings Voyage, as they moved from the Gulf of Finland, down the Volga River to Islamic lands. We then switched to religious paths: the Middle Ages Reformation (1155-1520) and the Swedes’ intention to convert their people to Christianity (Lutheranism) versus the Church of Rome (Catholicism). We saw wonderful paintings of Bishop Henry, Patron Saint of Finland, and of Saint Barbara, depicting Jesus’ miracle of saving her after being flogged, tortured and thrown into a dungeon, all because she converted to Christianity.

We learned about the various treaties: Pähkinäsaari (east border) and Tayssini (1595, established an eastern border to the Arctic Ocean). Finland’s National Postal Service and a network of roads and highways were developed in 1638. Finland’s “Period of Enlightenment” and political freedom didn’t come until the late 18th c. Its population tripled (300 to 900 thousand) from 1721 to 1807. Their first newspaper in a foreign language came in 1796. But by 1809, Finland was under the control of the Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire, when Alexander I and Napoleon divided Europe. The successive Russian rulers were:

Alexander I 1777-1825 Nicholas I 1796-1855 Alexander II 1818-1891 Alexander III 1845-1894 Nicholas III 1868-1918 (shot along with his wife, Alexandra and family)

In 1906, Finnish women were the first in Europe to be given the right to vote (at age 24) and on December 6, 1917, Finland was given its independence. Of course, that was before the Finnish/Soviet War (1939-40) and the Continuation War (1941-44).

Before leaving, we did see some wonderful icons: a Virgin of Kazan (with silver cover) and an 18-19th c. Resurrection (with metal halo over Jesus), as well as an iconostasis from Kizhi Island’s Cathedral of the Transfiguration.

After a quick lunch in the museum’s café, things literally went downhill: I dropped my camera into the toilet (camera is shot, but the memory card is okay) and I stumbled climbing down a rock embankment trying to get to the “rock church” (or Temppeliaukio Church) and landed on my back on a rock pile! Nonetheless, I plodded to the structure that truly symbolizes the modern innovativeness of Finnish religious architecture and features a stunning 24 meter diameter roof covered in copper stripping, a Lutheran church hewn out of solid rock. Designed by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen in 1969, this church is one of Helsinki’s foremost attractions. It has a fine organ, a bronze altar on stone and stone pedestals for the pulpit and baptismal font.

56 Clearly a day to remember, we finished it off with a terrific dinner at the Fish Market and after-dinner drinks in our hotel’s busy bar. I had a Finnberry with Finlandia cranberry vodka, Buckthong liqueur and Cloudberry liqueur, and Judith had an Applesynth with Absinthe, sour apple juice and apple syrup. You can’t go right to sleep on that kind of “medication” so we listened to Sir David Frost on BBC in which he quoted Tony Blair as saying “Obama doesn’t need cheerleaders, he needs partners”. Now, we’re ready for sleep.

July 4 - Helsinki - No fireworks, but lots of weddings

Our last day; we had to bring Helsinki to its feet – on our feet! How about four museums and as many churches as part of a grand walking tour?

First up was the Design Museum. We started on the second floor, and were immediately introduced to ryijys rugs (Scandinavian derivation is “rough and shaggy”). In general, these wool rugs were designed by artists and made by professional weavers. They are used as rugs, wall hangings and art work for interiors of national importance. While the earliest record of these rugs goes back to the 16th c., the best were made in the 1770-1820 period. The Friends of Finnish Handicrafts (established in 1879 and following the lead of the Swedes) have done much to catalogue the technique and development of this important art. On the first floor, we visited the Museum’s Permanent Collection, which develops Finnish design starting with industrialization in Finland (1860-70), heavily influenced by the English, followed by a period of national Finnish style (1890), where Russian Karelia developed into Finnish “art nouveau”. Finnish Independence in 1917 ushered in urban housing internal construction. WWII choked efforts toward “modernization” but by 1950, Finnish design was known for its “simplified form and genuine sense of the material”. Next, we reviewed industrial design, including Fiskars scissors and Nokia mobile phones, but faded fast when we got to their Textile Art Nouveau; it’s way over the top!

Before our next museum conquest, we stopped and purchased a box of strawberries and sat in the grass and ate them all. That set the stage for the Ateneum, dating back to 1887 and once holding the Design Museum’s collection until that grew too large in the 1970’s. We were introduced to a new traditional epic: Kalevala. Elias Lönrott (1802-82) collected folklore, which he translated into epic poems, the key elements of which represent the bond between people and national forces, great emotions and adventures, mythology and tragedy. Many of the paintings we saw related to mythological subjects including those by Robert Ekman (1808-73) and Akseli Gallea-Kallela (1865-1931), whose work resembles some of N.C. Wyeth’s illustrations and who was responsible for a prolific triptych from the Kalevala depicting Väinämöinen’s pursuit of the maiden Aino. On another floor, their Permanent Collection (“In Search of the Timeless”), we saw Russians, Ilya Repin’s (1844- 1930) “Portrait” and Hugo Simberg’s (1873-1917) “The Wounded Angel”, as well as paintings by Vincent van Gogh (1853-90), Eduard Munch (1863-1941), Paul Gauguin (1848-1907) and Albert Edelfelt (1854-1905). Another section was devoted to the “Spirit of Picasso”. It is felt the Finnish painters were particularly influenced by Picasso, particularly Alvar Cawein (1886-1935), who introduced one of the first Cubist paintings in Finland. While I suppose the Ateneum offers an ideal crash course in Finnish art (painting

57 and sculptures from the 18th c. to the 1950’s), Judith and I found the paintings quite flat, and certainly not comparable to the amazing art we had seen in Russia.

Then, we checked out two small museums: Museum of the University of Finland featuring dentistry, operating room, gynecology, and x-ray developments in Finland, along with chemistry lab, the history of music in Finland and rooms full of minerals and rocks (they even had a “restless casket” for restraining disturbed patients) and the Helsinki City Museum (oldest stone building in Helsinki, dating back to 1757), that focuses on all kinds of “celebrations”; egs.: Santa Claus was introduced to Finland in the 20th c. and Lutheran Christmas dinner in 1930 featured ham and lentils. Both museums are near the huge Senate Square, on which borders the Palace of Government (including offices of the Prime Minister), National Library, the Cathedral of Helsinki, the House of Nobility, and the Mayor’s house. A monument to the Russian Tsar, Alexander II, was erected in 1894 in the middle of Senate Square to honor the ruler who returned Finland to a constitutional form of government.

Our first church visit was to the neo-gothic, twin-spired Church of St. John (built in 1891). It’s an interesting comparison with the new (1969) Lutheran Church hewn into solid rock we visited the day before. It’s all wood inside – pews, altar, pulpit and roof framing – and is Helsinki’s largest church. At the front door is a wonderful sculpture of John the Baptist, by Kari Juva. They even have a ryijys rug. As we were leaving, a wedding party was assembling.

Next on our itinerary was the Old Church (Vanha Kirkko) designed by Carl Ludwig Engel (1778-1840), and founded in 1790. It was built of massive logs, since it had been ordered by Imperial decree that a church was to be made of wood. The church was lit first with candles in the chandeliers; gas lighting was introduced in the 1860’s. The inside has been recently restored; everything is white, including the piano and baptismal font. There is no stained glass. When we arrived, a wedding party was just departing and another ceremony was scheduled to take place within the hour. Opposite the church is a memorial to Elias Lönrott, compiler of the Kalevala epic (see notes on the Ateneum), depicting the author flanked by his most famous character, “steady old Väinämöinen”.

We were not able to enter our last two church destinations: the Cathedral of Helsinki, (Tuomiokkirko), also designed by C.L. Engel, and the Uspenski Cathedral, because of weddings. But we had a good look around and took a lot of photos. The former is a chalk-white neoclassical cathedral presiding over Senate Square high above the city, but was engaged in a wedding, so no admission. A Lutheran church, it was not finished until 1852. Engel died in 1840. The latter is an eye-catching red brick Russian Orthodox church again on top of a hill in clear sight of the Cathedral of Helsinki. It was closed until 6:00 pm! Consecrated in 1868, we understand it has a lavish iconostasis; but we had already seen a few of those.

58 Disappointed in missing our last two significant churches, but very fulfilled with our day’s exploration, we hiked to the harbor and then back to our hotel, where we joined crowds of Finns for a glass of wine at our street-side café. After dinner at our hotel’s new Japanese restaurant (really superb!), we settled into a final gin rummy game, instead of preparing for the big packing the next day.

July 5 - Helsinki to New York - Homeward bound

What do you do on the last day of an incredible vacation? In this case, pack and check out. Our check-in at the International Helsinki Airport, unlike in St. Petersburg, went without a hitch. Our first-class cabin ride on Finnair’s Airbus 340 was as comfortable and luxurious as it gets. With a tailwind, we landed at JFK ahead of schedule. Nothing remained except to unpack and open the mail. It had been an amazing trip.

59 Epilogue - “Discovery”

No one word better describes our shared trip experiences in terms of:

R especting the importance of leadership no matter the form of government or sovereignty.

U nderstanding the dynamics over time between the rich and poor and how that has impacted development on all fronts.

S tarting to fit the pieces of history in the Eastern European theatre together, especially through the lens of culture and religion.

S avoring the people of many races and religions and their evolution through good and bad times.

I nvestigating the potential for peace, civility and human rights and the understanding and compromises that may require.

A ppreciating the amazing contributions made by the actors in the regions visited throughout the ages.

Not a discovery, but once again I confirmed how lucky I am to have Judith as such a great traveling partner, navigator, photographer, editor and best friend. We made a memorable and significant dent in our “bucket list”.

60 Appendix - The History of Prague

Prague’s position at the crossroads of Europe has made it a magnet for foreign leaders since pre-recorded times. By the early 10th c. it had developed into a thriving town with a large market place (the Old Town Square) and two citadels (Prague Castle and Vyšehrad), from where its first rulers, the Přemyslids, conducted their many family feuds. These were often bloody: in 935, Prince Wenceslas was savagely murdered by his brother Boleslav. Wenceslas was later canonized and became Bohemia’s best-known patron saint.

During the Middle Ages, Prague enjoyed a golden age, especially during the reign of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV. Under the auspices of this wise and cultured king, Prague grew into a magnificent city, larger than Paris or London. Charles instigated the founding and building of many institutions, including the first University of Central Europe in Prague. The University’s first Czech rector was Jan Hus, the reforming preacher whose execution for alleged heresy in 1415 led to the Hussite wars. The radical wing of the Hussites, the Taborites, were finally defeated at the Battle of Lipany in 1434. During the 16th century, after a succession of weak kings, the Austrian Habsburgs took over, beginning a rule that would last for almost 400 years. One of the more enlightened of all the Habsburg Emperors was Rudolph II. He brought the spirit of the Renaissance to Prague through his love of the arts and sciences. Soon after his death, in 1618, Prague was the setting for the Protestant revolt which led to the 30 Years’ War. Its aftermath brought a serious decline in the fortunes of a city that would revive only in the 18th century. Prague’s many fine Baroque churches and palaces date from this time.

The 19th century saw a period of national revival and the burgeoning of civic pride. The great public monuments – the National Museum, the National Theatre and Rudolfinum – were built. But a foreign power still ruled the city, and it was not until 1918 that Prague became the capital of an independent Republic. World War II brought occupation by the Germany army, followed by four decades of Communism. After the “Velvet Revolution” of 1989, Prague is today on the threshold of a new era.

61 Appendix - The History of Russia

6th c. Slavs first settled; they came from Eastern Europe 800 Varangians (Vikings) 988 Grand Prince Vladimir I was baptized into Orthodox Christianity and married the sister of the Byzantine Emperor. Vladimir’s conversion deeply affected the future of Russian people. 1237 Mongols invaded and for the next 240 years Russian principalities paid exorbitant yearly tributes to the Khans, though they were left to govern themselves 1328 Ivan I (“Moneybags”) is chosen by the Mongols as Grand Prince of Vladimir 1533-84 Ivan the Great’s grandson, Ivan IV (“the Terrible”), transformed himself into“Tsar of All the Russians” 1584-98 Ivan IV’s retarded son Fyodor ruled under the guidance of Boris Godunov; on Fyodor’s death (without child), Godunov installed himself 1613-45 Mikhail Romanov (16 years old), great-nephew of Ivan’s first wife Anastasia, was nominated to lead Russia, thereby initiating a 300 year rule of the Romanovs 1646 Peter I (“the Great”) begins reign; he died in 1725 leading to the “Petticoat” Period with Catherine I, Anna, Elizabeth and Catherine II 1762 Catherine II (“the Great”) usurped the throne of her feeble husband Peter III, with the help of her lover, Grigoriy Orlov 1812 Napoleon invaded Russia and was defeated 1825 Nicholas I became Tsar, succeeded by Alexander II 1881 Alexander II killed, succeeded by Alexander IV who dies and is succeeded by Nicholas II 1914 WWI breaks out and Russia loses 3.5 million soldiers 1917 The Russian Revolution starts in St. Petersburg; the Tsar abdicates; the capital moves back to Moscow 1924 Lenin dies; Stalin uses power of General Secretary of the Communist party to establish leadership 1953 Stalin dies; Khrushchev takes over and denounces crimes in 1956 (“The Thaw”) 1964 Brezhnev takes over the role of General Secretary after Khrushchev (Brezhnev dies in 1982) 1972 Richard Nixon is first U.S. president to visit Russia 1985 Gorbachev takes over and announces his policies of Perestroika (restructuring) and Glasnost (openness) 1991 Yeltsin is elected President of Russia, and USSR is dissolved in December 2000 Putin becomes President of Russia 2008 Medvedev becomes President of Russia

62 Appendix - The History of Helsinki

Founded in 1550 by King Gustav Vasa, Helsinki was to be a rival to the Hansa trading town of Tallinn. Earlier trials at Ekenäs were fruitless, so by royal decree traders from Ekenäs and a few other towns were shanghaied to the newly founded Helsingfors (the Swedish name for Helsinki).

For more than 200 years it remained a backwater market town on a windy, rocky peninsula. The Swedes built their fortress named Sveaborg in 1748 to protect the eastern part of the empire against Russian attack. In the war of 1808, the Russians took the theoretically impenetrable fortress and annexed Finland as an autonomous grand duchy. A capital closer to St. Petersburg was necessary to keep a closer eye on Finland’s domestic politics, and a really big fort would come in handy. In 1812 sophisticated Turku lost its standing as Finland’s capital and premier town to what was once a trading outpost.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Helsinki grew rapidly in all directions. German architect, C. L. Engel was called on to dignify the city centre, which resulted in the neoclassical Senaatintori (Senate Square). The city suffered heavy Russian bombing during WWII, but in the postwar period Helsinki recovered and went on to host the Summer Olympic Games in 1952.

In the 1970s and ‘80s, many new suburbs were built around Helsinki and residents celebrated their ‘Helsinki Spirit’, a term used for Cold War détente. It remains the seat of national parliament and the official home to the president. Pride in the city peaked in 2007 when it hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, an opportunity for Helsinki to show off its dynamic cultural life to the world.

63 Index - Chronological Order of Churches and Monasteries Visited

Prague St. Vitus Cathedral St. Michael’s Church Church of St. Francis Church of St. Thomas St. Nicholas Church in Lesser Town St. George’s Basilica Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior Church of St. Michael St. Basil’s Church (Pokrovsky Cathedral) Church of our Lady of Kazan Cathedral of the Assumption Cathedral of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Archangel Novodevichy Convent and Cemetery Uglich Chapel of Dmitry Church of the Transfiguration Plyos The Eternal Peace Wooden Church Yaroslavl Transfiguration of the Savior Monastery Church of the Epiphany Chuch of Kazan Chuch of St. Michael Church of St. Elijah the Prophet Goritsy Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery Ferapontov Monastery Kizhi Church of the Transfiguration Church of the Intercession Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus Chapel of the Archangel Michael St. Petersburg Church of our Savior on the Spilled Blood (Resurrection Church of our Savior) Helsinki Temppeliaukio Church (“Rock Church”) Church of St. John Vanha Kirkko (“The Old Church”) Cathedral of Helsinki Uspenski Cathedral

64 Index - Chronological Order of Museums Visited

Prague Prague Castle Picture Gallery (part of the National Museum) Sternberg Palace (part of the National Museum) Lobkowicz Palace (part of the National Museum)

Moscow Pushkin Museum (3 separate buildings) New Tretyakov Gallery Open Air Sculpture Park Old Tretyakov Gallery Tsereteli’s Artist Gallery State Armoury (Royal Palace)

Pylos Travkin Museum of Primeval Man House Museum of Isaac Levitan

Yaroslavl Institute of Artists

Kizhi Kizhi State Museum of Architecture and Cultural History

Mandrogi Vodka Museum

St. Petersburg The Hermitage Museum (twice) Pavlovsk Palace Catherine Palace and Park Cottage Palace (Peterhof) Mon Plaisir (Peterhof) Russian Museum

Helsinki Finnish Sports Museum National Museum of Finland Design Museum Ateneum Museum of the University of Finland Helsinki City Museum

65 Index - Chronological Order of Lectures

June 23 “Democracy Deferred” - Simon Marks

June 24 “Russia Resurgent” - Simon Marks

June 25 “Present at Gorbachev’s Arrest” - Helen Evans

June 26 “The Monasteries of the North” - Helen Evans

June 27 “Origins of Icons”- Helen Evans

June 28 “Medieval Muscovy: Real and Remembered” - Helen Evans

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