Olney group arrives in Moscow

After Sunday breakfast, we assembled for a trip into Moscow to visit places of interest. This was a trip of several miles as the Retirement Center where we were housed was not close by. As always, besides our guide, Igor Troyanovsky, we were accompanied two or three others. First, we visited the local Russian Orthodox church. As it happened, a funeral service was in progress. We commented of the beautiful singing, and were told that it was professional. Our guide, Igor, was prominent when Communism existed. He explained at the time his dad died and his services were held at the church, that he waited outside because to go inside would have meant immediate expulsion from the party. Anyone stepping inside the church had to register. We visited Lenin’s glass tomb with a large group of others, then on to other shops and a local meat market. We were told that supplies were very limited and to maybe get anything, you must be first in line. We were given tickets to the world-renowned Bolshoi Theatre so that was our evening agenda and definitely an experience to be remembered— the gold leaf decorations were breathtaking! Intermission time in the lobby was hosted and a buffet of all sorts of hors d’oeuvres, golden caviar, champagne, tea, etc. was served. The opera, though in Russian, was spectacular and left no doubt that we were viewing a great performance, an excellent work of art.