The Kremlin, feared according to books, is behind huge walls. Unfortunately we could not go on a tour of it.
Interesting that in Europe, when they restore old buildings, they put huge photographs of it in front of the building, in this case line drawings:
St Basil's church, or the Church of the Intercession on the Moat was built on the instruction of Ivan the Terrible.
Piet is standing in front of it.
Because I do not have a flash, it was difficult to take photo's inside.
The view from the church:
Away from the red square we had this funny picture. People were standing in the middle of a little square on the ground, throwing coins in the air. An older man was very fast inpicking it up, and a lady was sweeping up the rest, a good way to make money!
My knee has been giving me problems for the past two days, and it is getting worse. Piet went to work today, and I made my way slowly to the Bolshoy theatre. Tonight we are going to see the ballet there with Evgenia, the tickets are over R2000 one, and she bought them for us. I am excited even though the Bolshoy is still closed for renovations, so the ballet is in the theatre next door.
My ultimate goal is to walk to the Lubyanka, the former KGB headquarters. My back gets cold just thinking about the Lubyanka. First, the Bolshoy, a bit of a disappointment if I think of all the gorgeous buildings around. My father and mother has been a few years ago, one of their party had to sit behind a pillar, and the seats' padding was 1 cm thick!
I then go up a steep step, and something snaps in the back of my leg. First thoughts: I cannot stand on my left leg, and, most important, I left my cell phone in the room - stupid, stupid!
I struggle to a little wall and fall down on it. What now? I grab a youngish man in a black suit by his arm, burst out in tears and show him that my knee got hurt and I cannot walk. He speaks not a word of English. He says I must sit, and looks around for a taxi, none. He goes to stand in the huge, one way boulevard to try and stop one. Nothing. He stops a policeman, the policeman just draws up his shoulders and walk on. He stands with his black suit for an hour, trying to get a taxi. The sweat is streaming of me, I can feel my face and arms burning. He must be melting. I show him that he can go, but he returns to the street, smoking one sigaret after another.
Of all the men in Moscow, I selected this gentleman! I see two friendly faced policeman walking towards me and shouts loudly, calling them, of course bursting into tears agin. Jackpot! They are willing to help. The one goes of to find a taxi somewhere else. My hero stays, I do not think he trusts the policeman. They stand around until the other policeman brings a man that says he is not a taxi, but he will take me for a minimum of a 1000 roubles. This should be about 300, but after a very short conversation I agree on. 1000 about R250. Anything to get home. He goes to fetch his car, and only now does my hero shows his watch and says he has to go. I was so distraught that I never even took a picture of him standing in that hot street!
The policemen helps me to the car, I cannot stand on my leg, it is excruciating!
Of course, at the hotel the man wants 2700 roubles. The hotel people is used to this, and do not get involve. Desperate, I give him another 1000. They bring a wheelchair, and who is sitting in the hotel lounge? My liefie! Some more tears.
They send an ambulance with a doctor, and we go to the European medical centre. Very modern, and bloody expensive! Thhere are 2 doctors, ( the one is very attractive) but both extremely nice and helpful, and they can speak a little bit of English. Cat scan, MR scan... My doctor at home would have had xrays and would have felt my leg, and wallah!
Some ligaments are torn, water or blood on my knee... We decide to rather go home than be treated here, even though it all looks very modern and advanced.
R10 000 later, we go home, after spending 5 hours there, very tired and hungry.
My heart is so sore, no St Peterburg, Helsinki, Italy. But Piet promise that we will be back!
Goodbye!
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