Midnight Train to Moscow

This has been a wild week! Lots to report, for sure.

St. Petersburg to Moscow: 8 hours and 17 minutes

First, on Monday we went to Moscow--for the day. We took one of the night trains that leaves from Moskovsky train station just before midnight and arrives in Moscow on Track 3 precisely at 8:14 a.m. The high-speed trains only take four hours, but due to World Cup here we couldn't get a reservation on any of those. Going to Moscow, we couldn't even get a First Class carriage. But at least "red eye" trains, unlike most planes, have sleeper cabins with bunk beds.  SPB to Moscow is about San Francisco to San Diego. We could have flown, but the only available flight was at 4 a.m. and cost $329 each one-way. We took the train.

So we had a four-bunk cabin and shared it with a nice young man who is a computer programmer going to Moscow for business. The beds are hard, and the train is a bit noisy, but we got there just fine--and somewhat rested.

Sue got the top and the men got the bottom bunks. Everyone had their own plug for charging phones and a bed lamp for late reading. The cabins are pretty nice.

And we had a gorgeous sunny day in Moscow! Perhaps a bit too sunny. The temperature was over 80F and humid. This is the plaza at the Leningradsky railway station in Moscow. The stations are typically named after the place they go to--so we left from the Moskovsky station in St. Petersburg to go to Moscow. The station in Moscow is called Leningradsky station because, of course, that was the name of our city from 1924 until 1991. (The city changed its name back to the pre-Soviet St. Petersburg, but Moscow never bothered to change back the name of the train station.)

Our first adventure was trying to store our overnight bags in a locker at the train station. The luggage attendant decided it was his break time. The sign said he'd be gone each hour from :00 to :10. It was now 8:40 and he went anyway. We were the first in line. By the time he got back there were at least a dozen waiting. We purchased the card for 500 rubles that would lock a locker for us. We didn't know it was for a specific locker, so we just chose one. It didn't work, and there was another man who wanted to use that one. The attendant had to come and show us that the receipt had a specific locker number. Oops. So we moved things around. In the process we seem to have left Sue's BYU Computer Science Department T-shirt in the original locker (Boo hoo!) But the backpacks got stored and we were off. First stop: the American Embassy.  

It's an easy ride and short walk using the legendary Moscow subway system. The stations are even more elaborate and beautiful than the ones in St. Petersburg.

Ceiling in the Subway

At the embassy we needed to get a couple of papers notarized. This used to be easy--just a short bus ride to the US Consulate in St. Petersburg. But, because of political backbiting between the US and Russia, that consulate was closed the end of April. We made many calls to international law firms and banks in SPB looking for a US notary, but alas none was to be found. Our only option was Helsinki or Moscow. Moscow was a problem because of World Cup. Helsinki was a problem because of visas, so we chose Moscow. And besides we'd never been there!  

The US Embassy is in a city block-sized complex with a big modern high-rise in a nice neighborhood, just across the street from the Moscow Zoo [Anything symbolic in that?] We had to surrender our phones/cameras/iPods to security on the way into the Embassy, so no photos inside. We did get to see our friend, Mary Ermel, who used to work in St. Petersburg. She's the notary who had helped us before, and now she helped us again in Moscow. While waiting, we saw another American couple about our age--he dressed in suit, she in skirt/blouse. So Sue asked them what brought them to Russia. The lady said, "We are here as volunteers." Sue smiled and said, "So are we." It was Elder and Sister Peterson from Hurricane, Utah. They had left the Provo MTC on Saturday morning. It was now Monday morning and they haven't seen a real bed in two days. They were on their way to Rostov-on-Don down in southern Russia to be the Office Couple in the mission--just like us! They had to fly to Moscow first for a half day to stop at the embassy and apply for second passports. Someone picked them up at the airport in the morning, brought them to the embassy, and as soon as they were done they were going back to the airport to get their flight to Rostov. We have since been in contact via email. On Tuesday, Sister Peterson wrote an email and said they were in their apartment and getting organized. They are arriving at an interesting time. On July 1, they will get a new Mission President, and the Samara Mission is being combined with the Rostov-on-Don Mission. Lots of adventures await them, for sure.

With our documents duly notarized, the next stop was to be the nearest official DHL office. A close-by drop-off office didn't work. We found a bus that took us easily to the real thing. [Gotta love Google Maps transit directions!] We walked into a room full of people waiting. We didn't see any "take-a-number" system. But one woman piped up and said, "I'm last." So, that's the system--and it works well. When anyone walks in the door, the person who was previously last let's the new one know. So you always know who you are following, and that's all that matters. 

We thought this mailing would be easy! The Mission has a DHL account. About once a Transfer (six weeks) Sue sends a pouch to Salt Lake Church offices with the letters that need to go to the US. The next one was due to go about June 19 because it has letters to family and Church leaders of those going home on July 19.  Since we were going to Moscow on June 18, Sue just brought all those in the DHL envelope with the pre-printed shipping label for the Church. We can put our personal correspondence inside, too, as long as we put on our own US stamps to get the letters from SLC to their end destination. So there were about 35 letters in this pouch. BUT--the man at the desk said that due to security rules, he had to open and check each and every letter! We helped with the opening, he checked each letter, and then we all worked to seal them shut with red/yellow DHL tape. The pouch did get to Salt Lake on Wednesday morning as planned, and so all is well.

With that project done, we headed up the street to find a subway, stopping first at KFC for a bucket of chicken. From the subway, we found our way to Red Square, the heart of Moscow and the center of the World Cup fan fest. It was a crazy place full of soccer fans from all over the world. Very fun!!

Red Square in front of the Kremlin

Kazan Cathedral at Red Square

State Historical Museum at Red Square

This is part of the World Cup crowd at St. Basil's Cathedral. It was so crowded and had such long lines that we didn't even try to go inside.

But Ken wanted a "selfie" with St. Basil's. The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood here in St. Petersburg is modeled on St. Basil's, with all the different multi-colored domes. But the one in SPB was built about 350 years later! 

180-degree pan east to west: GUM, St. Basil's, The Kremlin 

GUM soccer ball fountain

GUM roughly translates to "Government Universal Market." During Soviet times it was the market for the government officials. Now it is a very up-scale mall. We went inside for a respite from the sun, bought an ice cream bar, and did some window shopping. But the best part of the mall was the large central fountain--full of soccer balls!

Fountain in GUM

The Bolshoi Theater

After seeing GUM, we walked up Tveskaya Street a few blocks to the Theater Square. Here is the famous Bolshoi Theater--literally "Large Theater." Also on the square is the Maliy (Малый), or Small Theater. Unfortunately for us, there was nothing playing at the Bolshoi Theater that night, and they only do one tour each day at 11:20 a.m., so we had missed it. We'll just have to come back!

180-degree pan west to east - Bolshoi Theater Square

The Hotel Metropol at Bolshoi Theater Square

Southeast across the square is the Hotel Metropol. This was the one thing in Moscow that Sue really wanted to see. If you have not read A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, we highly recommend it. It is fiction about a man placed under house arrest in this hotel starting in 1922 and covers his life for the next 34 years. It is beautifully written and gives some interesting insights into how life changed, and did not change, with the transition from Tsarist times to Soviet times. Sue has read it twice, and so loved walking through the hotel to get a glimpse of the past splendor. As we left the hotel lobby, there were a large group of suitcases all with bright red Coca Cola covers. Sue commented that they probably belonged to a soccer team, as Coke is one of the main sponsors of the tournament. Then outside there were a bunch of tall young men getting off a bus. Sue asked one of them which country team they were. He just put his finger to his lips. We think it was Peru... .

Tchaikovsky Concert Hall

Monday evening we went to the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall and heard a fabulous orchestra concert. The concert was broadcast live on the Internet and elsewhere.  

Vladimir Mayakovsky
Russian-Soviet poet, playwright, actor

The hall is at the Mayakovsky Metro station, and like everywhere else in Russia these days has World Cup signs around.  

In front of the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall

The Hall is beautiful, with a large organ in the back and "stadium seating" so everyone has a good view.  We were four rows up and just left of center, so had great view of the piano and keyboard.

Ken seated on the fourth row at intermission

Daniel Kharitonov

The first piece was Shostakovitch, just orchestra. The second piece was a Grieg Piano Concerto with soloist Daniel Kharitonov. Three years ago, at age 16, he won the International Tchaikovsky piano competition. He was fabulous!! We loved every minute of it.

Alexander Ramm

After intermission we heard the Dvorak Cello Concerto with soloist Alexander Ramm. Equally beautiful. Mr. Ramm came in second in the Tchaikovsky competition in 2015.












After the concert we took the metro back to the Leningradsky train station and found the "Red Arrow" overnight train back to SPB. This time we had bought First Class tickets--a two-person car to ourselves. Oops--Sue was in Car 7, seat 4. Ken was in car 9, seat 13. Ken talked to the hostess for his car about this. She said it was okay to change, and Ken managed a three-way trade with an American also separated from his friend and a Russian man traveling alone who came and took Sue's spot so she could go back with Ken.  

6am, June 19

Breakfast in Bed

The biggest difference between First and Second Class, besides the number of people in the car, is the quality of the breakfast. Second class was a cheese and ham sandwich or a bowl of oatmeal. First class was cereal, yogurt, fruit, croissant, juice, cheese and nuts.  Quite a spread!

The train pulled in to Moskovsky station in SPB promptly at 7:55 am--after moving oh-so-slowly for the last hour or two so we wouldn't be early. We took the metro home, showered, dressed and had the Mission Office open by 9:30! But in the afternoon Sue was falling asleep sitting at her desk.

This week were Zone Conferences on Wednesday and Thursday. Since ours was on Thursday, we switched Hermitage Service days with the Pecks who had Zone Conference on Wednesday. It was so busy there with all the World Cup tourists. It's really fun because people come through wearing team colors, and even wrapped in flags. One group came through that looked a lot like team members--but this time Sue knew better than to ask. Mikhail, the volunteer leader for the Museum, came to Sue and asked if we could provide more volunteers for the next three weeks. They really need it until World Cup is over! So, besides a pair each morning and each afternoon, we are going to supply an extra pair from noon to 4 pm each day, and an extra pair in the evening on Wednesday and Friday when the museum is open until 9 pm.  

Zone Conference days are always both uplifting and fun. It's good to be together with so many of the young volunteers. They are each terrific people who work gladly to support the Church and members here in Russia. And they are great teachers! They learn this skill that will benefit them their whole lives, in the Church and everywhere else.  

For one of the activities, the Sister Training Leaders asked 14 of us to each memorize one paragraph of The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles. If you haven't read this lately (or at all), please click on the link above and do so. It's a wonderful statement of who Jesus Christ is and what He has done for us. By design, I'm sure, we were given the shortest paragraphs to memorize. But as we stood together and recited this amazing document, there was a strong spirit and we all knew that Jesus Christ is our Savior, our Redeemer, and the Son of God.

Another of the activities was our visa clerk, Gennady Petrov, showing everyone the proper way to fill out the migration card as we come across the border every three months after our visa trip. Sue learned she was leaving out one part every time. She didn't know she needed to choose by underlining one of the choices for "purpose of trip."  



Gennady joined the LDS Church in 1994 and has worked for the mission doing our quarterly visa paperwork for 15 years. Unfortunately, as the mission is shrinking, his job is being combined with that in another mission, and he is being let go! We are all so sad. President Rawson told us that on Friday. It's also happening to two others in the office. Natalya, the accountant, and Tatiana, the housekeeper. Tatiana will be hired by the new out-sourced company that is being contracted, and she is glad for that. Not only will she not lose her job cleaning our offices, but that company can give her more hours elsewhere. Gennady and Natalya will get good severance packages and help with job placement, but their last day is August 10. Gennady is a character, and we will miss him around the office for sure.

We had Summer Solstice this week. Now the days are officially getting shorter. We're sad about that. We'll be back home in California before they get this long again.

St. Petersburg Bolshoi Bridge at 3 am, June 21--Soltice

Ken got up at 3 am on June 21 to take photos.  This was looking west about 30 minutes before sunrise. It's a very famous view, and just outside our apartment building.

 The mural on a local utilities building

He's not the only one who likes this view.







Saturday we decided to stay home and clean house. We hadn't done much cleaning the last few weeks, and Sue knew there needed to be some deep-dive cleaning done. She spent about FOUR hours and took everything out of every cupboard and shelf and fridge and washed it all. It was overdue. Ken did the same thing to the living/bedroom and the front hall. We beat rugs and washed floors and made everything all spiffy.  

Sister Nicole Pettit, Ollya, Sister Lei Anania-Matafai

Then Saturday afternoon we got dressed up and went over to the church for the baptism of Ollya. She is a wonderful young woman, and we're glad to have her join Shuvalovo congregation.

Elder Griffin Houston, Aleksei, Lillya, Ollya,
Sisters Nicole Pettit, Lei Anania-Matafai, Sue Allen

She was taught by Sister Pettit and most recently by Sister Anania-Matafai who is newly arrived here from New Zealand. Sister Gregory originally taught Ollya, but she has gone home to Idaho. But thanks to wonderful modern Internet communication, BriAnna Gregory was able to "come" via video and share in the meeting and talk to Ollya.







Saturday night was the annual Graduation Party at Palace Square.  We stayed home and watched it on TV a little bit. Mostly we've been watching soccer. Ken took this photo from the TV screen. It's a big party for anyone graduating from high school or university.  Lots of live performances from school groups and pop stars. About midnight they do fireworks--we were asleep by then.

Saturday Night Graduation party at Palace Square

Ken wanted a better photo of the bridge with Smolny Cathedral, so he got up at 3 am again. But Sunday morning the bridges were not up! We thought maybe it was because of the graduation party. With the bridges up it's very hard to get out of the downtown area in a car, and the subways stop running about midnight or 1 am.

Sunday morning 3am--bridge down for the party (See the party boat on the water)

At 3:10 am all the street lights went off. It was nearly dawn and they weren't needed anymore!  

Sunday morning 3:10 am--all lights went off 

There was so much to report this week, and we haven't even talked about soccer! Next week will be quiet (except for the Hermitage service), and so we'll likely get into World Cup a bit.