GORKY PARK & MY NIGHT TOUR OF MOSCOW CITY!!!

ALOHA EVERYONE!!!

I HOPE YOU HAVE FOUND MY RECENT BLOGGING ENTERTAINING.  I MUST ADMIT AND SAY I LITERALLY HAD TO REFOCUS MY MIND AND TRY TO REMEMBER MY TRIPS 2 YEARS AGO, I'VE TRAVELED SO MUCH AND I'M STILL WORKING TWO JOBS AND I FORGET WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND STUFF.  BUT IN DUE TIME I'LL GET MY MEMORIES BACK AND BLOG BETTER AS WE JOURNEY TOGETHER.

OKAY, SO WHERE WAS I, OH YEAH...  SO TODAY'S BLOGGING WILL BE MY DAY IN GORKY PARK!!!  SO LETS GO THERE!!!

ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY IN MOSCOW, RUSSIA!!!  HOW LUCKY CAN I POSSIBLY GET???

OH BY THE WAY... IT'S FREE!!!  WELL AT LEAST 2 YEARS AGO IT WAS.

AS SOON AS I ENTER, THIS IS WHAT I WALK INTO.

THE LANDSCAPES,TREES, FLOWERS, PONDS, FOUNTAINS...  ITS TRULY A REMARKABLE PLACE TO SPEND AN ENTIRE DAY!!!

I CONTINUE TO WALK AND CAME ACROSS THIS...

NEVER WOULD I HAVE EVER THOUGHT UKULELE HAS TRAVELED TO RUSSIA.  THAT WAS SO COOL TO WATCH AND HEAR!!!  I THINK THE NEXT TIME I GO VISIT, I'M GOING TO BRING MY UKULELE AND PLAY!!!

AND SO I CONTINUED TO WALK AND EXPLORE...

NOW I'M REALLY THIRSTY...

MANGO SMOOTHIE FOR ME!!!

THAT DEFINITELY HIT THE SPOT AND I CONTINUED ONWARD...

I STOPPED AND ENJOYED THE SHADE.

BEHIND THE KIDS PLAYING IN THE SANDBOX IS A FOUR BEACH VOLLEYBALL COURT TOO.

STOPPED BY TO WATCH SOME PING PONG PLAYING, THESE GUYS CAN PLAY REALLY GOOD!!!

OMG...  HOW COULD I NOT LOOK???  THE ADORABLE BABY WAS STARING AT ME BEFORE I COULD CATCH A PIC.  SUPER ADORABLE!!!

AND NOW I AM LEAVING AND HEADING OUT THE SAME WAY I ENTERED GORKY PARK.  THIS IS ANOTHER WONDERFUL PLACE TO RELAX AND STROLL.  THEY ARE MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES I DIDN'T GET TO TAKE PICS, BUT I DID SEE A MINI CARNIVAL WITH MERRY GO ROUND AND OTHER KID RIDES, NUMEROUS CONCESSIONS STANDS, BASKETBALL COURTS, PUBLIC PERFORMANCES, ETC.

I'M WILL RETURN TO GORKY PARK!!!

AND NOW I WILL MEET UP WITH MY FRIENDS,ANDREW AND ELVIRA TO GO SEE MORE OF MOSCOW AT NIGHT!!!

WE TOURED THE "PARK OF ARTS" - WHERE THEY ARE MANY SCULPTURES OF THE SOVIET ERA, I REGRET FOR NOT TAKING PICTURES OF THE POOR LIGHTING AND THE PHONE FLASH IS NOT AS GOOD BACK THEN COMPARED TO THE PHONES OF TODAY, JUST A REMINDER, THIS WAS BACK IN 2018.  WE CONTINUED ONWARD AND ENDED UP RIGHT IN FRONT OF THIS AMAZING COMMEMORATIVE STATUE HONORING "TSAR PETER THE GREAT" & THE "300 ANNIVERSARY OF THE RUSSIAN NAVY". 

AND WE KEPT ON MOVING ON AS WE SEE THE AMAZING NEXT HISTORIC PLACE SOON!!!

LIVING IN BETHEL, ALASKA SINCE 1998, I'VE BEFRIENDED A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THAT WAS, BUT WHEN THEY HEARD THAT I WAS HEADING TO MOSCOW, RUSSIA...  THEY ASKED ME TO GET PICTURES OF THE BEAUTIFUL "CATHEDRAL OF THE CHRIST THE SAVIOUR".

WELL I DID EVEN BETTER, I GOT A VIDEO OF THE BELLS RINGING.

SO WE WALKED FOR ABOUT 2.5 MILES AND WE ARE ALL HUNGRY NOW.  SO NOW WHERE DO WE EAT AT???

WE CHOSE "GRAND CAFE DR. JHIVAGO".  I HEARD THAT PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ATE THERE WITH PRESIDENT PUTIN ON HIS FIRST VISIT TO MOSCOW AFTER BECOMING PRESIDENT.

THERE WAS A 45 MINUTE WAIT LIST SO WE PUT OUR NAMES ON AND CONTINUED TOWARDS THE RED SQUARE!!!

THE ICONIC "TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER" HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF ME AS IT TOUCHES DEEPLY INTO MY HEART AND SOUL TO NEVER FORGET THEM AND TO ALWAYS REMEMBER THEM FOR WHAT THEY DID.

"THE ETERNAL FLAME" AND THE INSCRIPTION:
"YOUR NAME IS UNKNOWN, YOUR DEED IS IMMORTAL."

IN MY PREVIOUS BLOG ON MY FIRST VISIT TO MOSCOW BACK IN FEBRUARY 2018, I VISITED HERE AND WITNESSED THE "CHANGING OF THE GUARDS", ITS A MUST SEE IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE.  OTHERWISE CHECK MY PREVIOUS BLOG IN THE ARCHIVES IN FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018.


OKAY IT IS ABOUT 45 MINUTES NOW AND ITS TIME TO EAT!!!  WE ARE REALLY HUNGRY NOW.

ANDREW & ELVIRA ORDERED AND I HAPPILY SAMPLED AND ATE AWAY.

THIS IS CALLED "MEAT JELLY" AND ITS KINDA HARD TO EXPLAIN BUT I'LL SAY ITS LIKE MEAT WITH SPICES AND THEN PUT INTO A NON FLAVORED JELLO/GELATIN.  I LOVE IT, I COULD EAT A BUNCH OF THEM WITH VODKA JELLO SHOTS TOO.

SPEAKING OF VODKA, WE DID ORDER SHOTS OF ICED COLD VODKA AND I FORGOT TO TAKE PICS...  OH WELL YOU JUST TAKE MY WORD, ITS SUPER GOOD, VODKA IN RUSSIA ARE THE BEST IN THE WORLD!!!

HONESTLY I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THIS DISH WAS BUT ITS BUCKWHEAT NOODLES WITH VEGETABLES AND SALMON EGGS AND MAYBE WITH SALMON FILLET OR SHRIMP, BUT WHO CARES...  IT WAS SUPER YUMMY TOO!!!

AND YOU MUST HAVE RUSSIAN DUMPLINGS TOO!!!

THIS IS WHAT ELVIRA ORDERED AND IT LOOKED LIKE A PLAIN HAMBURGER BUT IT WAS A MIX OF LAMB AND PORK I THINK AND I DID SAMPLE IT TOO AND IT WAS VERY DELICIOUS TOO!!!

I LOVE THESE TWO WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND I'M GLAD I HAVE BECOME DEAR FRIENDS.  BELIEVE IT OR NOT, ANDREW AND I MET AT A BAR (SPIELBEERG) BACK IN FEBRUARY 2018.  WE EXCHANGED CONTACTS AND KEPT IN TOUCH EVER SINCE AND WE REUNITED AGAIN AND I HAD THE HONOR TO MEET HIS GIRLFRIEND, ELVIRA THIS TIME.  

AND AT PRESENT TIME 2020, ANDREW & ELVIRA GOT MARRIED IN LATE 2019 AND JUST A MONTH AGO THEY HAVE THEIR FIRST BABY GIRL!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BOTH OF YOU!!!

OKAY BACK TO MORE WALKING ON THIS BEAUTIFUL EVENING IN MOSCOW!!!

THE STATE HISTORICAL MUSEUM

THE BOLSHOI THEATRE

AND I BELIEVE THIS USE TO BE AN OLD KGB BUILDING OR IS IT STILL A KGB BUILDING???

I AM NOT ALLOWED TO SAY ANYTHING MORE.


AND SO WE CONTINUED TO WALK AND MADE SEVERAL PUB STOPS SUCH AS, "TAP RULE" AND "LOS BANDIDOS" TO QUENCH OUR THIRSTS, I WAS LITERALLY SWEATING AND DRENCHED THE WHOLE TIME, C'MON CAN YOU BLAME ME???  I LIVE IN ALASKA!!!

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, ANDREW IS HUNGRY AGAIN!!!  SO ANDREW TOOK US TO "MOSDONER" A PLACE THAT SERVES TURKISH FOOD AND WE ORDERED SHAWARMAS!!!

I LOVE SHAWARMERS SO I'M NOT COMPLAINING.

AND SO THE EVENING ENDS AND IT WAS TIME TO CALL IT THE NIGHT, AFTER ALL I AM ON VACATION AND THEY HAVE TO WORK THE NEXT DAY.

SO WE PARTED WAYS AND DECIDED TO MEET AGAIN THE NEXT EVENING FOR DINNER!!!

TO BE CONTINUED!!!

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA 

MY TRIP IN MOSCOW, RUSSIA - DAY TWO - 2018!!!

ALOHA EVERYONE!!!

AFTER WAKING UP TO A MASSIVE HANGOVER FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE...  I WAS STARVING!!!  AND BEING UPGRADED TO EXECUTIVE SUITE DEFINITELY HAS ITS PERKS!!!

MMM...  YUMMY!!!

NOTHINGS BETTER THAN EATING YUMMY FOODS WITH A BEAUTIFUL SUNNY MORNING VIEW OF MOSCOW!!!

AFTER BREAKFAST IT WAS TIME TO MEET WITH MY DEAREST FRIEND WHO I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE.  HE IS MY DEAREST FRIEND'S FATHER AND I ALSO LOOK UP TO HIM AS MY FATHER TOO.  HE IS AN AMAZING GENTLEMAN AND NOW ITS TIME TO MEET UP WITH HIM!!!

HERE I AM WAITING TO MEET HIM AT THE METRO IN PROSPEKT MIRA.  AND ITS AN AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL DAY IN MOSCOW!!!

AHHH...  JUST SIMPLY ENJOYING THE EVERYDAY MOVEMENT!!!

WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEAR MY NAME BEING CALLED OUT...  AND I'M LOOKING ALL OVER THE PLACE BECAUSE ITS SO BUSY AND CROWDED WITH PEOPLE AND THEN I SEE HIM!!!

I GOT HIM A GIFT FROM ALASKA AND I WANTED TO BE SPECIAL AND AUTHENTIC AND MY FRIEND MADE THIS AND I BOUGHT FROM HER AND GAVE IT HIM, HE LOVED IT!!!

FINALLY REUNITED AFTER 6 MONTHS!!!

WE WENT TO THE IZMAYLOVSKIY BAZAR AND ENJOYED THE WALK AND VIEWS OF SOME OF THE COOLEST ARTS AND CRAFTS!!!  FROM EATING ICE CREAM, WATCHING MEN PLAY CHESS, AND ADMIRING BEAUTIFUL PAINTINGS!!!

AFTER WE HEADED BACK TO THE TRAIN AND METRO TO HEAD OVER TO...

THE VDNK!!!

OMG...  THIS IS AN AMAZING PLACE FILLED WITH PEOPLE FROM ROLLER BLADING, SKATE BOARDING, BIKING, RUNNING, WALKING, ETC!!!

AND THE WEATHER IS COULDN'T MORE PERFECT!!!

FROM AMAZING STATUES AND ARCHITECTURAL BUILDINGS AND WATER FOUNTAINS...  I'M SO SPEECHLESS!!!   RUSSIAN ARTISTS ARE MY FAVORITE SO FAR!!!

AND NOW WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO THE SPACE PAVILION AND LEARN ABOUT THE COSMOS AND COSMONAUTS...  LET THE SPACE RACE BEGIN!!!

 YURI GAGARIN WAS THE FIRST MAN TO ORBIT THE EARTH IN THE VOSTOK - 1 WHICH IS PICTURED ABOVE!!!

I CANNOT TELL HOW MUCH I LEARNED ABOUT THEIR SPACE PROGRAM AND THEIR AMAZING TECHNOLOGY AND IT IS STILL ON GOING.  WAY TO GO COSMONAUTS!!!

OK NOW I AM HUNGRY!!!

THIS IS A POPULAR COLD SUMMER SOUP CALLED "OKROSHKA", IT IS A SOUP WITH RAW VEGETABLES, HARD BOILED EGGS, COOKED MEATS, POTATOES WITH "KVASS" A BEVERAGE MADE WITH FERMENTED BLACK OR RYE BREAD...  IN OTHER WORDS...  SUPER YUMMY!!!

AND NOW IT IS TIME TO HEAD BACK TO THE HOTEL AS THE SUN IS SETTING SOON.

I LOVE RUSSIA!!!

 AS WE BOTH WERE ABOUT TO EXIT THE PARK, WE CAME ACROSS THIS COOL BAND PLAYING A POPULAR OLD RUSSIAN FAVORITE SONG.  I WAS TOLD THE TITLE OF THE SONG LITERALLY TRANSLATES TO "THE BEST CITY OF THE EARTH".

I LOVE THE TUNE AND I ENJOYED WATCHING SOME OF THE FEW PEOPLE DANCING.

AHHH...  ANOTHER AMAZING DAY IN BEAUTIFUL MOSCOW!!!  TOMORROW I WILL GO TO GORKY PARK!!!

STAY TUNED!!!

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA