My apologies to all who are just getting connected here. Had some difficulty with face book and finally gave up but to those who are just joining us, welcome!!!

First full day in Moscow. The hotel (Peter the Great: google him he was truly an amazing man. He brought Russia out of the stone age, kicking and screaming, single handedly and made her a world power.) offers a free breakfast every morning to die for: 6 or 7 different cheeses, a dozen or so thinly sliced meats of every kind. bowels and bowels of dried fruits in sauces as well as many fresh fruits. There are warming trays of every kind of bacon, sausage and fish you could think of, a tower of little cubbies with nuts, seeds, mixtures and crunchy unknown objects that were yummy none the less..

At ten the guide showed up. Myself and Larry(who was on the cruise I was supposed to be onbefore they smashed the car window in Vancouver and stole my passport, computer,$$, Ipod, etc.) (who showed up on the trans-siberian rail road in our carand had booked the same hotel and tour) were the only people she had so it was very personable and enjoyable. Everybody else we saw looked like a bunch of school kids on a field trip, following some body with a tall flag who was yelling at them the whole time. I'd have had to punch them square in the babushka and made a break for it.

Saw the Kremlin, Many Cathedrals then walked up and down a very old boulevard which is now pedestrian only,full of shops cafes and a OOO-andy's(Wendy's) Bought some nesting Babushka doll from a man who looked like a Russian Santa.

People are very high fashion here. I truly felt like a Russian peasant in my sturdy walkin shoes, my head scarf ( freakin cold, it was) and my 18 layers of coats, vest, and black rain coat. All the other women were in Yves-St. Laurent tailored suits, black tights, tall sexy boots and Gucci hand bags. I was truly the Ugly American, but the last laugh was on those Russian Barbie Dolls: they thought I was a Russian Matrushka. Ihad lots of old ladies around dressed just like me!!! Ha ha ha.!!