Category: Russia

Jan. 11, 2010 - Late Jan. 10, I packed by bags for the long journey home. We planned to leave for the airport by 8:45 a.m. the next morning. Our time in Moscow passed more quickly than expected; full days made time fly. My bags were stuffed with dirty clothes and souvenirs; my heart was … Continue reading Russia 2010 Day 8 – First Class Interloper

Jan. 10 – Our Last Full Day in Moscow - On Sunday, our team split into to three groups to attend different churches in the Moscow area. I went to a church in northwest Moscow with three other team members. It was located near the last stop on the Green Line of the Metro. The … Continue reading Christmas in Moscow Day 7 – Church at the Vet’s Office

Jan. 9 – Russia capitalism - Saturday was our souvenir shopping day, so at 9 a.m. we walked to the large, outdoor souvenir market and flea market (Izmailovo Market) near our hotel. This is the biggest market of its type in the city. Some of the buildings are built to look like the Moscow Kremlin, … Continue reading Christmas in Moscow Day 6

Jan.8 -- Christ the Savior Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral and Red SquareAfter lunch we were off to see Christ the Savior Cathedral. The original building was built to commemorate the Russian victory over Napoleon. Stalin destroyed the original building 1931 to build a massive monument to Communism. The structure would have been topped with a colossal … Continue reading Christmas Day 5 Part 2

Jan. 8 – Kremlin TourDay five of our journey (Day four in Moscow) may have been the most difficult day physically. It was our tourist day. Touring is a difficult task, especially after so many busy days of mission work. We left the hotel at 9 a.m. and returned about 10 p.m. A good portion … Continue reading Christmas in Moscow – Day 5 Part One

Jan. 7 – Christmas DayOur task for Thursday was our most difficult yet. We were asked to give away flyers about Dedication Church and the church’s upcoming outreach service Jan. 9 near the Metro (subway) stop. Because of the language barrier, this would be a tough task under any conditions. The weather created yet another … Continue reading Christmas in Moscow Day Four

Jan. 6 – Christmas EveI wanted to believe that every day of our trip would be like our first day in Moscow – sunny and beautiful. All that was gone on Wednesday morning. It was windy and cold when we left our hotel. Sunrise was around 9 a.m. But on this day it never really … Continue reading Christmas in Moscow Day Three

My flight finally arrived at Moscow’s Seremetevo Airport at 10.30 a.m. Moscow time (eight hours ahead of New Orleans). By that time I had been traveling for 24 hours. I was only able to get one or two hours of sleep on the plane. I said my goodbyes to Natasha, who sat by me on … Continue reading Christmas in Moscow Day Two

Jan. 4. - Time for me to flyNEW ORLEANS, La.The alarm jolted me from a brief but satisfying sleep at 1:30 a.m. this morning. I showered, dressed and had about 25 minutes to spare. Soon I was headed to the airport. I arrived just within the suggested three-hour window for flights to Moscow. I have … Continue reading Christmas in Moscow Day One – The Journey

Jan. 4 promises to be a very long day. Delta recommends travelers who are flying to Moscow to arrive at the airport three hours early to clear security. My flight leaves at 6 a.m. so I’ll be at Armstrong International by 3 a.m. Wow! What goes on at an airport at 3 a.m.? TSA screening … Continue reading Preparing for Russia (Part 2)