Russian Metro
4 Aug
Moscow’s magnificent metro stations are world renowned. But the reality of them really does blow you away. They also provided a welcome refuge for me as they do all the year round in protecting Muscovites from the weather outside – but in my situation it was from the heat.
I thought I remembered something from my history GCSE about the human cost of building them (including images of people dying in their thousands working through permafrost) – but it seems like I didn’t need to spend my time feeling guilty about appreciating their beauty, since nowhere online can I find a reference to it. So, without the guilt and in full appreciation of all the splendour, take a look at these pictures. They are taken at 7-8 of the most decorated stations in the centre. Look out for the shiny dog and cockerel. I think that rubbing them must bring good luck, since everyone – and I mean everyone – stopped by the statues causing a major tail-back.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoMqpHS7u6A&hl=en_US&fs=1]
Hi Cat,
Bon Voyage!
Have been enjoying your missives, Ragnar
ps. the dying permafrosted soviet workers. I remember from history text books that the metro was built by happy and proud volunteers – odd as I thought our countries were on the same side during the Cold War.
Moscow’s metro is beautiful – looks like you got to a few stations I’ve never seen. Pyongyang’s is designed like Moscow’s (though about a foot deeper, in case of nuclear attack) but sadly I never got to go, though my colleagues did. In any case, the North Koreans only let you ride between 2 stops – the rest is not open to foreigners. Apparently, though, the DPRK still plays music in the Pyongyang Metro, with pics of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il in every car!