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Russia Question - Red Square June 10th, Russian Independence Day June 12th

Russia Question - Red Square June 10th, Russian Independence Day June 12th

Old Apr 13th, 2007, 11:47 AM
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Russia Question - Red Square June 10th, Russian Independence Day June 12th

I will be in Moscow on a River Cruise. The dates I will be in Moscow are June 9 and I will fly out June 12th.

I was reading in a review on CC that someone was in Moscow on June 10th and parts of Red Square were closed up due to the Russian Independence Day. I did a search and the Russian Independence Day is June 12th - the day I fly out. I am not sure why this poster said June 10th. This poster has not posted over a year in CC so asking him isn't possible.

My question is - is there any reason for parts of Red Square to be closed before June 12th?

If there is another board that would be better to ask this question - please let me know.

Thank you.
Theresa
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Old Apr 13th, 2007, 11:49 AM
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I am sorry, what is CC?
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Old Apr 13th, 2007, 11:53 AM
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I checked our Moscow office calendar - the holiday is indicated as June 11, Monday, and June 12, Tuesday.

If there is a parade on either of those days, the square (or part of it) can be closed for pre-parade training before the actual date of the parade.
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Old Apr 13th, 2007, 12:07 PM
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Cruise Critic - another bb for cruise people.

Since I am doing a Russian River Cruise - I have been posting over there but most of the river cruises people take are European. I thought I would have better luck with specific Russian date questions here.
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Old Apr 13th, 2007, 12:10 PM
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FainaAgain - are you in Russia?

Do you know of a website I can check to find out the parade schedule for those dates. I really don't have much choice in touring times but would like to know before I go if there will be some restrictions.

I am trying to decide between spending more time in Red Square or going to the Trinity St. Sergius Monastary.
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Old Apr 14th, 2007, 11:29 PM
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Try emailing [email protected]

This is the Moscow City Tourist Information Centre. Their website is:
http://www.moscow-city.ru/

Additionally you may find information in the Moscow Times which is also available online.
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 02:01 AM
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Independence Day in on June 12. However, since it falls on Tuesday, it's quite possible that the previous Saturday would be a working day, so people can have three days off - June 10, 11 and 12. There can be some marches, or protests, or festivities going on, though I doubt you can find any info on this in April.
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 03:15 AM
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Thank you.

Since I will be in town the evening of the 9th and then all day on the 10th and 11th - besides Red Square, is there anything else that would be affected by the holiday on the days I will be there?

Here are some items we plan on visiting:

Red Square, St.Basils, the Lenin Hills, Tverskaya, Lubyanka Square (KGB building) and Arbat Street, Tretyakov Art Museum, tour inside the Kremlins Walls, Armory Museum, Novodevichy Convent and Cemetary and Trinity St. Sergius Monastary.
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 01:43 PM
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I guess the streets and squares would be OK, though there is always a possibility of some parade or a demonstration. However, they wouldn't possibly close everything for all day long, and Moscow city center is a beautiful place to explore in the meantime.

BTW, the Tretyakov Gallery is closed on Mondays. The museums inside Kremlin walls are closed on Thursdays. If you want to get to the Armory, note that they let people inside at 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm and 4:30 pm. Novodevichy Convent doesn't work on Tuesdays and on the first Monday of the month.

Is the Trinity St. Sergius Monastary that you mention the one that's north of Moscow? They have a video tour on their website:
http://www.stsl.ru/video/index.php
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 01:44 PM
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Oh, and St.Basils is closed on Tuesdays and first Monday of the month.
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 02:08 PM
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We were in Moscow with a river cruise (Viking) June 10-13, 2003.

Red Square was closed part of the day June 11th and 12th. We were told that President Putin had scheduled a special "official" celebration, "a new tradition", by receiving representatives of all 89 Federation subjects at Red Square, along with other dignitaries. On the 11th, the square was closed to set up seating and huge, colorful, banners on stands (representing each of the 89 Federation subjects). On the 12th, the square was supposed to be closed from Noon-3, but was actually closed earlier and until later.

We were able to access the square around 4-5PM ahead of our visit to the Circus, and we were driven by and dropped off later so as to be there at night.

Viking took us there again on the 13th ahead of a visit to the Armory.

On our river cruise Red Square, St.Basils, the Lenin Hills, Tverskaya, Lubyanka Square (KGB building) and Arbat Street, Tretyakov Art Museum, tour inside the Kremlins Walls, Armory Museum, Novodevichy Convent were all included in tours provided by Viking.
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 02:11 PM
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Red Square can be closed for a day or two before the parade as well as afterwards. There is no way to be 100% sure. If you cannot go to Red Square, go to the Tretnykov Gallery. It is filled with wonderful Russian art. I was absolutely astonished by what I saw as much Russian art is unfamiliar to Westerners.

I know you want to get into the Armory and St. Basil's, but, if Red Square is closed when you are there, just have a back up plan. Believe me, you won't be disappointed with the Tretnykov Gallery.

You have way too many things on your list for such a short stay. If the Tretnykov is also closed, pick from the list. I was there a week and we did not get to the Convent or St. Sergius.

If Moscow is really undoable, you can always hire a private guide and go to one of the ring cities.

No matter what you do, your time in Russia will not be enough and you won't see everything. I was there 2 weeks in 2004 (one week each in Moscow and St. Petersburg) and certainly just got a "taste" of what Russia has to offer.
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 03:17 PM
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djkbooks - I will be on an Amadeus River Cruise (St. Petersburg to Moscow) - similar to your Viking trip.

Did you feel significantly disadvantaged with the dates you were in Moscow or did you feel Viking was able to fit everything in by rearranging things?

FauxSteMarie - I wil be doing several of the Ring cities/towns before I get to Moscow. I am on a tour and all the tours have already been paid for.

It looks like there is hope for Red Square the evening of the 9th.

I thought I had done everything correctly as far as making sure I avoided all the Mondays and Tuesdays in St. Petersburg (which I did do). I knew of the holiday but thought I was missing it since I am flying out on the official day of the holiday.
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 06:24 PM
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Red Square will close a few days before the holiday. If you cannot see Red Square, there are plenty of other things to see and do in Moscow although I know you have your heart set on Red Square. I am not sure whether the closing affects The Armory--which is the museum there. When I went with Elderhostel, Red Square closed while we were there, but AFTER we had visited. The tour director--thank goodness--knew what she was doing. I have to say though I found that the Tretnyakov Gallery was the most impressive thing I saw in Moscow. That is the first place I would return to if I were to go back.

When we had free time people did a variety of things. If Red Square is a mess, go out and see the Catherine Palace (and the Amber Room) and Peterhoff. Peterhoff has these amazing fountains that put Versailles to shame. We did not find any difficulty getting into the Amber Room. Guides also have "arrangements" with sites so that their clients get in (meaning they tip whoever it is--or you may call it a bribe; it is the way the system works in Russia).

I have to say I had my most satisfying encounters when I went off on my own and tried communicating with locals. The Russians I met were all very nice. As I mentioned, I do have some Russian language (but limited). Every little bit helps!
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 06:52 PM
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If Red Square is closed you will find many parks and palaces in or near Moscow that are worth a visit, it might be more difficult to visit Peterhof or Catherine Palace in Puskin as they are much closer to St Petersburg, than Moscow.
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 07:38 PM
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Theresa: Viking was terrific about rearranging the schedule!

We headed to Red Square the first time around 10AM, when our tour guide was informed by a police officer that the square was closed earlier than planned for security reasons. When he found out what time the square would reopen, he was on the phone with the cruise director rearranging plans so that we would be able to return later that day.

Due to popular request, we also stopped at Red Square again on the way back to the ship from the Circus. And, the bus left earlier than planned the following day so that we would have time to spend in Red Square ahead of our visit to the Armory and other places inside the Kremlin. (We had to get to the Armory on time because of an appointment.)

You will be in Russia at the beginning of the White Nights!

Perhaps FauxSteMarie is confused as she previously reported that she was unable to visit Red Square during her visit to Moscow, and Catherine Palace (with the Amber Room) and Peterhof are near St. Petersburg, not Moscow.

In 2005, Red Square was closed for many months due to security concerns.
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 07:46 PM
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Yeah Garfield, I realized I screwed up on Peterhoff and the Catherine Palace after I wrote that. They are a little bit far from Moscow for a day trip. Isn't the Borodino battlefield not too far from Moscow? That was one thing I did not see that I would have liked to see. Now that is near MOSCOW and NOT St. Petersburg. By the way, in case someone reading this does not know, Borodino is where the Russians finally defeated Napoleon's army. That could be another suggestion for what to see if the poster cannot get into the Armory.

Garfield, when I was in St. Petersburg with Elderhostel, we went to an opera in a house that formerly belonged to one of the aristocrats. The entrance looked like a cave. Do you know what it was? I don't remember the name. We saw an obscure opera with Russian surtitles to "help" us. No one knew what was going on. The tour director explained the plot later. The star of the show was the venue. The theater was some aristocrat's private theater.

I found the smaller venues for performances in Moscow much more interesting than the Bolshoi. The Bolshoi is sort of a museum (and of course the theater is now closed for renovations, but I presume they are performing elsewhere). They perform the same shows the same way year after year. Technically, they are very good, of course, but what I saw was not very exciting. Some of the less well known venues have much more exciting things. I was NOT impressed with the circus I saw that was supposedly the Moscow Circus (there are several troupes with this name). I think the best acts all moved to the West when Russia opened up.

Peterhoff and the Catherine Palace are a nice day trip from ST. PETERSBURG!
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 07:49 PM
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djkbooks- thank you so much. I will be inquiring at the beginning of the trip concerning the holiday.

This actually is my second trip to Russia. I was there 18 years ago on a land trip in high school and absolutely LOVED Red Square. In my mind - there is no substitute. I will need to find a way to work around the schedule to go back.

I also loved Peterhoff and Catherine's Palace in St. Petersburg.

I really wanted to do a land trip this time but finances would not allow for it (Moscow most expensive city, St. Petersburg is up there also). The cost was almost half to do a river cruise.
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 07:50 PM
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DJKBooks is fond of telling everyone that Elderhostel did not take us to Red Square on my trip. Actually, I went once with the group and then went back a second time to see the repatriated Fabrege Eggs during free time. I thought I had seen all of the Forbes Fabrege eggs in the US, but there were ones in Russia I had not seen. What amazed me is that the Russians knew nothing of their history. Some were looking at this photograph of the royal family and could not get the names straight. I set them straight. Obviously, during Communism, some history was simply not taught in school. While Westerners often are fascinated with the story of the end of the Romanov Dynasty, ordinary Russians know little about the story. It has all the elements of a Greek tragedy.
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Old Apr 15th, 2007, 07:52 PM
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By the way, I would like DJKBooks to provide a link demonstrating that I ever said I did not go to Red Square or stop asserting this.

Donna, post the proof and stop playing the "My trip was better than your trip" game. I have no idea whose trip was "better" but I did not want a cruise because I wanted all the performances in Moscow and St. Petersburg. A cruise is fine, but no one is required to take the same trip you did.

NOW POST THAT LINK! Immediately!
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