After spending the whole day traveling from Thailand with a promotional ticket from China Southern Airlines, I finally set foot on the Russian land I had long dreamed of. Today was the beginning of my immersive Russian experience. Prior to this, I had diligently done my homework to find a late-night or overnight flight from Thailand to arrive in Moscow in the morning, allowing me to start exploring right away. It was a way to save on hotel costs and precious vacation days. However, no matter how hard I searched, I couldn’t find any suitable options. Even the direct flights offered by the local carrier Aeroflot departed from Bangkok only in the daytime, and I arrived in Moscow during the chilly evening. It left me with no choice but to accept the fact and sacrifice a full day of travel. As for the return flight, there were no issues. There were flights departing from Moscow in the late evening or at night, arriving in Bangkok early in the morning, offering both direct and layover options, depending on the preferred price. It seems that flights from Moscow cater more to the whims of Russian leaving the country than enticing people from abroad to come and explore.

Yesterday, when I arrived, it was cold but there was no snow, just around 5 degrees Celsius. However, when I woke up today at 7.30AM, I looked out the hostel window and was amazed to see a snow-covered Moscow, with snowflakes falling steadily, and it seemed like they wouldn’t stop anytime soon. At that moment, two thoughts crossed my mind. First, how lucky I was to witness real snow, something rarely seen in Thailand. And secondly, “With snowfall like this, how am I going to explore?” But in no time, I reminded myself that I had spent money and I had to go, regardless of the circumstances. I made up my mind, washed my face, brushed my teeth, took a shower, dressed up, grabbed my bag, put on my shoes, and headed out, determined to follow my planned itinerary without hesitation. As I was about to leave, the hostel receptionist smiled and greeted me with a cheerful “Good Morning!” (I must say, she had an adorable Russian charm). With that, I felt encouraged to conquer the snowy day ahead. I smiled back, greeted her with a “Morning!” and opened the door, stepping out. (Traveling is a big deal, and cute girls make it even better… oh la la!)

Today, I had plans to visit three places: Novodevichy Convent, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, and Kolomenskoye Park. After walking 200 meters from the hostel, I reached the metro station and went inside to purchase a ticket. At that time, I encountered the first difficulty of traveling in Russia.

Me : “20 rounds ticket, please.” (I had learned beforehand that buying a bundle ticket is better than buying individual ones.)

Ticket Vendor : (Looks puzzled because she doesn’t speak English).

Me : (Trying again, speaking slower) “20 rounds ticket, please.”

Ticket Vendor : (Takes out a 50 ruble banknote to show that the ticket costs 50 rubles).

Me : “No. No. No.” (I take out my phone and show them the number 20 in calculator application)

Ticket Vendor : (Understanding instantly that I want to buy 20 tickets, proceeds to use the calculator and shows me the number 580.)

Me : (Knowing deep in my soul that the ticket cost is 580 rubles, I quickly handle the payment and obtain the tickets, considering it one of the most challenging purchases I’ve ever made in my life.)

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Afterward, I hurriedly walked into the underground passage and searched for the way to Sportivnaya Metro Station (Спорти́вная), Line 1 (the red line). This station served as an intersection for three metro lines. I got a little lost and wandered for almost 10 minutes before finding the entrance. I boarded the train and after six stations, I reached my destination. Upon exiting the station, I turned right and headed towards the river, a distance of approximately 600 meters. And there, on the left-hand side, I finally encountered Novodevichy Convent, standing gracefully.

This temple is located in the southwest of Moscow and was built in 1524 in the distinctive Baroque architectural style. It was once used as a place of imprisonment for Tsar Peter the Great’s sister, Princess Sofya. It has now transformed into an important museum and tourist attraction in Russia. It is also the final resting place of significant Russian women and prominent figures, such as Boris Yeltsin, the first President of Russia, and Nikita Khrushchev, the former President of the Soviet Union. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Novodevichy Convent as one of the world’s heritage sites in 2004.

Novodevichy Convent is open for visitors every day from 7AM to 7PM. You can explore the surrounding areas free of charge. However, there is an admission fee of 200 rubles (approximately 4 USD) to enter the museum. If you wish to take photographs, an additional camera fee of 100 rubles (approximately 2.5 USD) is required.

In front and the entrance of Novodevichy Convent

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Intertior of Novodevichy Convent

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In addition to the prominent tombs surrounding the Novodevichy Convent, there were beautiful artworks and ancient artifacts inside the church and monastery, showcasing the original Baroque style that was unique and captivating. And even after fully immersing myself in the splendor of the church, monastery, and the interior, the beauty of Novodevichy Convent didn’t end there. As I walked outside and headed towards the adjacent pond, I discovered a moderately sized public park nestled along the riverbank. When I looked through the pond towards the convent, the reflection on the water revealed the striking red roofs contrasting with the golden domes, along with the white walls. It was an incredibly breathtaking view that cannot be found elsewhere. Seeing it made all the weariness, troubles, and pain fade away in an instant. And the advantage of the snowfall was its romantic ambiance. However, it was unfortunate that I ended up traveling alone, as no one accompanied me. So, I had to keep the romantic feelings in my heart….Travel turned into a melodramatic tale. T_T

The pond with reflection of Novodevichy Convent

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Well then… let’s set aside the sadness for now and make the most of our time to continue exploring. Afterward, I headed to the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour by taking the red line metro in the opposite direction for three stations until I reached Kropotkinskaya (Кропоткинская). As I stepped out of the station, I was immediately greeted by the sight of a grand cathedral standing right in front of me. There was no need to wander around tiredly in search of it.

Inside the metro station in Moscow

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Cathedral of Christ the Saviour : The world highest orthodox cathedral

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As I walked out of the station, hunger and the need to use the restroom hit me at once. I turned left and right behind me, I spotted a row of shops with a sign that said “Туалет” which means “Toilet” in Russian. It was a public restroom, so I assumed it was free to use. I quickly walked in, only to find a counter with a sign that read “50 рублей” which meant the restroom fee was 50 rubles (0.60 USD). I reluctantly paid the money, as the urgency was getting intense. After finishing my business, I regained my composure and calculated that it was about 0.60 USD. Huh….I realized it was quite expensive, but I consoled myself by thinking it was an experience and still cheaper than in Paris (just comforting myself). Then, I walked another 10 steps and stumbled upon a sandwich shop that reminded me of Subway. I decided to give it a try. The seller only spoke Russian, but luckily, I had eaten at Subway before (not bragging… well, maybe a little). Once I figured out how to order, I looked at the sign pointing to the bread and then at the showcased refrigerator, deciding on what to add and which sauces to choose. After placing my order, I noticed a coffee machine. So, I mustered up the courage and said, “One Cappuccino.” Well, it turned out they knew their stuff! (Russians know their coffee types. Whenever I encounter a coffee shop, I can confidently order my mocha, cappuccino, or latte, they know them all, except for the unknown ones. But here, it’s only hot coffee, no iced coffee like in Thailand.) The total came to 280 rubles (approximately 5 USD), which I considered reasonable. The sandwich was huge, and I couldn’t finish it all, so I saved the other half in my bag to have later in the afternoon.

The sandwish and a cup of Cappuccino in front of Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

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After satisfying my hunger, I continued my journey to explore the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Here, the entrance was free of charge. It was open every day from 10AM to 5PM (except on Mondays, when it opened from 1PM to 5PM). However, cameras or tripods were not allowed inside, and photography was prohibited. So, I had to keep the images of the interior solely in my memory.

The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the tallest Orthodox church in the world, with its dome reaching a height of 103 meters, was built in 1812 by Tsar Alexander I to commemorate the victory in the Napoleonic Wars. It took a staggering 45 years to complete. The cathedral had a distinctive golden dome and was located not far from the Kremlin. It had once been ordered to be demolished in 1931 by the President Joseph Stalin. However, it was later rebuilt thanks to donations and the dedication of the people during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin.

Inside the cathedral, there was a grand central hall for religious ceremonies, adorned with elaborate murals and ceiling paintings depicting the stories of the Christian faith. Each painting portrayed the magnificence and strong devotion of the people towards their religion. As I walked along the corridor surrounding the hall, I couldn’t help but be in awe of the grandeur of the artwork. The rear of the cathedral offered a breathtaking viewpoint, where I could see the Kremlin in all its splendor from a wide-angle perspective. It was truly a sight to behold.

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Afterwards, I decided to take the metro and head to a small town called “Kolomenskoye Park“. I boarded the metro at Kropotkinskaya station, Line 1 (red), and traveled two stations to switch to Line 2 (green) at Okhotny ryad station. Once I changed trains, I continued for another four stations until I reached Kolomenskaya station (Коломенская). Upon exiting the station, I crossed the street at the four-way intersection and made my way towards the shopping district. As I walked through the area, I passed by a row of apartment buildings on my right. Continuing through the apartment district, I approached the river and found a junction to my right, offering a distant view of the white cathedral domes and walls within the park. That was Kolomenskoye Park, which was approximately 900 meters away from the nearest metro station. Google Map was my best freind to get here, frankly speaking. ;-P

As I walked through the clustered apartment district, it provided a vivid glimpse into the urban lifestyle of Moscow. In Moscow, it’s not allowed to build houses within the city; houses can only be built outside the city limits, truly in the outskirts, resembling rural homes surrounded by farmland. Consequently, city dwellers must reside in condominiums or apartments. It’s not surprising that the people of Moscow would spend their free time in the evenings strolling outside their homes or visiting public parks. It was an interesting insight into their way of life, adapting to the urban landscape.

Another story I’d like to share is when I was approaching this park, I wanted to confirm with the locals, so I showed them a picture and asked a lady who appeared to be around 45-50 years old. She could speak some English, but her response caught me off guard. She asked, “What do you want?” with a smiling face. I understood that she probably meant to ask if I needed any help (judging from her friendly smile). Ideally, she should have said, “May I help you?” or “What can I help you with?” or something similar. Maybe she wasn’t accustomed to using those phrases in English or wasn’t familiar with the situation. I almost felt like running away in that moment, but it was good to see her smiling, which gave me the impression that she was kind and willing to assist. Then she told me, “Yes, over there is Kolomenskoye” (Wow… Russian kindly style 🙂 ).

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Kolomenskoye Park was established in 1339 by Tsar Ivan the First. Its highlight is the Ascension Church, made entirely of stone. The park itself resembles an old town situated along the river. Inside, you can find the Lada of Kazan Temple, wooden churches, museums, and a public garden. It is an incredibly romantic place, especially when snow falls on the long pathways and the atmosphere of the park stretches out before your eyes (truly romantic, the kind that makes you want to bring someone special next time…speaking from the heart). Visitors to Moscow should not miss the opportunity to explore Kolomenskoye Park in all its splendor. Furthermore, in 1994, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, adding to its cultural significance.

Kolomenskoye Park was open for visitors to freely explore the surrounding areas and the public gardens every day from 7AM to 9PM. If I was interested in visiting the museums, there was an entrance fee of 300 rubles (approximately 6 USD). The museums were open for visitors from 10AM to 6PM every day, except for Mondays.

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The Ascention Church, a white limestone church located at the front of Kolomenskoye Park, blended beautifully with the white snow, creating a stunning sight.

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After walking and immersing myself in the snowy atmosphere of the park (it was around three in the afternoon when the snow had stopped), I thought of taking pictures outside. I stumbled upon a breathtaking view along the riverbank, and I couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow… This is a beauty that can’t be found anywhere else!” The pristine white snow covering the path by the riverside was indescribably stunning. Words couldn’t capture the true essence of the clean, white snow. Walking along the calm riverside, enjoying the serene atmosphere of the park, and seeing people come out to relax and unwind in the evening made me feel as if time had momentarily stood still, allowing me to fully immerse myself in the beauty of the moment without any worries or distractions.

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After strolling leisurely, enjoying the beauty of the surroundings in the park and along the river, it was around 4.30PM when the sky started to darken (winter evenings darken early, and by six o’clock, the sun had set). It was time for me to return to my accommodation and recharge my energy for the next day’s adventure in Russia. Just on the first day alone, I felt content, joyful, and incredibly happy. It was as if life had injected vibrant colors into my being, instilling me with the motivation to face various challenges ahead. It was another blissful night of sleep, sound and dreamless, reminiscent of the carefree slumbers of childhood. Truly, a rejuvenating experience. 🙂

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Written By : SHIPY SIWARIT TIASUWATTISETH

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