A day in Moscow

Statue in the subway honoring the resistance to the German Nazi occupation during WW II. (Click on photos for a better view)

One subway line honoring Russian sports.

Orthodox church we visited on Holy Saturday.  We went inside and lit candles with the local people.  We were each given cakes and decorated eggs by church members.

New apartment blocks near our hotel in Moscow.

We went to the incredible WW II museum that did much to show the cooperation of Russian and American soldiers in defeating the Nazis.  I doubt that many American museums reflect this fact that the US and Russia were allies during the war. 

There were many large rooms in the museum that had panoramic wall paintings of war damage inside of Russia.

Another of the panoramic wall paintings of Nazi destruction of Russian cities.  More than 27 million Soviet citizens died in the war with Germany.  The U.S. lost 500,000 troops in the war.

Large statue inside the museum - hard to describe how moving it was.  Russia has been repeatedly invaded throughout its history and the people strongly desire peace but are prepared to fight to the death if invaded again.  Today they fear the US and NATO are encircling them in order to try to force another 'regime change war'.  This museum did not glorify the war and destruction but was a clear statement that victory against invaders will be won even if it takes the last person's life.