Red Rob

What a huge city Moscow is - so many grand buildings, columns, turrets and golden onion domes. I managed to get a Russian SIM card and the young girl in the mobile phone shop kindly put it in for me (so to speak!). I then braved the famous Moscow underground - much deeper than ours at home, but very grand stations. I had a lovely walk around the centre - did you spot Max at the Bolshoi? The weather was not so good today and when heavy rain came on I decided to try out one of Moscow's top recommendations- a Russian banya or bath house. The Sanduny banya is the oldest and most luxurious in the city (check their website www.sanduny.ru). What an experience - the rooms were so hot you had to wear a felt hat - and the ice cold plunge pools must have had water piped from Siberia. To finish off I went for the traditional beating with birch leaves. I was allowed to keep my hat and birch leaves as a souvenir!

With the rain now off, I had a lovely walk round Red Square - such fabulous buildings. Did you spot Max at St Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin? I call him Karl Max here. My walk continued along the Moscow River to the colossal statue of Peter the Great - breathtaking, finishing up at Gorky Park. Knackered and ready for bed!Read more