Top secret.

Previously (on 24... No) during the downpour day, indoor options had been investigated, largely with little success. The 1 intriguing option happened to be just round the corner - a top secret bunker that had just a year ago been declassified & was now open to the public. Had to be booked in advance & the only English tour was at 7pm on Sunday - packing time. Liz wasn't remotely interested so flying solo on this one. Access was a little cloak & dagger as well. Through a barrier, press the buzzer until you are met. This will only be answered 10 mins before the tour & up until the tour - don't be late! As it was I followed a group in - easy. Met the guide & began the descent. Down 20m through a 10 tonne blast door, then a 1.5 hermetically sealed door. Along a 20m corridor so we were under the Kindergarten. Then down another 60m shaft - 2 more sealed doors & we were in. No messing around here. This was one of 20 bunkers under Moscow - most linked upto the Metro, which also had the capability to be sealed off. It stored the minister for foreign affairs' secret documents and was in use up until 2008. A lot of the systems were still operational - ventilation, air conditioning, communications, alarm ... but not the lift. And even here 80m below the surface of Moscow - still there's a Manc to be found. Bahh! Some of stuff was grim but fascinating - the way they tested the effects of differing levels of radiation on soldiers so they could predict the number of deaths (citizens out of service) in the wider population. At least we know what to do in the case of a nuclear warning - go online.Read more