(The venue may be new but the songs of the Phantom are timeless. Saw this musical several times before but this time, seeing it in MBS makes the whole place come alive even more..must be the sound system in a more compact atmosphere. The scene where Christine is taken to the dungeon on a boat is still magically created. Will I see it again when the Phantom returns? Absolutely...)
(Pizza for over $100? Well, my pizzas had never crossed the $50 mark, so trying out the much acclaimed Mozza Pizzaria here, helmed by Chef Mario Batali, was always going to be some gastronomic experience. And so it was - our pizza was a lovely mix of thinly sliced ham and fresh vegetables on top, one I had never had before. But together with a juicy lamb shank, this meal was just nice for 2. Topped up by a delightful dessert with tiramisu origins, it turned out to be quite a treat indeed)
(This well known Arbat Street is filled with souvenir shops but at one corner stood Hard Rock Café, with a free-standing drum set drawing out the rock-chick in me. This trip to Russia rounded out nicely with an evening performance by the Moscow Circus, or a version of. The bigtop tent with elephants and tigers that one would associate with this famous circus were missing..but the show was pretty good quality still).JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
(This massive square, rich in history, takes a good half-day to walk around. Behind the Kremlin Wall hides the 3 large cathedrals..and of course, the workplace of one Mr. Putin, whom we 'caught' lounging around the square. Not to be outdone were his more illustrious past, Stalin and Lenin. Just a few days back, Usian Bolt was caught shooting his lightning bolts around the square too, as part of the IAAF games)
.JPG)
.JPG)
(How can anyone contain one's glee at the sight of this magnificent cathedral? The St Basil's Cathedral is truly the one icon that represents Russia..seeing it is similar in feeling to seeing the Great Pyramids for the first time. The beautifully coloured 6-onions at the top are simply outstanding. So many images on TV of this cathedral that I have seen before but now..it is right in front of me! Jump for joy! )
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
(We weren't searching for Snowden at the Moscow Airport but the timing of the affair - just weeks prior to my visit - made this stop at the airport kind of special. Being a good-size airport, we can see why he made it there comfortably for so long. But how about that speed record on that train from St Petersburg to Moscow, eh? 208kmh, the fastest train I had been on.. comfortable and impressive!).JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
(Venice again? No, it's St Petersburg still, but can you see the similarities? An amazing sunset greeted us..and it's almost 10pm! You can see clearly now why this city is called the Venice of the North. Against this city skyline, this moment before the sun drops below the buildings is so beautifully peaceful)
.JPG)
.JPG)
(If there's a Winter Palace, then there must also be a Summer Palace, for Czar Peter the Great. Filled with fountains, all 64 of them and 2 lovely gardens, this beautiful palace is filled with people, both locals and tourists. Seeing so many Russian beauties, one get the feeling that supermodels and Sharapova's are everywhere in this country; just look at this one behind me..ahh, to be young again)
.JPG)
(The richness of St Petersburg is best captured in this magnificent Hermitage Museum, which is part of the Winter Palace. The awe-inspiring works of Da Vinci - the iconic "La Bambina" - Michelangelo and Rembrandt are all inside this museum. One has to ask how did these classic creations from Italian and Dutch masters end up in Russia, and not in Italy or Holland? Spoils of World War 2 perhaps? Could this museum be worth even more than The Louvre? Oh, I forgot, they are all priceless..just like our life..)
