Back in the USSR

Lufthansa contracts with the Platinum Lounge in Budapest for its top tier frequent fliers and business class passengers.

The final leg of the Eastern European journey I took with my 2 sons found us jetting off to Moscow, capital city of the Russian Federation. (OK, so we weren't really "Back in the USSR" but I couldn't resist using that title). We headed over to the Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Budapest and checked in for our first #Lufthansa flight taking us to #Mun_Airport. The carrier does not have a branded lounge at this airport and we were invited to visit the Platinum Lounge in Terminal 2A next to Gate A12. Tranquil surroundings snd pleasant views awaited us in the lounge which offered internet access, an ample supply of power outlets and a business corner if guests needed to get work done during their visit. Snacks were available (but looked pretty dismal), along with beer, wine and spirits as well as a good selection of newspapers and magazines. It was an altogether decent way to spend some time before boarding our flight.

Meals are normally provided as part of Lufthansa's inter-European Business Class service.

We were flying on an A319 with16 available seats in the Business Cabin. With 31” of pitch and 18” in width, these are the same seats as Lufthansa sells in the economy section. As explained in an earlier post, the difference is they intentionally keep the middle seats empty, thereby providing a little more room for their Business Class passengers to catch up on paperwork undisturbed or relax in a more comfortable environment on board.There were 4 available seats in each row and our aircraft had only 4 rows although the carrier can expand the A319 Business Cabin to 6 rows if bookings warrant. Even on this short-haul flight, Lufthansa managed to serve a nice lunch in an unhurried manner. Our connecting time in Munich was about 90 minutes which gave us enough time to freshen up at one of the carrier’s lounges there (they have 12 in all). The final flight of the day lasted about 3 hours and was taken aboard a second A319 aircraft on which we enjoyed yet another meal prior to our evening arrival at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport.

One of the top hotels in the city, the Park Hyatt was built on the site of an Armenian restaurant from the Soviet era.

It took us nearly an hour to taxi the 28 miles from the airport to the Ararat Park Hyatt Hotel and I recall our driver was adept at maneuvering the Moscow traffic at a very high rate of speed. Suffice it to say I was relieved to arrive at the hotel unscathed! This is a luxury Five-Star, world-class, residential-style hotel I was lucky enough to book with points. It’s located in the very heart of the capital and just a few minutes walk from all the major cultural and historic landmarks. The hotel was built in 2002 by Murad Sargsyan, a Russian-Armenian businessman. The friendly, English-spearking staff were eager to please and were quite helpful in recommending nearby restaurants and providing us with some good shopping suggestions.

The Park Deluxe rooms are decorated in an elegant, understated style with restful color schemes.

The Park Hyatt features 205 modern and tastefully furnished rooms designed by Toni Chi, the New York-based, American interior designer. Our adjoining Park Deluxe King and Twin rooms were each over 430 square feet in size equipped with 50” televisions, separate working areas, free Wi-Fi, in-room safes and remote controlled, state-of-the-art room management systems which regulated the draperies, lighting, room temperature and other functions. We particularly enjoyed the heated floors in the bathrooms which not only helped to uniformily heat the space but felt great when stepping out of the shower first thing in the morning.

The Spasskaya Tower of the Kremlin was constructed in 1491. Its gate serves as the main Kremlin entrance from Red Square.

Red Square was within walking distance of our hotel and we spent a good bit of time touring the area. It's massive at 800,000 square feet and is undoubtedly one of Moscow’s and Russia’s most famous sites. The square’s name became official in the middle of the 17th Century, thereby having nothing at all to do with Communism or Russia’s Soviet past. Red Square has served as a marketplace, festival ground and gathering place. It came into its own in the 20th Century when it became most famous as the site of official military parades designed to demonstrate the might of the Soviet armed forces to the world. Since the fall of the USSR, the bricked square has been used increasingly for concerts, classical performances as well as a range of large-scale events. Today, thousands flock to the square on a daily basis to enjoy the beauty of the architecture and soak up the storied history of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. To the west of Red Square lies the Kremlin,a 68 acre, tower-studded, walled complex of domed cathedrals and palaces, which date back to 1156. It sits on Borovitsky Hill, rising above the Moscow River in the center of the city. During the Communist era, the Kremlin became an exclusive enclave where the state's governing elite lived and worked. Even today,the Kremlin remains the official residence of Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation.

The colorful onion domes and towers of Saint Basil's Cathedral light up the Moscow night sky.

Also in Red Square is the beautiful Saint Basil’s Cathedral, built in the 16th Century by order of Ivan the Terrible to commemorate a military victory. It’s actually a cluster of buildings, including a central church surrounded by 9 auxiliary churches, 8 of which are dedicated to Ivan’s victories over the Tartars, and a smaller church consecrated to Saint Basil. Confiscated by the state following the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, Saint Basil’s has been a museum and tourist attraction since the year 1929. Occasional church services have been held here since the demise of the Soviets in 1990 and every October 14 the cathedral hosts a service in honor of the Day of Intercession. This cathedral is often regarded as a symbol of the country and is one of the most instantly recognizable structures in the world.

Shukhov's roof consists of more than 50,000 metal pods capable of supporting Moscow's heavy snow accumulation.

The next day found us visiting the large GUM Department Store Building facing Red Square. The current and very impressive structure was constructed in 1893 as a collaboration between the architect (Alexander Pomerantsev) and structural engineer (Vladimir Shukhov). The glass-roofed design made the 3-story building quite unique when it was built and described as “a tribute both to Shukhov’s prowess and to the technical proficiency of Russian architecture toward the end of the 19th Century.” I had previously visited this indoor shopping mall in the early 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union and will attest to the rows and rows of empty shelves, deserted shops and forlorn looking shoppers I encountered at the time. Not so today as this now-luxury mall boasts many high-end retailers like Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and even a kiosk featuring Moet & Chandon Champagne while customers sport the latest fashions and expensive-looking fur coats. My, how times have changed!

Arbat Street has become an important Moscow landmark where one can find all manner of goods.

While we were in the “shopping” mode we walked over to Arbat Street. This is a pedestrian street about a half mile long in the historical center of the city. The Arbat has existed since at least the 15th Century which makes it one of the oldest surviving streets in the Russian capital. The street was originally part of an important trade route and was home to many craftsmen. In the 18th Century, the Russian nobility came to regard the Arbat as the most prestigious living area in Moscow. Almost completely destroyed by the Great Fire of 1812 associated with Napoleon’s occupation of the city, the street required rebuilding in the 19th and 20th Centuries. It is still considered a desirable place to live because of the many historic buildings that line the street and due to the many artists who have lived and worked in the area. Today, it is a busy tourist destination and lined with cafes and restaurants (including a Hard Rock Cafe) and a multitude of shops and street vendors selling everything from caviar to calfskin boots.

The elegant Komsomolskaya Station reflects the grandeur and beauty of the Moscow Metro.

Our visit to Moscow wouldn’t have been complete without a ride on the world famous Moscow Metro. This rapid transit system was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union. It's the busiest transit system in Europe and considered a tourist attraction in itself. Well known and highly regarded for its architectural extravagance, the Metro's marble walls, high ceilings and grand chandeliers all make for a truly impressive experience. We actually rode the Metro to find several of my son's business acquaintances and I can tell you it’s not easy to navigate a route system that uses the cyrillic alphabet, as none of the letters in the station names are familiar to us. This extends to the street signs as well but, with the help of GPS, we were able to find the proper address and came to enjoy lunch at a nearby cafe with a few native Muscovites who thankfully spoke English.

As always when on vacation, time seems to fly by all too quickly. We said goodbye to Moscow with another Lufthansa flight to #Airport_FRA where we hopped a United B777-200 for the trip home to #Dulles_Airport. It was an amazing journey with many great memories we'll cherish for years to come.

Until next time...safe travels.

I