Metropol

I'm back in Russia, in Moscow this time, fortunately. The city is alot more interesting than Murmansk. Moscow has become a metropol, like London and Paris.

This time I travel with some colleagues, which is more fun than going alone. We even got time for an evening with great food at the Pushkin Restaurant.

We stayed in Hotel Metropol, right across the street from the Bolshoy Theatre, and two minutes walk from Red Square. It's only two stops from our Moacow office with the Metro, so getting to work is quite easy too.

Hotel Metropol is a historical hotel. It was built in 1901, before the Revolution. In 1917, when the Communists government moved from St.Petersburg to Moscow, Metropol became the residence of the Central Executive Committee.

In the 1930s it once again became a hotel. It was the place where the leaders of the Soviet Republics stayed when they came to Moscow for meetings.

On the 4th floor, where I stay, there is a photo gallery of famous people who have stayed in the hotel. I recognized Mao, Stalin, Lenin, Berthold Brecht, George Bernard Shaw, Elton John, Michael Jackson and Sharon Stone. Quite a varied lot.

It's time to go to bed. Tomorrow morning is my last breakfast at Metropol, for this time. Great food, and a harpist playing live music while we're eating. That's kind of cool, isn't it?

(Above is a picture of the harpist in Hotel Metropol. She entertained us with soft music while we were eating eggs and bacon; a nice way to start the day.)