(Zurich +) Moscow

Our voyage to Moscow included an 8.5 hour flight to Zurich, a 6 hour layover, a 3.5 hour flight, and an hour drive. Though slightly inconvenient, we embraced our time in Zurich and used the opportunity to combat jet lag (we walked around from 7-11 am, technically 12-4 am Chicago time). One of my favorite spots was this large wooden bowl you could climb inside. When just lying on the sides or standing on the ground, everything seems normal, but when you stand up on the tree stump, you experience an incredible acoustic phenomenon.

The last time I was in Moscow, I was 11. All I remember is my aunt's apartment, a tennis tournament my dad played in with his friends, and the bazaar where we bought DVDs of movies that weren't yet in theaters in the US. This time, our trip was very different.

I was finally able to visit the Red Square, Kremlin, a number of historic parks, the theater, museums, and much more. We rode the metro, spent time with some great old friends, watched my relatives perform in their renowned quartet, took a load off at a historic bath house, and of course, overdosed on delicious Russian cuisine. It was a very packed not to mention hot 6 days, and I enjoyed every minute (besides when I accidentally fell asleep at the Swan Lake ballet on our first day; I guess I didn't beat jet lag after all).

And we're off to Tbilisi!