White Nights
Starring Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines, Isabella Rossellini, Helen Mirren, Geraldine Page, and Jerzy Skolimowski
Directed by Taylor Hackford
Written by James Goldman and Eric Hughes

White Nights is a once-in-a-lifetime film. It weaves passionate drama, nail-biting suspense, exhilarating dance, and a keen political awareness into a truly fine cinematic tapestry.

Director Taylor Hackford ( An Officer and a Gentleman ) brings together two of the greatest dancers of the twentieth century, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines, in a strong international thriller scripted to cunning perfection by James Goldman and Eric Hughes.

Baryshnikov plays ballet dancer and Soviet defector Nikolai Rodchenko (Baryshnikov was, himself, a Russian defector). Nikolai's plane is forced to make an emergency landing at a Soviet military base, thus returning him to his native homeland, a country that years ago tried and convicted him – in abstentia – of crimes against the state. While Moscow releases nearly all of the surviving passengers to much international acclaim, Russian officials insist that Nikolai was critically injured and must not be removed from Soviet care.

Nikolai has, of course, recovered quicker than the reports claim, and is held prisoner in Siberia until he agrees to dance again for the Soviet Union. Nikolai staunchly refuses; American tap dancer Raymond Greenwood (Hines) is selected by Moscow officials to change Nikolai's mind on the matter.

Greenwood is a Vietnam veteran who, sick of the war and everything it represented, defected from America to Russia, seeking work as a dancer in a land where culture is looked upon with favor.

But it is Nikolai who changes Raymond's mind, convincing Raymond and his Russian wife to return with him to America. And the chase is on …

Mikhail Baryshnikov's acting in this picture is nearly as accomplished as his dancing. Whether fielding harsh Soviet diatribes, articulating verbal acid with Hines, or looking back through his brilliant career, Baryshnikov is utterly believable. He has a natural charisma that most players would kill for.

Gregory Hines describes similar kudos. After almost single-handedly redeeming Francis Coppola's extravagant and overindulgent The Cotton Club , Hines turns around and gives us his most effective performance to date. The man never ceases to amaze.

Also notable are Helen Mirren as a former ballerina and Nikolai's old flame, Geraldine Page as Nikolai's manager, and Jerzy Skolimowski as the KGB colonel.

Taylor Hackford performs an incredible juggling act with his graceful, forceful direction. After An Officer and a Gentlemen and Against All Odds , Hackford knows how to deliver the goods. His camera movements are as fluid as Baryshnikov's pirouettes, his storytelling is just as flawless, and his pacing perfectly compliments the rhythms of Baryshnikov's dance the cadence of Hines' feet.

When Hines and Baryshnikov are together on the dance floor, they create a spark of genius that can not help but ignite the audience.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by David Wisehart

This is one more article on Wolf Messing, the famous psychic.

Actually Messing’s fame spread through- out Russia. Stalin wanted to test his psychic abilities. So he called him and ordered him to carry out a psychic bank robbery and get one lakh rubles from the Moscow Gosbank. He was unknown to the bank authorities.

So Messing took up the challenge and walked to the bank. He simply handed over a blank piece of paper torn from a school notebook. He handed over the piece of pater to the bank cashier and opened an attache case and put it on the counter.

The cashier carefully checked the paper and opened the safe and handed over one lakh rubles to Messing. The two officials who were with Messing as per Stalin’s order witnessed the scene.

Messing returned the money to the cashier. The cashier checked the paper which was a blank. He fell to the floor with a heart attack.

One more test was carried out by Stalin. He wanted Messing to come to his guarded room at Kremlin.

Messing went to Kremlin and told the securities, ” I am Beria, May I go in?”

They checked him and allowed him to go to Stalin’s room. Beria was the close associate to Stalin at that time.

Stalin opened the door hearing the knock sounds. There was Messing.

Stalin was a keen psychic researcher. He wanted a psychic research department to be opened in Moscow.

Wolf Messing met the famous scientist Einstein and told him that he could think anything which he would be pleased to do.

Einstein invited him in Vienna in 1915. He was sixteen only. Sigmund Freud was acted as inductor.

Freud gave a mental command to him. “Go to the bath room. Take the tweezers. Return to Einstein and take three hairs from his moustache.

Messing carried out the command reluctantly.

It was 1927. Very interesting incident took place in India at Mahatma Gandhi’s place. Gandhi’s mental command to him was: “Take a flute from the table and hand it over to anyone in the room. Accordingly to the surprise of all Messing took the flute and handed it over to a person. That person started playing it. Suddenly a basket kept in the room was trembled and started to move. A snake emerged from the basket and swayed in rhythm to the music.

Throughout his life Messing’s psychic abilities were tested again and again.

Since he predicted the fall of Hitler, he was chased by Gestapo. He escaped to Russia. He was an entertainer showing his mental abilities.

His true story has been written by Tatiana Lungin in the book titled “Wolf Messing: The True Story of Russia’s Greatest Psychic”.

We may come across many psychic personalities. But needless to say, that Wolf Messing will be in the top of the list.

in the summer of 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte embarked on his most ambitious campaign, the invasion of Russia. The Grand Army consisting of over 600,000 soldiers commenced the invasion of Russia under the personal command of Napoleon. While Napoleon was away, many generals and commanders who were opposed to Napoleon hatched a plot to remove him and seize power. It is something equivalent to the July 1944 plot to eliminate Hitler.

The Plot

The brain behind the plot was General Claude-Francois Malet. He was a general of the French army, but had his own ambitions and thus parted company from Napoleon. Malet was born in 1754 and was 58 years old at that time. He was imprisoned by Napoleon and while he was in prison, he hatched this plot to overthrow Napoleon. His partner in prison, a man named Abbe Lafon an expert forger, greatly enthused him in his plan and promised to help him. He was the man who forged fictitious orders and papers for the coup attempt.

The coup attempt

Malet put his plan into effect on 23 October 1812., when Napoleon was in Moscow. He arrived in full regalia as a general of the French army and brought a sheaf of papers (all forged) with him. He arrived at the military barracks in Paris and grandly announced that Napoleon was dead in Moscow. He announced that he had been authorized to declare a provisional republic and showed papers which promoted the commander of the military barracks to the next rank. He thus won over an important part of the establishment loyal to Napoleon.

He announced that he was general Lamotte( an assumed name) and proceeded to ask the commander of the barracks to release two generals namely General Ladurie and Guidal from prison. These generals had fallen out with Napoleon and imprisoned. General Ladurie immediately resumed duty and took command of his old regiment. The plot was now moving smoothly until an officer named General Hulin got suspicious and almost recognized Malet. He wanted to see the papers of Malet and as Malet had no papers, there was a scuffle and Hulin was shot dead. In real terms, Malet had no choice as otherwise, his entire plan was likely to be compromised.

The sound of gunshots alerted the guards and they rushed in and surrounded Malet. They asked for the identity papers of Malet. Here was the fly in the ointment, as Malet had taken care of all contingencies, but had failed to forge any papers about him. He had no identification that he was General Lamotte and as such was promptly arrested.

Failure and execution

The coup thus collapsed and Malet and about 15 other conspirators were arrested. News also came that Napoleon was alive and well. A court-martial was immediately convened and all the 15 including Malet were sentenced to death by firing squad. Within a week Napoleon approved the findings of the Court Martial and all the 15 were executed. Keeping the rank of Malet in view, he was allowed to give the command for his own execution. All the 15 were executed outside Paris and the curtain came down on the coup attempt.

Napoleon returned defeated but defiant from Russia and it was another 3 years before he was removed from power and finally exiled to St Helena in the Atlantic. General Malet remains a footnote in French history. it is important to study this case and realize that enemies of the state have no place in the life of a nation.

World renowned artist Wassily Kandinsky is known as the creator of abstract art. Born in 1866 in Moscow, Kandinsky not only had a love for art, but he loved music as well. His love of music was inspired by his parents who both played the piano. He moved from Moscow to Odessa when he was five years old. He would continue to study music and art throughout the years. However, when he attended the University in Moscow he decided to study law. Studying law was something his parents encouraged him to do and he was very successful in the field of study.

After studying law for six years, Wassily Kandinsky would go on to become a law professor. He would also marry his cousin Anna Chimyakina, who he would eventually divorce in 1903. Kandinsky taught law, but his true passion was art. He gave up his law career to pursue his interest in art. One of the main inspirations for his career change was Monet. It was Monet’s painting “Haystacks” that helped to influence Kandinsky’s abstract artwork. Kandinsky found the abstract nature of Monet’s painting to be very perplexing. It not only perplexed Kandinsky, but it also inspired his abstract paintings.

After Wassily Kandinsky divorced Anna Chimyakina, he toured Europe for several years with his new love interest, Gabriela Munter. It was during this time period that Kandinsky really started to explore the world of art in more depth. Kandinsky rarely included people in his paintings. A majority of his paintings were landscapes, especially during the period that he toured Europe. His love of music was one of the main driving forces behind his paintings, along with his spirituality. Kandinsky also had a love for vivid colors, which can been seen in his paintings.

In 1906, Wassily Kandinsky was residing in Paris with Gabriela Munter. After he parted ways with Munter, Kandinsky would move to Bavaria. In Bavaria he was able to focus on art and using color in his paintings. It was an emotional time for Kandinsky and his emotions are reflected in his paintings after he moved to Bavaria. Kandinsky’s artwork was showcased throughout Europe and caused controversy among art critics. Kandinsky did not let the controversy stop him from creating works of art. He was also inspired to write a number books throughout his life, including his book “Concerning the Spiritual in Art.” The book helped to define the meaning of abstract art.

Gout is one of the over one hundred forms of arthritis, and is triggered by excessive blood levels of uric acid.

Gout, otherwise known as gouty arthritis, is commonly accompanied by sudden and severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness, and inflammation. Post-menopausal women may experience an elevated risk of developing this form of the rheumatoid disease. Middle-aged men, between the ages of forty and fifty feature the usual face of a gout sufferer. Nine out of ten gout patients are men over the age of forty.

The Four Stages of Gout

Gouty arthritis is marked by four stages. The four stages of gout are asymptomatic, acute, intercritical, and chronic.

The first stage of gout is the acute stage. Generally accompanied by no symptoms, this stage of gout marks the onset of the excess uric acid crystals, which is responsible for the irritation and inflammation associated with the advanced stages of the condition.

The first attack of gout occurs in the acute stage of the disorder. This second stage of gout sports both mild and severe bouts with gout. Gout attacks can last as long as one or two weeks.

The first gout attack is followed by a period of several months, or possibly years, without a single symptom of gout. This is known as the intercritical stage of gout. The majority of gout sufferers experience their second attack within two years of the first episode.

The final stage of gouty arthritis is the chronic stage. Episodes of gout attacks become more frequent during the chronic phase of the condition. Chronic gout can cause damage to other areas of the body; damage to the kidneys and the development of high blood pressure are signature features of gout’s chronic stage.

Gout is a highly treatable form of arthritis. There are a number of home remedies for gout and it’s natural treatment.

Herbal Medicine: Herbal medicine is one of the holistic home remedies for gout treatment. The pantry may be the optimum spot for snagging some of the staples of home remedies for gout. Cherries, juniper berry, bilberry, nettle root, and celery.

Nutritional Therapy: Nutritional therapy is one of the home remedies for gout. Vitamin B12, vitamin E, folate, and the B family of vitamins are a part of nutritional home remedies for gout treatment. Implementing nutritional improvements is one of the home remedies for gout used to reduce the occurrence of metabolic arthritis flare-ups. Many of the vitamins included in the therapy have been proven beneficial in preventing gout.

Regular Exercise: A buildup of uric acid plays a pivotal role in the development of gouty arthritis. Regular exercise is one of the home remedies for gout episodes that has been documented as useful in both treatment and prevention. Exercise routines that improve circulation include stretching, dancing, yoga, Tai Chai, and aerobic.

Metabolic arthritis, or gout, is one of the one hundred forms of arthritis that characteristically features severe and sudden attacks of pain, swelling, redness, and warmth afflicting the joints.

Gouty arthritis is a treatable condition that most commonly affects the joint of the big toe, but may also occur in feet, ankles, knees, hands, and wrists. The first onset of gout generally occurs at night and continues on for a week or two before the symptoms subside. Seventy-percent of first gout attacks occur in this part of the body.

Gout is one form of arthritis that made it’s debut as early as the eighteenth century. Gout was historically linked to overweight, lazy, middle to upper class, middle-aged men. This perception of gouty arthritis sufferers was born from the fact that many of the foods the influence the onset of gout were routinely reserved for the rich-earning the rheumatoid condition the nickname of “The Disease of Kings.” Queen Anne, John Hancock, and American founding father, George Mason are some of history’s most noted gout sufferers.

Gout occurs as a result of the body hosting uric acid in elevated levels. Only designed to carry trace amounts of uric acid, the human bloodstream turns excess uric acid into crystal deposits that lodge themselves into the joints of the body, sporting a chalky white-colored material. Uric acid buildup occurs during the body’s breakdown the waste product called purines. Purines is commonly found in foods like liver, brains, and kidneys, as well as sweetbreads, mushrooms, and asparagus.

Natural Cures for Gout

Since highly treatable, implementing a number of lifestyle changes can serve as one of the effective natural cures for gout. Adopting a low purine diet is one of the natural cures for gout suggested by some medical professionals. Cherries, strawberries, and blueberries have been identified as some of the staples of a diet low in uric acid. Limiting consumption of fish, poultry, and tofu is also a part of a low purine diet. Other foods to avoid to discourage a gout flare-up include:

Sardines

Sweetbread

Scallops

Alcohol Beverages

Diet Soda

Who’s At Risk For Developing Gout?

The condition is most common among middle-aged men between forty and sixty years old. Women are at an increased rate for developing gout following menopause. African-American men are twice as likely as White men to suffer the onset of gout.

If you think you can get the lowest hotel price waiting for a last-minute deal, chances are that you might end up paying a lot more for your trip. In this article, we are going to share a report statistics with you to help you get the best deal.

According to a report from TripAdvisor, the best time to book a hotel depends upon the place you want to visit. For instance, if you want to go to Europe in summer, make sure you choose to book when the rates are the lowest. In the same way, the money you need also depends on the region you want to visit. Given below are a few common hotel booking mistakes that you may want to avoid.

Waiting too Long to Book a Hotel in Europe

In summertime, Europe is the most popular among tourists. According to the report, in Berlin, you can save up to 33% if you choose to book at least a few months ahead of the season. There are some cities where you don’t have to worry about booking. They are Paris and Istanbul. The reason is that these cities have more than enough hotel rooms. So, that won’t be a problem for you.

Booking too Early

In Asia, you don’t have to spend a lot to spend your vacations unlike Europe. For instance, in Dubai, even if you book two months ahead of the season, you can save up to 40%.

Booking over 5 months ahead of your Trip

Booking over 5 months in advance will cost you more in case of some places that the study covers. However, two exceptions are Moscow and Barcelona. For these places, you can choose to book up to 7 months in advance and still save a lot. As a matter of fact, traveling to Moscow can get you up to 55% discount, which is a huge sum.

Worrying about Summer Season Bargains in the Caribbean

Conventionally, in the Caribbean, low-season pricing may help you save a hefty sum of money. You don’t have to worry about when to book to get the best deal as booking when the prices are the lowest can save you as high as 7%, which is not much. In other words, you can enjoy the lowest prices no matter when you choose to book.

Thinking about last-minute savings for Expensive Cities

If you are going to visit New York city, know that you can’t get the best deals for summer trips. However, if you still want to save a considerable sum of money, consider booking 30 to 60 days ahead of your trip. This can help you cut your expenses by 25%.

Long story short, the next time you book a hotel for your next trip, we suggest that you go through this article again if you want to avoid the common mistakes. The idea is to make the best decision. Hopefully, this will help you get the most out of your trip while saving you a considerable sum at the same time.

Elena Vaenga appeared on stage of the most prestigious halls and proved that she had grown as singer and got the new heights in the profession, earning the title of Pearl St. Petersburg scene. Elena Vaenga was born in the Murmansk region in Severomorsk – the capital of the Northern Navy.

In Elena Vaenga affects everything: the creative range of songs, strong voice, manner of performance, emotional intensity, sincerity and penetration of texts in which there is no unnecessary words, all words are clear and understandable, is impressive as the gift of reincarnation and artistry, the wealth created by the images and characters – from subtle, touching, classical “Romance” and the secular, aristocratic and stylish “Blues” – to freestyle, “hooligan” Ordynka.

The first song she wrote at age 9 and has won the All-Union competition for young composers on the Kola Peninsula. Lena got classical musician education. She is very fond of music and has a huge collection of music CDs.

Favourite instruments are piano and guitar. After high school, arrived in St. Petersburg, entered and graduated from Music College. Rimsky-Korsakov’s piano, and got the diploma of a teacher-accompanist.

Since childhood, Elena Vaenga wanted to become an actress, so was entered to the Theatre Academy (LGITMIK) for a course Trostinetskogo, but not completed because she was invited to Moscow to record the first album.

In Moscow album was recorded, but have not yet seen the light, and the songs of Elena Vaenga began to sing “Strelki”, Alexander Marshall, Tatiana Tishinskaja and other famous artists.

Moscow creative period lasted only one year. Lena pulled back to Petersburg, she wanted to continue her studies. Only in St. Petersburg, surrounded by loving family and friends in the city, which became her family and loved ones, she can live and create – to write music and songs, which were about 500.

The history of Sekonda watches began in Moscow in 1930 with the founding of the First State Watch Factory, the Soviet watch manufacturer. Created under orders of Stalin, the First State Watch Factory was the first Soviet attempt at manufacturing watch movements and watches. During World War II the factory was briefly evacuated but upon it’s return to Moscow it was renamed the First Moscow Watch Factory. During the Soviet era this factory manufactured many watches, notably Poljot watches. These watches were used by the Soviet Armed Forces and were required to be of a very high quality as a result. The factory also manufactured the air force standard issue ‘Navigator’ watch worn by Yuri Gagarin on his historic first manned space flight.

The Petrodvorets Watch Factory is the oldest factory in Russia. The factory, located in Saint Petersburg, was founded by Peter the Great in 1721, and since 1962, has manufactured Raketa watches.

In 1966, Sekonda was founded in the United Kingdom. Sekonda imported the Poljot and Raketa watches from the USSR and re-badged them with the Sekonda name. These high quality, reliable watches were relatively cheap and were very successful. Due to the introduction of quartz movements, Sekonda moved production to Hong Kong and began making more fashionable watches with this new technology. Excellent marketing skills and a range of great watches led Sekonda to sell more watches than any other brand in the UK in 1988. This position has been held ever since due to an ever expanding, innovative range of watches.

In 1998, the watch market began to expand with a number of fashion watch brands designing and manufacturing their own fashion watches. Instead of increasing the overall sales of watches, this led to market share being spread more thinly across all the watch brands and it became clear that Sekonda watches would need to diversify in order to maintain its market leading position.

In 2004, Sekonda watches added the stylish and contemporary ladies Seksy watch line to it’s range. The Seksy watch range was to be aimed at the 25 to 35 age group and would build on the well known and successful Sekonda watch brand name. This brand recognition would instil customer confidence in this new range of ladies Seksy watches. The initial Seksy watch range consisted of eleven watch models and with some excellent marketing campaigns and some very clever and innovative watch designs, a number of these Seksy ladies watches quickly became best sellers. The success of the Seksy watch brand prompted Sekonda to expand the Seksy watch line to around thirty models within a year.

A year after the launch of the ladies Seksy watches, Sekonda introduced the Sekonda One range of watches. The Sekonda One watches are fashion watches aimed at men and, similarly to the ladies Seksy watches, stick to Sekonda’s winning philosophy of offering excellent quality watches at a low price point. Both lines have since been heavily advertised.

A very popular Seksy watch line is the Seksy Hidden Hearts ladies watch, a polished chrome plated bracelet watch comprising of interlinked heart shapes forming the bracelet and case, a mother of pearl dial and Swarovski crystals set in the case and dial with a high quality Japanese quartz movement. Another popular Seksy watch is the Seksy Eclipse ladies watch, a Swarovski stone set chrome plated quartz watch with an ‘eclipse’ design incorporated into the case and each watch link. Other ladies Seksy watches include the Seksy Curve ladies watch and the Seksy Electra ladies watch, both chrome plated, stone set contemporary designs with beautiful shapes.

Sekonda’s main line of watches consist of numerous gold and chrome plated dress watches for men and women with almost every style imaginable. Many watch lines use popular expanding bracelets for convenience and standard bracelet watches and leather strap watches are also available in abundance, all with the same high quality and standards of workmanship that have led to a less than 1% return rate.

Due to their outstanding value for money, Sekonda watches have been the UK’s best selling watch brand for the last two decades. The Sekonda range includes numerous stylish dress watches for men and women in gold plated, stainless steel and bi-colour designs as well as contemporary or classic stone set watches. Sekonda also manufacture SEKSY watches, an exceptionally popular and modern fashion brand also available on our site. All our Sekonda watches feature a high quality movement and come with a 2 year Sekonda guarantee.

Road to the 2016 London Olympics!

XXII Summer Games

Did you know- The 22nd Olympiad in the USSR -present day Russia-was boycotted by Paraguay -under the dictatorship of President Alfredo Stroessner (1954-1989)- because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Due to its modest performance in the Pan American Games in San Juan de Puerto Rico (1979), Paraguay had a list of five athletes to the 1980 Moscow Olympics, among them was Claudio Escauriza, who had won a bronze medal in the men’s decathlon at the South American Championships in the late 70s.

Sportswomen

Did you know- Paraguay is home to some popular sportswomen in South America: Rossana de los Rios (tennis), Paola Viveros (taekwondo), Ingrid Meilicke (track & field), Larissa Scharever (tennis), and Natalia Toledo (athletics).

Tito Steinier

Did you know- Argentina’s athlete Tito Steinier was born in Paraguay. Between 1975 and 1981, Mr Steinier became one of Latin America’s most respected decathletes. In the South American Championships in Rio de Janeiro, between August 26 and August 31, 1975, he finished first in the decathlon competition, with 7,615 points. At the 1979 Pan American Games in the Caribbean, a pre-Olympic tournament, he earned a silver medal in the men’s decathlon, and won the right to compete in the Summer Olympics in the Soviet Union. At the same time, he set a Latin American record. Yet he lost the chance to be an Olympic athlete when Argentina, under the dictatorship of Rafael Videla (1976-81), boycotted the 1980 Moscow Summer Games to protest the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. Paraguayan-born Steinier competed in the United States and Europe.

Women’s Basketball

Did you know- By the early 1950s, in Asunción, the team from Paraguay -host nation- won the Women’s Basketball South American Cup. It was the first time the national team had won the regional event. Subsequently, this Spanish-speaking country was listed among the world’s best five teams, behind America, Chile, France and Brazil, when they competed in the global tournament in Santiago de Chile. Paraguay also came in first place in the South American Championships in 1962.

Sports

Did you know- The country’s most popular sports include soccer, tennis, basketball, golf, athletics, chess, and volleyball.

2004 Athens Games

Did you know- This Latin American nation won its first ever Olympic medal when the national squad earned a silver medal in men’s football at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Victor Manuel Pecci

Did you know- Paraguay is the birthplace of Victor Manuel Pecci, who was one of Latin America’s best tennis players in the 70s and mid-80s, along with Guillermo Vilas (Argentina) and Patricio Cornejo (Chile).

Russia has always held a quiet mystique for travelers and casual observers. A large country stretching across both Europe and Asia, tourists find this country not only expansive geographically, but expansive in the history, sights and lore that it holds. A vacation to the capital city of Moscow is on the top of travelers’ lists across the globe. Tourists in the city are presented with a living history of the city and the country.

Moscow is littered with famous monuments, including a monument to the city’s founder, Yury Dolgoruky. Perhaps the most famous landmark in Moscow is Red Square, which is home to several famous sights. The tomb of Vladimir Lenin sits in Red Square, as does St. Basil’s Cathedral. In front of St. Basil’s is a monument to Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky, who, along with a volunteer army, helped to expel the Poles from the Kremlin which ended the Time of Troubles, an uneasy period of Russian history. The Lobnoye Mesto sits in front of St. Basil’s as well and was used for public ceremonies. It is now a popular sight for tourists in the city.

Perhaps most famously, Red Square is home to the Kremlin, the home of the current Russian president, on one side. The Kremlin itself has a history all its own and is one of the most cherished and interesting pieces of Russian history and pride. The State Historical Museum is another popular destination for tourists in Moscow as is Kazan Cathedral.

Alexander Garden runs the length of the Western Kremlin wall and holds the distinction of being one of the first public parks in the city. Alexander Garden is home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a war memorial to the Russian soldiers that died on the Eastern Front of World War II from 1941 to 1945. An eternal flame burns on the tomb which was lit from the Eternal Flame at the Field of Mars in Saint Petersburg. It was created in 1967 and is a must see while in Moscow.

Kilometre Zero is the point in Russia from which distances are measured. It is marked by a bronze plaque sitting in front of the Iberian Chapel. It is near the State Historical Museum and Moscow City Hall in Red Square.

Moscow is full of famous museums that shed light on Russia’s history. Heading to the museums is a great way to spend a Moscow vacation, as it will give insight into Russia’s history, which is an education in and of itself for most tourists. Some of the museums in the city are the Kremlin Armoury, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of the Great Patriotic War (WWII) and Tretyakov Gallery. Others also exist which hold important pieces of Moscow culture and history.

Moscow is home to Luzhniki Stadium, the largest sports stadium in the country and home to the 1980 Summer Olympic Games, an Olympics in which the United States and 60 other countries did not partake. Many theaters, including the Bolshoi Theater, offer entertainment around the city.