A Night on the Moscow River
Thursday night a number of Liden & Denz staff and students, including myself, for 900 rubles were able to go on a cruise down the Moscow River. The cruise, which started at the Hotel Ukraina (Гостиница «Украина», one of the Seven Sisters and pictured above) took passengers on a leisurely 2 hour trip down the Moscow River offering a remarkable view of the city. Passing by such landmarks as Moscow State University, the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, Gorki Park, (Московский Государственный Yниверситет, Kремль, Храм Василия Блаженного, Парк Горького) and others, the ship offered superb views of places typically only seen by land.
The views, while by far the most exciting part of the trip, were not the only attraction. The ship itself had a closed dining deck with windows to the outside, and a diverse and by all accounts appealing menu. As a student on a budget, I ate from the free buffet, but no amount of poverty can keep me away from wine, and I can attest to the quality of the Chianti stocked on the ship. The ship in general was carefully maintained to feel as luxurious as possible. A live band played classics by Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., two of my personal favorites from the period, while the interior of the ship was kept impeccably clean. Perhaps not a major facet of the trip, but one which impressed me none the less, were the doors to the toilets. An LED light runs down the length of the handle and changes color depending on whether the stall is occupied or not, green for open, red for occupied. A minor, but cool detail which added to the atmosphere of the ship, a new luxury for the technological age.
By far the best thing about the cruise, however, was the company. At Liden & Denz we are privileged to interact closely with people from all over the world and different walks of life. The diverse band of people drawn to Russia for one reason or another and their stories of home all add to the experience of being in one of the most beautiful and culturally unique cities on earth. Moscow is a special place, and the students and staff of Liden & Denz are special people who I am very happy to be spending my time here with.
