Victory Day this year fell on a Thursday which meant a day off in the latter part of the week for Mr. U. Last year we left the house a touch too late find a good spot to catch the entire parade of vehicles so this year we set off earlier in the hopes of finding higher ground and an unobstructed view. We still managed to sleep in a touch and then set out in the bright sunshine with plenty of time to spare. Our plan was to stand along the parade route at the end of Но́вый Арба́т on the steps of Храм Симеона Столпника but once we got there, the vantage point seemed to be better in theory than in practice.
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| Храм Симеона Столпника |
We wound our way back about halfway down the boulevard until we found a spot that would allow is to watch the heavy artillery roll past. This was the first time in a long time that both Mr. U and I were exposed to the sun's rays. I feared we would burn to a crisp in no time flat. Guess who didn't slap on any sunscreen nor don a hat of any sort?
About a half hour after we had staked a claim on our territory, the trucks and tanks and weapons came rolling by. As usual, their size and the implications of their power and potential did not fail to impress. It is inspiring to see that Muscovites of all ages come to witness this yearly spectacle. In fact, I'm sure that I spotted my ба́бушка's doppelganger in the crowd next to us.
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| Bubbie, is that you? |
Serious tank action here!
A rousing speech for the masses.
Perhaps next year we will be able to catch a dress rehearsal performance of the various branches of military personnel. Trying to get into Red Square or anywhere near it on May 9th is pretty much impossible. They practice multiple times throughout the week leading up to Victory Day and it is possible to watch the parade as it goes by from a number of restaurants in the area of Red Square. We almost made it to a rehearsal this year but unforeseen circumstances got in the way (I came down with a horrible cold). There is always next year, right? I'm very much looking forward to it.
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