Russian Trip

as we ranged over Russian History from the 7th-century B.C. to Alexander Nevsky's reign in Novgorod. He concluded with a remark made by the English Ambassador to Moscow of Elizabeth I. "Lo thus I make an end; none other news to thee "But that the country is too cold, the people beastly be." and reports, as will be seen elsewhere in the magazine, that neither were seen to be true on his own visit there.

For the second meeting, we were privileged to hear J. Y. Muckle, Esq., Head of the Russian Department at Leeds Grammar School, who gave an interesting talk, entitled "Authors in Disgrace." He deplored and abominated the Russian control of literature and invited any of his audience, which was quite encouraging considering the presence of Trial Exams and illness, to leave if they disagreed with him—nobody accepted the invitation. He talked about Pasternak, Valerei Tarsis, Arjak (Daniel) and Terse (Sinyaysky).

For the last meeting, which Mr. Austin was unfortunately unable to attend, twelve members of the Society read three plays by Chekhov : The Proposal, On The Harmfulness of Tobacco, A Jubilee. This was poorly attended but it is encouraging that so many (over 90) were subscribing members, which is intended to promote knowledge of Russia amongst those who do not study its language.

We should like to thank those who have helped in the making of a very successful year for the Society, those leaving and those who have left, and especially Mr. Austin, who has cast his watchful and most helpful eye over our proceedings.

J..R.W.T.

RUSSIAN TRIP, 1966

SATURDAY, 2ND APRIL to MONDAY, 4TH APRIL.

A variety of evening activities, ranging from overnight travelling to a Turkish bath, being completed, a party of 24 Peterites accompanied by Messrs. G. M. Austin and A. Craven assembled on Victoria Station. At 10-0 a.m. the party left and, travelling by way of Dover, Ostend and Cologne, reached Berlin at 7-40 a.m. on Sunday the 3rd. During a tour of the city, which included : "checkpoint Charlie", the 'Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, Templehof Airport, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and the Olympic Stadium, we also learnt that 85 % of West Berlin has been rebuilt since the war making it, perhaps, the most attractive modern city in Europe. After a free afternoon we crossed to East Berlin and at 11-30 p.m. departed for the Russian border. The next day was spent crossing the flat wastes of Poland reaching BrestiVorsid at 3-30 p.m., and in the company of our attractive Intourist guide, boarded a train for Kiev. TUESDAY, 5TH.

Everyone was tiring somewhat from the long train journey and it was with relief that we reached Kiev at 6-0 a.m. and could rest at the almost luxurious Intourist Hotel. Kiev was not on the itinerary of last year's trip so Peterites were here breaking new ground. Its population of 1.4 millions is the third highest in Russia but in area it is the second Russian city, 63 % being parkland. In a tour of the city we saw the River Drieper and the statue of St. Vladim and St. Sophia's Cathedral, an 1 1 th-century 19

foundation now preserved as a museum. The afternoon consisted of a visit to the Shevchenko museum followed by first attempts at shopping in Russia. Throughout the trip a score or more cameras dutifully clicked on each new sight, and two of the party at least admitted that they had forgotten to put film in or they had failed to wind on after the first picture!

WEDNESDAY 6TH

The party visited a secondary school in the suburbs of Kiev and learnt something of the educational system in Russia. We also experienced for the first time, something that was to become a regular feature of the trip, the friendliness and generosity of the Russian people. In the afternoon the party visited the Kiev-Pechersty Monastery (11th-century) now a museum, and then a magnificent new Pioneer Palace. The Pioneer movement was founded in 1918 in Moscow to deal with the waifs and strays; its palaces are similar to our youth clubs except that they are far better equipped with theatres and cinema film studies.

THURSDAY 7TH

Having left Kiev at 9-15 p.m. the previous evening, we arrived at Moscow at 9-10 a.m. and were met off the train by children from one of the special English schools, who presented us with tulips.

During a tour of the capital the party saw the Kremlin, Red Square, St. Basil's Cathedral, the "Gum" department store, the Bolshoi Theatre, Chekhov House, the Lubyanka prison, the University and the British and American Embassies. The evening provided an opportunity for an excursion into Moscow, and for many the first experience of the Russian Metro with its fabulous chandeliers and white walls.

FRIDAY 8TH

In the morning there was a visit to a specialist English school near the British Embassy and we were persuaded to sing two songs—dutifully recorded by the only American in the party. There also occurred the first of two interviews for Radio Moscow, in which the trip's spokesman expressed admiration for the friendliness and generosity of the Russian people. In the afternoon Moscow State University was our destination and we reached the 27th of its 33 floors. We then saw an active Russian Orthodox Church of which there are 47 in Moscow. While the Church was quite full the party were not a little surprised to see that everybody seemed to be over 60 years old.

SATURDAY 9TH

After visiting the Armourey Museum of decorative and applied art in the Kremlin, the party filed past the body of Lenin in the Mausoleum, the solemnity of the occasion impressing everybody. The afternoon was taken up with a concert at the House of Friendship, and then half the party attended a circus on ice.

SUNDAY 10TH

The first stop today was at the Tolstoy Museum situated in the house he occupied from 1882 until his death in 1901. This was followed by a tour of the Kremlin Cathedrals, after which some of the party went to the races. Others made for the Pushkin Art Museum while two went round the History Museum. Various purchases were also made both at Gum and the tourist shops and several fur hats were now in evidence. At 6-0 p.m. everybody assembled for a performance of "Swan Lake" by the 20

Bolshoi Ballet in the magnificent new Congress Hall. This proved to be the highlight of the stay in Moscow and was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. MONDAY 11TH

After going round the Exhibition of Economic Achievements including models of Vostok and lunar spacecraft, in the morning the party flew to Leningrad from the Sheramatayov Airport in a TU-104 jet. So far the warm weather had been an agreeable surprise, but in Leningrad the temperature was below freezing and the heavy coats, in some cases bought specially, at last proved worthwhile. The evening consisted of a dance with Putney H.S. TUESDAY 12TH

During the conducted tour of the city including the Winter Palace, the Nevski Prospect, the Peter and Paul Fortress and the Statue of Peter the Great over the serpent representing Sweden, the party learnt that Leningrad has a population of 3.6 millions and heard something of its history. The original foundation was the Peter and Paul Fortress, which we visited in the afternoon, founded in 1703 and becoming the capital in 1712. The beautiful cathedral in the fortress is typical of that aspect of Leningrad which makes it most popular with Europeans for the decoration is ornate without being oppressive. It is also the burial place of all the Russian Czars. The evening contained a not very successful visit to a children's theatre and more "social activity" in the hotel. WEDNESDAY 13TH

The snow, which had begun the day before and continued throughout our stay in this city, added to the atmosphere, and around the Winter Palace and Palace Square one could imagine oneself back in the 18th century. The Winter Palace is now part of the Hermitage Art Gallery, lavishly decorated in a Laroque style with the usual profusion of gilt and chandeliers. The Art Collection was built up by successive Russian Czars and is now housed in five galleries, including works of Michelangelo, Titian, Raphael, El Greco, Rubens and Van Dyck. The Impressionist gallery is a sequel to the Rusk Pushkin Art Gallery in Moscow, and contains Picassos, Gauguins, Cezanne's and Renoirs amongst many others. The afternoon was spent shopping and the evening was spent at a concert at the House of Friendship. THURSDAY 14TH

The morning was spent visiting a museum of Russian art at a former palace of the Grand Duke Michael (brother of Czar Nicholas II), and in the afternoon the party visited St. Isaac's Cathedral. The Cathedral was built from 1818-1858 and has the third largest dome in the world, after St. Peter's, Rome and St. Paul's, London. The enormous pendulum which now hangs in the dome indicates the rotation of the earth. It was only from the top of the dome that the party realized how big Leningrad really is, for we had stayed very much in the centre. FRIDAY 15TH

On our last day in the city we did manage to get outside it for a while. This was on a trip to the village of Pushkin, some 20 kms. from Leningrad, where we visited the Summer Palace. This palace, started by Peter the Great and completed by Catherine's architect, Rasterelfi, was destroyed after the Germans had used it as their headquarters in 1944. Restoration 21