From Russia with love

When I was invited to judge a dog show in Moscow, I didn’t think twice. It’s been my dream to see Russia up close after reading about the country, its history and culture.

- RAYMUND W. LO, MD, FPSP

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a serious consideration, but at my age, this opportunity may not come again in my lifetime. Thus, the Matt Munro song kept playing in my mind like an earwig.

Along with my wife and son, plus a family friend who is also an dog enthusiast, we planned tours of Moscow and St. Petersburg after the show with the help of a local tour guide. Moscow is like a typical European city but with very wide avenues and boulevards, impressive buildings and monuments, as well as greenery all around. Stalin had all the streets widened at the cost of tearing down buildings, it is said.

The highlight was the Kremlin, which is a fortified citadel which includes the seat of government, and four cathedrals including St. Basil’s Cathedral, the multicolored-multi-onion-domed structure that is a symbol of the city.

The cathedral’s interior, Byzantine Revival style, was fabulous. The walls were covered with mosaics depicting scenes from the Bible, which were the only way to teach people then since most of the population were illiterate. The mosaic technique was from the Greek Orthodox Church from which the Eastern Orthodox Church was derived. The columns and posts between the panels were covered in gold leaf adding to the grandeur of the church. Massive ornate chandeliers illuminated the interiors.