This is the upper-level plaza part of a relatively new (after 1996) combination shopping center, public square and general meeting place. It is at the heart of Moscow. There are two floors of up-scale shops and restaurants beneath this plaza.

Below the shopping floors is a Metro complex that allows access to three Metro lines. Moscow's subway system is outstanding; perhaps it is not as extensive as New York's but it is clean, safe, and efficient. Most of the day one need wait no more than two minutes for a train on most lines - late at night, maybe 5 or 7 minutes. Connections between lines are underground - and warm in the winter! And the price is certainly right - for about 12 cents one can go anywhere in the Metro system. A person could spend all day riding and still not cover all of the lines.

The large building in the background is the Hotel Moskva, one of the most prestigious in Russia. While its rooms may not be luxurious, they are very comfortable and the location is ideal. Ironically, the large sign at the top says "Baltica" which is a beer with a large advertising budget. To find a sign with the hotel's name, one looks carefully near the main entrances.

The building to the left of Hotel Moscow, and facing it across a major street houses the Russian "Duma." The Duma is the legislative branch of the Russian government.

To the right of the photo, about 75 yards from the corner of the Hotel Moskva is the entrance to Red Square - at the end opposite from St. Basil's.