Day 11 - end of the Golden Circle tour - back to Moscow

So a short ride today to end our tour.  First stop though, was a tour of the Monastery, now Museum in Suzdal.  Our very well-spoken guide gave us a good spiel about the history of the monastery and how it had been saved by becoming a museum just before the Soviets took over.  She also explained that the Green domes were for the saints, the blue are for the Virgin Mother and the black domes are on churches built as memorials to someone. 

This river was once part of the main shipping channels that connected to Moscow and the Caspian sea, hence allowing the merchants of this city to become very rich so they could afford to build the 300 odd churches that were here back in those times!  Now it is a small river as its not be cleaned and maintained over the centuries.  Now it is a good place to swim apparently, but we didn't get a chance to do so.

 Here is the outa wall of the monastery and a map to give you an idea of the size of this complex - ie rather large!

 The entrance gate is supposed to grant you the wish you make as you pass through - we shall see!

 Here is prison where political prisoners have been kept over the centuries, usually until they die of sickness or madness - probably both.  This prison was also used for the same during the Soviet times, closing in 1961.  We didn't get to look inside any tho - maybe there are some still waiting to die!

 Our guide explaining about the memorial behind being only a replica as the original Italian marble building was dismantled and the marble was used in the Metro in Moscow...

 See if you can see the bell-ringer!  his job is to ring the 17 bells on the hour for 5 mins.  you can just see his upper body in the left hand arch.  he appeared to be stepping on pedals to ring the bigger bells and gently pulled the ropes in a very melodious tune to set off the smaller bells.  maybe 5 mins is a long time to stand and listen to a repetitive bell tune, but according to the guide, the resonance of the bells is good for retuning our bodies and after the last couple of days we all needed resetting I think!  I enjoyed it anyways!

 Inside the chapel - beautiful frescoes, glittering gold alters and generally a feeling of wealth...  so that's where the money is spent...  paving a stairway to heaven....  wonder if it worked?

 beautiful chandelier tho!

and a very nice and comprehensive herb garden was flourishing - throughout the grounds there were several gardeners tending the beds.

 nice touch outside the cafe

 but back onto the busy main road - where the shoulder was fairly wide and not too potholey.  Gad these drivers do drive like we imagine they do - several times you have to shut your eyes as a head-on collision was totally imminent - but somehow they squeezed back into the right lane, Just in time!  I was more worried about being hit by flying debris from an accident, than being hit directly!

 Cutting though a wildflower meadow - down through a small village where a rather large and cranky dog barked at us all, including making a rush at me!  yikes - nightmare stuff!  and why didn't I have the gopro on then????  Doh!!
we stopped at the next village where Svetlana and Andrey once again set up a good lunch break, we headed off through a corn field, just dodging a couple or rather large tractors and onto the last city of something I can't remember what.

 This way truly the end of the tour and we sadly said goodbye to our wonderful photographer, Dmitry - he's such a nice man and I wished him and his family all the best for a happy and prosperous future.....
A kiss and a hug for Svetlana - our extreme sports cyclist inspiration, who this time only got to ride a few of the Kms as she was busy catering for all our food requirements on the trip - Biggest Thanks!

 While we waited for our bus to arrive, we took a 1km hike over to one of the oldest and smallest churches in Russia.  we had to wait until the caretaker came back from lunch to enter.  It was quite tiny inside as several of the corners were blocked off.  Services are still held in this church, so we again had to cover our heads and wear skirts to cover our legs...

 so back to bus stop, where the rented bikes were getting readied for loading onto Andrey's truck, so we had to take all our luggage on the bus.  Now I won't see Maggie until we head off on the St Petersburg leg - I just hope that she is well looked after!

 Farewell, Svetlana and bye for now Andrey, we shall see you on the next leg.

and farewell, Dmitry - we look forward to seeing all the photos you post!  we hope that you enjoyed our company as much as we enjoyed yours!

 Fringes in the truck windows - I want one but no-one knows where to buy them....  will keep trying!

Back to Moscow again....