We're Here!

We made it safely to Moscow. Out trip couldn't have gone more smoothly! Our flight from St. Louis to Atlanta left early and arrived early! And, our flight from Atlanta to Moscow was right on time. We found the translator, took care of tomorrow's tickets, exchanged dollars to rubles, bought bottled water, and went to Holiday Inn! Then we went to McDonald's for lunch! Yes boys, we went to McDonald's for lunch!!! It was crazy busy! But luckily Big Mac, fries and coke are all Big Mac, fries and coke in Russian too! Then we figured out the subway (metro) system and went to the Red Square! We toured St. Basil's Cathedral, saw many interesting buildings that we hope to find out more about later (we didn't have a tour guide or anything) went to two malls, HUGE malls with very expensive stuff, then to dinner at a restaurant we don't know the name of, but....We both tried caviar and blinis! The caviar tasted like tuna to me, I liked the flavor OK, but not the texture. The other meal we ordered was a seafood mix (salmon, clams, etc.) and mushrooms and onions in a puff pastry shell, it was SO good! Now we're at McDonald's again because they have free internet connections for 30min. and our hotel (across the street from McDs) makes us pay. So, all for now. Tomorrow at 8am (our time here) we head to Astrakhan. We'll try to update more then! PS to AstrakhanGrandma, we were given the phone numbers we needed when our translator picked us up at the airport so nevermind on the earlier phone call today. And, CHI gave us a cell phone to use! We only have 25 min, but we will try to call you and Wade sometime.