Russia sightseeing

I’m back from a fun and busy Spring break in Moscow and St. Petersburg! It was a very exhausting trip because we walked hours every day and constantly went to different places. The group had mixed feelings about leaving because we were having so much fun. Yet as we came back to good old Klaipeda, Lithuania, we were surprised to realize how comfortable we have become in Lithuania. It was a relief to come back to something that I am now familiar with.
The first two days were spent in Moscow taking a Kremlin and Armory tour, going to a circus, going inside Lenin’s tomb, and going to museums. Once in St Petersburg, we went to a Russian ballet, folk show called ‘Feel Yourself Russian’, various cathedrals and monuments, and many famous museums of art and history. We did so much during that time, it's hard to process everything! We stayed in hostels as a study abroad group. The most common food we ate was pancakes- a specialty!
One highlight of the trip for me was going to a Russian Orthodox church service and visiting the different cathedrals. The use of icons is a major part of their belief system and they make the sign of the cross and kiss them. They believe the icons are like windows into heaven to communicate with God. The services and traditions are very unique. They have a set order of service that is very traditional and has been going on for centuries. There are no benches and everybody stands for hours. There is no sense of time, people can come and go. It was very interesting to see all of this up close and to get a feel for what it is like. The music is sung without instruments, yet is very rich and harmonious.
Now we are trying to get back into the swing of things and are recuperating from a busy week!