Ancestry. Beauty. Order. At the end of September in 2019, we took a journey to Royal Russia with 14 esteemed Bengaluru entrepreneurs and their families. A group of dynamic thinkers and wonderfully fun children, this one had to be an unforgettable vacation. Moscow and St. Petersburg were on the cards, and our aim was to make these historic treasures as fun as they could possibly be.
Moscow was equal parts historic and frolic! The city welcomed us with a theatrical and colourful flourish known as the Cossack Show, and it set the tone for the merriment to come. We spent our days visiting the Kremlin, the Armoury, and the cathedrals laden with historic tales of warfare and peace in equal measure. The museums were a reflection of aristocracy and treasures, while the churches a testament to the fallen, that upheld the values of the ever-evolving Russian governance. We channeled our inner children at Moscow’s magnificent Nikulin’s Circus. Acrobatics and magic in a milieu with truly exquisite costumes and theatrics, this was an experience par excellence. The highlight in some ways was journeying the city through its renowned metros, stopping at historically significant palatial stations to admire mosaics, frescos, and overbearing brass sculptures each one with its own tales of the past. Our nights in Moscow were spent at some of the finest restaurants and clubs celebrating the city lights.
Before we knew it we were on a speed train to St. Petersburg, watching the sunset on the towns between the two main cities. Unlike Moscow’s tall and shiny skyline, St. Petersburg offers a romantic, picture-perfect mood along a snaking canal. St. Isaac’s Cathedral and the Church of the Savior on spilled blood were both inexplicably beautiful. Handcrafted from floor to ceiling, the frescos in the skies were decadently detailed mosaics. The play of light, dark, and stories of Christianity were woven into an architectural tapestry like none other. An unforgettable to-do on the itinerary was a private showing of The Hermitage, a palace, now a museum, of Russia’s finest art, sculpture, and culture. We walked the sprawling halls of The Hermitage to the sound of a quartet while we sipped champagne to bring our trip to a close. Our final hurrah was a cruise on the canal to celebrate our time together in Russia, which was truly a night to remember.
The group traveling to Russia was a well-traveled mix of mindsets, and yet, the trip was a first for everyone there. The warmth and closeness in the group grew to palpable levels through this unique shared experience. The cold weather was met with a sharing of scarves and gloves, much vodka, dancing to keep our blood pumping, and conversations lasting well into the wee hours of the morning. The end of the trip was marked by uncountable memories and friendships that are bound to last for a long time to come!
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