Our tour of the old USSR started at its heart, Moscow. After a 4 hour flight (and losing three hours in time difference) on Saturday the 7th, negotiating the Metro (which carries more people per day than the London Underground and New York Subway combined) and registering our visas (not only do you need a visa in Russia, but you have to register yourself wherever you go), we packed it in early Saturday night ready to get going early Sunday morning.
Trying to make the most of the daylight hours, Ange and I, and our comrade Nicola, were up early for a wander around the streets of the capital. This is the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, typical of Russian Orthodox churches with its shiny domes. This one was actually only completed in 1997.
A quick stroll along the Moscow River to the apex of political power, the Kremlin. 
...and around the corner to the Red Square, lining the east wall of the Kremlin. Originally a market square, is perhaps now more known as the site of many military parades demonstrating Russian power.
Nestled on the edge of the red square, right up against the Kremlin's walls, is Lenin's Mausoleum, containing the embalmed remains of the leader as it has since 1924 (apart from a retreat to Siberia during WWII). To enter, you have to go through multiple checkpoints and metal detectors, cameras are strictly prohibited (to the point of not allowing mobile phones either) and you are constantly under the close watch of dozens of guards. You get shuffled along, down a flight of stairs, quickly past Lenin under glass and then out again. All pretty scary really!
After a quick lunch and a review of the guidebook, we jumped on another Metro north a few stops to the Armed Forces Museum. We arent usually museum types, but this one was a very good account of WWII and the cold war. Well, we think it was given it was all in Russian, but still very interesting.
Monday morning we went out southwest, to the Novodevichy Convent. Founded in 1524 it was later rebuilt by Peter the Great's half-sister Sofia, who herself was imprisoned here for life in 1698 by Peter when he was just 17.
Back to the red square in the afternoon, and through St Basil's Cathedral at the south end of the square. Its an amazing cathedral from the outside, but unfortunately the interior - a collection of little chapels - isn't quite so grand.
With the light dimming, we strolled over to the north end of the red square and through the State History Museum. Its collection covers the Russian Empire from the Stone Age on, but the building itself is most impressive.
Tuesday was our day to see the Kremlin. Unfortunately the grumpy little lady at the ticket booth told us "Kremlin closed". We later worked out that it was some kind of police day and therefore it was closed to the public to allow the police to use it. More than a little bit gutted (who goes to Russia and doesn't go inside the Kremlin!), we at least got to go inside the Kremlin walls at the far end for a visit to the armoury, home to an impressive collection of Faberge eggs. 
With more than a few hours to kill before our 11.30pm overnight train to St Petersburg, we walked through a different area of town, out to the former KGB headquarters.
After a quick pint (or two) at the only pub we were brave enough to enter, we walked through the red square for some great night time shots of St Basil's.
It was then back to the hostel to pick up our bags and get out the train station to catch our sleeper train north to St Petersburg.
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