Day 5 Set Sail Down Moscow Canal

Sunday, July 24, 2005

It's around 9:00 P.M. I'm on the deck watching the scenes along the Moscow Canal. So many people come here to fish, swim, cook and relax. They drive right up th the bank and pitch a tent. Even at this time of night, they are swimming - whole families, loners, children...pastoral scenes that remind me of stories from Chekhov side by side with the new modern houses built by the "New Russians". The canal is placid and the ship is quiet. From the deck I can smell the camp fires on the shore.

We are going through lock #6(KM 93) our first lock. Everyone on the deck is quite excited. We will be on the Moscow Canal until we reach lock #1 where we enter the Volga River.

Back to the river people. They know how to do nothing. Some are here alone with all they need to sleep and eat tonight.

End of diary.

Photograph: View from the deck of the Maxine Rylsky on July 25, 2005.

Please see my other Moscow Canal pictures.