UGLICH continued

                                                  UGLICH continued
      Just before arriving at Uglich we passed under the Victory Bridge, built after defeat of the Nazis. Next we passed the hydroelectric plant, completed in 1940. Only two people operate the plant. The lock just before town has a water exchange measuring 11 meters, for us traveling from Moscow to St. Petersburg it was a drop.

      Red, blue and gold domes of the churches came into view as we approached the city from the water. Waiting to greet us was a pretty young girl, in native dress holding a paska, the special decorated bread, for each of us to sample.

      In town we met our local docent  who told us, “It’s a quiet place and the air is clean because we have no big factories.

      The original Kremlin walls were torn down in the mid 17^th century. The 18^th century Transfiguration Church is perched on the water’s edge and we had a good view of it as we came into port. The green

domed cathedral, built in 1713, has a high vaulted ceiling unsupported by pillars creating interior drama. The cathedral houses a splendid baroque iconostasis as well as valuable icons and religious artifacts. The frescos were in excellent condition. A gilded dome crowns the 100-foot belfry, built in 1734. The ancient clock chimed regularly for decades, but in 1984 the Chaika watch factory installed an electronic bell that is suppose to ring every half-hour. Services are held on Sunday and holidays.

      The blue-domed Church of Dimitry on the Blood, built in 1692, has a fascinating façade. Its red walls are topped with blue domes. It was designed with a love for embellishment, rich ornamentation, and striking color. Frescos cover nearly all of the inner walls.  This church was built 100 years after Prince Dimity’s death on the spot where he died.

One story of Dimitri’s death is that he was playing with his sword and during an epileptic seizure fell on the sword and died. (Dimity is also spelled Demetrius.) However, most believe Dimity was murdered.

      The floor in this church is rather unusual. It is onion dome-shaped metal because there is a heating system, pipes and furnace, underneath it. This was a winter church, which means it had heating. Summer churches did not and were used only in summer time. Frequently the winter and summer churches are attached.

      Around dinner time we boarded an old van and traveled over rather rough roads to a housing development of Stalin-era concrete apartment buildings. Our hostess was a schoolteacher who spoke some English and was delighted to be hosting  dinner for us. We walked up two flights of stairs to her small three-room apartment. Her daughters 25 and 27 plus her 79 year old mom were waiting for us.

      Grandma had made the vodka and although I’m not much of a drinker I do have to say her vodka was very good and I actually drank it straight! One of the daughters had made the dessert apricot sweet buns that were delicious. It was a delightful evening with very gracious people. There was a lot of animated conversation as we exchanged views on our differing cultures. The girls had made us a bookmark using dried flowers. How sweet. They were most gracious, and we had a delightful evening.