Moskvar

A flight from Urumqi, via Novosibirsk, took us out of Asia and into Europe's biggest city, Moscow (Moskvar to the Russians). Far from the dour, grey place it's sometimes made out to be, Moscow is full of pastel pinks, blues and yellows and the glistening domes of the cathedrals in and around Red Square are fantastic.

A Kiwi on our flight happily relayed stories of Russian gangs and street crime prior to our 10pm arrival, and while Russians aren't always great at welcoming smiles and exhibit a penchant for drinking on the street at any time of day, its a pretty relaxed place overall. The weather was perfect, and the city centre dazzling - we were already feeling in a very different part of the world.

St Basil's Cathedral is an amazing sight. Ivan the Terrible was so thrilled with it that he blinded the architects so it would never be equaled

Many of Moscow's buildings are daunting in size but beautiful in appearance

The view across an empty Red Square, with Lenin's tomb overlooking it all

One of the many cathedrals within the Kremlin. Small Russian choirs sing haunting hymns in the dark recesses of these churches - an eerie experience

Around Red Square, the architectural masterpieces abound

Walking over the crest into Red Square, once the centre of the Soviet Empire, is an intense experience

St Basil's bright onion domes