The Kremlin in Moscow

A guide is required to tour the Kremlin. The concierge recommended a guide; a nice lady but no Mila. We went through displays of armor, ambassadorial gifts given to the various czars and clothing which had been worn for coronations. The guide inquired whether we wished to see the collection of jewels and gold which had been amassed over the years; we declined.

We proceeded to the Kremlin yard (not Red Square which is actually outside the Kremlin) and noticed that portions had been closed off by soldiers. Shortly, the sounds of a military band were heard together with the clatter of horses’ hooves on cobblestones.


Each Saturday at noon there is a military parade and it was about to begin.











The band led the entourage followed by a marching unit of about fifty soldiers, followed in turn by about fifteen horsemen.










A color guard presented the national ensign and what must have been unit flags.








The senior officer detached himself from the horse unit and stationed himself immediately in front of us—between us and the band. It was his job to bark commands and keep the whole thing moving.










The marching unit performed first: Precision marching and rifle drill done very well.





































They were followed by the horse unit going through its paces, likewise done with great precision. The whole show lasted about half an hour.






























The color guard exited first, then the marching unit, followed by the horses and finally by the band. After observing the band marching through the horse droppings, Bob remarked to Jan that, from his experience in the Edina High School Band and the Grenadier Band, it was infinitely better to march behind horses than to march behind elephants.









[Editor's note: Disregard the date stamp on these photos. The camera was still on central daylight time!]