The Russia we saw was colorfully painted domes, gold leaf statuary, murals, amazing ceilings, restored palaces and museums. Originally built by Catherine the Great, at the Hermitage Museum alone there were 2.7 million exhibits in 1059 rooms, including the works of Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Monet, Cezanne, Picasso and Matisse. 
We saw the resurgence of the Russian Orthodox Church. The communists tore down one magnificent cathedral, and made it into a swimming pool. After the change in government the cathedral was rebuilt to be exactly what it was. We also encountered a Bishop, and I motioned at my camera pantomiming that I wanted to take his photo. "Oh sure!" he replied, "Is that a Canon Digital?" It turned out that Bishop Andrew was, in fact, American and over in Susdal less time than we had been there!
