Yesterday we took a day trip to Yasnaya Polyana, home of Leo Tolstoy and where he wrote his famous books "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina". It's about a two and a half hour car ride from Moscow. Tolstoy referred to it as his "inaccessible literary stronghold."
The land that Tolstoy's estate is located on is absolutely gorgeous.
We were also able to see his grave, which is not officially marked.
From Wikipedia:
Long before he died Tolstoy announced the place where he wanted to be buried; in a small clearing called "the place of the green wand", next to a long ravine in a part of the old forest called the Forest of the Old Order (Старый Заказ, Stariy Zakaz) because cutting trees there had been forbidden since the time of his grandfather, and many trees there were over a hundred years old. The name 'place of the green wand' had been given by Tolstoy's older brother Nikolai, who said that the person who found the magic wand there would never die or be ill. He and his brother frequently sat in the darkness in the clearing and talked.
We also visited the Trees of Lovers, which you are supposed to touch and make a wish about love on.
Today was our last day of classes and the graduation ceremony from the program, which we celebrated by having a small party with champagne and chocolate.
The land that Tolstoy's estate is located on is absolutely gorgeous.
We had a tour of Tolsoy's house, but unfortunately were not allowed to take pictures inside.
We were also able to see his grave, which is not officially marked.
Long before he died Tolstoy announced the place where he wanted to be buried; in a small clearing called "the place of the green wand", next to a long ravine in a part of the old forest called the Forest of the Old Order (Старый Заказ, Stariy Zakaz) because cutting trees there had been forbidden since the time of his grandfather, and many trees there were over a hundred years old. The name 'place of the green wand' had been given by Tolstoy's older brother Nikolai, who said that the person who found the magic wand there would never die or be ill. He and his brother frequently sat in the darkness in the clearing and talked.
We also visited the Trees of Lovers, which you are supposed to touch and make a wish about love on.
Today was our last day of classes and the graduation ceremony from the program, which we celebrated by having a small party with champagne and chocolate.
After the party, our teacher surprised us with a limo ride (and more champagne) around Moscow to see all of the sights that we had not yet gotten the chance to check out including the Novodevichy Convent where Gorbachev's wife is buried.
This is a famous bridge, known as Lover's Bridge, where people place locks with their names and the names of their significant others to symbolize eternal love. This bridge has made many literary appearances, including in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina.
After an afternoon of mini-excursions, two of my classmates, my teacher, and I headed to the Red Square for some dinner and a final round of picture taking before we leave Moscow tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow we fly to Rostov-on-Don and drive to Novocherkassk, the hometown of the students that came to stay with us in March and reunite with them!
