The Path
Panoramic View Of Moscow From Sparrow Hills
January 27, 2013 daily photo.

Frankly speaking I was not going to shoot a panorama. My intention was to study International Business Center in different sunset lighting conditions. But finally I composed this panorama. This is my first panorama experience, I was not prepared, I made mistakes, it is bad, but still I want to show you todays Moscow as viwed from Sparrow Hills.

The view is from West to East to the central (historic) part of Moscow City.
So from left to right you see following:A group of modern skyskrapers (some of them are still under construction). This is the International Business Center known as Moscow City.
Between the two red smoke-stacks you see the Moscow TV broadcasting tower – Ostankino tower. It is 540 meters (1722 ft) high. You also see some old style (so called Stalin style architecture) skyscrapers topped with spires. They are famous Seven Sisters skyscrapers of Moscow. One of them is behind my back. It is the main building of Moscow State University on Sparrow Hills. OK. To the left from the left red smoke-stack is Hotel Ukraina skyscraper. To rhe right from the right smoke-stack you see the spire of the second ‘sister’, it is an apartment building for the Soviet elite. To the right from the two distant cranes you see the brown building of the Ministry of Foreign Affaits of Russia. Arbat street is just behind that skyscraper. Right in front of you, but in the background, you see domes of Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and to the left of it one more ‘sister’ – administrative building. Then, to the right of clouds of smoke you see next ‘sister’ – apartment building on the Kotelnicheskaya embankment of Moscow river.

Going further to the right, you see the Engineer Shukhov’s radio tower and to the fore of it – a lot of trees of Moscow Gorky Park and Merry Garden. The peculiar building to the right is the headquarters of Russian Academy of Sciences. The construction on the top of it is a symbol of the brain (or the lack of architect’s brains, as you like it.  )

Let’s go back to the left to a couple of red smoke-stacks. Behing the right one you see the white building. Actually this building is known as Moscow White House. It is the headquarters of the Russian Government. In the beginning of 1990th it was the building of the Russian Parliament. To the right of it you see the gray building in the form of open book. It used to be the headquarters of COMECON (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) of the countries of East-European Block.

To the fore of that building you see domes and tower of Moscow Novodevichy Convent and the trees of the famous Novodevichy Cemetery. In 2004, the Convent was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A lot of famouse people of Russian and World significance are buried in the Cemetery.

Closer to you there is the new Third Ring Road of Moscow. There were hopes that it help to solve the problem of transport overload of central parts of Moscow, but the number of cars and tracks seems to grow faster than any road infrastructure.

Finally just in front of the picture you see the famouse Luzhniki Olympic Complex: Grand Sports Arena (UEFA Category 4 Stadium) the Luzhniki Palace of Sports (square cut building to the left of the stadium), swimming pool (to the right of the stadium) and Friendship Multipurpose Arena behind the metro-bridge.

The weather today was sunny but frosty and my camera and me got rather cold.  So I will repeat the panorama again in more comfortable weather and better air conditions (I need a clear air without any smog).

Sources: Moscow City and Wikipedia.
[27/365] Full moon
Taken last night at about 6:15 pm, just before it was totally covered by the cloud.
f/9, ISO 800, 1/250
Thank you so much for your comments on "turning brown" picture.  You are so kind :)
Moscow Kremlin Cathedrals In Winter
January 26, 2013 daily photo.

So, today I used 85mm lens to take another picture of the Kremlin across the Moscow-river. Here you see all the main cathedrals of the Kremlin. To the left you see the Annunciation cathedral. Archangel cathedral is located to the fore. In the background you see Dormition cathedral, and you cannot be mistaken with Ivan the Great Bell tower. :-)
The tower to the fore is Taynitskaya (Secret) Tower. The Taynitskaya Tower had a secret well and an underground escape tunnel leading from the Kremlin to the Moscow River.

The view would be blocked by the foliage in summertime.

Sources: Winter, Moscow Kremlin.
[26/365] Turning brown.
Most of my outdoor ferns are still green, even if it has been very cold lately.  However I notice that the tips start to turn brown this week.
The Dolphin
[25/365] After the rain.
I had so much fun today playing in the backyard trying to capture these drops.
25 of 365 

January 25, 2013

More snow
[24/365] color blocks.
I have been working all day today.  And so I look around the house for object to take picture.  This may not be the best one but it's the one I like the most.
[26/365] Turning brown.
Most of my outdoor ferns are still green, even if it has been very cold lately. However I notice that the tips start to turn brown this week.
[26/365] Turning brown.
Most of my outdoor ferns are still green, even if it has been very cold lately.  However I notice that the tips start to turn brown this week.
[26/365] Turning brown.
Most of my outdoor ferns are still green, even if it has been very cold lately. However I notice that the tips start to turn brown this week.
See photo in original gallery.