Summer
on the Moscow River
Summer
on the Moscow River
The
Moscow River (pronounced Moskva,
Mockba in Cyrillic) flows through the Russian Oblasts of Moscow and
Smolensk. It is a tributary of the Oka, and is 503 km long. Its basin
is some 17,600 sq km in area. The river freezes in November-December
and usually
begins to thaw late in March. Moscow, the city, is situated on its
banks and is named for the river.
The
Moscow River offers a welcome
escape from the oppressive heat and humidity of summer in the city. Up
and down its banks one can see family picnics and barbeques, swimmers,
kids and dogs playing in the shallows, hopeful fishermen casting their
lines, sailboats, motorboats, kids floating on inner tubes, all the
warm weather fun one would expect along a heavily populated water way.
The
river is a convenient thoroughfare to and from the many villages
along it's banks. Passenger hydrofoils race upstream and downstream all
day long, briefly stopping at the many docks along the way.
One
can find cruises, large and small, luxurious to basic, a few hours
to a few weeks, whatever your preference. A cruise along the river is a
great way to see the city on a warm summer day. Larger cruise ships
roam the river from city to city, offering a unique perspective to
vacationers from around the world. Behind the cruise ship rises the
spire of the Northern River Terminal.
Barges
hauling
everything from produce to industrial materiel to junk ply Russia's
many rivers all summer long. Since humankind first settled the region,
the rivers have been used as a ready-made highway system.
In
order to keep all this
necessary traffic moving, the river is
constantly being dredged. Massive banks of cranes line the banks in
some areas, filling an unending line of barges waiting patiently to
take the unwanted earth and rubble elsewhere.
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This page was updated on 26 November 2007.Contact me at: patti.primeau@sympatico.caThis site was updated using Nvu and Style Maker. |