We arrived in Moscow at 8 am after a luxurious and romantic overnight train ride from St. Petersburg. We had been enthralled by the regal beauty of the imperial capital and had been warned that Moscow would be a completely different experience. Moscow is Europe's largest city with a population exceeding 12 million. It is a wealthy city with the largest number of billionaires of any city on earth. The city is sprawling, emanating by a series of concentric ring roads with the Kremlin and Red Square as its focal point.One would probably have to spend at least a month here to truly appreciate its energy and character.We had three nights...just a taste. We arrived in the morning and spent time after breakfast visiting the Christ the Saviour Cathedral and then Red Square and the GUM store. Our hotel was somewhat removed from the centre. In the evening we had a nice tour of various sites illuminated. Our second day was spent visiting the countryside and the city of Sergiev Posad, otherwise known as the Russian orthodox Vatican. It was clear from driving through and visiting the countryside that there are two Russias...the urban Russia of the well to do oil and gas business elite and the rural Russia of the impoverished multitudes. It appears that the gap between rich and poor since the fall of Communism has continued to widen over the years.The visit to the cathedrals of Sergiev Posad underlined the understated importance of the Russian orthodox church in the lives of Russians. After an overpriced dinner at a kitschy Ukrainian restaurant near our hotel we attended the Russian State Circus for a thoroughly entertaining evening. Our last day in Moscow was spent touring the Borodino Museum where there is a panoramic painting depicting this epic battle won by Napoleon's forces but at a cost that eventually led to his defeat. We next visited the Novodevichy Cemetery to marvel at the stately memorials to some of Russia's finest literary, musical and political heroes.Subsequently we went to Arbat St. for lunch and just soaking up the atmosphere before visiting the Kremlin in the late afternoon. Moscow comes across as a bold, brash vibrant city that despite its frenetic pace continues to honour its history. It would be an intriguing city in which to reside for an extended period.