While Moscow has a decent selection of superb hotels, they are usually not for the budget traveller. However, my lovely room at the 4 star Ukraina Hotel offered excellent value considering Moscow’s standards and prices. The hotel had a nice restaurant, but since there are fantastic restaurants, clubs and pubs of all kinds in Moscow we opted to dine out.

In my effort to connect with my ancestral Russian roots, I flew from New York to Moscow, without really knowing what to expect. I did not expect to find lost relatives, yet I wanted to experience where they came from. What I did find was a mysterious, sometimes maddening place, full of intrigue and history like that of an epic novel.

I was brought to tears by the beauty of the ballet, and by the tragedy of old women sitting alone on the street selling whatever they could for a few roubles. I dined on caviar and vodka and walked among beggars in Gorky Park. Whatever enigmas Moscow presented, I tried to go with its furious and fascinating flow.

What really struck me was the spirit of Moscow’s people. Stern and strong, they have been through tribulations that go beyond my comprehension. Yet under their thick skin is a disarming child-like quality that cherishes friendship, family and having fun. It may be difficult for Westerners to appreciate what an important place Moscow holds in the hearts of Russians. First impressions may be that of a chaotic city with glitzy ads, but underneath all its clamour and glamour is a profound place rich with history and human spirit.

For centuries, Holy Moscow has been a great centre of spiritual and political power, a point of pilgrimage like Jerusalem or Rome. The Kremlin is Russia's mythical refuge, a self-contained city with a mass of palaces, armouries, and cathedrals; a medieval fortress that links the modern city to its legendary past. The Kremlin houses a staggering amount of historical treasures worthy of the world’s best museums.

During my visit to the Kremlin, I was reminded of one of my favourite childhood toys – the Russian Matryoska nesting dolls. These hollow wooden dolls open to reveal a smaller doll inside a smaller doll, until you find the smallest solid doll in the centre. I never grew tired of playing with these dolls then, and there I stood inside a larger-than-life Matryoska doll – the Kremlin with its seemingly endless labyrinth of discoveries.

Winding my way through the maze of opulent architecture, I passed the arsenal museum commissioned by Peter the Great, the great Kremlin Palace where the Kremlin Ballet performs, the graceful Senate building and residence of the President. I then saw the world’s largest bell (200 tons) and cannon (40 tons), and finally ended my meanderings at the magnificent Cathedral Square, which revealed itself as the stunning centre piece. In the centre of Cathedral Square stands the Cathedral of the Assumption.

This striking building is the biggest, oldest and most important of the Kremlin’s many cathedrals. Its history is as elaborate as its design. In the 1470s Ivan the Great commissioned Italian architect Alberti “Aristotle” Fioravanti to build the Cathedral of the Assumption as the seat of the Russian Orthodox Church. Ivan was so enamoured with Fioravanti’s feat, that when the Italian requested to return to his homeland, Ivan threw him in jail. Fioravanti died in his cell a few years later.

I spent what felt like hours in awe of the Cathedral’s many frescoes, icons, and the intricate Throne of Monomakh. Clustered around the Cathedral are an extraordinary array of palaces, towers, and more cathedrals, which together constitute almost the entire history of that period.

Although I chose a time of year to visit Moscow that would not freeze my eyelids shut, its crisp Siberian air took some getting used to. I decided the best way to acclimate would be a visit to a banya – a Russian sauna. I discovered that banya bathing was not only wonderfully relaxing, it presented an inside glimpse into Russian culture and its people.

Banyas are everywhere from posh hotels to tiny wooden huts in the forest. They are a quiet retreat from the busy streets. Peter the Great was an active patron of the banya and visitors to 17th century Russia wrote, "There were no place without even a small steam bath.” As I said before, Russians are tough and their banya bathing reflects this. I can tolerate heat, but this banya was really hot!

I shared a banya at the famous Sanduny Banya with a friendly Russian woman who showed me how to use a besom – an essential element to the banya experience. Besoms are made of dried twigs and leaves, soaked in water and then vigorously rubbed and beaten all over the body to enhance circulation.

Sitting there in the banya, I discovered that Russians are not shy when it comes to meeting strangers. This naked woman took my besom and beat me silly. Then with a smirk, she grabbed my hand and led me to an icy cold pool. There is no way of doing this slowly. I gasped as we both plunged into the arctic water. Exiting immediately, my shock quickly turned to pleasure as I felt my body tingling and relaxing.

“Come, we do again”, my banya buddy declared. We did this ritual several times until we were both red, beaten and completely, sublimely relaxed. I learned that her name was Yana and she was doctor. This surprised me as she looked quite young. In fact she was only 28. Yana explained that she entered Medical School immediately after graduating from Middle School at 17.

Russian Medical School is a very demanding six years of study, six days a week, followed by two years of residency, similar to medical school in America. What is drastically different from doctors in the USA is that Russian doctors get paid very little. “Russian doctors do it for the people, not for the money”, Yana proudly proclaimed. “But sometimes love is not enough. I had a baby while in medical school and her father died when she was three years old. I could not afford to take care of us both, so I tried finding a foreign husband on the internet like many women doctors. But I met my husband here.”

“In Moscow?” I asked.
“Yes. I was called by a hotel to care for a guest who was ill. It was him and it was love at first sight.”
I was intrigued, “Where is he from?”
“From New York, but his Grandfather was from Ukraine.”
“Like me!” I exclaimed, feeling I had touched on some sort of family tree.
“Really, your Grandfather is from Ukraine?”
“Yes, he escaped with his family during the Revolution, and grew up in Manchuria. He went alone to America when he was only 18 and managed to save enough money to bring the rest of his family there years later.”
“Yes, Russian people are strong. You cannot break our spirit. I see that in you, in the banya.”
I laughed, “You mean when you led me into the icy pool?”
“Yes, banya shows a person’s spirit. It can break them or make them stronger… same as life.”

Winston Churchill described Russia as “Riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”. Although I found some answers and some more of myself in Moscow, without its many mysteries and tragedies, Moscow would not be Moscow – the heart and soul of Russia.