In a message dated 06/10/2000 12:37:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Johnette
Davies writes:

<< I'll be going to Russia for a week next month, to Vladimir and Moscow.
Any words of wisdom?>>

Johnette -- Eat well before you go - the food is pretty bad.  Make sure your
visa and papers are in order, they still don't deal with independent
travelers very well. Bring bug spray.  Bring a camera - the architecture's
spectacular.  The people are very warm and friendly.

Ken --  Posting pictures is at the edge of my technical ability and I've
forgotten the name of the site we are to post them

Chris -- have a friend who is director of the project and have taken an
ICCROM wood conservation course thus being a presumed expert

John -- The church is made of very very big pine logs, unpainted.  It is
composed of individual lower sections that carry the upper structures.  The
domes top the various sections.  The wood is in good condition.  Originally
exposed log, it had exterior cladding for a hundred years or more.  The roof
shingles (third or fourth generation) are aspen and look silver in the
sunlight.

The church had structural problems from the beginning, caused by the size and
by unstable ground. A huge steel structure was installed on the inside in the
1970's-80's, completely obscuring the interior.  The large painted wooden
screen (iconostasis) was removed to a museum.  The problem now is to remove
the steel structure so that the church can have an interior again.  It will
need some kind of additional support but a much smaller one is being
designed. It's a very interesting case with many side issues, like what to
retain from previous attempts to solve the structural problems. The
restoration should take years so there's time to visit.

Mary Dierickx