Russia

• Arrive in Moscow, where Ties staff will meet you and provide transportation to the hotel. Russian Ties families stay in first class to moderate, clean hotels, where after a day out experiencing many new tastes, smells, sights and sounds, families can relax.
• Gather for an orientation meeting, a chance to connect with the other families, and discuss the journey ahead.
• Enjoy a city tour of Moscow including a panoramic view of the city from Sparrow Hill.
• Participate in a folk program at Kolomenskoye, a former village and now a historical preserve.
• Tour the famous Moscow Kremlin and Cathedrals while learning about the history of the country.
• Take in Red Square, one of the largest gathering places in the world, and home to Lenin’s Tomb, the beautiful St. Basil’s Cathedral. Enjoy the beauty and size of the area before exploring the shops of GUM Department Store.
• Learn about culture and lifestyle from specially chosen guides who will be open to sharing.
• Travel by metro to Izmailovo Market, Moscow’s large outdoor souvenir bazaar.
• Then the kids in the group have can participate in a Russian cooking class while parents relax and reflect on our time in Moscow.
• Free time, Connect & Chat for adoptees, and Talk Time for parents throughout the trip.

For most families, Moscow will be the jumping off point for the “Centerpiece of your Adoption Homeland Journey” as they travel to their child’s region of birth.

While on adoption visits, families will:

• Travel by airplane, train or car to their destination, and be met with driver and English speaking guide.
• Visit their child’s orphanage, meet caregivers, and re-connect with other people and places important to your family.
• See sites in the area, according to your interests.
• Bask in the messages of the journey as The Ties Program oversees the travel details including transportation, translators, and hotel arrangements.

Russian Ties Lite families will return to the United States or their home countries after adoption visits. Russian Ties families will regroup in St. Petersburg with time to process adoption visits.

• Also in St. Petersburg, visit the Hermitage Museum where you can imagine Russian leaders holding court in the throne room.
• Visit sights along Nevsky Prospect, St. Isaac Cathedral, and see detailed mosaics at The Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood, the site of Czar Alexander the Second’s assassination.
• Travel to the small town of Pushkin to see Catherine’s Palace, a gift from Peter the Great to his wife.
• Marvel at the beauty of the famous Amber Room, comprised of 100,000 perfectly fitted pieces of amber, located in Catherine’s Palace. Then enjoy the beautiful fountains of Peterhof, designed by Peter the Great himself.
• Cruise the canals of St. Petersburg while enjoying lunch complete with traditional music and dance.
• We end with a festive farewell lunch, providing closure to this life changing experience. 

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