Today was an amazing day. I saw an outrageous cathedral of spilled blood and a mass grave memorial site where over 500,000 people were lain to rest. It was intense going from one kind of peaceful and holy place to different, and yet, equally chilling peaceful feeling. The cathedral was so spiritual and up lifting with all the creative murals and mosaics on the walls. The building has seemed to stand the constant tests of time including the great siege. It's amazing how something like this is still around today for observation. Then, the Memorial... speechless. The eternal flame cast directly in line with mother Russia... beautiful.  The Lake... calm, and the mounds peaceful. It was weird to see the death and destruction from the other side of the world. A people, a nation... Devastated by the War but pulled through. Americans say "our victory" but how can one say such a travesty as an ally lays wounded and dying on the battleground. This is starting to make me angry. Being there... no words.