Borodino

Oddities from the past are not uncommon to see in Russia and, as if caught in a time warp, the Diving Center enters a new day.

The deadliest battle of all the Napoleonic encounters was centred around Bordino in 1812 when the Russian army, led my its new leader Michail Kutuzov, prepared to make a stand. Napoleon won the battle, but not the war, and Kutuzov withdrew not completely beaten to allow Napoleon to walk into a burnt out Moscow. The Russians months later chased out the remnants of Napoleons Grandee Armee.

A Russian family visiting the memorial practice their English and are a real tonic to meet. The Ukranian mum suggested and took the photos. They were on holiday and most engaging.

Hitler's Wehrmacht were beaten back  beyond here to Vjas'ma and up against the extreme Winter weather conditions and swampy terrain were finally chased out too.

A sparse number of villages, a few towns and vast areas of forest and swampy plains is the road to Moscow.