I went to the Kazan Kremlin on 1st September 2011. To be honest it was quite disappointing. The sun was shining and everything looked beautiful, but somehow the experience didn't live up to my expectations. For a city that boasts of its milennium status I for one could not embrace the concept that white walls were anywhere near 1000 years old, and it look like my suspicions are proved right by other posts.

Whilst it was fascinating to step inside a mosque I found it an unsatisfactory experience. The glitzy finish of what is an oversized empty room didn't bring me any closer to God, but left me feeling like an intruder as we wore our blue plastic overshoes and were only permitted access to a viewing gallery.

Imagine taking a trip to St.Pauls Cathedral in London and being told you were only welcome in a small part? Unlike my many trips inside cathedrals there was no evidence of faith through the acts of mere mortals within, but rather a thought that one was supposed to have a sense of awe, which I sadly didn't share.

The mosque was a disappointment, but inside the Kremlin Orthodox Church I was actually assaulted by the security guard! There's no doubt the painting inside were impressive, but as a first time visitor I was quietly discussing what was going on at the rear of building. A qualified priest appeared to be traing a lay man on thart of "incantation". All of a sudden I was hit from behind on the shoulder by a guard who almost spat out a command to be silent (although visitors were speaking all around the interior).

If something like this had happened in the street I would have been tempted to wheel round and strike my assailant in self defence. If this is the way the established church treats curious visitors it doesn't bode well for the established faiths of Kazan!

After leaving the building the same guard was strutting about talking on his mobile and puffing a cigarette, which was hardly a good advert for his own walk with God.

The best part of my tour (from local Kazan residents) was taking a look at the Soyembika Tower and hearing the associated legend. If it was indeed built in haste (7 days) then that would explain why it has shifted, and looks like falling over.

As we walked away the local explained how the vast mosque weighed so much that it was actually causing land movement from the sheer weight and inadequate foundations. My guess is that it won't outlast this older famous monument.

My final note on walking around the heart of Kazan, come preprared. There are precious few street cafe's and apart from the main shopping street no benches upon which to stop and rest your feet. Take some water with you, or better still go out to the surrounding countryside, which is breathtaking and absolutely teeming with all manner of wildlife.

If you're feeling intrepid you might find caving on the banks of the Volga a more satisfactory experience. There no legislators to restrict access, and for those not suffering from claustrophobia and our small group spent nearly four hours climbing and exporing - simply brilliant!