Bulgakov Tour

I went on a tour to learn about the Russian writer and playwright Bulgakov with the a group of attache spouses. We always enjoy each others company so although it was rainy and cold

I learned a lot and really enjoyed the tour.

The tour began at the Starlight Cafe (an American style diner) where our guide determined most of us did not know much about or read any of Bulgakov's works. We were interested in seeing some of the sights where his writings based on and learning about him as a writer. Our guide had an enormous amount of interesting information to share. I can't even begin to summarize it here. But I will share a few pictures of places we saw. From the diner we then went to a museum of where Bulgakov first lived. He was published and successful until in 1927 when his career began to suffer from criticism that he was too anti-soviet. By 1929 his career was ruined and government censorship prevented publication of any of his work and staging of any of his plays.

The staircase up was filled with interesting graffiti from devoted fans.

This was a communal home with 9 rooms, where 9 families shared one kitchen, and one bathroom. The room below was Bulgakov's.

Next was Patriach's Ponds, a park which is still popular today because of it's association with Bulgakov. This is where the book Master and Margarita begins its story.

This is another location written about

We made ours way onto what is believed to be Margarita's House in the novel

and now is the residence of the Egyptian defense attache.

The next apartment building is where Bulgakov finished writing the Master and Margarita

and also where he died shortly after. He suffered from polynephritis and he dictated the finishing chapters to his wife. It was not published until 1966, 26 years after his death.

Lastly we stopped by the Master's House. He was a fellow writer who had been jailed by Stalin for 11 mos without any charge, no interrogations, torture or anything and released thereafter. The man had completely broken down with fear and refused to see anyone, did not leave his house and only took food from the landlord through a window. The fate of this author is reflected by Bulgakov in the Master and Margarita.