Anastasia Akhmatova's Honeymoon - The Honeymoon of Anastasia Akhmatova

Anastasia Akhmatova's Honeymoon - The Honeymoon of Anastasia Akhmatova

Anastasia Akhmatova, one of the most celebrated Russian poets of the 20th century, had a tumultuous life that was filled with both triumph and tragedy. However, one of the happiest moments in her life was her honeymoon with her husband, Nikolai Gumilev. The couple traveled to Paris for their honeymoon, which was a time of great joy and celebration for the newlyweds.

Paris was a city that was always close to Anastasia Akhmatova's heart. As a teenager, she had traveled to Paris with her family, and it was there that she first fell in love with the French language and culture. So, when she and Nikolai decided to go to Paris for their honeymoon, she was thrilled to be able to share this city with the man she loved.

The couple stayed in a luxurious hotel in the heart of Paris, and spent their days exploring the city's famous landmarks and museums. They strolled along the Seine River, visited the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, and took in the sights and sounds of the city. Anastasia was particularly taken with the beauty of the city, and wrote several poems about her experiences while in Paris.

Despite the happiness that Anastasia and Nikolai shared during their honeymoon, there were also challenges. Nikolai was a well-known poet in Russia, but his fame did not translate into financial success. This meant that the couple had to be careful with their spending while in Paris, and this added to the stress of their trip. However, they were determined to make the most of their honeymoon, and did their best to enjoy the city on a budget.

One of the most memorable moments of Anastasia's honeymoon was when she and Nikolai visited the Eiffel Tower. The tower, which was completed in 1889, was a marvel of engineering, and its sheer size and beauty left Anastasia in awe. She wrote a poem about her experience, which read:

"The iron giant standing on the banks

Its glitter like a Christmas tree,

Forged pieces were like lace,

Airiness – like empty space.

It seemed as if angels inscribed

On invisible wall with iron pen:

'From here they will be able to see

Paris and the entire world's face.'

After two weeks in Paris, Anastasia and Nikolai returned to Russia, full of happy memories and new experiences. Their honeymoon had been a time of great joy and celebration, and it was a moment that Anastasia would treasure for the rest of her life. The couple would go on to have a tumultuous marriage that would be marked by infidelity and ultimately end in divorce, but for a brief moment in time, their honeymoon in Paris was a time of pure happiness and delight.