Moscow
Москва
Red Square in Moscow
November 28-29, 2003
Well, my luck with travel has continued. My plane left at about 5:30pm, late because
of the snow and wet conditions in Chicago. We began our descent to Switzerland and
as we fell beneath the first set of clouds we could see the Alps in perfect view,
they look like a painting, but are rather the inspiration of thousands of paintings.
By the time we fell below the second set of clouds we were essentially on the ground;
about 600-800 feet above the ground we went through a snow storm, but on the ground
it was 34 so only rain.
The new Swiss terminal was very nice, half concrete and half glass, well designed.
After being here for about 45 minutes we boarded and took off for Moscow. Again
our view of the Alps was incredible and again I had an intoxicated Russian near
me. He had brought aboard a flask and ordered a drink every time the stewardess
came by. This flight was also uneventful and ended with our landing in Moscow.
After customs, my bag got lost, or so they thought, but after much confusion we
found my bag and I was off. My ride failed to show up so I was left bargaining for
a taxi. After finally settling for a terrible price we took off.
Moscow was interesting; it stunk and traffic was terrible. My cab driver was nice,
but kind of expected a big tip since I was running late. He got his money, just
so I could arrive at the station to find out I missed the train… but then a random
guy told me that he would get me a ticket because I was a foreigner and had a passport.
This apparently worked because the whole line let us skip, but then everything got
confusing and eventually realized I didn't have any rubles so needed to exchange
money; I exchanged a $100 bill, the cost of a first class round trip ticket to Izhevsk.
We again skipped the line and got a ticket, ran down stairs, through a hall, up
some stairs, which had no lights and was flooded then ran up and over to the train.
He insisted I tip him so I gave him $5, which he complained about so I gave him
$10, he then insisted I give him $50 and I said no. He started laughing grabbed
the money I had in my hand: a $20 bill, a $10, and a $5, threw my ticket at me and
ran away laughing.
I was fed up with arguing with this guy so just let him go only to look at my ticket
and see he got me a second class one-way ticket so he scammed me out of $40 in addition
to the $5, $10, and $20 he took. So I’ve spent $195 and the day’s not even over
yet.
No one on this train speaks English and I’m in a car with an older couple. I wanted
to call home, but there is obviously no phone on the train, so I’ll have to wait
until tomorrow.
As our train was leaving the station I watched Moscow fade into the distance as
more and more houses were made of vans and cars. I guess this is what I spent a
ton of money on, a growing experience… and a story, hopefully a positive one.
Another 18 hours or so on the train; time to stare into the distance.
Eternal Flame in Moscow with the Hero Cities
Hero Cities Monument in Moscow
January 6, 2004
I couldn’t sleep last night since it was so hot in our kupe (room on an overnight
train) plus I was dehydrated. I am severely lacking liquids, vitamins, and nutrients
right now.
Our train arrived and I bought a ticket for the metro, which was pretty empty at
this time in the morning and there were no problems with my bags. I got off at Ochotniu
Ryad (Охотний Ряд) and asked for directions to the Centralnaya Gostinitsa (Централная
Гостиница), which really no one had ever heard of and I was given bad directions
once, sending me about 30 minutes out of the way. I did eventually find it, but
the door was locked. Just when I was ready to sit and wait until it opened, a security
guard opened the door and let me in.
It was a little difficult, but I managed to get a room for 780 rubles and what’s
better is that I got to check in right away and get breakfast. The city is absolutely
dead right now and this main street with eight lanes and two parking lanes is empty,
it makes me a little uneasy, and my room doesn't help since it's very tiny
and dirty with shared bathrooms. On my street is a McDonald’s and Sbarro.
Once I settled down I went to red square early, about 9:00 and found most of it
to be closed off, I’m not sure why. St. Basil’s is more incredible in person than
in pictures, but the square is, well, just a square. On one side is the Kremlin,
the opposite a mall and then St. Basil's and another church opposite it, on
the long end of the rectangle. Lenin mausoleum is in front of the Kremlin, but was
closed today.
I went into St. Basil’s to view its walls and ceilings covered in the original paintings
and many of the original icons are still decorating the walls, but just a museum
and store now. The small pink church on the opposite side has a more interesting
interior and as far is feel is concerned, more authentic since it’s still a church
and all who go know traditions and typically follow them. Many people bought candles
and lit them while I was there, like people did in Izhevsk. The mall on the square
was very much like a western mall and resembled any other mall I’ve been to, except
the stores are much nicer than most stores in the US, like Rolex and Armani.
The price differences here are substantial compared to Izhevsk. Two meals today
cost 400 rubles and I saw one of those matroshka (wooden nesting dolls) Santas,
very similar to what I bought in Izhevsk, but the one here cost 1,000 rubles and
in Izhevsk 75. Water here costs 20 rubles for half a liter, in Izhevsk I bought
5 liters for 25, but what really struck me was that a Twix in Izhevsk cost 17 rubles
and here only 13.
It’s very difficult to tell who is and isn’t a foreigner in Moscow: tennis shoes
are somewhat popular, down coats are more common, and US jeans are extremely popular.
I get the impression this city strives to be like the west, or more accurately the
amenities of the west but is stuck with its eastern history and location.
Traffic is pretty horrible here and it seems like every other car is either a BMW
or Mercedes. Pollution is bad also and the city is dirty, the sidewalks are dotted
with gum stuck to the ground and people litter constantly. They both salt and shovel
here so the streets and sidewalks (at least in the tourist district) are clear and
the sidewalks are very wide. It looks like a very old eastern city but feels like
a modern city, located somewhere between the east and the west.
After stopping off at the hotel for lunch and a bathroom break, I left for the Kremlin.
I showed my UW union membership card and got in for ½ price at 150 rubles. Kremlin
is a Russian word meaning fortress and is truly a fortress, hosting a city within
the city. About 2/3 of it is government offices are closed to the public, but the
other 1/3 is primarily churches and very impressive.
One cathedral has icons painted all over the ceilings and contains tombs. Another
church seems very unauthentic and more of a museum than a church today. The church
that looks like the oldest is perhaps the most impressive. It contains paintings,
icons, tombs, and the pews of past tsars and tsarinas.
After leaving the Kremlin, as I was wandering around aimlessly, I got stopped by
a cop. He saluted me and I him back, then he asked for my documents and I gave him
my passport. He checked it closely and once realized everything was in order he
began to be a push his luck. First he asked where I’m staying, which he knows because
its on my papers, next he asked when I’m leaving Russia and I said tomorrow. He
then said alright, gave me my passport, saluted me, and told me I could go. I was
sort of nervous and briefly lost my Russian, but got it back just in time to prevent
him from getting upset. I could tell he just stopped me because I look foreign and
I was lucky enough to have everything in order and was able to answer his questions.
He was obviously searching for a reason to fine me so I would bribe him, but it
failed and I walked away with all my money in tact.
I continued my stroll, with a little more confidence around Red Square, which is
much better at night, since it's so dark outside and the buildings are lit up.
A few last observations: today is Christmas and it its much of a festival like it
is in the US, this hotel reminds me of the one in the shining and the ambulances
here are nothing more than vans with lights and words on the sides (both in Izhevsk
and Moscow). Also yesterday in Izhevsk I saw the cops pull someone over; there was
one car pulled over, three cop cars, one cop talking to the guy and another three
cops talking to each other and smoking... welcome to Russia
Ivan the Terrible Bell Tower in Moscow's Kremlin
Kremlin in Moscow
January 7, 2004
I got up at about 9:00, washed my hair and took a picture of McDonald’s for my dad
then couldn’t help but notice that the city is deserted: no one is around, no people,
no cars, no stores are open, the metro is empty. I had the impression that Moscow
was like New York and never sleeps, but it seems to be much more of a night city
than a city that never sleeps, but then again yesterday was Christmas here.
Its 10:00am now, the sun just came up and only now am I starting to hear traffic.
I bought juice for 60 rubles a liter, which is outrageous after Izhevsk, but I need
it for my flight and so $2 is cheaper than my health and comfort for a long flight.
I'm at the airport; let me do the math: form the airport, $60 for a taxi, $100 for
a train ticket, and $35 for a tip equals $195; on the way back it cost 1,220 rubles
for the train, 7 rubles for the first subway, 14 for the second, 75 for the train
to the airport and 780 for the hotel, 150 for the Kremlin, 50 for St. Basil’s, 300
for food, 60 for juice equals two days of sightseeing, 2,625 rubles or $90. Yup
I did better the second time around.
I checked in for my flight and now I’m just waiting. My trip to the airport was
on a train that has a bad reputation because supposedly a lot of urban skinheads
or neo-Nazis ride it and foreigners have been the usual victims of the attacks.
The Russians said its fine to take and the foreigners said it’s dangerous and to
avoid it; so I took it and it was fine
Annunciation Cathedral in the Kremlin in Moscow
Kremlin in Moscow
August 6, 2004
Moscow is expensive; a cab cost 700 rubles, food’s expensive, souvenirs are expensive.
We saw Bolsho Theater, Red Square, Kremlin, but the highlight of this trip is Hotel
Ukraine, one of the seven sisters.
Our tour guides were alright and I got to see the armory in the Kremlin, which was
impressive, especially the Faberge eggs. The carriages in this museum were great
as well, but the rest was average. As we were getting tickets for the armory there
was a massive rush from the door to the stand-by counter and some old lady was giving
me elbows, so I told her how it was and wouldn’t budge.
I also got to see Lenin today, which was creepy, but well worth it.
Kremlin in Moscow
Kremlin in Moscow
St. Basil's Church On Moscow's Red Square
St. Basil's Church On Moscow's Red Square