Shadows over Moscow

[Shadow]

Within a short time we will be visiting Moscow, and I may report some of the experiences. It has been sometime since I had Žboots on the groundŽ there so I am interested to see the changes.
If anyone is in Moscow between September 5 and 10 and wishes to meet a bunch of Shadows (or a single one depending on the schedule) let me know.

[sleepycat]

Before you leave for the trip, fill up all your luggage with non-perishable high value food products that are subjected to the sanction ban in Russia, to be resold once you land in Moscow for a 400% profit. You should be able to partly fund your holiday trip this way. 

[Anotherkiwi]

Before you leave for the trip, fill up all your luggage with non-perishable high value food products that are subjected to the sanction ban in Russia, to be resold once you land in Moscow for a 400% profit. You should be able to partly fund your holiday trip this way. 

Nice try, but they will be confiscated by Customs - who will then sell them to the locals for a zillion per cent profit (since they won't have cost anything to steal). 

[sleepycat]

I'm sure that wouldn't happen with the CORRUPTION FREE Russian customs officers now would it?

[Gator]

Bon Voyage!

[Chicagoguy]

Give us an update of your views of Russia when you get a chance.

[sleepycat]

Please also tell us on the streets how many extra beggars you noticed that are there as a result of the sanctions inducted recession to the economy.

[Shadow]

Please also tell us on the streets how many extra beggars you noticed that are there as a result of the sanctions inducted recession to the economy.

I guess you do not undertand the princiles of economy.
When I was in Argentina not long after the banking crisis there I noticed that there were almost no beggars on the street. I was told they all left as a result of the crisis, they could no longer make enough money begging.

The more beggars, the better the economy.

[Shadow]

Give us an update of your views of Russia when you get a chance.

I will try to see how currently the Russian stations are doing.
Probably they will tell I am a EU and Kiev supporter.

[Muzh]

I will try to see how currently the Russian stations are doing.
Probably they will tell I am a EU and Kiev supporter.

Bwa ha ha ha


Tell them to ask us so we can set them straight.

[BillyB]

It has been sometime since I had Žboots on the groundŽ there so I am interested to see the changes.

You remember how busy the McDonalds were in Moscow? Let us know how busy they are now...if they're still allowed to remain in business.

[Shadow]

You remember how busy the McDonalds were in Moscow? Let us know how busy they are now...if they're still allowed to remain in business.

They are closed. Which means all hipsters and Speznatz are looking for a new place to get lunch.
Perhaps open a BillyBurger?

[BillyB]

They are closed. Which means all hipsters and Speznatz are looking for a new place to get lunch.
Perhaps open a BillyBurger?

I heard that some closed, not all, so BillyBurger is going to have to wait. I can't compete against the superior quality and selection of the most famous restaurant in the world.

[Shadow]

I heard that some closed, not all, so BillyBurger is going to have to wait. I can't compete against the superior quality and selection of the most famous restaurant in the world.

The one near the remlin will probably still be open. 

[Chicagoguy]

If that is the big two story one across from TGIF I believe it too is closed.
Is this supposed to be Russia's big knockout punch ?
Maybe they will stop shipments of Russian vodka next?

[Shadow]

After 36 hours of train there are  boots on the ground.
FIL is bettter as expected.
Mocso had added some new buildings since the last time.
And there are zero hortages here. Seems sanction do not have any effect yet.

BTW: How many grannies use an e-reader in the subway in your country?
For men communicating: if your woman has no mobile phone and you are not a pedophile commmunicating with someone under 10, something is wrong....

[Shadow]

I did not have a chance to update from my trip as I was diagnosed with double phneumonia on Sunday. In order to manage the trip I neglected what I thought was a cold, although everyone around me warned that it sounded pretty bad.
However I managed to dodge hospitalization at least until return, with some heavy antibiotics.

The McDonaldŽs on Arbatskaya is indeed closed. However the 5 other that we saw around the Moscow area are open, as are the KFC. Guess there is another reason for closing as politcs only.
What we saw is that the city seems pretty calm, and nobody seems to care much about foreign politics. There is less police on the streets as some years ago, less drunk people and more foreign cars (Asian are favourite).
Lada has almost disappeared from the streets.

The boycot of European products has so far no effect on shops. There is no shortage of any product, and prices are not skyrockteting. Prices of public transport are a bit higher as in the past, still pretty low.

I will make a more extensive report when I am back (as I probably will be required to take more rest) including our trip to the suburs where the little Shadows got experience in chasing chickens.

[sleepycat]

Did you buy the Putin T-shirts to proudly show your devotion to the man?

[BillyB]

I did not have a chance to update from my trip as I was diagnosed with double phneumonia on Sunday.

Sounds like a double excuse. You started this trip report. You have to finish it, double time! Don't let double pneumonia slow you down. Take double the antibiotics.

[mendeleyev]

22 closed so far. The government has tried to say that McDonald's was selling mislabeled food (the gov approved the labels), and selling contaminated products. Truth: McDonald's has not produced or imported food for ages. Over the past decade they have helped Russia develop local distribution systems and weaned their stores off of the original McDonald's farm and packing enterprise. If something is bad, it comes from a local Russian producer, and not McDonald's.

Photo: Russian newspaper article from not that long ago about Russian sources for McDonald's. The publisher is a news agency with close ties to the Kremlin.


Wendy's has exited Russia, closing 8 stores, but that was likely to happen anyway as Wendy's/Arby's will use the exit as a way to get out of a bad contract and perhaps re-enter at a later time.

[mendeleyev]

RusBurger, a competing chain with very close ownership ties to the Kremlin, uses most of the same supply sources. Oddly, RusBurger seems to be doing just fine with government inspections.

[Shadow]

RusBurger, a competing chain with very close ownership ties to the Kremlin, uses most of the same supply sources. Oddly, RusBurger seems to be doing just fine with government inspections.

Strange enough there are no Rusburger to be seen in Moscow.
Also the Russian alternative to KFC seems to have vanished.
Another chain that is gone is Elki-Palki which used to serve some more traditional Russion foods.
Instead a lof of Vietnamese and Sushi bars have appeared everywhere.
Due to my health we could not visit a lot of places so my experience is limited indeed.

[Shadow]

A note from the journey back: The Polish situation with apples seems to remind the song 'Awful lot of coffee in Brazil'.
They even give them out free in the trains.

[Gator]

Shadow,


Why did you return to the Netherlands when Russia is so splendid?

[LiveFromUkraine]

Shadow,


Why did you return to the Netherlands when Russia is so splendid?

Strange question.   Do you pack up and move to every place you thought was splendid?