I am back HOME - from Moscow

[55North]

And I thought that Moscow was all about face-control!  Democracy, Russian-style.  It'll never do.

[KenC]

Even I can tell.   And I am not talking about Uzbeki vs. Slavs.

Yesterday we  went to Patio Pizza (more than a pizza joint; not fancy but a reasonable Italian restaurant) (BTW, for three adults and two childrenthis this cost $160 and the only alcohol were my two Staropromens). 

As we were eating dessert, a party of three arrived (two Slavic men, one Asiatic woman plus her young baby).  Both men sneaked a bottle of beer from outside in their coats.  The woman started breast feeding (yes, it is a restaurant  and babies need to eat too, but she was blatant and not discrete).  There was more.  I too do not recall seeing this when in Moscow 5 years ago.

The day before we went to a French bistro.  Many "beautiful people" including some fashionable Moscow women as I remember 5 years ago.  Yet there were a couple of  FSUW that could have easily ridden in on the back of a cabbage farm truck. 

I am not trying to be arrogant.  A man who earns money should be allowed to spend it how he pleases.  And there are plenty of places where he can spend it and spend it quickly.  Yet, the overall appearance is not of a sophisticated city that has been so dear to the people who grew up here.  It is not bad, but a sign of the times.

Gator,
Just an aside here.  Almost 9 years ago, I found myself a little short of cash one day in Moscow.  Lena and I had been living life a little higher than I had expected and I was waiting for funds to be transfered into my account back home. I told Lena that we had to have a moderated evenning money wise.  She took me to Patio Pizza for dinner.  I remember it was near the atheletic stadium if that helps.  It was a nice casual place and we ate for about 30 bucks at the time!
KenC

[Serebro]

As we were eating dessert, a party of three arrived (two Slavic men, one Asiatic woman plus her young baby).  Both men sneaked a bottle of beer from outside in their coats.  The woman started breast feeding (yes, it is a restaurant  and babies need to eat too, but she was blatant and not discrete).  There was more.  I too do not recall seeing this when in Moscow 5 years ago.

It reminded me of a story-my friend's Birthday party in McDonald's when we were students...
We brought red wine, drank coca cola and filled our cups with red wine under the tables.... we didn't do breastfeeding though....
btw, what did you mean by the asiatic woman?! If you mean those people who come from Tadzhikistan they can do not only this in public...

[AnastassiaAsh]

Nastya,  Welcome back to USA .  Sorry to hear about your father.  I was in Moscow last year several times on my way to Volgograd and  couldn't believe the subway  or the traffic.  All cars and no connecting roads or parking spaces. Marina and her daughter made it to USA in September and we are now married.  They like the countryside and fresh air just like you said.  Glad you had a safe trip.  Thanks for sharing your pictures.  I posted some on the married  forum. -jj

Hi JJ, congrats on her reuniting with you at last and your marriage. That is always so nice to read and hear about. I am going to look through your pictures. 

[AnastassiaAsh]

Here is the local joke about the problems caused by the rapidly growing population of Moscow.
The new arrivals say that the problem is not because of them moving in; it is because the Muscovites refuse to move out.

Well, here in Pittsburgh white people 'had' to actually move out from downtown to the outskirts because 'black' moved in, and not a single white could made a sound about that, because of this 'racism'. For some weird reason it is not good to infringe on black people's rights but it is ok to do that with white. That's the reality, not a good one, is everything moving towards that kind of thing in Moscow?

[AnastassiaAsh]

Welcome home and thank you for sharing!! Your pictures look great!!
PS Some Russian men are still good:)

yeah, sarcastically speaking 

[AnastassiaAsh]

Ever been to Newark?
 
KenC

I haven't been there but is it the one on the way to NY? We passed it by. I think i know what you are talking about. 

[Lily]

Here is the local joke about the problems caused by the rapidly growing population of Moscow.

The new arrivals say that the problem is not because of them moving in; it is because the Muscovites refuse to move out.

As a newcomer to Moscow, I don't think this joke makes a lot of sense.

There is an abnormal situation in Russia about concentration of everything best in the capital city. As soon as this tendency continues, Moscow is going to attract Russians who strive for better life.

Almost every person wants to live in better conditions than she or he has now. Location is a big, if not the biggest, determination of the work/livestyle condition. If a Russian has been born in the capital city, he or she enjoys some advantage, such as being born to some privileges that his / her provincial peers do not have. Suppose no listing needed

A native Moscovite, however, may also see some attractive opportunities in another location. By opportunities I mean work, as I think that profession and work are the bread-winning things that keep a person afloat. Some of Moscovites that are marketable outside Russia managed to find employment abroad, many of them specialize in IT and computer field. Those people leave Russia, yes.

However, and it has been a basis for the quoted joke, the number of Moscovites who are marketable abroad would be much less than a number of Russians who are not, and who see moving to Moscow as the closest way to their improved life.

[Bruce]

http://newarknj.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm

Do you still want to go to Newark?  If the above is not inviting see:

http://newarknj.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm

[55North]

It's Tony Soprano's fault.  He should have been 'wacked' at the end of the series.

[Mir]

It is not about Moscow but the capital at that time, still the sentiment is the same. A persons horror at the changes their city has undergone due to a revolution.

And confined to this savage capital,
We have forgotten forever
The lakes, the steppes, the towns,
And the dawns of our great native land.
Day and night in the bloody circle
A brutal languor overcomes us…
No one wants to help us
Because we stayed home,
Because, loving our city
And not winged freedom,
We preserved for ourselves
Its palaces, its fire and water.
A different time is drawing near,
The wind of death already chills the heart,
But the holy city of Peter
Will be our unintended monument.

Petrograd by Akhmatova 1919

[KenC]

I haven't been there but is it the one on the way to NY? We passed it by. I think i know what you are talking about. 

Anastassia,
Yes, Newark is next to New York City and it is often though of as a city with little redeeming values due to it's high crime rate, ethnic diversity and ghetto appearance.  It does have a nice airport though and one can fly into Newark usually cheaper than NY and take a shuttle to NYC.
KenC

[Simoni]

Yesterday we  went to Patio Pizza (more than a pizza joint; not fancy but a reasonable Italian restaurant) (BTW, for three adults and two childrenthis this cost $160 and the only alcohol were my two Staropromens). 

Just watched this on Russian comedy show....

"This is Moscow, the capital of great country of former soviet union, and one of most beautiful cities in the world.  100,000 people live here;  more than 10 million survive here."

[Jazzyclassy]

well I do not think it is necessary to pour mud on Moscow as you can turn around and look at your Los Angeles and New York, though I have never been there, without a doubt anyone can say that it is very difficult to live in a City with it's high speed and extremely changing moods and rhythm, so Moscow it is not the worst place to live in , am telling you that for sure!

[Gator]

From having lived in LA decades ago and visiting NYC, LA and Moscow periodically, I would say Moscow is the worst.  However, I would not choose to reside in any of the three. 

Each has its good points, and yesterday I had a delightful morning at a 19th C banya, an experience I could not replicate in LA or NYC (the NYAC can come close).  Almost anything can be found in Moscow, whether it be hemeopathic medicine centers to Latin dancing.

Moscow's bad points are severe and require a high degree of tolerance.  It is not just the awful traffic.   It is the weather, the bureaucracy, the political system, the high prices, and the feeding frenzy of people making money.

People in Moscow are making more money than they thought possible a few years ago, and I hope they believe it is worth it.  There is much more money to be made judging by the sizable investemnts in numerous luxury condo buildings that one can see rising everywhere as part of "infill" real estate development.  It is a complete mystery to me who will buy these flats, yet I would not bet against the money people in Russia, nor would I invest in them.

[Simoni]

Just watched this on Russian comedy show....

"This is Moscow, the capital of great country of former soviet union, and one of most beautiful cities in the world.  100,000 people live here;  more than 10 million survive here."

well I do not think it is necessary to pour mud on Moscow as you can turn around and look at your Los Angeles and New York, though I have never been there, without a doubt anyone can say that it is very difficult to live in a City with it's high speed and extremely changing moods and rhythm, so Moscow it is not the worst place to live in , am telling you that for sure!

Jazzy!!! This was a RUSSIAN comedy show that Marina was watching on the internet.  From Moscow!   So talk to your Russian neighbors if you don't like their comedy.

[Misha]

Jazzy, the humor would be poking fun at the economic inequalities rampant in Russia and notably in Moscow. The joke is saying that Moscow is a great city if you have the money to enjoy it. The humor is in the fact that most people are trying to survive (i.e. working and trying to make ends meet) and only a very small elite can truly afford all the pleasures that Moscow can provide. It is social commentary and I would say that the joke is spot-on.   

[Jazzyclassy]

Jazzy, the humor would be poking fun at the economic inequalities rampant in Russia and notably in Moscow. The joke is saying that Moscow is a great city if you have the money to enjoy it. The humor is in the fact that most people are trying to survive (i.e. working and trying to make ends meet) and only a very small elite can truly afford all the pleasures that Moscow can provide. It is social commentary and I would say that the joke is spot-on.   

thank you for explaining the joke

[Gator]

But even the rich must fight the traffic unless they have a "blue light" or live, work and play only in the heart of center city.

Tonight we approached gridlock at an always difficult intersection.  The particular intersection is always bad (at least 15-20 minutes delay) as 8 lanes merge into 4 and downstream the road narrows from 4 to 3 lanes where a bridge is undergoing a 3-year repair project.  Tonight it took one hour to move maybe 300 meters.  As we learned later, two cars had a minor accident (as in no visible damage) and stopped to await police who measure every accident regardless of how small.

A policeman should be at this intersection directing traffic every rush hour.  None to be seen, and the Russians actually demonstarted comradeship in avoiding an even larger mess.  In America the situation would be worse with road rage. 

When I asked my cynical woman why no policeman is here, she replied, "He would have to work and could not pull over cars and take bribes".  Maybe she is correct. There are more policeman evident in light traffic than in rush traffic.   This is Moscow!

[55North]

Are any of these yours?  

http://www.exile.ru/blog/detail.php?BLOG_ID=13875&AUTHOR_ID=

http://www.exile.ru/blog/detail.php?BLOG_ID=13921&AUTHOR_ID=

[SANDRO43]

As we learned later, two cars had a minor accident (as in no visible damage) and stopped to await police who measure every accident regardless of how small.

The same occurred to me while driving on the motorway from La Guardia to Caracas. A local acquaintance explained then (1979) that insurance companies there would accept accident reports only if accompanied by a police report, to curb the spiralling number of fraudolent reports on accidents involving "friends". Does the same apply to contemporary Russia ?

[FSUrookie]

Great & interesting report Anastassia! My late condolences on your father as well. It is too bad about the changes in Moscow. I was there in 2006 and things were moving fast then.