Exploring Moscow

[mendeleyev]

You've just landed at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO). It is large and potentially confusing but fortunately the old Terminal 2 built for the Olympics in 1980 is no longer a basement operation and today is a modern showpiece, fitting for any world-class city. English signs are everywhere and staffs are much more helpful than in previous decades.

So, you're arrived in Moscow safely. What are your plans? Are you staying here in Europe's biggest city or will you move somewhere else in the largest country on earth?

There is a lot to see: one-sixth of the entire earth's surface, 48% of Europe and 51% of Asia, is governed from this capital. People in this land call Moscow the "centre" of Russia. It really isn't the centre geographically but it is the centre of government, commerce, and opportunity for business and jobs. Saint Petersburg to the north is considered Russia's cultural centre.

If headed into Moscow, taking a taxi is financial suicide if you don't speak Russian but you don't need a taxi these days. The AreoExpress offers convenient accommodations via train at a much more reasonable rate, not to mention a convenient way to beat the traffic hassles.

Helpful hint: Unless you know the lay of the land SVO is a good place to purchase a cell phone or a SIM card for your Quad phone. Sure you'll pay more at the airport but you'll also avoid the hassle of trying to find a phone store once in the city.

But first why not call your friends to let them know that you've arrived? SVO has recently installed Skype kiosks at the airport. They're free to use, at least for now, and the airport and Skype are conducting tests to see whether consumers will take advantage of the unique service.





This Skype kiosk was found near the AeroExpress area and the video calls are free. The system is activated once someone steps up to the booth and types in their Skype user name and password to begin calls. The system automatically shuts down via interactive floor panels once there is no longer a human presence in the booth.

Calls are free worldwide as a convenience to travelers. One must have a login and password already registered with Skype in order to use the service.


After your call, let's find the AeroExpress.  I will apologize in advance for the video. It is from a dating agency and while the guy has decent information and gets you to the right place, he mispronounces both the name of the airport and the Metro station which some might find to be an irritating quality for someone from a dating agency.


 
Oh, before boarding you should exchange a couple hundred bucks into Rubles. Of course the exchange rate is not in your favour but you're going to need local currency soon and best to have a little on hand to get started.

[mendeleyev]

After phrases like please and thank you, perhaps one of the most commonly needed phrases is where is the toilet? Public restrooms don't always work the same way as back home so visitors can be at a loss when it comes to this needed form of physical release. 

Well, there is good news. Now a Russian website tracks the locations of toilets, city to city. All you need to know is the Cyrillic spelling of your targeted city and viola, now you can feel more relieved.

The website is http://www.gdetualet.ru and you'll be happy to know that there is pull down-menu in the upper centre area of the homepage and once your city has been selected a map of toilet locations appears.





где туалет = where is the WC/Water Closet/Bathroom (gdye toi-alet?)

скажите пожалуйста, где туалет? = Tell me please, where is the toilet? (Ska-zhitye pah-zhal-usta, gdye toi-alet?)

Many public restrooms are paid facilities and an attendant, usually an older lady, takes your money and hands you a small swatch of toilet tissue.



Portable toilets are generally unisex but in more stationary locations toilets for men are normally labeled with an "M" while toilets for ladies are normally labeled with a "Ж".




Useful hints:

- Carry small packs of kleenex type tissue as the swatch she gives you may not be adequate.

- Carry waterless hand sanitizer, the small sample sizes are adequate cause washing your hands afterward is often not an available amenity.

- Carry small packet of toilet seat protectors.

[Anotherkiwi]

...Well, there is good news. Now a Russian website tracks the locations of toilets, city to city. All you need to know is the Cyrillic spelling of your targeted city and viola, now you can feel more relieved.

I thought I would beat Sandro to this one - are these toilets all musical? 

[Ooooops]

Oh, before boarding you should exchange a couple hundred bucks into Rubles. Of course the exchange rate is not in your favour but you're going to need local currency soon and best to have a little on hand to get started.

Mendy, aren't here any ATMs available on arrival?   They give much better exchange rate then currency exchange booths. 

[mendeleyev]

Mendy, aren't here any ATMs available on arrival?   They give much better exchange rate then currency exchange booths. 

Thanks Ooooops. Yes, and I use ATMs too but I don't know if the exchange rate at an airport ATM is the same as elsewhere? Perhaps I'm mistaken in assuming that since everything else is so expensive at the airport, ATM exchange rates would be jacked up as well.

[mendeleyev]

I thought I would beat Sandro to this one - are these toilets all musical?

Dang, you did beat Sandro to it!

Don't you just love when spell check helps you misspell at times? My bad. I should be less trusting.

Now, lets go find one of those musical toilets! 

[Ooooops]

Yes, and I use ATMs too but I don't know if the exchange rate at an airport ATM is the same as elsewhere? Perhaps I'm mistaken in assuming that since everything else is so expensive at the airport, ATM exchange rates would be jacked up as well.

As far as I know ATMs are not affected by their location and have same rates everywhere.    But exchange booths at airports/hotels/etc give you much worse deal than the ones that are father afield. 

[mendeleyev]

As far as I know ATMs are not affected by their location and have same rates everywhere.

Good to know. 

[Anotherkiwi]

As far as I know ATMs are not affected by their location and have same rates everywhere.    But exchange booths at airports/hotels/etc give you much worse deal than the ones that are farther afield.

Not always - I was pleasantly surprised to find that the money exchange office at Boryspil airport actually gave a slightly better rate of exchange than the first few I saw in town.

[mendeleyev]

Guys often complain about the high cost of hotels in Moscow. So imagine staying in Moscow 2 nights at the Ritz Carlton for just $363 per person! Given RC rates, that is a "good" deal for a hotel that advertises room at just $594 per night.

So Vice President Joe Biden's last trip to Moscow was bid out in a competitive process among American owned hotels near the Kremlin. The VP was given a preferred rate of $363 for suites, including the presidential suite, and $410 for double bed rooms. We should note that for security purposes most Presidential and Vice Presidential travel are not bid always out competitively.

So, just $363 a night is not bad, right? After all, the VPOTUS and his entourage need to be near the Kremlin and do require some specialized services:

- Removal of all the furniture from each room. (The Ritz Carlton will do that if you don't like the furniture and they'll even repaint and wall paper with new colours and designs if they have advance notice and you are a frequent customer--for an additional charge of course.)

- Installation of new furnishings in each room.

- Blocking off top two floors for the VP party, security reasons.

- Conference and ballroom to establish an Emergency Command Centre.

- Food and drinks for the entourage.

- "Communications and audio-visual support" were included.

Final hotel bill for 2 nights, 1778 room nights: $665,545.00 (http://www.fbo.gov/index?tab=documents&tabmode=form&subtab=core&tabid=7d89de2e2a87e56c1fbe34ce7c69de63)


So we did a little comparison shopping and yes, Moscow is indeed expensive because even President Obama's stay at the Warsaw Marriott was a measly $450,000.

Biden's stay in London was less than Moscow, the US government paid the Hyatt Regency - Churchill Hotel in London a total of $459,388.65. (http://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=d330b2a4a4b152e339087a4da11f2b5d&tab=core&_cview=0)

While at first glance it seemed that Moscow was even more expensive that the Hotel Intercontinental Le Grand in Paris with a total of $585,000.50 billed to the US government, but wait, the VP only stayed one night in Paris. The limo service in Paris did trump Moscow however as Mr. Biden needed $321,000 in Limo rentals during his one day in Paris.

Too bad the procurement folks in Washington didn't do some comparison shopping. The Intercontinental Paris Le Grand is running an advertisement which touts "Find a lower price elsewhere and your first night is free."

It would seem that sometimes Mr. Obama gets better rates: His trip to Copenhagen included a mere $430,285.70 for hotel and $200,629 for limousine services.

So stop you're whining laddies. As long as you don't need the furniture changed for your two night visit, your bill shouldn't be anywhere near $665,545.00.   

Snack for tea at the Moscow Ritz Carlton:

[mendeleyev]

A friend is one of several directors for Moscow's online communications and the city has a lot of interests outside of roads and taxes, etc. In conversation it was brought up that to a great extent online communication has made large inroads to replacing the old fashioned hobby of reading. I'm a reader, yet had to agree.

The city is seeing this shift in venues like book fares which for years have been something the city has sponsored and supported. But all that is changing as we change our personal communication habits.

So if you and your friend are readers, there are some spots around Moscow to read and enjoy some light cafe style food and beverages:

- Book store "Moskva" on Vozdvizhenka. This is across the street from the Lenin Library with free Wi-Fi and open 24 hours.

- Literary Cafe at the Moscow House of Books (great place!) http://www.mdk-arbat.ru

- Bookafe on Tverskaya

- Cafe Lumiere Brothers Center is located in the old Red October chocolate factory building, near the Kremlin and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Really a great art gallery but has a reading section.

- The club-restaurant "Bilingua"

- Cafe-club "Without Reason"

- Restaurant "Mari Vanna" http://www.marivanna.ru   пер. Спиридоньевский, 10а

- "Tsurtsumiya cafe" at the Winzavod  Winery, Syromyatnichesky, 6

- Cafe Pushkin is going to be pricey, but books line most of the walls.

[mendeleyev]

Moscow Municipal Programs is conducting a survey in which tourists who have traveled to Moscow, foreign expats and current citizens are asked to list two things:

1- What do/did you like most about Moscow?

2- What do/did you dislike most about Moscow?


I had to think long and hard because there are many things I love about this city yet some things I dislike. I'll share my answers with you:

Like: the people and cultural variety they embrace.

Dislike: the courts/judicial system.

At first my main dislike appears to be more Russia-wide but there are important court cases decided in Moscow and the judicial philosophy begins here and moves across the country. Your impressions may be different so lets hear from you!

The director of the program is a professional contact and friend so I promised to compile a list and add your likes/dislikes to the city survey.

So, what do you like most about Moscow? 

How about your top dislike?

[ghost of moon goddess]

Unlike it used to be, perhaps in my other life  , today my heart doesn't start beating faster just at the very thought of traveling to the city I once loved. Providing more vibrancy and diversity the giant aggressive creature that Moscow has turned into has (for the most part) displaced the things I loved so dearly about it, one of them is the spirit of good old Moscow 

[Belvis]

So, what do you like most about Moscow? 

How about your top dislike?

Talking about like/dislike I'll mean the specifical things about Moscow as a city.
I like: It's the place of opportunities in every sense, money, politics, science, culture, women, hobbies, travels.
I dislike: logistic problems out of    its extension. Even without traffic jams and with excellent subway one have to spend  noticeable time to get from point A to point B.

[Anotherkiwi]

Moscow Municipal Programs is conducting a survey in which tourists who have traveled to Moscow, foreign expats and current citizens are asked to list two things:

1- What do/did you like most about Moscow?

2- What do/did you dislike most about Moscow?

Like?  That's easy - the Metro!  The greatest underground transport system I've ever seen.     And, believe it or not, the Police.  Apart from one stuffed shirt of a mounted officer (on horseback in Revolution Square), all those I met were polite, helpful and didn't laugh too much at my attempts to speak with them in Russian...nor did any of them try to shake me down! 
 
Also, the guides on my city tours, who knew everything about what they were showing the groups.
 
Dislike?  Having to listen to other tourists who obviously had done no homework at all before coming to Russia (I remember especially one young Canadian woman who said that she had never heard of Peter the Great or the Russian Revolution - unbelievable!).  And staff in a couple of the Metro stations who didn't like me taking photos - their loss, I'm afraid!
 
St Petersburg is still my favourite city in the world, but I'll happily spend some more time in Moscow if I can.

[JohnDearGreen]

Moscow Municipal Programs is conducting a survey in which tourists who have traveled to Moscow, foreign expats and current citizens are asked to list two things:
1- What do/did you like most about Moscow?
2- What do/did you dislike most about Moscow?

You really need to separate those questions into 2 parts.
One regarding Moscow as a place to live.
One regarding Moscow as a place to vacation.

As a place to vacation:

Things to like:
a) Dining and nightlife - very good
b) Tourist and entertainment attractions - good

Things to dislike:
a) Certainly not a relaxing location for a vacation.
b) Must deal with all the usual big city disadvantages.
c) Once you get out of the tourist sites and ritzy neighborhoods,
mostly a very drab city (40 shades of gray).

In summary, near the bottom of my list of places to vacation.
If we were talking about a place to live and work for 2 or 3 years,
I would rate it much higher on my list.

[CanadaMan]

1- What do/did you like most about Moscow?

2- What do/did you dislike most about Moscow?

Currently:

Top like: Metro (apart from its noise)
Top dislike: High prices (eg. $10/mango)

[Anotherkiwi]

Currently:

Top like: Metro (apart from its noise)
Top dislike: High prices (eg. $10/mango)

I thought that was a given!

[CanadaMan]

I thought that was a given!

[mendeleyev]

The next two weekends will mark consecutive antique car rallies in the city of Moscow. This coming weekends rally will feature not only antique cars but all sort of antiques including household appliances from the Soviet era at Moscow's Sokolniki Park.

For three days festival guests will enjoy a collection of vintage cars, including a chic Plymouth Belvedere, a rare models of Chrysler, Cadillac, Ford, minibus Barkas, and many other unique exhibits. Park visitors will be able to buy nice vintage trinkets (from lapel pins to household appliances) and souvenirs at the fair in the modern pavilion.

Admission is free bring the family. The three days of retro fun begins this Friday, 20 July at 18:00 hours at Sokolniki Park and continues all day Saturday and Sunday.

For more information visit: http://wowmoscow.net/en/news/retro_fest_in_sokolniki





Ночная Москва (Night Moscow) car rally is the following weekend, on 27 July for this year's annual antique car rally known as "Night Moscow." This is the 10th anniversary of the rally which began in 2004 and is hosted each year by the Ukrainia (Radisson) Hotel along the Moscow River.





The rally 'Night Moscow " this year begins on 27 July as a night rally at 21:00 hours with the route taking the cars through the centre of Moscow. , which this year was dedicated to the anniversaries of the capital. Start the tradition was given at the hotel "Ukraine". Last year the famous high-rise hotel celebrated its 55th anniversary.





For more information: http://classic-rally.ru
Contact: Vasily Stanslav Solovev at telephone 8-985-222-5701, email: ssv@classic-rally.ru





Plenty of prizes are awarded to contestants and car owners so make plans to participate if you have an antique automobile.

[mendeleyev]

There is a part of me that appreciates what the cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg are doing to attract and be accessible to tourists. There is another parts of me that fear a polluting of the beautiful Russian language may be a byproduct of all these efforts.

Moscow Municipal Programs has unveiled the new look of what you may see more and more in those normally dimly lit pedestrian walkways under major streets. This is the new look on, or rather under, Tverskaya:





Maps are in Russian and English and show where you are and how to get to nearby tourist attractions. Lighted boards also serve to promote local attractions. So far the typical "person on the street" reaction has varied from pride that Moscow is welcoming tourists, it is nice to brighten up the crosswalks no matter who reads them, to the opinion that such efforts are a waste of money.

What do you think?

[Anotherkiwi]

Moscow Municipal Programs has unveiled the new look of what you may see more and more in those normally dimly lit pedestrian walkways under major streets. This is the new look on, or rather under, Tverskaya:


Maps are in Russian and English and show where you are and how to get to nearby tourist attractions. Lighted boards also serve to promote local attractions. So far the typical "person on the street" reaction has varied from pride that Moscow is welcoming tourists, it is nice to brighten up the crosswalks no matter who reads them, to the opinion that such efforts are a waste of money.

What do you think?

Seriously?  I think it's absolutely brilliant, as much for the fact that it will now be brightly lit and far less attractive to muggers - maybe not 10 screens per walkway, but anything's better than what I've seen in the past.  Here's an example of what you can find in other cities - this is in Rostov-na-Donu:
 
 

[JohnDearGreen]

Seriously?  I think it's absolutely brilliant - maybe not 10 screens per walkway, but anything's better than what I've seen in the past.

Brilliant?  Looks exactly like most walkways from an airport gate back to the entrance.

[mendeleyev]

One of the entryways to Red Square, никольская улица (Nikolai or Nicholas Street) is no longer open to vehicular traffic and has been made a pedestrian walkway. This is great news as it is a short street leading from the Lubyanka Square, past the Chinatown wall, and up to Red Square with the GYM ("ghoom") shopping centre on the left, the Kazanskaya Cathedral on the right and the famous Nikolai (Nicholas) tower of the Kremlin straight ahead.



The entire street from Lubyanka Square (former KGB prison) to Red Square is now a pedestrian walk and has been decorated very nicely! On 25 August Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin presided over the opening of the new pedestrian area and was accompanied by clowns and people in period costumes from earlier times.



Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, centre, with the red Nikolai (Nicholas) tower behind him.

It is about 615 metres (673 yards) from Lubyanka to the Nikolai Tower and city workers laid over fourteen thousand square meters of modern granite paving, added 32 new outdoor lighting fixtures and 187 small architectural forms such as flower and tree pots , benches and signs.



Summer is practically over as on many days the weather already calls for wearing jackets but come to Moscow before winter and enjoy the new pedestrian conversion of historic Nikolai Street!

[mendeleyev]

In recent years the city has upgraded Gorky Park to make it more friendly and modern for citizens and tourists. If you go to Moscow, you must visit one of the more important outdoor parks in this great city.