Moscow

I follow the Moskva
Down to Gorky Park
Listening to the wind of change
An August summer night

Many days and years have passed since this Scorpions lyrics had its raw importance in early 1990s. However, somehow the wind of change is nowadays even stronger in Moscow, minus any politics, just as for the living city and its people itself.

I am not really sure how to start this post. Moscow was never been my first city or anywhere top city to visit on bucket list, and there are the reasons why NOT to go to Russia. However, I really prefer to have my mind open, and see stuff with my open eyes, not somebody elses.

So we’re looking for place to visit on Easter this year, and boy, it was hard to find. We either have already been there, it was too cold at that time of year, or with crappy flight times or impossibly expensive. In the end, it was either Moscow or English countryside around Bristol in early April. And I really know English weather in early spring could be truly horrible, so we have been left with gamble of Russian snow instead.

What have happened?

Not to bore you with a long essay, which everyone nowadays hate to read anyway, I would like to tackle this as a list, or series of lists. Pros and cons, things we love, things we don’t and things we hated. Our best recommendations. Here we go…

loved

• 

  Armory at Kremlin. This is one and only absolutely must, worth waiting and price. Absolute splendour. Never ever seen so much magnificent gemstones, gold and silver, so craftily arranged as there. There are not only things made here but gifts from all around the world, starting in early Middle ages.

• Food. It is long gone from bland Soviet cooking. There are so much new style restaurants, hipster style cookeries, and simple but brilliant places with Georgian cousine, Pelmene dumplings, Bliny pancakes, not so expensive red salmon caviar and much more to be tasted, devoured and liked.

  

• I know it falls in food, but Russian Borsh soup is easily on of my favourite soups, and I am totally in love with soups. But make sure it comes with meat inside!
• Vodka. I rarely drink vodka anywhere else, but Russian vodka is the best in the world. Okay maybe Belorussian is the best, but anyway is damn close. Try Beluga, if you have the chance. It is super smooth and anywhere else it will be times more expensive.
• Metro. Started as Stalin effort in 30s, sic, it is more magnificent than London or Paris. That will apply only to some stations, which could have crystal chandeliers, art deco frescoes or on contrary, socialistic realism mosaics and huge depicts of communist Lenin/Stalin times still.

  

• Safety and security. As for any huge major town I have been, there could be shady and no-go places, but Moscow really feels safe and secure to me, even at late night.

liked

• 

  Ostankino TV tower. Highest building in Europe. Great view all over the Moscow. Glass panels under your feet. Plus a beautiful park next to it as a bonus.

• Most of the time you can speak Czech with Russian accent and everybody understand you just fine 🙂
• People. There is a general prejudice about Russians in Czech republic and for very good reason indeed. Both historic and nowadays Russians in Prague. But, believe me, normal Russians, in general, even in Moscow or Saint Petersburg are most of the time friendly and likeable. So not same and not horrible, like wealthy Russians with no manners travelling abroad.
• Red Square off season at night. Completely different atmosphere with hardly any people or tourist. Still all lighted up and magical in cold night.
• Girls ;-). Russian girls are really beautiful…

  

disliked

• Visa process. It is expensive, boring, tiresome and old school Russian supremacy style thing, which is fortunately times long gone. Booh!
• Normal street taxis. These guys just ignore you most of the time!
• Moscow IS expensive. You can get a good deal on accommodation and flight tickets, if you are not super picky. But, generally, decent food, alcohol and entrances are high, comparable to western Europe.
• Beer. Period. Russian Beer sucks! Big brands are worse quality of Eurobeer and there are not craft beer culture established like anywhere else in Europe nowadays. So if you must, go to English pub, there tend to be decent. Or stick to vodka and cocktails!
• Red October former chocolate factory complex. Sounds great on paper. All those derelicts factories remade into trendy club, bars and galleries.  Dead close to Kremlin on an island in Moscow river on top of all that. But in fact, you as foreigner could not really get in into most of them and some bouncers, called ‘face check’ are downright rude here. Only place worth a visit was a great photo gallery.

  

hated

• nothing at all. And trust me, I am a picky guy.

TIPS

• As for the VISA, you will need to do it well in advance, ideal 1-2 months before your travels. You can do most of it online and you need to come prepared, or otherwise, you are screwed. Especially you need: prove of travel insurance, invite letter (from your hotel or travel agency), flight tickets, hotel booking.
• Ignore taxis, use UBER, it is everywhere, reliable and really cheap in Moscow.
• Accommodation. You want to be somewhere central. Moscow is really a HUGE city. Better to be in decent hostel than hotel on the outskirts, you never get anywhere on time from there.
• I know it is hard, but it will come really handy to read a bit of Russian alphabet, azbuka. Some signs are not in Latin, sorry.

  

• Dress to beat a cold. A REAL cold. Especially when not going in summer, Moscow weather could really bite you. In our last day, there was a proper snowstorm there, in April!

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