I have been back in London for a week and I have been itching to post about my trip to Moscow plus a few more anecdotes about my very boring but angst ridden life.

The blogging bug got me so bad. I’ve been trying to come up with ideas on how to best present my experience to you as there were so many comparisons and observations that I really found astounding, or at the very least interesting.

It’s my first time to visit Moscow (I don’t think it will be my last) and a second experience to visit a Communist state — okay, it’s that’s not technically true for Russia anymore. But as soon as I arrived in Moscow, I realised how much the trip will be similar to my Shanghai experience and it’s got nothing to do with the “hammer and sickle”.

First most people do not speak English. Some can write but cannot speak it. Those who can speak it, generally struggle.

Second most signs are in Cyrillic and most people couldn’t read the Latin alphabet. When signs or menus or emails are in english alphabet, the spelling vary for the same word! Thankfully the hotel I stayed in, Peter 1 (written as such but read as “Peter 1st” was near every major “attraction” so reading the map wasn’t too difficult. I didn’t have to ask directions at all.

I arrived at 2am on a Sunday because if I fly on a Sunday it would cost us more. I figured what the heck, might as well fly in early to get the cheap rate and see Moscow, too. The arrival airport lounge exceeded my expectation. I was ready to see dilapidated structures but it was clean and modern (the departure is another story). I

I missed the complimentary breakfast and went out before high-noon. It was -2C, so I donned my trusty old hat, gloves and of course my thermals. I walked with no direction really, just checking out the random shops along way - there are plenty! Moscow is littered with designer shops (prada, chanel, gucci, blahnik), malls, boutiques and even kiosks that remind me of our turo-turo.

This window display caught my eye and eventhough snow was dropping and my fingers will ache, I whipped out my camera & clicked away. Then a man tapped me on the shoulder, pointed to the window and made an X-sign with his fingers… oookaay. I shrugged my shoulders because I asked the driver (my pickup) about these men as they littered every street we passed. The driver said these are just parking attendants, I thought they were policemen. When I asked the tourguide later on if this specific mall was strict with picture taking, she said the attendant must have feared getting caught asking for a bribe! Sounds familiar.

After deliberating that I am weak from hunger and I don’t have the energy to be picky with what I eat, I settled for a cafe (KOQE or similar in Cyrillic). Rather than spend more time on the menu, I went for common choices: hot chocolate and ham & cheese sandwich. Very dull, but very very good. The choco was real choco and very filling.

Fired up, I went a different route and ended up at the Bolshoi theater, which unfortunately was being renovated.

Next to the Bolshoi was a smaller theater (I forgot the name & I’ve no time to check if it’s Kacca or if Kacca is a term). Apparently together, these two theaters are just called “Big theater” and “Little theater”, so there.

Aside from KФPE, CTOΠ is the next cyrillic word I learn, it means “stop” - obvious ba? :-) Almost every street corner has this sign. I am so used to the UK’s traffic lights having a pedestrian button and I felt powerless while along an empty path but with busy traffic. I mean, what if the lights are broken? Praning. Of course I will manage, laking Pinas yata ito. Jay-walking trained.

These are some the kiosk that line most of the streets. They sell medicines, water, snacks, fresh fruits, ciggies (smokers abound!!!), etc. You’d think they’re so clean unlike the kiosks in Manila, but I’m not so sure about their hygiene standards huh.

Late afternoon the tour guide picked me up to escort me to Kremlin and show me around Moscow. That there is where Putin entertain heads of states. It’s within Kremlin. Apparently if the flag is not aloft, he’s not “home” — so like the Queen of E, huh!

Russian religion is Orthodox Catholic, but according to a contact about 90% do not practise anymore. But Moscow is littered with big and small chapels. Anywhere you stand in Moscow you’re bound to see a steeple and they’re all embellished and proud.

I feel ashamed I can’t tell you exactly what those text means but I was jet lagged when the guide was doing her spiel and all I wanted was to take hundreds and hundreds of pictures. I told myself I will just look it up but…

This is a chapel built for an emperor’s concubine. It’s besides Kremlin’s main cathedral.

My mum probably would have enjoyed walking around Moscow. It was littered with her patron’s image - Mother of Perpetual Help… Well the Orthodox probably just called it “mother and child” but the paintings, jewelry and depictions in the galleries (no cam allowed) were all captivating.

Kremlin is huge. That’s where Moscow started according to their history books (said the guide). Apparently two more walls were built around Kremlin, akin to London. Those walls were mostly destroyed during the succession of Wars and in lieu of those walls now run “circular roads”, with Kremlin right at the centre of Moscow.

That’s me inside the Kremlin wall (the red wall behind me)…

and that’s me (who else) outside the Kremlin wall.

We drove around the city for a long time trying to get near the Red Square. Unfortunately there was a demonstration (due to a state holiday) and most roads were blocked. We passed by their famous chocolate factory called Red October. The guide saw my expression she took as recognition, not realising I was thinking of the film “Hunt for Red October”. Do you know this brand of chocolate?? The name is Alekha. I bought some and they weren’t good.

Behind me is a monastery for the rich and famous during the Tsardom of Russia. Women don’t go there to be a nun, their husbands or fathers keep them there so they can remarry or pretend they do not exist. And the lake apparently is the inspiration for Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake”. Finally a subject that I actually know!

We went to the Moscow University and I thought the tour guide’s bonkers. What would be interesting in a campus?

Well the campus afforded the highest peak to view the entire city! Plus that’s where you buy your souvenir items, where they will try and make you pay in dollars(!). I am ready with Rubles, thank you. I got myself a matryoshka doll and a Mc-Lennin tshirt for hubby. I forgot to check the fur-hats! :-P I was so tired.

Dinner time was an attempt to eat. I didn’t venture out and up to now I’m not sure if Russian food are not good at all or the places I ate at are pretty poor. That my friends is the famous borsch with cream. Give me Knorr chicken noodle soup, anytime.

This is part 1 of my Moscow tell-all. I am still super busy at work, and I am unlikely to bloghop for a while. Apologies and really no-lies, but you’re all in my mind. Everyday it’s “i wonder what she/he’s posted”. Withdrawal symptoms… I got it bad.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 15th, 2007 at 1:00 am and is filed under travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.