That city stole my heart.
I think I already said that before here, but the more I think about that place, the more I miss it.
Plus now the first snow can be seen there, and guess what, I love snow too!
So here we have a bounch of Moscow’s pictures (not mine, sadly… I should have been there in the past 2-3 days for taking them) which I happen to like a lot. A big thank you to who took them, and I hope you all will enjoy them as I’m doing!
Repeat with me: “Have to wait until December to go to Moscow, have to wait until December to goto Moscow…” ;)
Nice to hear: probably, I’ll be there next spring for an exhibition.
But, honestrly speaking, a friend of mine (who’s a russian father, and still do this journey at least 2 or 3 times in a year) tells that it’s a little dangerous for a foreign: well, I’ll do my homework, and update you with my own experience ;)
Oh yes, share your experience with me.
Anyway, it is probably not the safest place in the world for a turist who’s there for the first time, but I went there (and I’m going to go there again in December) to meet someone who lives there, so I’m not exactly a turist you know :)
Having someone who knows the city so well that walks with you, let you free to forget about all the “problems” of being a turist in a place you don’t know.
Mh…come mai Mosca? Freddina…e visto che l’inverno si avvicina - tra nebbiolina e ora legale - io mi trovo a sognare qualcosa, non so come dire, di più caldo, più assolato, più estivo…più tipo Barcellona! Anche se, devo dire che, quando si avvicinano le feste, nelle città più “invernali” si respira un’atmosfera in qualche modo speciale…non conosco Mosca, ma ho passato un capodanno a Varsavia e la città sotto Natale era davvero incantevole!
Hey Curson, thank you for the link. Its sunny now and the snow is almost gone, but its still cold and more snow is coming soon. Bring warm clothes when you come. Ha ha, I see you miss the city a lot, but I’m not sure if you come for the city or for your girl ;-) It was the same for me, before I moved here.
@shameless…. No fear. Moscow is probably safer than New York or Paris and its like anywhere in the world. If you are looking for troubles you can find them. There are just a few things you shouldn’t do and if you are not some naive guy from the countryside you have the right instincts to protect yourself ;-) On serveral occasions, I went home completly drunk early morning and I walked through the streets where even my Moscovite friends said I’m crazy (should have taken a taxi) and nothing happened.
Be careful with thieves and con artists, especially at crowded places, like the Metro, touristic places and in front of the clubs. I always carry only 500 Rbl in my wallet (the rest of my cash elsewhere) and I leave all important stuff at home. You only need your passport with the registration, but a paper copy will do as well.
That brings me to the people you really have to watch out for: The Militia (Police). They are the true criminals here in Moscow and they try to fuck you whenever they can. I try to make my way around them and I don’t speak when they are near, because they like to rip off foreigners. Usually they make something up (your registration is not right etc.) and they are aggressiv to scare you. It helps to pull your mobile and say wou will call your embassy to check on it and fix it. You don’t even have to call. Pulling the phone and being self confident scares them and they let you go, unless you really have done something wrong, e.g. forgotten your passport or don’t have registration. In that case I suggest to ask: “skolka stoit? (How much does it cost?). Usually there is nothing that can’t be fixed with a 500 RBl bribe. Especially if you show them that you don’t have more in your wallet. Remember, keep your cash elsewhere. In any case you should have your embassy’s number saved in your phonebook, but they usually don’t answer at night.
So, don’t listen to the foreign media. They love to put Russia and Moscow down. I have friends there and they have a direction to mostly bring negative stories from Moscow. When you are here, its different. You’ll see.
Enjoy Moscow. The city and the girls or whatever you come for ;-)
@Mary: Mosca è semplicemente stupenda. Ha un fascino a tratti assai decadente, ma allo stesso tempo molto coinvolgente che non mi è facile spiegae. Sicuramente è il mio genere di città (poco turistica, fredda, spesso innevata, always open ed enorme…) ed è un luogo in cui la mia stagione preferita, l’inverno appunto, è a dir poco esaltato. Non sono stato a Varsavia, ma sono stato a Praga, e c’è qualcosa in quel tipo di città (post-comuniste) che mi attira in una maniera quasi viscerale… le atmosfere sono grandiose.
@two-zero: thank you for this reply, the link was an honour :)
I think you wrote a very complete “quick-guide” for newcomers to Moscow, and even if (as I said) I’ve someone there that knows everything you said (because she’s from Moscow) and that waits for me, it’s always nice to have such advices as yours.
Anyway, I wasn’t scared by Moscow before going there, and I’m not scared by it now that I’ve been there… but I think I still don’t get past the “Oh my god it’s huge“ thing… but this is 100% positive in the end ;) I liked Moscow really a lot, and I’m still captured by its charming places and people.
Who knows, maybe we’ll meet for a Vodka in December, when I’ll come for the “city or the girl” :p
Poka! ;)
A Praga ci sono stata anche io (la mia gita di quinta liceo!). Mi ero molto divertita, ma la città (a parte il centro davvero bellissimo) mi è sembrata malinconica, triste, in un modo quasi inquietante…ricordo ancora la sensazione che ho provato passando sul Ponte Carlo in una giornata di nebbiolina umida…un po’ da brivido!
Rimango per Barcellona! Ciao!
Ecco… hai descritto le esatte sensazioni che anche io ho provato a Praga (aggiungici la neve…) e devo dire che è esattamente per quello che mi è tanto piaciuta, e forse allo stesso modo mi piace Mosca ;)
Barcellona mi manca ancora, è sulla lista… ma ho un certo fetish per le città decadenti! :p