Here is the review:
Just sitting at Moscow airport waiting for the plane home.
Lets just say Moscow isn't really set up for or interested in tourists. The main things we came to see (Kremlin and St Basil's cathedral) have been closed all weekend despite contrary info on their websites. Everywhere is really expensive (£17 for two coffees earlier) and trying to rip you off. It's dusty everywhere and the tube is very hard to navigate if you don't speak Russian.
As for the people - I have never come across a country where everybody is so bloody miserable all the time.
Oh, and it appears smoking is compulsory once you reach about age 12 (including in shops/hotels/restaurants).
And I missed the Wolves game to come here.
Lets just say Moscow isn't really set up for or interested in tourists. The main things we came to see (Kremlin and St Basil's cathedral) have been closed all weekend despite contrary info on their websites. Everywhere is really expensive (£17 for two coffees earlier) and trying to rip you off. It's dusty everywhere and the tube is very hard to navigate if you don't speak Russian.
As for the people - I have never come across a country where everybody is so bloody miserable all the time.
Oh, and it appears smoking is compulsory once you reach about age 12 (including in shops/hotels/restaurants).
And I missed the Wolves game to come here.
Though of course sneaky Russians are not to blame for the fact that this devoted Seagulls supporter missed the game I can't but agree with most what he wrote.
Sadly Moscow isn't very friendly to tourists - that's true. Tourism isn't (and has never been) the main sphere of concern for the city authorities. Nearly nothing is done to make the city attractive to tourists. Which is incredibly sad because Moscow is absolutely unique: Russian architecture, churches, historic building are amazingly different from what you can see in any other city in Europe.
But Moscow is indifferent to what impression the city and its ways make on foreign guests.
More than 10 years ago when I then a student worked part-time as a tour guide in Moscow (mostly with American guests) I was deeply upset about how little was done to make the city welcoming to foreigners. But I was hoping it would change in a 5-10 years time. Apparently I was naive. It is still scary, unfriendly and confusing.
What can a foreign visitor do to make their stay in Moscow nice and pleasant?
What should you do if - in spite of all the notoriety of the city and ill reputation of "sneaky f**king Russians" - you still want to see something amazingly unique, feel this spirit of classical historic buildings and the divine atmosphere of Russian Orthodox churches?
Here are some tips:
1. Make some Russian friends before going to Moscow. They can be your pen-palls, some people you meet on the Internet or ask your friends if they know any Russians living in Moscow. It's always helpful when being in Moscow you will have some phone numbers of Russians whom you can call and ask for help, for directions, for tips or even translation.
You will be surprised to see that "unfriendly Russians" (it's how we appear to look in the streets) when you know them are eager to help, to guide and offer support.
2. Make a kind of plan of what you want to see before going. Moscow unlike Prague or Berlin can't boast of lots of opportunities for enjoying each and every place. You can just wander around but you are unlikely to enjoy it. Make a list: Kremlin, Red Square, The Tsaritsyno Park, The Tretyakov Gallery - whatever, it will give you a clear idea of where you can go.
3. Get acknowledged with Moscow Metro (Underground) and find out what stations you will need. All the stops in the underground are announced in Russian only - so better make a route for yourself and write the names of the stations you need in Russian (just copy the letters) so that you can simply show this to people and ask for guidance if needed.
4. Get a guide book with some phrases in Russian: you might not be able to pronounce them correctly but again - you can always show your guide-book to passersby in the streets or to policemen.
If I think of any other tips I will write about them here later:)
