I’m a stranger in Moscow

Pavel, my Couchsurfers and me.

I know, I know, the sub title of my blog says: one year Japan during the aftermath of Fukushima. A little break in Germany was planned from the beginning. And it will be a year at least. Does it make sense then to write something about Moscow? I think yes. At least, if you’re flying back via Moscow. As I am fan of break in style but also of variety here comes something unexpected. Well, and who flies via Moscow to Japan to whom might this entry also be useful.

Already two months before my Moscow layover I warned local, hospitable residents via couchsurfing that I will come to their city and asked them who’d like guide an uneducated German guy through their wonderful city. When setting the filter options for people I was going to write to I must have made a mistake. I always wondered why only women answered ;)

Oh, there is something else important to mention despite the correct filter settings. Who wants to leave Moscow’s airport either has to do something really bad there which might result in a transportation to a Russian prison cell or a court. However it is unlikely to be brought there by a sight seeing tour bus. Even if those rides would be for free though. Or one applies at the Russian embassy for a transit visa before leaving your departing country. By the way there are several ways to circumvent the visa fee. Handicapped people are exempt for instance.

Moskau City

So at 4 a.m. I’m arriving on October 29^th at Sheremetyevo international airport  in the already quite cold Moscow. Nice: in contrast to Germany or Japan you have almost everywhere free wifi access. Iya, a Russian girl who was one of the first to answer my e-mails even looked up the bus connections to the nearest metro stations for me. Depending on how well you manage to get a connecting train you are in about an hour (is that accurate, Pawel?) at the city centre. Within only 35 minutes but of course more expensively you can commute with the Aeroexpress between airport and the city centre. I decide for bus and metro and am already being offered help when buying the ticket by a young Russian gentleman in the queue/standing in line behind me. He introduces himself as Pawel, 21 years young employed at a company as a translator. When he tells me he ain’t got no plans for this Saturday only had to pick up a flight ticket for a customer of his company I’m offering him to join me on my discovery tour. Pawel is employed as a translator but can rarely use his English in a conversation, that is why he spontaneously decides to accompany me. I’m stunned because of the fact that he never had a long term stay abroad before and allegedly almost never has a chance to speak English with somebody his English skills are amazing. So either a very ambitious young gentleman is sitting across from me or the Russian general education system is very well – at least regarding languages. Let’s see how it’s going to be with the young ladies.

As I have a little fable for architecture – yes, also for modern high rises – I’d like to check out the new ‘Moscow City’
http://federationtower.ru/  – Moscow’s bank and commercial district.

When I’m telling him this Pawel acts surprised: “There is nothing to explore. Only skyscrapers and many of them are not even completed yet. And it is situated … “ “Yes, I know. About five kilometres beeline away from the city centre”, I’m interrupting him. “But it is Saturday, still quite early, most museums don’t open before 10:00 or 10:30 a.m. and going to a café makes no sense to me since I just ate at the air plane.”, I’m explaining.

After a photo session in ‘Moscow city’ we are setting forth on our way to the city centre. “My” couch surfing ladies awake and are sending me life signs via text message. Laura from Oxford, England, who lives here for two months and works for an NGO is the first. We meet in front of the only yesterday reopened Bolshoi Theatre which was closed down for a six year long lasting refurbishment break and was reopened personally by President Dmitry Medvedev. Already at the opening concert an accident happened. A not sufficiently fixed item dropped on a performer. Luckily the quire consisted of as construction worker disguised singers – symbolic for the refurbishment – of course equipped with helmets. Probably they had a notion from the very beginning that not everything is completely nailed down. As the helmets definitely prevented worse things from happening a wise decision. :)

Bolshoi Theater

Finally we’re making our way to the red square, with its Kremlin, the State Historical Museum and of course the beautiful Saint Basil’s Cathedral. I’m telling Laura and Pawel that I’d like to go to the Tretyakov gallery. However both are warning me that one has to wait in a queue/in line for at least a half an hour in front of art museums in general. And even longer for special exhibitions. We decide for the State Historical Museum. The exhibition is manifold, the building both from the outside as well from the inside impressive. In short – advisable. However, people not capable of the Russian language shouldn’t do the tour without an English audio guide. Almost all explanations are in Russian. But what we got Pawel for? :) And even Laura can tell me surprisingly much about Russian history.

Rubel GUM

GUM

Natalia, the second Couchsurfer gives me a shout and is making herself on her way to the museum. Together we are exploring the GUM – Moscows noble shopping mall. And in one of the GUM’s plenty cafes we’re meeting Iya. Also the English skills of both Russians are very well. Unfortunately there’s only little time left for me to spent with my couchsurfers. We’ve got the time for a group photo and – as Pavel is also saying farewell now – the three remaining show me Moscow’s most beautiful metro stations. Back to the airport I indulge myself the trip via the Aeroexpress. So I’m flying from Russia with Love.

Metro Station

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Special thanks to: Hubertus Neidhart from Webspace Provider Network for excellent web page hosting services; Anna Reid (proofreading), Glasgow, Laura Gordon, Oxford, both UK, Natalia Nikitina, Iya Zakalyukina, and Pavel Titov all Moscow, Russia, Lilith Pendzich, Germany;