Russia, the bold and the beautiful

One of the many bridges over Moscow River 

Domodedovo Airport

Domodedovo Airport 

Where are your horses ?

It is funny how the mention of visiting Moscow and Saint Petersburg to my friends would elicit a wide-eyed, open-mouthed reaction, followed by a "wow".

Very quickly, I too followed suit. Upon arriving at Moscow Domodedovo airport, I was impressed at the handsome and modern airport terminal. I was also surprised to see many tour groups from China, Thailand and other parts of Asia as well as Russians among the arriving passengers. As a result, there was a traffic build-up as gleaming luxurious Mercedes and BMW jostled with taxis and mini-buses to collect their passengers.

My colleague who had lived in Moscow since 2013 told me that the recent World Cup had revamped Moscow into a sophisticated tourist-friendly city where you can get almost everything. To the relief of non-Cyrillic literate diners,  restaurant menus are now also in English which takes away a lot of guesswork.

Caviar is good for an energised brekkie

Staying at the 5-star Lotte Moscow Hotel was every euro well spent. The rooms were large and well appointed with a Nespresso machine and Molton Brown toiletries. There was a big indoor pool, sauna and massage services operated by Mandara Spa. The buffet breakfast had a wide selection of breakfast items plus caviar on ice with blinis. They also served Korean breakfast items.

Assortment of Danish pastries, cakes at Lotte Moscow Hotel

Breakfast staff ensuring that items are constantly topped up

Nesting dolls at the Izmailovsky market

Hello dollies with our fur hat at Izmailovesky Market

History Museum on Red Square

It may come as a surprise to some, but Russia is the world’s largest nation, with borders in Europe and Asia as well as the Pacific and Arctic oceans. Her landscape ranges from tundra and forests to subtropical beaches. Large parts of Russia are wild, uninhabitable and isolated, while some areas are off-limits to civilians.  According to the 2010 census, ethnic Russians make up 81% of the total population. Six other ethnicities have a population exceeding 1 million – Tatars (3.9%), Ukrainians (1.4%), Bashkir (1.1%), Chuvash (1%), Chechens (1%) and Armenians (0.9%). In total, 160 different ethnic groups live within the Russian Federation's borders. ( source: Wikipedia ). 

This is evident by the faces of the people you meet on the streets, in the metro, even in the hotel, where the waiters looked Chinese but are likely Tatars or Kazakhs. 

St Basil Cathedral on Red Square

Zaryadye Park 

Moscow river cruise

Statue of Peter the Great in the background

Verdi's  A Masked Ball

Bolshoi Theatre

Culture and the arts play a formative role in every Russia child. Almost everyone can play a musical instrument like piano, paint or do ballet and sports. Here, reading is still a national pastime. You see people reading in the parks and on the metro instead of staring down at their smartphones. Russians are well educated people with a penchant for the arts. There are so many art galleries and museums that can fill one's itinerary quite easily. I made a beeline to watch Guiseppe Verdi's "Un ballo in maschera" ( A Masked Ball ) at the Bolshoi Theatre, which is an absolute must-do. The theatre itself is a state monument and the performances, costumes and props make London's West end offerings look like a child's playhouse. 

Bolshoi Restaurant

People told me that Russia is expensive and eating out would cost a bomb. On the contrary, I can name more expensive cities in the world like Singapore and Denmark. I found restaurants in Moscow very affordable. You can eat at the classy and posh Bolshoi restaurant on Petrovka Street where dinner for two including starters, main course and dessert came up to 55 euros. In Belgium that would be the price for one person. You could easily enjoy a fabulous Russian meal or Italian food in a normal restaurant at a fraction of what you'll pay in Paris.

Bolshoi Restaurant with buddies

ERATA Museum

Church of Christ the Savior

GYM ( GUM )

Having checked off the Red Square, Gym ( Gum ) department store, Kremlin, ERATA museum, Tretyakov State Gallery,  Radisson Royal Hotel Boat cruise, Church of Christ the Savior and Gorky Park, I still had enough time to wander through Izmailovsky street market, OkhotnyRyad shopping mall ( where the locals shop, declared the tour guide ) and ride on the underground subway. 

Underground metro station

Underground metro station

The underground metro in Moscow is another must-ride. It serves an average of 7 million passengers daily and is one of the oldest and deepest subway system. For 55 roubles, including transfers, you can marvel at the underground stations designed as "palaces for the people" during Lenin era.  Great as a rainy day tour idea when you tire of art galleries and museums.

Another must do is the 4 hour train ride from Moscow to Saint Petersburg. The Sapsan train as it is called is comfortable, clean and has a buffet wagon that you can choose to buy food and drinks from.

Magnificent Winter Palace

Saint Petersburg is often called the Venice of Russia because of its canals and waterways. It is a port city on the Baltic sea and popular with Finns who cross over for a spot of culture and getaway. With a rich history,  it has the reputation of being Russia's cultural center with venues such as the Mariinsky Theatre hosting opera and ballet and the State Russian Museum showcasing Russian art, from Orthodox icon paintings to Kandinsky works... ( which I missed on this trip )

At the Faberge Museum 

But I did the most important visits: The Hermitage Museum and Faberge Museum. I also strolled along Nevsky Prospekt, dropped by the Kazan Cathedral ( known as minor twin of St Peter's Basilica in Vatican ), visited the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, St Isaac Cathedral and the Bronze Horseman statue. The autumn colours were exceptionally beautiful in Aleksandrovsky park and the Summer Gardens and I was lucky to be able to witness that.

Hermitage Museum

Colors of Autumn, Mikhailovsky Park

Aleksandrovsky park

Christ the Savior on Spilled Blood

Going Underground now..

Located close to the sea and windy, St Petersburg is usually a few degrees colder than Moscow.  It does not have an extensive subway like Moscow, but the trolley buses and trams are just as good. And the up side is that more Russians spoke English in Saint Petersburg than in Moscow. A professor whom I met at a reception, told me that because of the proximity of Saint Petersburg to Europe, the residents are more open, friendly and helpful towards foreigners. They are proud of their city and hence the willingness to help others enjoy their city. In contrast, Moscow is a magnet for people from all over Russia to go live and work, hence you get the feelings of indifference, detachment and aloofness. 

Back again... so soon?

With just 3.5 hours flight from Belgium, I am certain that I will return to Moscow and St Petersburg in the near future. If only to catch Swan Lake at the Mariinsky theatre, gawk at Kandinsky and dine at the White Rabbit