What to do & where to go in Moscow

✈ (...to be continued)




Dobriy vecher!

Since many of my friends and acquaintances often ask me about this subject, I decided to post my suggestions here...

TAXI? - "Joltiy taxi" telf: 495-9408888 ...There are some people who can stop the car and offer you a ride (not for free, of course), if you speak Russian, go ahead, but be sure to set a price first (yes, before you even enter the cab), but if you're not au courant with the cyrillic alphabet, I certainly DON'T recommend this choice.


WHERE TO DINE:

- Cafe Pushkin located close to "everything": http://www.cafe-pushkin.ru/en/

- Before going to the Bolshoi, a fine option "just steps" away is the Vogue Cafe (Kuznetsky most ulitsa 7/9 , tel. 495-623-1701) - an assortment of international cuisine- from Russian, to Asian...

- Somewhere pompous & extravagant? - Restaurant Turandot
(26/5 Tverskoi Bulvar; Telephone: +7 (495) 739-0011)


EXPANDING OUR CULTURAL REPERTOIRE:

There are several attractions at the spacious Red Square (Krasnaia Ploshiad), the Kremlin, the St. Basil's Catedral (the one appearing in numerous postcards representing Moscow), and Lenin's Mausoleum.

The Kremlin (or, pronounced in Russian, "Kreml"), has the Armoury Museum - the richest museum in the contry (it's on the ); it exhibits a superb collection of Tsarist artifacts (thrones, coronation dresses,crowns, carriages, etc), armour, sumptuous jewelry, and the famous Faberge Easter Eggs. Oh! Don't forget about Mikhail Romanov's ornate, jewel-encrusted arms case and quiver, and the sublime dagger presented to him by the Shah of Persia.

If you are feeling curious about Russian art, you should visit the State Tretyakov Gallery, near to the Kremlin. It has the major collection of Russian fine art of the country. Goncharova, Kandinsky, Chagall, Malevich...You name it! (http://www.tretyakovgallery.ru/en/)

If you would like to buy some souvenirs, there's the legendary pedestrian street "Arbat". It used to be the meeting point of the capital's intellectual elite, artists, musicians (you can still feel it in the air), now it is a lively touristic attraction, full of souvenir lojas de souvenirs, cafes, restaurantes, bars with charming tables on the sidewalk (in the Summer, that is...)

Need I say anything about the splendid BOLSHOI Theatre?.. www.bolshoi.ru/en/


PARTY@:

-Rai (Bolotnaya Naberejnaya, 9 / phone: (07) 495 767 1474)
http://www.raiclub.ru/

-Soho Room (Savvinskiy Bol. Pereulok 12., Str 8 / phone: (07) 495 988 7444)
http://www.sohorooms.ru/

Note: In Moscow & in St.Petersburg, there's a "common" thing locally known as "face control", don't get scared, just be sure to watch your mood (don't be anxious or aggressive, pozhaluysta), check your posture (look positive & joyful), and pay attention to the dress-code (designer-brand-names help) ;-)


USEFUL VOCABULARY:

Privet (pree-vet)- hello, or more official, Zdravstvuite (zdra-v-s-t-vui-te)

Dobriy den -Good afternoon!

Dobriy vecher -Good evening!

Pozhaluysta (po-zha-loo-sta) -Please

Spasibo (spa-see-bah) - Thank you!

Izvinite (eez-vee-nee-teh) -excuse me

Poka- bye;
...or more formal -dosvidaniya (do-svee-da-neeya)-goodbye

Hopefully, one you will not need, "Pomoguite" (po-mo-guee-teh)- Help

I was almost forgetting the most used: "da"- yes, "net" -no

And, the most important... (No, it's not vodka)
-Ia ne ponimayu (Ya-ne-po-nee-ma-u) -I don't understand ;-)


✈