Basel - Zurich - Moscow - nothing out of ordinary. Packing, getting your passport, in this case, I had to get a visa, but since it is a business trip I got it and after a few hours flight, Moscow, here I am!
When I arrived I felt that I'm in a different place and didn't feel like a fish in a pond... The line for passport control was long and order was missing - a few locals were just getting in the front and behaving bad. While waiting, I got a call with the number of the taxi that is waiting for me but it was quite difficult to understand - the guy was hardly speaking English, but fortunately, the driver was waiting for me with a sign with the company name (since I'm here for business too).
The trip from the airport Domodedovo to the hotel was longer than 1 hour. The hotel (Katerina City) was supposed to be for the whole stay in Moscow but apparently, the company booked another one so should move. The advantage is that the subway is really close and it is only 2 stops from the Red Square! The subway is really very very deep... the escalators are fast, steep and long - that's no joke. Plus, no stairs :)
Subway stations as it is written are great, full with art (even though communist style still remarkable), spacious - real art and unique experience. The trains are very often and fast so all is good. Not to forget the price - for me it is cheap (less 1$ and it doesn't depend on the length of your trip).
So after I arrived, I took the camera, subway and then - Teatralnaia and the Red square at night!
First impression I have so far is that it is very clean! Quite empty, not that many people around. On the Red sq I believe most people were tourists and all taking pictures :)
The other observation I have is that if you do not know Cyrillic alphabet (at least if not Russian) - you can be easily lost.... There are many places and signs that are written in Russian only. No choice. They talk to you mainly in Russian (good that I understand them - I have issues speaking but we can communicate). So this is day 1.. Day 2 is approaching.
Always, when you arrive in a new place, it is kind of hard to decide where to start from but in my case, it was decided that it should be the Tretyakovskaya Gallery since it is closed on Monday and it was the reason to go on Sat and have Sun available. Before entering, I took a walk in the city… From metro Teatralnaia (theater), via hotel Metropol (one of the oldest), then the square where KGB headquarters was, took a stroll in a small park and reached the Cyril and Methodius monument which area is known as the Slavic sq (those brothers created the Cyrillic alphabet).
I am amazed how empty the city is on Sunday – after all it is 10mln city – so different than Tokyo for example; it feels more like Basel in fact.
Walked along a few other streets, enjoyed the St Basil cathedral and Kremlin from outside, cross the bridge and had an amazing view of the Kremlin and reached step by step the gallery where Russian art is presented. Along with great art pieces, you can “enjoy” the lack of service. You have to leave you backpack, it is not clear where, the ladies in the exhibition rooms would give you hard time if you ask (I saw a Russian asking one of them something, and she was so annoyed replying without even looking at him – all is written, first here then to the right). When I went for coffee in the cafeteria, the lady was not happy that I don’t have smaller notes; when buying the souvenirs, I was told to pay and leave faster… but it is what it is. At least I’m grateful that I read and understand Russian, which facilitates my life a lot.
The Tretyakovska gallery has a small church too – it is a challenge to find the entrance (as it is not marked), then you go downstairs and you end up in a bright and cute church where even Tretiakov has been (who is a Russian philanthropic who established the gallery and donated his collection). Then went to visit the sculpture park – entrance for foreigners – 100rubles (abt $3), entrance for Russians – 20 rubles (this is pretty much the amount you pay for a paid toilet).
In the evening, I had a ticket for the Bolshoi Theater and furthermore it was the world premier of Creations 2010. There was impressive line at the box office with young people because they open the sale for student just before the performance. It made me a very nice impression because I do not remember when was the last time I saw many young people at a classical event – concert or ballet. I pay them respect and admire their desire to follow and enjoy the classical art. The ballet itself was quite contemporary but nice.
And this was the end of day 2… Next day – new hotel, tourism, and then business.
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