Russia; Explore Moscow

I am afraid I'm with Peter the Great on this one. The story is that Peter created St. Petersburg because he could not stand Moscow. I think I agree with him. When you compare Moscow and St. Petersburg, Moscow really comes up short.

Moscow is not at all beautiful, in any respect.  That is not to say that there are not beautiful things in Moscow.  There are.  Lots of them.  The problem is that these bits are overwhelmed by the rest of the city.

Moscow is massive.  Its Metro has nine different lines.  The exact population is not known for certain, Muscovites tell me.  More than ten million have permission to live here but there are millions more who live here without official permission.  Yes, you need official permission to live in Moscow.  This is Russia.

On the metro you encounter that immense crush of humanity. With all those lines, of course, from time to time you must transfer. At rush hour, the train doors open and out streams a flood of people. The mass flows, shoulder to shoulder along the corridors to the next train. Heaven forbid you should want to pause (maybe to check directions or read signs in a strange alphabet?)  There is no place to stand. You just get swept along.

Our Moscow Homestay

Above ground Moscow is littered with large Soviet era buildings, separated by very wide streets. Ten lanes across is not unusual. Crossing them would be impossible so they send you under. At most intersections there are "subways" and along those passages are a variety of small cubicle shops selling almost anything you can imagine: kitchen ware, clothing, phones, watches, medications, you name it. And they are not just there 'on offer', at commute times the stands are busy. A time saver for harried people in a rush.

Smaller, slower, less Soviet, St. Petersburg is more my style.