Entering the country was a bureaucratic challenge of immense proportions. We had to fill in several forms on the flight over and passport control, took forever (it was just as bad leaving!). At the hotel we had to have the paperwork authorised so we could walk around freely. I am glad to report we were never challenged by any of the guards or police but we were rarely without our guide.
I loved Red Square, it is breathtakingly beautiful as the name implies (red means beautiful for those like me that did not realise) and the mixture of architecture just works...but I do not like Moscow, it is too big, too noisy, too busy, too arrogant. The young women all looked like footballers wives or high class hookers (OK not much difference I grant you!) and how they balanced on those heels I will never try to find out, and I include the female guards in this comment! - I know I sound like a grumpy old woman but I guess that’s what I am! The shops we came across were full of designer kitsch and bling, although I confess to dribbling with desire at many of the clothes and shoes in the GUM (pronounced ‘g-oom’) shopping precinct. The older Russian people and families visiting the city looked drab by comparison and the divide between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ was very clear.
Weddings were everywhere. The tradition is to lay flowers at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Alexander Gardens just off Red Square and to be photographed in the gardens, or in Vladimir you head to the mound outside the main Russian Orthodox cathedral that gives you views across the countryside. The young brides looked very WAG-ish (and very young) and the grooms wore good, but shiny, suits. The best man and bridesmaids were equally well-dressed (see above!) and were distinguished from other guests by a sash not unlike those you see around Lincoln’s bars on hen party night. Other members of the wedding party did not seem to have made much extra effort – other than to ensure they had copious amounts of alcohol at hand! The parents did not seem to be in evidence – whether they attended the official ceremony and post photo party who knows...there were plenty of rose petals strewn at the entrances to restaurants and cafes in the area. It seems you can get out of the army if you have two children; otherwise, I was led to believe, you serve from the age of 18 to 27 - the divorce rate is 50%.
The roads are a total nightmare. The main street that leads to Red Square is four lanes in each direction – though it seems you can personally increase this at will!
There are speed limits and rules of the road but the evidence was scant. When you park you bounce the front two wheels of your imposing 4X4, Merc or Lexus up onto the nearest pavement and, if necessary, to get back into the traffic you just drive down the pavement until it is convenient to rejoin the melee. The motorway is as many as eight lanes in each direction and if you thought it was fast and chaotic in the city “you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!” There are no crash barriers and people walk across the flow of traffic. The peasants – old and young - sit by the side selling cucumbers and watermelons. There are junctions, traffic lights and regular crashes (we saw three in quick succession on the journey out of town).Fortunately, you need not drive in Moscow thanks to the Metro. When Stalin said he wanted to build the best one in the world he wasn’t kidding. Sadly I forgot to take photos here as too much time was spent trying to make sure we ended up in the right place by cross checking the Cyrillic script against our guide’s instructions to us! It was also designed as a comfortable nuclear shelter hence the depth but the marbled halls and chandeliers were amazing. The cleanliness of the trains and passageways could teach our underground system a thing or two. In fact, everywhere we went was spotless – although some of the loos were a tad primitive!
Vladimir and Suzdal are quieter thank goodness – you can walk across the route of Trans Siberian Railway without hindrance from crossing gates (take note Lincoln station!). Vladimir is not famous for vodka as you might imagine but for exquisite glassware.
Suzdal is a splendid tourist attraction where they have preserved the old wooden buildings and courtyards of the past.Religion is gaining ground again since 1992 – makes you wonder where it hid all that time. The Russian Orthodox Cathedrals have been rebuilt or re-opened according to their previous fate under Stalin so the icons, paintings, carvings and gold abound. My neck aches from looking up at the various extravagances of the church.
There are strong Italian influences in the architecture and to be honest the look is very reminiscent of most Mediterranean churches I have visited (which are not really that many, just feels like it!) but with a bit more gold and many more personal tributes – Ivan the Terrible springs to mind here. So, after all this denial of communism we visited Lenin lying in state in his mausoleum. Bit spooky looking at the corpse of a guy about my age and wondering if he had survived what would the world be like now? We dropped by the Kremlin and saw the doors where the photo opportunities take place -another imposing piece of real estate with so many cathedrals! From there we took ourselves off to the less well-promoted Museum of Contemporary Art to get a lesson in the revolution and its legacy. Some interesting artefacts and, comparatively, a lot of space given over to Putin....
The people have embraced capitalism but do not yet have the hang of it; they are too ostentatious, flaunting their newfound wealth. The system does not take account of the elderly or infirm as yet so beggars are never far away. The older people (my generation!) gave me the impression that they miss communism in many ways. OK they did not have the choices they have today but they knew what was there was affordable and would cost the same wherever they went in the whole country. They can also teach us a thing or two about credit crunches! These people have lived through – and survived 300% and 1,000% inflation. Our guide told us her son was potty trained when nappies increased in price – overnight - by 300% and she had just run out! And she was married to a high-ranking soldier so was not one of the ‘have-nots’ by any means.
So – would I go there again? Probably not, but St Petersburg calls.
Did I enjoy the trip? Very much, as I said – Red Square takes your breath away.
