Post by AgeA on Oct 14, 2005 18:25:33 GMT -5
I went for a trip to Moscow where I have not been 13 years since my last trip. I didnt see as much as I wanted but it was worth it. Below is small story about my trip to Moscow.
The city changed dramatically in 13 years not only because it had grown but since that time in fact so much had changed that I hardly recognized some places. A lot of new building, huge shopping malls and roads had been build. It seems there is lot more traffic on the roads. And so it seems even busier and bigger than it used to be. And I see many migrants from many places. It is not uncommon to see an American in Moscow now. In fact, I met a guy there from Texas in GUM shopping mall and promenade (which is beautiful place btw). We stood in line at the fast food place and had small talk about hurricanes and food.
He told me he ate at McDonalds recently and we both agreed that McDonalds so much better in Moscow where you actually do get real meat when you buy a hamburger. We both laughed and chuckled about it.
Of course, so many things are different that even hard to describe it all. Some things had improved like cars and people dress a lot better some things didnt change and some perhaps like traffic are worse but I liked the city anyway especially the center. One thing surprised is this huge shopping mall they had build right next to Red Square. It is four floors underneath the ground and you can buy everything there with many famous designer stores. It is a chick place.
Young woman in Moscow are beautiful as they always were in my view however it seems older woman affected now by what I call too much food and drive and not enough exercise lifestyle like in America. Another funny thing that when you see someone driving very chick expensive car you can bet it is young woman. Most guys drive cars made for everyday life.
Another thing I noticed is that a lot less people drinking alcohol openly on the street and there is a good reason for that. It turns out State Duma(Parliament) had prohibited drinking on the streets in any form just this year and there is fine for that. In the US of course you can drink when you have beer in bag but even then cops might stop you if they see you drinking.
Another thing I had to say about the prices. Moscow had became very expensive place to live for most Russians and for foreigners too I would say. A very small cup of coffee would cost you 3.5-4 dollars and cup of tea 2-3$. Freshly made juice would cost about 3.5$ and the one from concentrate about 1.5$. Again the prices is normal for Europe but more expensive from American point of view and certainly for Russians whose average salary still about 500 dollars. Although, now there are probably more multi- millioners that live in Moscow than in New York.
There is another thing about Moscow that strikes me and it is the planning of the city. If you look on the map you can definitely see that it is made of a few consecutive rings and reminds me of spider web.
Spider web which when it grows adds a new ring. You can say that Moscow was enticing people in its web all these years. There aren't that many big cities that has the same lay out. London it seems would be another one. I know now what Moscow reminds me of and that would be Atlantis of course which had many rings (canals) surrounding the city and filled with water. I remember Tobias mentioning once that Russia was one of the choices they planned upstairs for a 'New Atlantis' among with the America and Great Britain. New Atlantis in a way sort of like a gathering place for an old souls to play out once again the same old conflicts. New York, of course, had became New Atlantis in the 20th century.
The city changed dramatically in 13 years not only because it had grown but since that time in fact so much had changed that I hardly recognized some places. A lot of new building, huge shopping malls and roads had been build. It seems there is lot more traffic on the roads. And so it seems even busier and bigger than it used to be. And I see many migrants from many places. It is not uncommon to see an American in Moscow now. In fact, I met a guy there from Texas in GUM shopping mall and promenade (which is beautiful place btw). We stood in line at the fast food place and had small talk about hurricanes and food.
He told me he ate at McDonalds recently and we both agreed that McDonalds so much better in Moscow where you actually do get real meat when you buy a hamburger. We both laughed and chuckled about it.
Of course, so many things are different that even hard to describe it all. Some things had improved like cars and people dress a lot better some things didnt change and some perhaps like traffic are worse but I liked the city anyway especially the center. One thing surprised is this huge shopping mall they had build right next to Red Square. It is four floors underneath the ground and you can buy everything there with many famous designer stores. It is a chick place.
Young woman in Moscow are beautiful as they always were in my view however it seems older woman affected now by what I call too much food and drive and not enough exercise lifestyle like in America. Another funny thing that when you see someone driving very chick expensive car you can bet it is young woman. Most guys drive cars made for everyday life.
Another thing I noticed is that a lot less people drinking alcohol openly on the street and there is a good reason for that. It turns out State Duma(Parliament) had prohibited drinking on the streets in any form just this year and there is fine for that. In the US of course you can drink when you have beer in bag but even then cops might stop you if they see you drinking.
Another thing I had to say about the prices. Moscow had became very expensive place to live for most Russians and for foreigners too I would say. A very small cup of coffee would cost you 3.5-4 dollars and cup of tea 2-3$. Freshly made juice would cost about 3.5$ and the one from concentrate about 1.5$. Again the prices is normal for Europe but more expensive from American point of view and certainly for Russians whose average salary still about 500 dollars. Although, now there are probably more multi- millioners that live in Moscow than in New York.
There is another thing about Moscow that strikes me and it is the planning of the city. If you look on the map you can definitely see that it is made of a few consecutive rings and reminds me of spider web.
Spider web which when it grows adds a new ring. You can say that Moscow was enticing people in its web all these years. There aren't that many big cities that has the same lay out. London it seems would be another one. I know now what Moscow reminds me of and that would be Atlantis of course which had many rings (canals) surrounding the city and filled with water. I remember Tobias mentioning once that Russia was one of the choices they planned upstairs for a 'New Atlantis' among with the America and Great Britain. New Atlantis in a way sort of like a gathering place for an old souls to play out once again the same old conflicts. New York, of course, had became New Atlantis in the 20th century.