Will Around the World

Russia

• Russia has strict visa requirements. A great way to get your visa support documents and learn more about the process is to contact White Nights travel agency. They will provide you the necessary documents for a reasonable price.
  
  You should get apply for a visa at least one month before you travel. In my case, the visa application process was a breeze. I completed the application forms and went to the Russian consulate in San Francisco to submit the application in person. My visa was ready one week later.
• You need to register your visa in each city you stay for more than 72 hours in. Usually you can do this at the hotel or hostel you stay at. (If you travel with a tour group, the tour agency will do this for you.) In Moscow, Travellers Guest House will register your visa, even if you are not a guest, for $25.
• In Russia you can withdraw cash from an ATM in US dollars. Do this. You save on the 1%-3% currency conversion fee that Visa and MasterCard charge. Further, you can get better exchange rates at banks and exchange offices than the InterBank rate that Visa and MasterCard use.
• Despite what you may have heard on other travel websites, traveling by train in Russia is quite safe. I rode on the overnight sleeper train from Moscow to St. Petersburg without a hitch. Use common sense: don't wear flashy jewelry or attract attention to yourself. If you want to feel extra secure, get a bottom bunk. These bunks have a metal bin that you can access only by lifting the bed. Use this to store your bags—when you sleep on the bunk there is no way that thieves can get to them.
• Despite what people may tell you, you can wait to buy a Moscow-St. Petersburg sleeper ticket until arrive in Russia. To be safe, give yourself at least three days before the date you want to travel. In Moscow, go to the central railway agency—I went on a weekday afternoon and did not have to wait in line. I paid $42 for my ticket, compared to $60 at a private booking office.
• If you travel to Russia, learn Cyrillic. It should take no more than a week, and it will aid you immensely in getting around. It enables you to recognize names of places, which are almost never written in the Latin alphabet.
• For that matter, learn Russian. You can get by with speaking English only if you talk to locals younger than 25. For everyone else, Russian is your only bet.
• Carrying a cell phone in Russia is extremely convenient, especially if you need to get in touch with locals. Your American cell phone will work there if it is a tri-band or quad-band model.
  
  International roaming is a ripoff. I had to pay $4.99 a minute in Russia (in Poland, it was $2.29 per minute). Instead, get a prepaid calling plan. You can get them at any of the hundreds of wireless stores in Moscow or St. Petersburg. All you need to do is give them the address of the place you're staying in (the address on your migration card will suffice). The basic plan costs 50 rubles (less than $2), and this provided twice as many text messages and voice time than I used for a week. The provider with the best coverage is supposed to be MTS, but this is also the expensive. The locals I met use Megafon.

Poland

• In Poland, when you ride on a bus make sure you validate your ticket. Transit cops are abundant and ruthless.

• Riga
  Sievasmates p iradzini. A self-serve eatery that serves tasty pierozhki and a mean borsch, all for a song. Kalku iela 10.
• Moscow
  FAQ Cafe. Funky interior and quirky staff add to the delicious, inexpensive menu. Service is a bit slow. 9, Gazetny Lane, bldg. 2. Metro: Okhotny Ryad
• St. Petersburg
  Zoom Cafe. Interior is casually well decorated. Little touches like a menu shaped like a card catalog go a long way. Food is good and affordable. 17-19 Kazanskaya Ulitsa/22 Gorokhovaya Ulitsa. Metro: Nevskiy Prospekt

# posted by billklee @ 09:46 0 comments

As I'm writing this I notice my clothes fit a lot looser than they used to. In fact, I lost ten pounds on this trip. Being on my feet constantly and eating small meals was the simple but effective cause. This is definitely the most expensive diet I've ever been on.

This trip was my first experience traveling alone outside the States. It far surpassed anything I could have imagined. I liked traveling solo because I was able to cover a lot of ground and complete my daily agenda with plenty of time to spare. I found that by being alone, I was much more willing to reach out to people I didn't know than had I been traveling with others. For the natives' part, I think they were receptive to helping a stranger in their land. It would have been nice to have some company to talk to during the sightseeing, but at night I would meet fellow travelers with whom I could share my experiences.

The greatest aspect of this journey was having the opportunity to meet and interact meaningfully with locals. Through many conversations with my hosts and others I met along the way, I got to learn much, much more about the local culture and society than the typical tourist. I hope that my new friends, who asked just as many questions of me as I of them, learned a lot about America and gained a positive impression about its people from this impromptu ambassador. I have to thank the founders of CouchSurfing for this extraordinary exchange.

I would like to return to this part of the world someday. There are a lot of sights, especially in Moscow and St. Petersburg, that I didn't get to visit. I would also like to see the wonderful people that took time out of their busy schedules to make possible my marvelous time in their hometowns. At the least, I will try to keep in touch with them. (I'm doing a good job so far.) I hope that one day they will visit the San Francisco Bay Area so that I can return the favor.

# posted by billklee @ 22:42 0 comments

I arrived in Warsaw, the first stop and last stop on my trip, just before 9 A.M. Today I wanted to see the city's Jewish sights. I started at Pawiak, a prison that was used by the Nazis to hold political prisoners. Next was the Jewish Cemetery. This cemetery interested me because its graves were aged, somewhat derelict and packed tightly together—not like the tidy graveyards in my hometown. Afterward I visited the Warsaw Ghetto Monument. Here I was shocked to learn that Warsaw, which used to have the largest Jewish population in Europe (almost 400,000 before World War II), today has only a few thousand Jews.

Pawiak Prison Museum

In the afternoon I walked around the center. I remember Agatha, one of the people I met in Moscow, telling me that Polish women are one of the three most beautiful in the world, but on this overcast day it was hard to find evidence for that. I stopped at a kiosk for a snack of a placki and a hot dog, Polish style. Both were tasty. Then I walked by the train station and had a kanapka. This is a flatbread wrapped around onions, pickled vegetables and meat—in this case, deep-fried chicken (or "luxor"). This delicious meal was topped with a Chinese-style chili garlic sauce. I noticed a lot of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern eateries in the station, which were much busier than those of other cuisines. I had heard a lot of good things about Polish soups, but I did not get a chance to try any.

Jewish Cemetery

At the airport I did some duty-free shopping. I bought a couple of spirits that were marked down drastically for Americans and other non-European citizens. One was Zubrowka vodka, a Polish brand that is flavored with a blade of grass. The other was Berentzen, a German vodka (distilled from corn) that is available only at duty-free stores. Vodka is the most heavily discounted spirit in this store, which is strange considering its growing popularity in America.

Warsaw Ghetto Monument

On the flight back to the States, I sat next to a twelve-year-old girl named Amanda. She talked a lot to me despite not knowing any English. She grew on me after a while. There was a folksy way about her—her passport was totally clean (she had never left Poland before) and she held a postcard of the Virgin Mary. I assumed her family was sitting in the row in front of ours. But when we landed and got off the plane, she left by herself and was greeted by a representative from the airline. I was impressed by the courage of this young traveler, flying alone to a land whose language she didn't know.

# posted by billklee @ 23:58 0 comments

I arrived in the Estonian capital on June 7 at 6:30 A.M. First I tried to go to the hostel I had booked, but it took me a while to figure out where that was. My guidebook told me I was really close, but in fact I had to walk 30 minutes to get there.

Niguliste Church, with ruins from Soviet bombings in foreground

The hostel is called Old House Guesthouse. It is nice, pretty clean with large dorm rooms and a cozy kitchen. It isn't as special as the place where I stayed in St. Petersburg, Nord Hostel—the manager, a pretty blonde, is a lot colder than Masha. (Maybe she is acting this way to me because I tried to use an expired International Student ID card to get a discount.) Still, even without free Internet access, it was worth the money.

My goal for today was to see all of Old Town. I started miserably. Before I started sightseeing I wanted to buy the bus ticket for Warsaw, the last leg of my trip, so I needed to take a city bus to the bus terminal. I got on the wrong one, though, and ended up on the outskirts of town. I was able to take another bus back into town, but all told I lost two hours. When I finished my errand and finally made it to Old Town, it was already midday. I stopped at a restaurant named Kompressor for lunch. This place was full of students. It serves enormous pancakes filled with cream cheese and other ingredients—they're bliny on steroids—for only $4. Mine, which came with smoked trout, was tasty at first, but after finishing half the rich cream and dough made me queasy.

Raekoja plats (Town Hall square)

After lunch I walked around Old Town. Of all three Baltic capitals, Tallinn's Old Town is probably the most interesting and definitely the oldest and best preserved. It is the only one I could tell that has Gothic architecture. A few such buildings are intact, like Town Hall and St. Olaf's church. Even more buildings incorporate Gothic elements in their facades. I climbed the observation deck of St. Olaf's to get a view of the city. It is a unique experience. You're not standing on a deck built around the tower—you're actually on the roof! The old city wall and their towers are also worth seeing.

Spire of Oleviste Church

Old Town is full of tourists, more than any other city in the Baltics. These people, mainly Scandinavians and Germans, come by cruise ship (Tallinn is the only Baltic capital on the sea). There is a lot of money in this city. I saw quite a few German luxury cars. The city has a lot of Russians, although not nearly as many as Riga does. There is a sharp distinction between the appearance of the Russians and the Estonians. The latter wear Northern European fashions—subdued colors and long skirts or pants. Physically, they resemble Scandinavians: tall and blonde.

Compared to the other Baltic capitals, Tallinn has the slowest pace of life. No place here that I visited was really crowded. Even the largest square in Old Town was fairly empty.

Views of Tallinn from the spire of Oleviste Church (left) and Toompea

Despite the morning delay, I was able to cover Old Town and the hill above it in four hours. At the end of the afternoon I was pretty out of it—I didn't get much sleep on the bus. I returned to the hostel at 6:30. I intended to take a short nap to re-energize, but the next thing I knew I woke up at 11. I got a bite to eat and went back to sleep.

This morning I went to an Internet cafe near the center. There I met a group of Mormons. They were discussing a plan of action in a highly organized manner. ("We will meet so-and-so at the embassy in two hours. Be ready.") If the Mormons continue like this, the Lutheran Church in Estonia will be in trouble.

Draakon gallery on 18 Pikk tanav

For lunch I went to a restaurant called Eesti Maja. This restaurant features a lunchtime buffet for 75 krooni ($6.50). The offerings—chicken drunsticks, boiled vegetables, potatoes, salad—were rather bland, seasoned only with salt and dill. Judging from this meal and the pancakes I ate yesterday, Estonian cuisine leaves much to be desired.

I wish I had gone inside

After lunch I walked 25 minutes to Kadriorg Park. The main attraction in this fairly large park is a small palace built for Peter the Great (which is closed to the public). On this 70°F (21°C) day, there were a few people picking wildflowers in the park's meadows, and even more sunbathers. (Russians and Estonians are crazy about flowers. Girls like to braid dandelions and wear them as a headband.) The time came to go back to the center to catch my 5:00 bus for Warsaw. I walked back along the shore. This waterfront is rocky and windy—it's no wonder Tallinners prefer to lie on the grass.

Meadow in Kadriorg Park

The bus ride to Warsaw was sixteen hours long. The time passed pretty quickly. The trip was, save for dealing with a couple of loud Poles sitting in the back, unremarkable.

# posted by billklee @ 23:21 0 comments

I enjoyed St. Petersburg thoroughly. It has everything: first-rate museums and palaces, a great ambience and a host of activities outside the city. It isn't nearly as opulent or hectic as Moscow, which you can see as either a shortcoming or an asset. It's the Boston to Moscow's New York.

Everyone I've met who has been to St. Petersburg raves about the European character of the city. It's true that the city is European in appearance, but it's soul is Russian. There may be Italianate architecture and outdoor cafes, but the leisurely atmosphere of crowded squares is missing—people would rather work or rush along Nevskiy Prospekt to their next appointment. The center of St. Petersburg is like the Bund of Shanghai: a striking legacy of an attempt to bring Europe into a land that could never be part of it.

There are many places in St. Petersburg I did not get a chance to visit. I could have went to St. Isaac's Cathedral, the tallest point in the center, to get a view of the city. I missed the Russian Museum and the Mariinskiy Theater. My timing was also a bit off; I came just before the start of White Nights, the time in late June when the sky never darkens and the city celebrates all night long. I suppose this gives me a reason to return next summer!

# posted by billklee @ 23:52 0 comments

In the morning I had to do some errands. I went to the bank to exchange some money (the clerk was one of the most beautiful women I encountered on this trip, a platinum blonde wearing an iridiscent black suit). Then I bought some gifts and knickknacks at the large souvenir market next to the Church on Spilled Blood. This was one of the most relaxing mornings of my trip.

Catherine Palace at Tsarskoe Selo

At midday I went to Tsarskoe Selo (more commonly known as Pushkin), a town thirty minutes away from the city. A major tourist destination, it is the home of the famous Catherine Palace. To get there you have to take the metro and transfer to a marshrutka. Marshrutkas are the most convenient way to get anywhere out of the city.

Ornaments on facade

I arrived at Pushkin, and before I got to the palace I passed by a souvenir market, where prices were, to my chagrin, 25% lower than in the city. I hoped seeing the palatial splendor would take my mind off saving a few bucks, but I was barred from entering; the palace was reserved for tour groups until 4 P.M. The weather was pleasant, though, so I took the opportunity to walk in the spacious park that surrounds the palace. The grounds are less formal and less crowded than Peterhof's. I liked this park a lot. There are still some structures in the park that need restoration, but you could argue that these ruins add to its charm.

Lilac blooms everywhere in St. Petersburg in the summer

At 3:45 I stepped in a growing line for entry into the palace. I waited until 4:30 before I was let in. The wait, though, was worthwhile. The interior of the palace is much more lavishly decorated than Peterhof (and still under restoration after being gutted during World War II). The first room that impressed me featured red mineral columns. The next room had columns of green. Then came the crown jewel, the so-called Amber Room. All four walls are covered in stone-sized pieces of amber, all tightly fitting together like a mosaic. This room is actually a reconstruction, but nonetheless it was one of the most amazing sights of my trip. I only wish I had more time to spend inside—it was so crowded that it was impossible to study the craftsmanship. I wouldn't mind visiting this palace with a tour group during the reserved hours if it means facing smaller crowds.

When I got back to St. Petersburg (on the marshrutka one of the city's few friendly and outgoing citizens helped me find my way) I stopped by the supermarket and bought a can of kvas. Kvas is a sweet drink made from fermented beets and dark bread. It is carbonated and slightly alcoholic. I like it—it tastes like cider. Genuine kvas is sold on the street from tanks, but I couldn't find any such stands in the city.

Lake next to the palace. The girl in the foreground is holding dandelions.

In the evening I met Lena. We chatted at a cafe near my hostel. She was looking for a summer job, and she spent the whole day at a restaurant, watching the operations and deciding if she wanted to work there. This was a cut above some other jobs she had heard about. One company called her and asked if she was interested in becoming an administrative assistant, but instead of inquiring about her experience or skills, they wanted to know her physical measurements! Lena's ideal job would have been web design, but she could not find any short-term positions.

It was getting late, and I had to go to the bus station to catch my ride to Tallinn. But first, I went to the supermarket to buy a bottle of vodka. Lena came along as well, more for moral support than to give advice about selecting a brand (she doesn't drink vodka). As I was trying to decide on a bottle and asking Lena to help translate, two hefty ladies nearby shouted, "You speak English!" Before they spoke I was fairly certain they were American, by their appearance and their loud laughter, but their Texan twang cleared any doubt. They asked me if I could help them decide between two brands, but I could not. Then they asked Lena, but she replied that she didn't know. The women must have interpreted her answer as meaning "I can't speak English", because they asked her again, but this time in a blaring voice, drawn-out syllables and ugly-American sign language. (Lena responded, "I understood you the first time.") I hurried up and chose Russian Standard Platinum (the most expensive vodka in the store). I got in line to pay for it, and I looked back at the Texans; each was holding an armful of 200 ml bottles.

Lena and I learning how to focus the camera

Lena cheerfully accompanied me to the bus station. Even though I didn't get to spend much time with her in St. Petersburg, I was really glad to have her company. We said a warm goodbye, and in a short time I was back on the road. The trip to Tallinn took about seven hours. At border control, I talked to an Englishman who had just graduated from university. He was pleasant, but after a while our conversation took a turn for the weirder. He asked gingerly, "I don't mean to be rude, but isn't San Francisco a...um...happy city?" This reminded me of one of the people I met in Moscow, Agatha, and her frustration with the vodka-drinking Russian stereotype. I gave a curt reply. "Why, are you thinking of going there?"

# posted by billklee @ 23:46 0 comments

I spent the entire day in the Hermitage. I had decided to see as much as possible so my plan was to bypass the first floor and concentrate on the second and third floors, which include the Rembrandt room, Italian art and 20th-century paintings. I more or less saw every room on these floors that was open today. I would have been able to see more if I hadn't spent so much time figuring out how to get through the confusing complex of buildings that constitute the museum. What really amazed me was the museum's main structure, the Winter Palace. It blows Petrodvorets out of the water. Most of all, I liked the Rembrandt room and the galleries of 20th-century European art, especially Matisse. I regret not having more time to see the museum's extensive Asian collection.

Golden Drawing Room, Winter Palace

In the palace I tried to take a lot of photographs, so when I came home I could compare them to the locations shot in the remarkable film "Russian Ark". (This is the first film to be shot in only one take, and it was filmed inside the Hermitage.)

Armorial Hall

I spent the evening hanging out in the common area of my hostel. There were a couple of Australians and a young math teacher from Northern California. Like so many other Aussies I had met, these two were working in Britain before traveling through Europe. They do this because work is easier to find in Britain, the wages are higher, and it is cheaper to fly to the Continent from the U.K. than from Australia. Many have "ancestry" visas that allow them to spend up to five years in England.

Malachite Hall

We talked about the itineraries of some travelers that were passing through this hostel. They were incredible. Many were going to go on the Trans-Siberian Railway. One German planned to come back to Europe via the Silk Road, through China and the former Soviet republics in Central Asia. One young man from France was going to stay in Mongolia for two months; in fact, he planned to buy a house there! The most amazing story I heard was about a woman who had gone from the Alps to Russia by bicycle. Her only comment about the journey was, "After being in the Alps, it all looks the same." I was impressed by all these tales, but I hope that these people's experiences amount to more than material for cocktail parties.

The Dance by Matisse

# posted by billklee @ 23:52 0 comments

I planned to spend the whole day at Petrodvorets (also known as Peterhof), a palace thirty minutes southwest of the city. It actually took twice that time to get there. I rode in a marshrutka, a kind of mini-bus, and traffic on this warm, sunny day was a mess. Everyone was trying, it seemed, to get there.

Grand Palace, Peterhof

The Peterhof complex consists of a large building, the Grand Palace, and a great pavilion. I visited the Grand Palace first. It has 15-20 rooms that are mostly recreations of the originals. (The Nazis razed the palace during World War II. Remarkably, the Red Army saved almost all the furniture and artwork.) I couldn't help comparing this to Versailles. The French palace building is much larger, more ornate and had a grander feeling than Peterhof's palace.

Section of the Grand Palace

I had the same opinion about the pavilion. The gardens are not nearly as beautiful or well maintained as Versailles'. In fact, in most spots the grass is unkempt and ridden with dandelions. It didn't help that everyone in Russia swarmed here today. There was hardly any place where you could stop and hear yourself think. Still, the pavilion has its redemming qualities. The best part is the axis that starts at a grand fountain and extends along a canal to the Gulf of Finland. On that note, Peterhof has an edge over Versailles for its location on the sea and its view (however distant) of St. Petersburg.

Pavilion

One of many showers with hidden triggers

In the pavilion I met the four girls that I ran into on my first day in Moscow. In fact, their entire tour group was here. I followed them through the gardens. It was the early afternoon, but I was pretty out of it by this point. I guess the constant traveling finally got to me. The group took a hydrofoil back to the city, but I opted to take the bus instead. I followed the group's guide, a young woman named Nadia. She was friendly and smiled a lot. From the way she acted I guessed she wasn't from the city—sure enough, she told me that she lives outside Moscow. I learned that she is a teacher at an English language "club" for middle school students. She said that she wanted to visit England or America one day, but she is so well regarded by her school that they won't let her take a vacation!

Summer Garden

On the Neva

That evening I explored parts of St. Petersburg across the Neva from where I am staying. I walked across the Troitskiy Most (Trinity Bridge) to the Petrograd Side. This bridge has a good view of the waterfront, including the Winter Palace. I walked around the Peter and Paul Fortress. Unfortunately, the cathedral in the middle of the fortress was closed. I continued walking on the main street of the Petrograd Side. The architecture of this part of the city is more contemporary than in the city center—it reminded me of Huntington Avenue in Boston. I made it to Kamenny Island, a quiet, tree-lined area dotted with mansions owned by the the city's new elite. I stomped around here for a bit, then I headed toward the nearest Metro station. There were dozens of teenagers hanging out outside the station, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer. I guess this is the cheapest form of entertainment for young Petersburgers. I wondered what kids back in the Bay Area would be doing at this time of night—going to the movies and bowling, probably. I arrived at the hostel before midnight and slept like a log.

Teens getting to know the amber nectar

# posted by billklee @ 23:12 0 comments

Of all the aspects of this trip, the most frightening was the prospect of taking the Moscow-St. Petersburg. Many sources informed me that this train was dangerous. Thieves ran wild, nothing was secure. One coworker told me that she had to buy an entire four-person compartment for herself and her sister just to feel safe.

On this journey I bunked in one of these four-person compartments (called kupe). Already equipped with one experience of Russian train travel that I gained from the Riga-Moscow trip, I felt pretty safe. I slept on a bottom bunk, which lifts up to reveal a secure storage bin, and stowed my belongings there. It turned out there was nothing to be afraid of. The only unpleasant experience about this trip was the now-familiar body odor of my companions.

Palace Square through the arches of the General Staff building

The train, which left Moscow at 11 P.M., arrived in St. Petersburg at 6:30 A.M. The scene outside the train station was oddly calm. I took the metro one stop to the Nevskiy Prospekt station and walked the remaining five minutes to my hostel. Nevskiy Prospekt is St. Petersburg's main thoroughfare, and one that is supposed to be teeming with people. But at this hour, there were only a few elderly people walking along. What a difference from Moscow, I thought.

Palace Square and the Winter Palace

I arrived at my hostel, named Nord, at 7 A.M. You couldn't beat the location, only one block from the Hermitage. I was greeted by the owner, a quirky but friendly young woman named Masha. The facilities in this place are amazing. There are four private bathrooms, all spick-and-span. A hearty breakfast, free internet and free laundry are included in the price, 24 euros per night. There is a lot of small things that add a touch of class: bottled water and a plate of dried fruit in the kitchen, lamps and electrical outlets at each bunk. Moreover, the common area is cozy and conducive to socializing.

One of St. Petersburg's many waterways

I showered and ate breakfast and was out the door before 10 A.M. By this time, Nevskiy Prospekt had transformed from a sleepy lane to the congested street that I had expected. There were hundreds of young people out now. I took note of their fashions, which were more or less the same as in Moscow: short skirts and open-toed shoes with stockings for women, pointy shoes for men.

Alexander Pushkin, Russia's most beloved poet

I spent a few hours on a walking tour of the city. This tour was arranged by Peter's Walking Tours. My group and I went to some places not ordinarily seen by tourists, including the palace where Rasputin was murdered and a shop selling pirated DVDs. My favorite is a large indoor market that houses a stand operated by Koreans. (They were impressed that I spoke some Russian.)

Kim chi, anyone?

When the tour ended I walked some more around the city. Numerous rivers and canals makes the city nice for taking a stroll. The weather was nice today, and many people took boat rides on these waterways.

St. Petersburg has a European flavor. Obviously the architecture contributes to this. You see many more outdoor cafes here than in Moscow. The pace of life here is much slower, too. For instance, no one runs up or down the Metro escalators (then again, St. Petersburg's stations are much deeper than Moscow's). I didn't see as many people from the Caucasus or Central Asia as I did in Moscow. I did, however, notice a lot of East Asians.

Afternoon in St. Petersburg

That evening I met a CouchSurfer named Lena. She could not host me, but she did agree to show me the city. We walked along the Neva, the city's main river. We got along right away. I enjoyed talking with her as we walked next to the water, sparkling from the evening sun.

Church on Spilled Blood

We walked through some gardens, and then went to a cafe for dinner. This place, is called Zoom Cafe and is close to Nevskiy Prospekt. It is like the FAQ Cafe in Moscow, with a funky interior and good food at low prices. (One interesting touch was the menu—it was a library card catalog with each card describing a dish or drink.) I enjoyed conversing with Lena—she is a cheerful, genuine person who is different from the typical people I encounter in St. Petersburg, who seem to put on a front. (Of course, anyone who laughs at my jokes is all right in my book.) I learned that she is a college student studying film. It turns out that we have much in common—she is an ardent lover of Asian cinema, so we discussed our favorite movies and directors. She also told me about her past CouchSurfing experiences. She hasn't yet stayed with other CouchSurfers or hosted anyone, but she has met a few people passing through St. Petersburg. The most recent were from Northern England—she had quite a hard time making sense of their accent, so she was happy that she could understand me! (I also practiced some Russian with her and was flattered to hear that I sounded like a native speaker.)

We were having such a good time talking that, before we knew it, it was midnight and Lena reluctantly had to leave to catch the Metro. We agreed to meet again.

Moyka River. In the distance are Yusupov Palace (site of Rasputin's murder) and St. Isaac's Cathedral

# posted by billklee @ 23:42 0 comments

Kremlin

• Moscow reminds me of an Asian metropolis. At night the city shines with flashing neon lights. There is a haphazard use of space—you can see casinos less than a mile away from the Kremlin. The underground passage, with a nonstop stream of people filing past myriad shops that sell food, electronics, intimate apparel and everything in between, is the heart of the city. Like Singapore, there is a gamut of ethnicities in this capital city, but everyone is unmistakably Russian.
• Moscow is the third most expensive city in the world, yet policemen earn an absurdly low salary of $100 per month. It is widely known that Moscow police officers are eager to fine people for the slightest offense. Yet the locals that I spoke to do not resent the police; in fact they sympathize with them. After all, they are only trying to feed their families. The most aggressive policemen operate near Red Square. They stop anyone who doesn't look like a local, and if they find something wrong with their passport (Russians are required to carry their passport at all times) they demand a fine. I was stopped once in a park near the Moscow River, but since my papers were in order, the policeman had no choice but to let me go. Americans may object to this kind of police action, calling it an infringement of civil liberties, but surprisingly many Russians think America takes the rule of law too far, especially when it comes to litigation.
• Like Riga, most dining is done on the run, especially at the ubiquitous Middle Eastern, bliny and toast stands.
• There are two objects that Muscovites on the street are likely to be holding: ice cream and beer. People enjoy ice cream even on a rainy and mild day. Beer is cheaper than Coca Cola. There is no minimum age for buying or consuming beer, so you often find women and children taking swigs from a bottle in public.
• Muscovites talk openly about relationships and sexuality. I was asked by one girl if I had a girlfriend. In the states, such a question would be sign of the girl's interest, but in this case I think it was an honest question. Several people asked me if I "liked Russian girls." (My stock answer was "I don't discriminate.") One young man I met wanted to show me some Japanese animation on his computer, to which a female friend matter-of-factly asked, "Is this porno?"

  
  Kids of all ages playing near Novodevichiy Convent

• I saw many groups of young men wearing military fatigues. I thought they were active soldiers, but I later learned that they are students in military academies. Military service is compulsory for males 18 years of age and older.
• I thought I would find a city divided between a few haves and a mass of have-nots. While I was amazed by luxury cars that flood the streets, and while I did see a few beggars and hints of a migrant population, Moscow seems to have a large middle class. People from all parts of Russia want to live in Moscow, and somehow new homes and jobs keep sprouting up to accommodate them.

Moscow dazzled me. Nothing prepared me for the manic feeling you get when you ride the Metro, walk on Tverskaya street and drive through the city at night. It's impossible to mention Warsaw, Vilnius or Riga in the same breath as Moscow. They say that New York is the city that never sleeps, but whoever coined that phrase likely never visited Moscow.

# posted by billklee @ 23:57 0 comments

My options for sightseeing today were limited because I left my bag, containing my guidebook and maps, in Alice's car last night. I decided to take a tour of the Metro system. There is a line that runs in a circle around the center of the city, and this has some beautiful stations. No expense was spared in decorating them with exquisite mosaics, sculptures and chandeliers. I was most impressed with Belorusskaya, Kievskaya and Komsomolskaya.

Mosaic and relief on ceiling of Belorusskaya metro station

The Metro is fantastic. The trains run on an efficient schedule, sometimes less than two minutes apart (in each station there is a timer that shows the time elapsed since the departure of the last train). They pull out of the station with an impressive sound, an electric whoosh. No matter what time it is, there is always a huge crowd on the trains, in the stations on the escalators to the surface. But the staions and cars are safe; even though you can be pressed against your neighbors, you don't have to worry about pickpockets or gropers. The stations are pretty deep—you can spend at least one minute riding the escalator—but there are usually some people who are in a rush and run alongside you. With the constant waves of passengers spilling through the station, enjoying the artwork in the stations is a challenge. But for only 50 cents to enter the system, its no wonder the show plays to standing room only.

After an hour or so, I met Nadi at the architectural university that she attends. Nadi is currently studying for a specialist's degree (in between a bachelor's and a master's). She finishes her course next year. Her concentration is industrial architecture, although she told me that after she gets her degree she will be free to enter a new field. Nadi is especially interested in renovating existing structures.

Novoslobodskaya station

She led me inside the main building and showed me around. There were a lot of impressive student projects on display. We went back outside and hung out near the front gate. I met more of her classmates, who were all artsy.

In the afternoon I visited the Tretyakov Gallery. This holds the largest collection of Russian painting in the world, most of which are portraits. I was interested to see late 19th century and 20th century works, but unfortunately most of the rooms that house these were closed for the day. The gallery also contains a large collection of religious icons, but I had seen so many icons in the past three days that I just ran through this.

Komsomolskaya station

My train to St. Petersburg was for 11 P.M., which I hoped would give me time for one last dinner with my new friends. Unfortunately, Nastya (one of Nadi's classmates that I met on my first day in Moscow) was tied up at school. She did, however, kindly offer to give me a ride to the train station. I met up with Nadi, Alice and their friend Dima at a cafe near Nadi's flat. Dima showed me some of his work—he is a part-time photographer who made some really terrific portraits of Nadi and her friends. Overall I admired the creative spirit possessed by Nadi and her cohorts.

In a short while Nastya arrived, joined by Julia. We returned to Nadi's flat and I quickly packed my bags. I encouraged everyone to come to San Francisco. I thanked Nadi for her out-of-this-world hospitality. In her typically modest way, she apologized that she hadn't had more time to spend with me, on account of her studies, and especially that she and her friends didn't show me any of Moscow's legendary nightclubs! I told her that I wouldn't forget her kindness, and we said goodbye.

Nastya drove me to the train station, with Julia along as well. Even at this hour we encountered a traffic jam, but Nastya found another way. We got there with plenty of time to spare. I said goodbye to them both and thanked them for showing me a great time. I promised that I would be back again—maybe in the wintertime, to see a different side of the city.

# posted by billklee @ 23:55 0 comments

Moscow River

I started the day by visiting the Pushkin Museum. (This is an art museum, actually, not one for Russia's beloved poet.) Disappointingly, half of the gallery space is occupied by plaster casts of famous artworks in other museums, such as Michelangelo's David and the Farnese Bull. I was most interested in a corner of the second floor that houses post-impressionist art from the likes of Cezanne and Van Gogh.

Church of Christ the Savior

For lunch I tried bliny, crepes with fillings (in my case, sour cream and mushrooms). After that I stepped inside the Church of Christ the Savior. This is down the street from the Pushkin Museum and along the Moscow River. The church is massive, but it is also tacky. Inside, the words "Christ Resurrected" are spelled out in neon lights. (I looked for slot machines and a bar but did not find any.)

International Children's Day

Today was International Children's Day, and Nadi told me that there was a special event happening south of the river where, among others, a musician friend was performing. I arrived late, and the music and live entertainment were already over. There were still a lot of kids, though. They were having a great time, running around with balloons and blowing bubbles.

Moscow traffic

After spending a short while there, I took the Metro to Novodevichiy Convent. Inside the convent's walls were a dozen or so buildings featuring the Baroque architecture that is so prevalent among Moscow's historic structures. In one building there was an interesting exhibit about Russian Orthodox missionaries in remote regions of Russia. Outside the convent there is a picturesque lake and a park. It was the perfect place to relax on a Wednesday afternoon.

Novodevichiy Convent

In the evening I hung out with Nadi and Julia. We went to a reception hosted by a new student club at their university. Through a connection the club was able to hold the event at an architectural institute. It was swank. The attendees, dressed like they were going either to an awards show or to a punk concert, mingled and looked cool while a DJ spinned lounge music. This shindig's raison d'etre seemed a little unusual to me—it was an exhibition of entries for the club's official logo—but I think this shows that Russians can find any reason to have a party. I walked around the room and judged the entries myself. Most of them were really good. After attending this reception I wanted to be a student again.

Afterwards I joined Nadi and her friends Alice, Agatha and Lena for a night at, of all places, TGI Friday's. It was pretty quiet on this Wednesday night. I had a meal and then tried to keep up with the girls as they went through a half dozen cocktails (except for Nadi, who doesn't drink). They insisted that I try a special Moscow libation called "snake eyes". This is actually three drinks in one. You start with a cocktail glass full of blue curacao (if I remember correctly). The twist is that the waiter lights the spirit on fire—you have to drink it from the bottom using a straw. After you suck that up, the waiter empties two shot glasses loaded with other colorful liqueurs into the cocktail glass, and you keep sucking until it's all gone. (A third person can shake pepper onto the flame, creating a nice effect.) Since you're supposed to drink it fast, it goes down pretty strong, but it leaves a pleasant aftertaste. I had three of these and got quite buzzed. The girls spent probably more than $50 each on drinks, which I thought was a lot for students on a weeknight.

TGI Friday's

I talked mostly to Agatha, who spoke English pretty well. (Alice and Lena were friendly too, but for the most part I talked to them with Agatha or Nadi serving as an interpreter.) She had done a lot of traveling to Europe and Asia, and it was interesting to compare our experiences and opinions about the world. Overall, traveling made Agatha appreciate Russia a whole lot. I would say the same holds true for me—as the trip progressed I started to miss some qualities of the States, although I think being able to speak the language well would have improved my opinion of certain places. Another great point that Agatha made was that your attitude toward traveling depends very much on who you spend your time with along the way. I would definitely agree with this, because I am having an amazing time in Moscow.

Lena and yours truly trying "Snake Eyes"

After getting primed with a couple of Long Island iced teas, Agatha shared some of her pet peeves about people from other parts of the world. She gets irked when foreigners assume that she loves vodka because she is Russian. She said foreigners think of three things when they hear the word "Russia": vodka, bears and snow (or maybe women, I don't remember). Then I asked her what three words she thought of that relate to America. She replied: hamburgers, guns, and cowboys. Then naturally the conversation steered toward these Russians' conceptions about America. It struck me how much they believed popular negative perceptions about the U.S. held by foreigners. For instance, they asked me why in the richest country in the world there are homeless? I believe that my trip dispeled preconceptions about Eastern Europe that I used to hold, so I suggested that they visit America for the same reason. They responded that this would be hard, not so much because of the cost but because it is very difficult, especially for a single female Russian, to obtain a tourist visa. The U.S. fears that such persons are high risks of overstaying their visas.

Snakebit

I was impressed by these girls' love of Moscow and Russia and by their optimism. They all are really cool; it's a shame I am leaving tomorrow because I would like to hang out with them again.

Girls' (plus one guy's) night out

# posted by billklee @ 23:09 0 comments