...quite literally. Patrick and I did a little shopping yesterday at Okhotny Ryad, one of Moscow's major malls. Now, I'm not usually a shoe person, but in preparation for our posh meal that evening at Cafe Pushkin, I thought some ridiculous high heels would do nicely. I think the ladies of Moscow gave me far too much confidence with their effortless shimmies down the streets in their high heels! After an eternity wearing flip-flops, my legs and feet didn't know what had hit 'em. One word of warning for stiletto-loving ladies: Moscow's metro stations are not well designed for high heels. Especially on a rainy day. Who would have thought it, eh? Ah well, my calves are feeling much better for it this morning.
Enough about that...a mall is a mall is a mall, after all. Time to describe Moscow's more unique qualities. I saw a great website where the writer describes Moscow restaurants in one sentence...and I'm going to shamelessly copy his idea, but with all the sights we've seen, and places we've been. Alright, you all know I'm a waffler...I'll try and describe each place in 3 sentences or less.
SIGHTS WE'VE SEEN...
St Basil's Cathedral: Straight out of a fairy-tale...or Disneyland, I can't decide. Looks like it is made from sherbet, peppermint and gingerbread.
Red Square: The surrounding buildings are ornate and beautiful, but I think it's best if you spin to every corner, and try to imagine the rioters, protesters and infamous Russian leaders that once stood where you now stand.
Lenin's Mauseleum: Though Lenin was flattened and waxy, I was more creeped-out by the statue-like guard in every corner who only came to life to shush people.
New Tretykov Gallery: One of the best modern art galleries I've been to. Too exciting to see Kandinsky paintings in the flesh... and discover new Russian artists such as Natalia Goncharova. Strangely difficult to find...at first glance, looks like a dilapidated building with barbed wire and a scrapyard in front.
Kremlin: Queues, queues, queues- and an angry cloakroom woman (why are they always so angry?). It felt like a university campus, just with gold topped cathedrals where Tsars were crowned and buried instead of lecture halls. The biggest bell in the world lies within the Kremlin's walls; disappointing that it never actually rang though.
The hourly changing of the guard just outside the Kremlin.
Just managed one pic before this strict Russian guard moved me along!
Fancy-pants photography.
PLACES WE'VE BEEN...
Capital Hostel: Great location- close to tube and vast array of bars/restaurants. Not many people- nice and chilled atmosphere (i.e antithesis of Golden Gobi, as much as I loved that place).
GUM: I thought this was one of the Red Square's 19th century government buildings until I stepped inside. A decadently decorated mall just filled with natural light, expensive clothes and food and very beautiful people.
Rock Vegas: Sounds like an American bar, yet trying to look like a British pub. As a result, it's distinctly Russian- even despite the French music channels.
Bar BQ- 80s music videos on the TV screens couldn't quite distract us from our unexpectedly delicious meals. Very forward-thinking...we tapped our order into an iPad that was sent to the bar and kitchen. Is this the future?
Cafe Biskotti: Bloody good omelette.
Cafe Pushkin: As we sat next to a tall cabinet of dusty, leather-bound books, and the harpist and flautist began to play, I felt as though I'd been transported to a more decadent era. Wine prices were a little shocking, but my tomato-and-herbs stuffed salmon with shrimp dumplings was delicious. Nice touch making the salmon into the shape of a shrimp's body, complete with real shrimp's head at one end, and fan-tail mange-tout at the other end (yes, I'm easily impressed).
Shop and Bar Denis Simachev: If this place were a dance move, it would be a cool head bop, carefully surveying the dance floor with one arm propped up at the bar. In other words, exuding a cool and swagger that effortlessly draws wannabe-trendies in. The kind of place that installs a fake toilet system on the tiled booth walls, complete with drunken 'inspirational' scribblings from past patrons.
Ostrovsky Restaurant: Great carbonara- even better than Vang Vieng's (long running private joke). Finally fulfilled my bizarre month-long hankering for a chicken Kiev...and it was delicious. Not even the chatty tour group next to us could put us off the fantastic food; the latter's quality was definitely on a par with Cafe Pushkin's, for a quarter (or less) of the price.
Moscow: Culturally rich and effortlessly trendy city. Offers something of quality for everybody.
We've just arrived into St. Petersburg on our final overnight, and plaskart, train experience. The train was the most modern so far...real toilets, that you can use even when the train has stopped! Truly exciting stuff. In the next few days, we'll mainly be trying to soak up some culture, and hopefully catch a Russian musical in the Mariinsky theatre, St Petersburg's most renouned. Looks like I might have to refine my lady-like swagger in those stilettos...
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