Bookmarking for me, who has Russia near the top of the Travel List. I am interested in hearing it all.

me too!

1. Dress
I constantly saw questions posted on this and other forums asking about how to dress so as to not stand out in a foriegn country, expecially in Russia. Whether through luck or good planning, I was very happy with how I packed and blended in quite well. My wife and I were actually asked for directions a couple of times by natives. I will start from the bottom up.

Shoes - If you want to be immediately identified as American, wear slacks with cross-trainer type athletic shoes. Shoes are regarded with great inportance. Women wear highed-heeled shoes almost exclusively, irrespectful of how far they will be walking. In Moscow, we actually tried to see if any women wearing flat shoes were speaking Russian and could find none. Boots are expecially popular. Tennis shoes are not. Men wear very fashionable shoes, especially leather dress shoes. I brought two pairs of shoes: some brown dress loafers for nights out and a pair of nice LeCoste lace ups for everyday walking and was very happy with my choices.

Pants and Shorts - I never saw shorts on anything but a few foreigners. I wore some nicer cargo pants and fit in alright though I didnt really see anyone else wearing them. Fashionable jeans are the norm on both men and women although nicer pants and skirts would never be out of place.

Shirts and Jackets - Pretty standard stuff here. Nice button up shirts and fashion t-shirts were the norm. Lots of jean jackets, motorcycle-style jackets and the "members-only" style jackets too. Casual sport coats were pretty common too.

Hats/Scarves - Scarves are very common and although it wasnt really cold enough for hats, I saw a few berets. No baseball caps though.

I think that's it for my first installment!

Quick disclaimer: the dress segment applies to Moscow and (mostly) to St. Pete. Minsk is much less formal although people do still try to dress well.

Thanks for this post ksose! Yes, the Russians sure do doll up when walking out of the house. They all look impeccable.

Moscow and St. Petes are beautiful cities, and I hope to go back one day soon. In the meantime, I look forward to your post on culture and food!

2. Trains (and why you should take one if you visit)

Trains are undoubtedly an integral part of Russian culture. Tracks criss-cross the whole country and provide a regular, reliable and affordable means of travel. We took two overnight train rides: from Moscow to Minsk and Minsk to St. Petersburg. I advocate them for a variety of reasons. First, taking a train is far less of a hassle and expense than air flight. Any of you who have been to Russian airports will also know that they do not provide a similar level of hospitality services compared to those in Europe or the US. You also avoid paying for lodging for the night since you sleep on the train. And in my case, I slept well. We were in the expensive cars, four people to a cabin about two meters cubed. I was sleeping in a box that was 6'3" (1.9m) long--I know that because I am 6'3". Still, all of the shaking and rumbling (they were louder and rough riding than the Amtrack trains I have experienced in California) hid background noises and put me right to sleep. More importantly, riding the train is just an old fashioned human cultural experience--one of those things you have to do in life. You watch people say goodbye before you board, just like in the movies. Drink your tea from the special train glasses and watch the countryside pass by. It's a fantastic opportunity to take life slow and enjoy it without sacrificing precious vacation time.

Word to the Wise: I highly reccomend bringing a comfy set of earplugs. Snoring neighbors are par for the course. Also, dont expect the use the bathroom at or even near a stop because the stewards lock them when you get close. I had a wonderous conversation in Russian with Olga the Stewardess on the Minsk line at about 3am where she elucidated on this fact for me. The pedal on the floor near the toilette doesnt flush it, it just opens the bottom like a trap door. Make sense?

Fringe Benefit: we avoided Belarussian border crossing by taking the train. As it turns out, Belarus does not have continuous enforcement of the borders with Russia. We had the proper visa's and I would never advocate skirting proper entry pocedures, especially in Belarus. Still, avoiding the hassle was nice.

I'm enjoying your report...

ksose,
this is wonderful. Maybe I do not check it enough but I tend not to stumble on Russia reports as often so this is a real service to those planning a trip.

Excellent report ksose. Thank you for taking the time to write. Russia is on my list because I've been everywhere else.

3. The Banya

The Banya is in many ways like the Train in its relationship to Russia: a truly integral cultural experience and an insight into old fashioned life. If you don’t know what a Banya is, the simple description is “A Sauna on Steroids”. Whereas most Sauna’s in the gyms and health clubs here in the US keep the temperature at around 140 F (don’t quote me) the thermometer in the banya I went to pointed to 95C (~200F). You didn’t read that wrong, nearly hot enough to boil water (as a side note, I am an engineer and hence a skeptic of everything and I am still having trouble believing that figure). In reality, it is much more complicated than that. Russians regard it as key ingredient to maintaining good health and despite my coming in as a skeptic of that (see above) I have to agree. The first taste was not so sweet though.

My banya experience may differ from the standard. Since we were on a family vacation, we rented a private banya. Instead of being surrounded by naked men, it was friends and family, modestly covered in bathing suits. Along with the actual hot room, we also had sole use of a small pool, showers and changing room as well as something we called “the bucket” (more on that later). I had prepared myself for the unexpected but nothing could have prepared me for the heat. I took one step into the room and felt like I had walked into an oven on Broil. I have played soccer in 110F, been in Sauna’s and hot tubs, but this is on another level. I literally thought “there is no way I can spend more than 30 seconds in there without dying”. Eventually, I was coaxed back and after the inevitable “it’s like a sauna in here!” jokes, my entire body was sweating. Then Pavel came in, a man who looked like a body builder and would be the one to apply the birch branch treatment. You lay down on a board and he scrubs the living you-know-what out of your whole body with some birch leaves, with the coup de gras being a mild whipping. Did I mention that Pavel was wearing a white loin cloth? He was. As awkward, strange and torturous as the whole process sounds, it felt pretty good. After you could take no more of the heat, you go outside to face the bucket. Stand underneath, pull the chain, and like TV game shows of old, cold water comes spilling down, shocking you like ice down your pants. Again, for unexplainable reasons, it actually feels pretty good. Jump in the pool to complete the cool down, then head back to the heat. This whole process continues for about an hour and a half, when you become physically exhausted and can take no more.

Afterwards, your skin feels great, joints loose, sinuses clear and throat dry. Plus, you form a special bond with people when you sit in a 200F heat with them for prolonged periods. All in all it was a fantastic, memorable experience and one that I wholeheartedly recommend.

you form a special bond with people when you sit in a 200F heat with them for prolonged periods.

No special bond with the body builder in a loin cloth whipping you??

Enjoying the report - looking forward to more.

Thanks for the report ksose.

I am just now starting to consider a trip to the Baltic region that would include a side trip to St Petersburg so I am very interested in your experience there.

I can't quite yet decide whether your banya experience was a fun insight into Russian culture and lifestyle, or a horrifying interlude of burns and whipping. Guess I will have to try it for myself

I tried a much milder naked version of the hot/cold cycle at the Friedrichsbad Roman/Irish baths in Baden-Baden, but they included a massage instead of a whipping and I was cocooned in warm blankies for a nap when I was done.

Love it! Bookmarking!

A banya report! That's probably a first for Fodors Very interesting reading; looking forward to reading the rest.

Very interesting, thanks! One of my DD's friends leaves for Russia tomorrow for exchange for a year. So this is timely for us to read what it is like there. Thanks!

4. Food

Note: after some consideration , I have decided to make drinks and drinking a separate post. Too much to talk about here.

I had some idea what to expect from a dining perspective in Russia and Belarus. Countless family dinners and parties with my wife’s family prepared me for the onslaught of fish, fish related products, beets, cheese, fish, pickles, rye bread, potatoes and fish. We did manage to experience a broad cross section of dining experiences from the venerable Pushkin Café in Moscow to Moo Moo Cafe (good Russian Food, good prices, completely recommend) to fresh pirogi from the farmer’s market in Minsk to home-made BBQ at a dacha outside of Minsk. We also went to grocery stores to get food for breakfasts and snacks as well as drinking water. Since it’s difficult to write cohesively about such an extensive and important topic, I will use bullet points in no particular order.
- If you don’t like to see dead fish with their heads and tails on, don’t go to Russia, you wont like it
- ‘Sala’ is a traditional Russian food that is best described as thick sliced bacon which is 90% fat. Essentially, giant chunks of pork fat. People love it for some reason, especially on rye bread as a chaser for vodka.
- Pickles are very common both on their own and in salads.
- Rye bread is common and excellent
- The food and service at Pushkin Café in Moscow was universally excellent, but we all found it to be not worth the high price. However, if you like fine, fine dining and don’t mind spending to get it, you will like this place.
- Herring is a very popular fish. You can find it most commonly in oil (salotka) in mayonnaise with chopped beet topping (paschuba) or with the head on in the market. My wife loves it. I find it all revolting.
- Caviar (eekra) is popular but usually as the more cost-effective red variety.
- I don’t remember the names of many restaurants, usually because I was too forcibly drunk by the end of dinner to care, but the Moo-Moo café chain in Moscow is one that I recommend. Very popular with Russians too.
- Perogi/Peroshki are very common as a fast food. Essentially pastry dough stuffed with filling, you can find them containing pretty much anything. I loved the breakfast ones with fruit.
- Almost universally, you will be handed the bill only when you ask for it.
- Most major restaurants will have English menus and waiters that speak some but there are no guarantees. I am slightly deficient on this knowledge due to the fluency of my traveling companions and my pigeon Russian.
- BBQ grilled meat (shishleek) is very tasty, especially from Georgian (or other southern republic) restaurants. Lamb, chicken and beef are the most common types.
- McDonalds is everywhere and very popular amongst the natives. The food is basically the same as in the states. If you need to go to the bathroom, want it to be clean and don’t want to pay for it, seek out golden arches. Strange side note: in Russia, McDonalds’ storefront signs are Cyrillic, in Belarus (where English is less prevalent), they are in English.
- Ice cream is of high quality and cheap in the markets. It can also be bought on pretty much any street corner for 30-40 rubles. I ate a lot of it.
- Dairy products are very tasty, very plentiful and typically higher in fat than in the US. Yogurts, cheeses, sour cream, buttermilk and products that fall somewhere in between can be found in any market.

I really enjoyed the food on the trip and I am usually a pretty unadventurous eater. I am leaving out a lot information, but this is only meant to be a cross-section since I could go on forever. Ask questions if you want to know specifics.

I tend to think of salo as more of a Ukrainian thing- I didn't ever see it until I lived in Kharkiv. It was widely loved though- I'm just lucky that as a vegetarian, I had an easy excuse to turn that little treat down.

(Has anyone seen "Everything is Illuminated"? The vegetarian scene is hilarious- I show it to my students every year.)

Thanks for the MY-MY recommendation. I like it there- I like Yolki Palki too.

We leave for Russia next Friday! Will definitely have to remind kids about the fish.

Saving this to read later... just got our adoption travel dates today. We are going to Russia to meet our baby boy.

topping for future use! thanks

I never got a chance to try yolki-polki and in fact, I only saw one (in St. Pete). Also, for those of you that dont know, Yolki-Polki is slang for something loosely similar to "son of 'gun'".

5. Drink and Drinking

“Biez Gaz”, remember this. Apparently, in Russia (and Belarus) water comes out of the ground full of fizzy bubbles of carbon dioxide. Time and effort is required to remove said bubbles so still water or water without (biez) gas is more expensive and will probably have to be specially requested. (Note: do not be confused if a proprietor responds with “z-gaz?”, that means with gas). In general, Russians do not drink much water. Strange as it may sound, when we went to the BBQ mentioned in post #4, our hosts bought water specifically for us crazy Americans. “You drink so much water!” we were admonished.

This is just one of the many interesting tidbits dealing with beverages. More well known is the Russian relationship with Vodka. I have found that cognac is drank with very high frequency as well—at any get together, you will probably find it in addition to Vodka. There is a whole set of courtesies and practices that go with drinking hard alcohol. I will summarize
1. When offered a drink or shot, you are generally obliged to accept (less stringent with women). If you need a comparison, imagine if you brought a home-baked apple pie to your neighbor and they said “No thanks” and closed the door. Not cool.
2. Toasts are of critical importance. If you have been handed a drink and a toast is not given, you have two options which are of equal valor: wait for the toast or propose one yourself. Toasts can be short (“to your health”) or long (an ode to one’s spouse or parents) so feel free to take the floor and improvise.
3. Chasers are typically in the form of food and can be reasonable requested if not present. Bread and pickled foods are the most common. Side note: in my opinion, pickles taste awful after vodka and I like pickles.
4. Follow up drinks may be declined by women, men should not decline outright, but instead ask for a little less (“choot-choots” or “neemnoga”).
Protracted drinking sessions are common and can lead to such side effects as singing folk songs or more drinking. Generally, when some breaks out the bottle, fun is ahead.

One of the other differences you will see if the large amount of drinking on the street. While open containers on the street are not necessarily legal, you would be hard pressed to believe it walking around. In every city we were in, beer was sold in stores and street stands for pretty cheap and people drinking in public spaces was common. One of the downers of this is that beer bottles were everywhere at night but usually cleaned up by morning by the plethora of street sweepers.

Again, much has been left out, but the two sections above are what I came across the most often.

What a fun report! We left Belarus in 1989, I spent 4 years in college in Moscow, and promise this all was true then, and it looks like not much had changed.

You still didn't get it about water/vodka, huh? Sick people (like stomach ulcer) drink mineral water (carbonated). Healthy people drink vodka. When you can't take in any more vodka, tea (samovar ) comes to the rescue.

Ksose,

I don't drink alcohol at all. My hubby does, but not usually hard liquor (unless it is whiskey, and good stuff at that)but he would probably have a shot of vodka to be polite. I don't really like to be surrounded by inebriated people, they aren't as funny as they usually think they are Picturing an evening stroll past outdoor drinkers leaving bottles everywhere is not too appealing to me either. Would you suggest I NOT visit St Petersburg or will a non-drinker be able to enjoy it anyway?

Topping report - thanks Ksose!

good one, ksose, I am enjoying it. Sounds very authentic. Like your wife, I love selyodka, pod shuboy or otherwise. It's a Russian disease...

HappyCheese,

I don't drink and as a woman I survived just fine in Russia, for men, I think, ksose gives sound advice. It's especially applicable when dealing with family and friends. He may be able to get away with a "medical" reason not to drink, though perhaps less so in or near the Caucasus region, if you ever venture. All bets are off there...

-e

ksose:
>In Moscow, we actually tried to see if any women wearing flat shoes were speaking Russian and could find none

Tha't's because I moved to San Francisco!

Thank you for the report, I enjoyed reading it.

HappyCheesehead, If you're going to St.P as a tourist visiting the sites, no worries. I'm not much of a drinker, but I had a wonderful time there - no tripping over empty bottles everywhere I went. ksose was visiting family - a whole different kettle of fish!

ksose, I am really enjoying your report!

I agree- my friends are not heavy drinkers, but they can turn it up/down whenever need presents. I am a "one glass of wine girl", and they know and understand that- I order my bottle of H20 (bez ili z gaz) and keep my wine glass fairly full for toasting.

Even the school we exchange with has elaborate celebrations with wine- in the school building! To my American senses, it is super weird- but at least it is after the kids go home for the day!

Drunks in the streets? I guess that would depend on where you are. I haven't ever been bothered by anyone.

Not surprisingly, we saw lots of beer-drinking by young men in the subways in both St. Petersburg and in Moscow.

Their empty bottles would roll back and forth the length of the car, and sometimes these young drinkers had difficulty getting on and off. However, at not time were they disrespectful or a problem. Just very tipsy. And this went on both day and night, but especially after dark.

I wore a small American flag pin in my jacket's buttonhole, and people often would point to it, smile, and give us the "thumbs up." This was five years ago. I wonder if they would today.

Thank you! Based on all of your first hand experiences with your travel in Russia, I won't worry a bit about the drinking. I know some areas of the world drink more than others, it is part of the culture. Believe me, being from Wisconsin I think we have that in common with Russians!

ksose - I loved your report! This is great info.

I have a few questions for you: I'm planning to fly to Moscow from SFO next May, then from St. Petersburg to SFO on the return flight. I'm just starting to research flights now.

If you don't mind sharing, what airline did you fly on, and how was the experience? Was it a direct flight from SFO to Moscow (and on the return trip from St. Petersburg to SFO) or did you have a layover somewhere? Any recommendations would be much appreciated -Thanks! Magellan

No more Aeroflot direct flight from SEA or SFO only from LAX.

ksose:

Did your wife's parents remark on any obvious changes or were things just as they remembered?

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and experiences.

Sandy

I will be traveling next May. I am enjoying your report. Keep it coming. Not many people are writing about Russia.

I was surprised by the the drinking section. I had read that public intoxication was strictly frowned on and could land you in jail. I also read that police may come up to you and demand papers. What was the police presence like?

Hi,
I am originally from Moscow. I've been living in NY for 11 years. My husband and I were impressed of a very colorful and juicefull picture you provided. It is very consistent with our memories.
I have not been there for 8 years and not planning to, unless as a guide with our American friends. We are going to Switzerland, instead.
In fact, my mom's family was from Minsk.

ksose:

Your report is well received by all. Thank you. I expect to return to Russia sometime in '08. I had memorable visits there during the Cold War, once quasi-clandestinely ('63), and twice as a tourist more or less ('85, '87).

I visited at various times Moscow and St. P (Leningrad then), Vladimir, Suzdal, Novgorod, and Tashkent-Samarkand-Bukhara in what was then Uzbek SSR. I'm also planning to visit the Ukraine, now that it is independent, because I could not wangle a permit to visit my family's ancestral home, about 30 kms. west of Kiev (you hang a right at COSTCO!).

Your reports brings back some fond and not so fond memories. I look to see some major change next year, and I do look forward to the "comparative" experience.

Keep 'em coming.

Stu T.
There were widespread food shortages back then, and many times one had to do with whatever was available, even at the better hotels (better in those days would be classified as undesirable today).

< I had memorable visits there during the Cold War, once quasi-clandestinely ('63), >

Tower, do tell, if it's ever de-classified that is . My curiosity is surely piqued...

-e

Just a note, enroute:

There is very little I can tell..I cannot go into any detail..suffice it to say that at the time there were numerous swaps of technology intelligence between the USSR and the USA...bizarre to say the least. I still can't believe it happened or that I played a small role in these unreal affairs of state.

I was 34-36 then..now at 78 I rarely reflect on it.

Stu T.

Thanks. Yes, very different times.....

Wow, this thread exploded while I was gone over the weekend. Most of the questions have been well answered but I will toss in my 2 cents.

My “rules for drinking” were generally for acquaintances, friends or family. If some random person offers you a drink, you are under no obligations and I wouldn’t hesitate to turn them down. Also, with regards to the drinking on the street, aside from the sad visual, I never saw any rude or belligerent behavior. There was one episode on the St. Pete subway at night were a drunk guy was staring at a woman across the car, but it never went beyond that. I did not mean to paint a picture of Russia like some giant fraternity house where you step over beer bottles everywhere you go—the streets there are generally cleaner than in the states—I was just trying to point out some cultural differences.

In regards to the flights, we took KLM from SFO to Amsterdam and then to Moscow with only a two hour layover. From St. Pete, we took Rossiya to Amsterdam and then KLM back to SFO. Aside from the fact that I am ~6’3” and do not fit in coach seats, the flights were great. I found KLM service to be some of the best ever and was relieved to see that the Rossiya aircraft was in excellent shape. I cant speak for all of the Russian carriers, but Rossiya was at least on par with any western carrier. One of the best part about our flights were the short layovers though, only a couple of hours each time. If you are really curious, I can get the flight numbers.

My in-laws were definitely a bit nervous to return to Russia. Because they are Jewish, when they left the USSR, their passports were confiscated and they received a hearty, “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” When I talked to my father in law, he described the general scorn that was directed at them and was genuinely concerned about how much had changed. I will try to cover this more in the “culture” post which will probably be the most challenging, but things have definitely changed. We went to the market that my in-laws use to shop at near their old apt in Minsk. They pointed out where they use to stand in line but when we went inside it looked like any other small supermarket. There are still a lot of issues boiling under the surface, but the freeing of the economy has done wonders both economically and socially.

The police presence is visible to say the least and I will cover it in depth later.

Great info,thanks,ksose.
We have traveled extensively and are interested in going to Russia also.
How would a spring visit work?
Has anyone without Russian language skills managed on their own, or is a guide a good bet.
Thanks,
CCF

I would definitely try to pick up a Russian phrasebook and learn to sound out the alphabet. Guides are a good bet at historic sites, but you want to be able to eat or find the bathroom without an intermediary.

If you are curious, stay tuned for my language post!

CCF, learn to read the alphabet and as ksose says, pick up a phrasebook. Those two things will be a great help.

6. Culture

This seems to be what everyone is curious about so I will get to it. Keep in mind before you read this, I am trying to sum up a thousand year old culture from the physically largest and possibly most diverse country (or federation) on the planet. So don’t string me up if I get something wrong. Likewise, feel free to jump in as it sounds like a lot of you have very personal experiences to call on.

This is a quote from a website I found which I (and my wife’s family) think does a great job of explaining the national culture/mindset. I can’t remember where I got it from so my apologies if these are your words.

“Russia (was) always hindered by autocratic governments that alternatively smothered dissent and innovation and then, alarmed at the backwardness of the country, attempted to impose top-down reforms and development -- which then would be resisted by a national conservatism that the government in its phase of being threatened by change would have loved. So Russia gets beaten up for progressing and then beaten up for not progressing. This more or less is still going on, as Soviet and post-Soviet governments are caught in the same dilemmas, desires, and fears as earlier.”

The history of Russia is one of repeated destruction by foreign power and bold progress by often murderous autocrats who flattened anyone, family included, in their way. This has lead to a general populace that, in my opinion, harbors an innate suspicion of outsiders and a love/fear relationship with there own government which in turn has no trust in its own populace. How does this manifest itself to the everyday traveler? For one, with a lack of helpfulness. Often times, when you ask a salesperson or just someone on the street a question (in Russian), you might get the answer, but it will come with a look on their face that says, “I’ll tell you, but don’t think that I want to!” Customs officers especially and perhaps symbolically, welcome you and say farewell with a solid dose of rudeness. My sister-in-law, a native born, bestowed upon Russia the honor of “World’s Surliest Country”. The counterpoint to this is that friends and family will bend over backwards to help one and other. Relatives whom I had barely heard of rolled out the red carpet for our family, taking days off of work, arranging transportation and throwing parties. Getting over that initial hump with an outsider can be difficult, but once you make acquaintances with someone, they can be a great friend and asset.

The aforementioned distrust of the people by the government leads to large police and military presence. In Belarus, I was told (and believe) that ¼ of the men between 20 and 40 are police. We saw policemen everywhere, just standing around looking at people. In the US, if you see a cop on the street, they are cruising or responding to calls. There, they just stand there and if you start thinking about it, it feels kind of eerie. I felt like a kid on the playground in elementary school when all the teachers stood around watching you. The US police forces are not without their corrupt and power hungry, but in general, they are there to help you. People fear them when they are speeding or otherwise breaking the law. In Belarus, and to a lesser extent Russia, a lot of people fear the authorities all the time. We always watched ourselves and spoke Russian when within earshot of police and never had a problem.

The final point of Russian culture is what I call, for lack of a better word, “showiness”. It is my opinion that due to the prolonged unavailability of basic goods, it is a sign of prosperity to show what you have. If you go to a Russian family dinner, the dining table will most likely be covered in food by the time you get there. “Look,” they are saying, “there is no shortage of food here.” Jewelry, clothing and accessories are typically maxed out. Cars have become (too) common in Moscow and huge luxury sedans and SUV’s like Hummers, X5’s and Land Cruisers roam the streets in greater numbers than most any suburban California town. While American culture may look upon these things as tacky, they are accepted signs of progress and success. You have to remember that 20 years ago, you had to stock up on toilet paper at the store because they might not have it for a while.

One wholly inappropriate version of showiness is the mesh shirt…on a fat man. You have to see it to believe it, but make sure you do so outside of meal times. If you feel up to it, I have photographic proof. Revolting.

Interesting Cultural Side Notes:
- Russians, generally of the older generation, don’t smile in posed pictures. I asked a bunch of people and no one could really explain why.
- People don’t really sit on the ground. I think this may be related to showing someone the bottom of your feet (also very taboo) but it’s usually the park bench or nothing. We experimented with our Belarusian friend and got inquisitive looks from kids in the park.
- People smoke all day, everywhere. Prepare for your clothes and hair to smell like cigarette smoke at the end of the day, especially if you go to a restaurant. It’s worse than in any part of Europe that I have been to and unavoidable.
-Text messaging is HUGE. We went to a ballet (I heard no English in the crowd) and throughout the performance, people’s faces would light up as they cranked out important messages.
- In the US, the military (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force) and intelligence service (CIA) are not allowed to operate within the homeland, unless by special order. There are no such restrictions in Russia. The follow-on to the KGB, the FSB has free reign, especially since Putin took the reigns. Also, you will see soldiers used quite frequently for security and in our case, en masse to close off streets that needed to be cleaned following Moscow Day celebrations.

bookmarking

Ksose,
I am thrilled to find your very informative post on Russia. Have to be in Moscow mid October,2007 for 2 business days. Then I have a choice to spend weekend there or fly on to Bucharest, my next biz destination. Very intrigued by Moscow but have reservations about safety and spending weekend there. I will be with 2 other colleagues, but both also American and first-timers to Moscow. What are your thoughts on how safe the city is? Areas to avoid? Also appreciate your thoughts on flying Aeroflot (inter-Europe), not transatlantic. They seem to have the best prices and direct flights in and out of Moscow. Other carriers have connection but Aeroflot had bad rap of being one of most unreliable airlines in past. Not sure what their safety record is. Perhaps it has changed.

Not only can you not sit on the ground, girls can't sit on a marble bench. Trust me.

"You have to remember that 20 years ago, you had to stock up on toilet paper at the store because they might not have it for a while." - wrong, at least for Belarus. 20 years ago there was NO toilet paper. We used old newspapers (they don't "color" your hands or bottoms like Americans) or cheap school notebooks the price was 2 kopecks, like 2 cents here.

"I think this may be related to showing someone the bottom of your feet (also very taboo)" - 38 years in Belarus, 4 years in Moscow college - never heard anything regarding bottom of the feet! Are you sure? I heard it about Italians, don't know if true.

FainaAgain,
Those claims come from two stories. One, from my wife's family, who heard that it was hard to find toilette paper in the West. They apparently packed quite a lot before leaving and felt like idiots later. With regards to the feet thing, I heard about a business deal where an American company went to Russia to negotiate. When things were pretty much all sorted out, the American leaned back and put his feet up. The deal was called off. I have more faith in the first story than the second--I was just trying to connect the dots about why no one sits on the ground. Given your experience, I happy to defer to you.

Why no marble benches for women?

Apparently it makes a woman's body drop in temperature, and therefore unable to have children.

At least, this is what I have been told.

Of course, I am the girl who has allergies because I don't always wear slippers around the house, too.

bookmarking

Russia is a wonderful, fascinating place to go, so please don't take my comment as a reason not to; I'm just pointing out some sad facts.

Excessive drinking in Russia is one of a few causes that has actually lead to a decline in the average age of mortality -- somewhere in the low 50's for men these days. While you are unlikely to suffer the louts of frat parties and spring break, the drinking has been very problematic for the general health and productivity of the country. International business people talk of the BRIC countries as promising for investment and development (Brazil, Russia, India, and China,) but many are still very cautious about Russia, and the drunkeness is one of many reasons for their caution.

For CheeseHead: comparing Russia and Wisconsin isn't something to smile about. The state leads the nation in binge drinking, and recent incidents of university student deaths related to drunkenness have been in the papers.

But I always praise reports of appropriate dress in the major cities of Europe and near-Europe. Europeans (and many Asians) believe that shorts and baseball caps are strictly for the under-12 set. And yes: anything that you'd actually work out in is too casual for standard streetwear. Personally, while I'm a fan of beautiful shoes, but make room for comfort-with-beauty. I'm waiting to see if the lovely Russian ladies will adopt the fashionable flats that have made inroads with many fashionistas.

Oh, there are so many superstitions! I heard, small girls shouldn't ride bicycles (tricycles??) as this damages their reproductive organs.

Never heard about marble benches, but try to seat on the concrete ones here in the US! My bummie starts complaining right away

MadameX -

"For CheeseHead: comparing Russia and Wisconsin isn't something to smile about. The state leads the nation in binge drinking, and recent incidents of university student deaths related to drunkenness have been in the papers."

And just where was I smiling about this?

Marble gets very hot when it is sitting in the sun.

For travellin4 and anyone else in Moscow in mid-October; if you wish to attend the opening (or have a private tour, as there will be a few scheduled during the show's run) send me an email. There will also be a dual show of Alexandre Sitnikov and Olga Bulgakova at the Tretyakov (Krymsky Val building) from November 2 to 25 (details to follow).

If you are traveling to Moscow, my family's foundation is putting on a great exhibition of pieces from our collection and a few others (I might come for the opening):

MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND MASS MEDIA OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION
FEDERAL AGENCY FOR CULTURE AND CINEMATOGRAPHY
NATIONAL CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS (NCCA)
KOLODZEI ART FOUNDATION

Cordially invite you to an opening of the exhibition of

MOSCOW – NEW YORK = PARALLEL PLAY
Selections from the Kolodzei Collection of Russian and Eastern European Art

As part of the Festival of Private Contemporary Art Collections “Dress Rehearsal”

Opening On 15 October 2007 at 5 P.M.
at
NCCA
13, bld. 2, Zoologicheskaya street, Moscow
Metro “Krasnopresnenskaya”, “Barrikadnaya”
+7 495 252 18 82
+7 495 254 84 92
www.ncca.ru

The Exhibition is open until 11 November 2007
Daily noon – 7 P.M. closed Monday

The exhibition Moscow-New York=Parallel Play will travel to Chelsea Art Museum, New York City in February – May of 2008.
***
The Kolodzei Art Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public foundation started in 1991, organizes exhibitions in museums and cultural centers in the United States, Russia and other countries, and publishes books on Russian art. The Kolodzei Art Foundation also provides art supplies to Russian artists and organizes Russian-American cultural exchanges. The Kolodzei Collection of Russian and Eastern European Art consists of more than 7,000 art works, including paintings, drawings and sculptures, by more than 300 artists from Russia and the former Soviet Union. For more information visit: www.KolodzeiArt.org

My Ukraine-born wife has always told me that women cannot sit on the COLD ground or on COLD marble benches because it will prevent a woman from having children.

Steve

Missed this while I was away, thanks for topping and thanks to ksose.
monicainindy, congrtulations and good luck. Post us a photo of your baby boy
when you return and settle in.

I've been to Russia many times over the past few years - most recently 4 weeks ago. When we were there, it was unseasonably warm - and there were many people wearing shorts. Mostly younger women - not so many men.

Great report, ksose!
I just want to comment on a taboo on showing your feet, which you connected to this sad incident:
"With regards to the feet thing, I heard about a business deal where an American company went to Russia to negotiate. When things were pretty much all sorted out, the American leaned back and put his feet up. The deal was called off."
The reason why the deal was called off is not because of the taboo on showing feet, but because in most of the world outside of the US it's concidered to be extremly rude and impolite to put your feet on the table, and it is completely unacceptable in the business setting. However there is no taboo on sitting barefoot in the park.

ttt

I wonder if Ksose is still around... and if your wife had to prove she doesn't have USSR citezenship, or is this a recent rule?

Still around, just not much...
My wife didnt have to "prove" she wasnt a citizen other than signing the visa application. I dont know how recent the rule is but I think it is significant because of the number of people that left the USSR. When you left, you were stripped of your citizenship.

Yeah, but many reinstated the citizenship, so now if in the US passport the birthplace is former USSR or any of the republics, one must prove there is no dual citizenship.

topping

Luckily I am now making some progress with my Russian visa for my trip in August-my hotel in St. Petersburg (they speak English and Italian-which happen to be two languages that I can also make myself understood in!) are sending me my "invitation" (which must be attached to my visa application) -they're only charging me US 30.00 for this honor, other hotels and companies charge more (I think there is an additional step before I can take my visa application over to the Russian Embassy-at any rate, I must pay US 135.00 I believe for that privilege, I ALSO must tell the Russians if I have any expertise in explosives or firearms, and must list EVERY COUNTRY I'VE BEEN IN FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, (they don't have enough room for me to list them all!) and lastly, I have to write them a letter again telling them about my itinerary and where I am staying, this is in addition to what is on the visa application-SOVIET SOVIET SOVIET STANDARD HERE!-

It is driving me crazy, but the folks in St. Petersburg and Moscow have been very good with the emails and explanations-it's driving ME crazy though!

I am also filling out a Visa application for Russia, right now, and they want everything from where you last worked (like 20 years ago!) to the name of your former spouse (even if you are divorced, you must give the info!!) Crazy stuff, if you ask me.

Amp, do they also ask what you named your first car? This would be going too far, huh?

Well, and remember, that if you have any firearms/explosives and/or nuclear expertise, you better cough that info. up too-as they tell you, if you answer yes, it does not mean that you won't get a visa, you just have to be "interviewed" by a consular officer! Okay!

The letter of invitation can only be issued by establishments that are licenced by the ministry of foreign affairs so sometimes the hotels pass a charge onto guests.

The visa application form asks List your last two places of work, excluding the current one.

The questions asked on the application form are very similar to those of other countries eg USA non-immigrant visa application or UK including those about former spouse, firearms and countries visited in last 10 years.

As Odin mentioned, the Russian visa application is similar to the US visa application; until around 2003 it was far simpler (and the visa application for most other countries' citizens also contains far fewer questions).

Off the top of my head I think that the cost of the Russian visa for a US citizen is also reflective of what the US charges a Russian citizen for a visa (that's why the Russian visa price went up earlier this year).

Also the itinerary is generated by your visa sponsor, not by yourself. In practical terms the invitation that you get from your hotel should incorporate this information.

Also, there are at least two people this would apply to (whose emails I don't have)-today I will be at the Russian Embassy in Washington from 12-2, and the Ukrainian Embassy from 6-8 for their receptions-feel free to look for me and introduce yourselves!

Thanks for all this information on Russia. Our dance troup is going on tour to Moscow in September(to participate in a festival there and in Volgodonsk). Your topics are all relevant to us, and make for good pre-travel reading.