I would appreciate your experiences in these two towns and what you thought of the people treatment to Americans, food, shopping, etc. We may be staying at the Baltschug Kempinski Hotel in Moscow and the Hotel Astoria in St. Petersburg. Thank you for your thoughts!

Overall the traveling is a little more challenging than in central europe because the tourist infrastructure is still being developed. And there are definitely some locals who do not trust/understnd westerners - espcially older folks who were inculcated the longest by the previous regime. (It' a little paranoia - they really don;t understand our motives - or lack thereof.)

Generally people in shops and restaurants were civil - but don;t expect the same type of service you find in other places. this is not aimed at foreigners - it's just the way much of their system operates - as if it's all being run by the DMV.

Stayed at the Astoria the last time we were in St Pet - it has a great location (walk to the river and the hermitage) and is fairly luxe. Although the rooms can be a little eccentric, ours were large and well-appointed.

Food is still very uneven - a few good places mixed in with a lot of dreadul.

The local transport is very crowded so I recommend taxis - you can pick one up at all the major hotels and tourist sites and the drivers all speak English (and all seem to have relatives in Brooklyn).

Be sure to go the ballet while you;re there - its a great experience in Russian style. Go directly to the box office for tickets - they cost only about 10% of what you pay if you buy through the hotel or tour company.

English is quite widely spoken - we didn;t have any trouble communicating in 8 days of independent travel - either someone spoke a little english or we used sign language.

The trip is absolutely worthwhile - you'll see things not available anywhere else - it's just a little more complicated.

Have a great trip!

The Baltschug Kempinski is a great hotel, one of the two best in Moscow
My only qualification is that you need a driver when staying here, as it is not within walking distance of tourist or business sights. Every room and public space looks like it is set up for a photo shoot. Kempinski really went out to create not only a beautiful hotel but a group of employees who know what Western-standard service is. Any hotelier from Germany or England would view this as a model property.

The Astoria is my favorite hotel in St. Petersburg; the location is central, service is perfect.

As for how Americans are treated, for the week after September 11, the streets in front of the American diplomatic facilities throughout Russia were filled with flowers and notes of condolence.

Russian cuisine is world-renowned (caviar and beef Stroganoff are but two examples), and there are now many restaurants in Moscow and St. Petersburg that cater to an educated palate (although especially in Moscow prices are very high in top restaurants).

I have found that during the many times I have visited, contrary to others, even in Moscow and St. Petersburg there are many who do not know English, it is totally hit-or-miss (including in tourist spots, stores, restaurants, etc.). Also, there is a two-tiered pricing system for most museums and performances (of major companies), and the price difference between what you pay in a hotel and the theatre for the same (foreigner) ticket is far less than stated.

You might want to look at some of the other postings (under "Russia&quot for general comments, or click on my name above and you will see what I have written over the last few years on Russian travel here.

Two months to go til my elderhostel trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg! I will be sure to post a report when I return.

I have been busy demolishing the Pimsleur Russian 1 series and Russian 2 has just arrived on my doorstep. Today on the DC Metro, I overheard someone speaking Russian on the phone and actually understood some of it, so I guess I am making progress.

The Pimsleur CD's really do work but you have to use them consistently to make progress. I play them whenever I am in the car and--alas--have not heard "All Things Considered" for a couple of months.

Elderhostel? For the same price even less you can visit with the cruise tour which offers much more along with way better food and LAUNDRY and rendering all the expense effort time with Pimsleur totally unncecessary. Have you seen Rudy's trip report? Dozens of people have taken her advice.

Kalan, firstly, I can only comment on St Petersburg.

Language, like Marc says, I found it very hit and miss, and generally more miss, but many restaurants have menus in English, although if you ask the waitress for details, they will look at you in panic and summon a manager with a better command of the language. Sign language, I found, goes a long way.

One of the difficulties is that the alphabet is, obviously, different, so get a map that has both alphabets on it. Do try the metro, but make sure you count the stops, otherwise you'll never recognise your stop.

Attitude to Americans: well, I'm British, so can't strictly comment, but found most people to be very helpful (I doubt they would have known whether I was British, American, German or whatever). The ladies who "guard" the museums look fierce, and will wave frantically at you if you haven't put your coat in the cloakroom (you ALWAYS have to do this), but if you smile sweetly, they will return the compliment.

I found the food was best if I stuck to the local cuisine - so please make the most of the blinis, the caviar, the herrings and so on. There are also many Georgian restaurants which serve a lot of chargrilled kebabs (quite Turkish) and are very good. Do read you guidebooks to get recommendations on restaurants, and book taxis to take you and collect, just so you don't have the hassle of working out how to get back to the hotel.

Shopping: I didn't go there to shop, and didn't see much I wanted to buy. There were a number of Italian (etc) designer stores in the centre, but figured I can get all that stuff at home.

Hotels: you're staying in a great one, but I found the top hotels are VERY expensive for bar drinks, taxis and the minibar (much worse than even London!) 5 USdollars for a tiny bottle of mineral water should give you the idea. It's well worth making a trip to a local supermarket to pick up supplies.

St Petersburg is astoundingly beautiful, and the many palaces (many of which have been renovated) are stunning. You will find Russia a uniques, fascinating experience. Enjoy!

Somewhat off topic, probably, but I'm with "lizmanne" here. When my husband acquired "Elderhostel" eligibility, we perused their offerings.

But, then, I, too, came upon Rudy's trip report on the river cruise. The price, for a Deluxe (incredibly spacious and comfortable) cabin, with airfare (flights included at incredibly convenient times), was significantly lower than Elderhostel with considerably more experiences and ammenities. So, that's how we went, and it was amazing! No worries about power outages, food/water concerns, communicating or figuring anything out in Russian. The meals included could not have been more appealing or satisfying. There was no need, staying on the boat, for finding "a local supermarket for supplies". Spring water was provided for free on the ship, and there were no "mini-bar" charges, prices in the lounge (or delivered upon request) were quite reasonable. We even had morning coffee (excellent coffee) delivered each and every morning.

While in St. Petersburg, we were mostly out and about with our "tour group" or our privately hire guide. Those times when we were not, the local people could not have been more friendly, helpful, and accomodating, though we didn't know a word of Russian.

One day, for example, we set out to experience the most beautiful metro stations. Once, "down there", we had no idea how to determine which direction to go to the next one, with regard to selecting the proper platform. But, we showed our map and pointed to our destination and were most graciously assisted by everyone around.

And, when we wandered into a restaurant with an outdoor terrace in hopes of just a good cup of coffee, the waiter, who was not fluent in English, went after someone who was to assist us (the dishwasher attenting college for his Masters).

It's not that you're American, or whether you have no command of the Russian language that counts - but, rather, how pleasant you are in seeking assistance, versus demanding same or assuming that "everyone speaks English, don't they?"

Even so, I would highly recommend that, if you are going on your own, you hire a local licensed tour guide in each city. They are worth every penny. Not only can they provide excellent recommendations with regard to where to go/shop/dine, they can skip the line everywhere and provide excellent commentary in English.