Moscow, Russia – May 1999
Spring has finally come to Moscow!
Well, in theory at least. There are now leaves on the trees,
but bring a warm jacket, because there are still unexpected
snow flurries!
Dachas
The first weekend in May is traditionally the time
when Muscovites leave the city and head out to their dachas
(summer houses) to start their gardens.
If you get the chance to go to a Russian friend’s dacha
– go!
Otherwise, why not head out of the city on your ownÂ… A
lot of dachas are not far from the city and heading out
to see the smaller towns and villages makes a good day trip
from Moscow.
One possibility is to go to Metro Tyopli Stan (it means
‘Warm Station’ and it used to be the last stop for travelers
coming North to Moscow, now it’s outer suburbia) on the
Orange line, and catch a bus.
Little white minivans, called ‘Avtoline’ head south, try
to catch one to Troitsk (about 20 minutes south of Moscow)
or Voronovo (about forty minutes or more) A ride costs about
$0.30.
The best thing is that you can get off these buses whenever
you want, just say “Na ASS-toe-nov-key” (or you could try
“Stop!”) and the driver will pull over at the next bus stop,
which are usually every kilometre along the road.
When you want to go back to Moscow, just stand by the main
road and hold your arm straight out to stop an Avtoline,
or find a bus stop to catch the (slower) state bus.
You’ll see little wooden houses and gardens, babushkas
selling flowers and pickles and milk by the side of the
road, forests and springs and local markets.
On your way south, pay attention to the huge bump as the
nice paved road ends – locals say this corresponds with
the turnoff to Yeltsin’s dacha! Have fun!
Soccer (Football)
It’s soccer season and you can catch Moscow’s top teams
at many stadiums throughout the city. One of the best is
Sportivnaya (Metro Sportivnaya).
Games are usually held on Saturday afternoons and cost
about $1.50.
Pushkin
It’s the 250th anniversary of Pushkin (his birth or his
death, I’m not sure which) and there are loads of plays
and exhibits throughout the summer. For the latest times
and venues, check out The Moscow Times guide to the scene.
For the best idea of what’s going on city-wide
– and there’s always a lot, from plays and ballets to concerts
and exhibitions, check out one of the English language newspapers:
(daily, weekend entertainment guide in the Friday
issue)
The Exile (weekly,
with good restaurant and club reviews):
Bar & Restaurant guide
(please note, The Exile may be offensive to some – but they do
have a good bar & restaurant guide!)
The Moscow Tribune (daily, entertainment guide on
Fridays)
You can pick them up – for free- at English bookstores and restaurants,
also at Patio Pizza beside the Intourist on Tverskaya.
For more websites with information on Russia in
general, try Russia
Today’s index of links
If you’re planning to stick around for a while,
you might want to pick up the excellent transit guide called “Transportnii
Atlas Moskvi”
It shows every street, every building, every tram,
trolley, bus and metro route and stops in the whole city. You
can get it for about $1.50 from book kiosks, especially along
New Arbat.
Laundry
When you can’t wear your socks even one more time, head to what
is, apparently, the only do-it-yourself laundromat in Moscow.
(And if you hear of another one, let me know!)
Head up the short flight of stairs and go in the
unmarked white door. One load costs about $1.50 and it includes
soap and use of the centrifuge, the dryer and the presser.
Don’t use the do-it-yourself dry-cleaning though
– you’ll come out smelling like a chemical factory with red eyes
and a scratchy throat to match!
11 ylitsa Vavilova
7:00 to 22:00 Monday to Saturday
Tram #39 from M Lenninsky Prospekt or M. Universitet
Trade-In
If you’ve finished reading War and Peace and are tired of lugging
it around, head over to Shakespeare & Company.
They’ll take your old books and give you a credit
to use on something else in the store. They’ve got a good selection
of used books in English, French and German, plus new books, including
lots on Russia.
Bonus: couches where you can relax, flip through
books and drink coffee!
5/7 1-I Novokuznetzkaya Pereoluk
7 days a week
Nearest Metro: Tretyakovskaya or Paveletskaya
Homesick?
If McDonald’s doesn’t give you a thrill anymore, try one of the
new Great Canadian Bagels that have recently opened!
Tverskaya 27,
M Mayakovskaya Gruzinsky val 31,
M Belorusskaya
Questions & Comments
The prices I’ve mentioned are rough – everything always changes!
Although I’ve quoted US dollars, you have to pay in rubles at
the current exchange rate.
For more reading see Lonely
Planet’s Russia and Rick Steve’s Russia and the Baltics.
Anything you’d like to ask or add? Drop me a line
at my email. Or maybe
I’ll see you around. I’m teaching English (and not learning very
much Russian) here.
I’m the one with the flopping-soles, gaping-holes
boots. Hard to replace when all the styles are three-inch high
heels!
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