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) Games are usually held on Saturday afternoons and cost about $1.50. Pushkin 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: The Moscow Times (daily, weekend entertainment guide in the Friday issue) The Exile (weekly, with good restaurant and club reviews): The Moscow Tribune (daily, entertainment guide on Fridays) 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 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! Trade-In 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! Homesick? Questions & Comments For more reading see Lonely Planet’s Russia and Rick Steve’s Russia and the Baltics.
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).
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.
Bar & Restaurant guide
(please note, The Exile may be offensive to some – but they do have a good bar & restaurant guide!)
You can pick them up – for free- at English bookstores and restaurants, also at Patio Pizza beside the Intourist on Tverskaya.
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!)
11 ylitsa Vavilova
7:00 to 22:00 Monday to Saturday
Tram #39 from M Lenninsky Prospekt or M. Universitet
If you’ve finished reading War and Peace and are tired of lugging it around, head over to Shakespeare & Company.
5/7 1-I Novokuznetzkaya Pereoluk
7 days a week
Nearest Metro: Tretyakovskaya or Paveletskaya
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
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.
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