Monday Morning in Moscow

As I was standing in an elevator this morning on my way to a meeting I glanced at one of those conveniently placed little screens that allow for easier excuse to make any kind of eye contact with anyone who may be standing in the tiny space next to you. It’s fascinating what you can learn between the first and the eighth floor, but I did end up walking out of the elevator shocked. Suicide bombers in the Moscow Metro caused the deaths of 38 people? That is horrible! We can only thank our lucky stars that no war has spilled into our city yet! Look at how huge Moscow and the Metro is! It gets used a ton, the cars on the streets are triple parked and a lot of people have to use the Metro to get around.

It is incredible that people think violence is to be defeated with more violence. There is no terrorist act that is OK in my Universe! Targeting civilians on their way to work is a cowardly act making a statement that may be trying to point out unfairness, but solidifies the aggression and unfairness of the instigator.

I went to Moscow a few years ago for a few days and found it to be a city of contrasts. Bigger and more expansive than New York with a higher population as well, it’s air is thick, you could cut it with a knife. As a native to Moscow said to me, if you have grown up in Moscow, you need that air to survive. You have been inhaling the entire Mendeleyev’s periodic table your whole life and getting fresh air may kill you! The widest street in the World may be in Buenos Aires, but Moscow is not far behind with over 100 meters in width.

As a child I heard a lot about Russian history and culture and seeing things that I heard being glorified as a child for years was quite the experience.

The city is too expansive to see enough of in only few days and can be overwhelming, Russians are welcoming but hoping for friendly smiles from them is asking too much. I am not Russian and as a child, I was force fed too much related to Russia and was trying to avoid it. But I understand the motivation behind the seriousness. It is ingrained in their culture and you can find a lot of traces of this in their fairytales. Everything happens in threes, which may be related to Christianity. Three, sons, three tasks, three of everything. Out of the three sons the oldest one is the most successful and very serious and strict, the second son less so, but trying to live up to his older brother, while the third son is not so smart and as such lives poor and because he is so stupid, he smiles a lot. So in a mind of the average Russian, if you smile you must be not so smart and if you smile a lot, you must be an idiot.

Look at these two sweet girls on Red Square! A friend of mine that lived in Canada for years and returned to Moscow a few years ago said to me completely seriously, that he is amazed at how little women in Canada try to look good. Now, not knowing the Russian mind, you could take offense. They tend to be very direct! But in this case, he could not have been more right! Women in Russia dress incredibly well!

Have you ever taken a look at Moscow on Google Earth? Do it! It is incredible! The Red Square is massive and right in the center of the city! It is surrounded by spectacular architecture. It also is a UNESCO site!

The clock tower is a part of Kremlin, the official residence of the President of Russia and also a UNESCO site!

Some old and some new buildings surround the square.

The sign above the door spells Lenin. I still remember some of the Azbuka I had to learn in grade 5.

The reflection in the building above, which is Lenin’s Mausoleum is a building from the 19th century called GUM, it is one of the first shopping malls ever built. It is spectacular! The entire building has this glass and steel roof and is packed with luxury stores. I had to use the washroom when we walked in and the tourist that I was, I automatically assumed that if I ask at one of the stores about where to find a washroom, I would be able to get an answer in English. Well, that ain’t so!

The incredibly looking and done up girls at the Luis Vuitton store that was right next door to the Gucci and Burberry looked at me with confusion and giggled to each other in Russian. So as I found out the hard way, these stores are there to cater to their Russian millionaire clientele and not the tourists. Wow! Considering most people there are really poor, making $300/month, living with their parents in tiny apartments, these boutiques feel totally out of place, but obviously they are making enough money to keep going! Wow!

The city is so saturated in culture and history and I find North Americans half the time don’t have the slightest idea about the richness of Russian culture. It may have to do with the fact that they still think of all Russians as communists and as such to be avoided at all cost, even though they have no idea what Communism really is or that Socialism and Communism are two very different things.

I know, I know I am opinionated and very likely offended a few people just there and perhaps generalized a little too, but isn’t it better to have an opinion than to have none? Plus this is my blog and I can say whatever I please, so there!

So as someone who grew up in Socialism being educated all about the importance of the idea of a fair social structure, visiting Lenin in his mausoleum was a must! There is no way in Hell I would have missed that opportunity! It’s like going to Egypt and never seeing the pyramids!

Visiting the Mausoleum was quite the experience! Despite the fact that it was surrounded by very creative buskers, which gave it the feel of cheesiness, there was a massive line up.

Access to see the amazingly well preserved body of Lenin is quite limited to only several days a week and even then for only a few hours. You are not allowed to bring anything in. They will check in your bag and your camera. The entry is free of course, but it will cost you to have your stuff checked in! You have to walk half the length of the square to get to the building and look respectful to be allowed in by the guards at the entrance. The entire Red Square is closed off to the public while the Mausoleum is open.

After you glimpse at the corpse of dead Lenin, not knowing how to react or what to think, you have to walk all the way around the Red Square to go and get your stuff, did I mention it’s a massive square?!

This may be an urban myth, but I’ve been told that Moscow has a Lenin Institute that’s dedicated to keeping the body of Lenin looking pretty and has contributed to the cosmetic industry with a lot of great new discoveries! Wow!

I don’t know how to feel about a nation that mummifies and displays their dead leader on the main square in their capital. Wow!

The most recognizable landmark in Moscow and possibly all of Russia has got to be the St. Basil Cathedral with incredibly colorful and decorated exterior and those adorable onion shaped towers! I had no idea one could go inside and freely roam about the building. It’s been standing there since the 16th century.

Isn’t it amazing how different the Tsar’s tastes in architecture were from the tastes of the Communists? Wow! But you have to admit, at least they had respect for their culture and history by not destroying religious temples, even if they did not support religion!

It came together from one temple surrounded by eight other temples and a tenth one added later. That’s how it ended up with these neat interior spaces that feel like a maze. Hmmm, I love mazes!

You can find a lot of art in Moscow. The art galleries are packed with amazing art work and the ballet is some of the best in the World here.

Despite all of this, Moscow is a huge city and feels like one too. It is diverse and has many layers, some I am probably very happy to be ignorant of. My friend pointed out the KGB building in the middle of the city to me as we were riding by in a taxi. It looked intimidating and supposedly the part you see from the street is only about a half of the entire building that has a lot more underground. Wow!

The Metro goes deep! Very deep! And interestingly, still decorated with a lot of Soviet art. That whole communist propaganda kind of stuff with hard working healthy looking women and blue collar men with children looking fearlessly towards the future is cheesy, yet endearing.It may be one of the few places left where this kind of art is still intact.

One interesting thing I found were the casinos that were on every step you took. There is a casino for everyone there! You can choose anything from slot machines to full entertainment houses and when they say full entertainment, that’s exactly what they mean! I had no idea Russian’s were such gamblers!

My biggest and favorite doll given to me by my uncle came with him from Russia! He worked there for several years and always thought of me when he came home to visit. I must have been two when he gave me the doll, it was bigger than me! It had perfect round blue eyes and blond hair and a very pretty dress. Of course it did! It was from Russia!

The best Creme Brulee I have ever tasted was in Moscow! At the Hyatt hotel restaurant at the top of the spectacular building the hotel is in with glass roof and incredible view of the city. The next time I am in Moscow, it’s the first place I am heading to for more of this amazing dessert!

My thoughts are with people in Moscow today and the families of those who died in the terrorist attacks! May they rest in Peace. I am sure they don’t want anymore violence happen on their behalf.