Everything is on a grand scale in Russia – all is colossal. Too colossal for man. It’s mindboggling, it's dizzying, it's dwarfing. The three letters/words that keep slipping past your gaping mouth are Wow and OMG! Much like Moscow’s historic Bolshoi Theatre, the city itself plays out like one giant show, leaving its audience gaping and gasping
But Moscow surely has its human side too. Soon after I touched down at the Sheremetyevo airport on the outskirts of Moscow on a nippy August morning, it dawned on me that I had to negotiate a language whose sound and script are both Russian! Not a sign in English, not a person who understood. Having managed to roll out my baggage I was to run into Woody Allen or rather his Russian twin. Maybe a few years younger wearing the same nerdy spectacles and a huge Uber inscribed on his jumper he approached with a smattering of English. “Good price. Nice big car. Drop you to hotel…” His look was what got me suckered for 3000 Roubles only to find on my way out of Moscow that the trip costs less than a thousand. Welcome to Moscow! Cab drivers, especially the older suave gentlemanly looking ones take you for a real ride.
After a sumptuous dinner at the Russian Tower, which looks out to the Bolshoi Theatre and serves an amazing Beef Stroganoff and Chicken Kiev (both Russian in origin) along with some of the most delicate Pelminis (beef/pork/bear dumplings) you can find in Russia. Our hotel was just about a kilometre away, but it was late and the feet weary and the stomach heavy and sluggish. The three cabs stood invitingly at the kerb – two yellow, one black. The oldest and the most ‘gentlemanly’ looking of the three walked up and I asked him “How much?” showing him my hotel card for the address. With both his hands in the air, he said nonchalantly, “Meter control, meter control.” Well, little did I realize that what he meant was that he was going to control the meter. On arrival at the hotel, I stared at the figure 1537. I couldn’t believe my eyes and he wouldn’t stop having an animated conversation in Russian. No choice had to pay up. The woman at the front desk informed me that it should have cost me all of 250 roubles.
Moscow has a very efficient Metro and bus service, but you got to know Russian to get around them. The Moscow subway is more the 80 years old and one of the grandest in the world. A masterpiece of the Soviet era the Moscow Metro, with its stations decorated with marble, mosaics, stained-glass panels and bronze sculptures, looks more like a vast art museum. It was one of the proudest achievements of the Soviet era and it still beats many other European underground systems with its ultra-reliable service.
The Moscow Metropolitan is one of the busiest subways in the world. It is the world record-holder for on-time departures and arrivals. It is also the most beautiful in the world – 44 of the nearly 200 stations are listed as cultural heritage sites.
But sadly all signages in Russian. My two attempts seemed like getting lost in a Bhool Bhulaiya. And so I stuck to cabs even at the cost of getting ripped off.
St Petersburg is not only grander in my opinion, but also a far more friendly and easy city to negotiate. In Moscow amidst the glitter and the glam of a prosperous and racy city, people don’t spare you any time or even a look. But Petersburg brings you face to face with the Russian working class, the friendly countenance. And to top it all signages in English! My recommendation to those headed towards Russia, keep more days for St Petersburg than Moscova. Here’s a quick tour of the two cities.
At nearly every turn in Moscow, you'll see golden domes peeking out over the rooftops and hear church bells peeling through the streets, which are dotted with some 600 churches. Moscow lives and breathes Russian history
The very founding site of the city (and arguably, the country), the Kremlin and Red Square are at the heart of Moscow – historically, geographically and spiritually.
The Kremlin and the Red Square will move you, it will tantalise your senses, soothe your spirit and boggle your mind. The Kremlin is enclosed by high walls 2.25km long, with Red Square outside the east wall. The best views of the complex are from Sofiyskaya nab across the river.
Immediately outside the Kremlin’s northeastern wall is the celebrated Red Square, the 400m-by-150m area of cobblestones that is at the very heart of Moscow. Commanding the square from the southern end is St Basil’s Cathedral. This panorama never fails to send the heart aflutter, especially at night. The icon of Russia, the St Basil’s Cathedral, is a crazy confusion of colours, patterns and shapes, the culmination of a style that is unique to Russian architecture. .
Legend has it that Ivan had the architects blinded so that they could never build anything comparable
What is more thrilling than watching a ballerina defy gravity, leaping across the stage at the glittering Bolshoi Theatre?? Or feeling the force of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, just a few blocks away from where it premiered more than a century ago? The classical performing arts in Moscow are still among the best in the world. An evening at the Bolshoi is still one of Moscow’s most romantic and entertaining options for a night on the town. The glittering six-tier auditorium has an electric atmosphere, evoking over 240 years of premier music and dance.
A stroll along a historic canal. St Petersburg is an almost unrivalled treasure trove of art and culture. Perhaps the jewel in St Petersburg's crown, the Hermitage is the largest museum in the world, so you can easily spend your whole day here getting lost amongst the myriad of artwork and sculptures.
Established in 1895 by a decree of Emperor Nicholas I, the bulk of the exhibitions lies within the Winter Palace. A magnificent artefact within itself, the Winter Palace was once the main residence of the Russian monarchs. The museum contains works of arts from ancient times, right up until the early 20th century, with highlights including paintings by da Vinci, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Picasso, Matisse and Kandinsky.
You can spend days in the Hermitage, seeing everything from Egyptian mummies to Picassos, while the Russian Museum, spread over four sumptuous palaces, is perhaps the best collection of Russian art in the world.
Drift along waterways and see St. Petersburg from a different angle on a leisurely boat cruise. Pass under some of the city's 400 bridges and admire the 18thcentury palaces, amazing cathedrals, and churches as well as many architectural landmarks that line the banks of the Neva River.
Affectionately known as the “Venice of the North,” the city rivals Venice and Paris in its romantic atmosphere. St. Petersburg was originally built on 33 islands separated by canals in the delta of the Neva River. Now, these canals and rivers offer a unique view of the iconic landmarks that dot the city, such as the magnificent Hermitage Museum and the Vasilyevsky Island with its famous Palace Bridge.
Glide past historic monuments and landmarks during this cruise and visit otherwise inaccessible areas of the city.
St Petersburg’s most spectacular venue for ballet and opera, the Mariinsky Theatre is an attraction in its own right. The magnificent interior is the epitome of imperial grandeur, and an evening here will be an impressive experience.