Russia

Visited: March and December 2007

Duration of visit: 6 days

Capital city: Moscow

Population: 142 million (2007)

Russia travel blog reading time: 6 minutes

• Business meetings with Russian distributors of HVAC products.
• Stopped by a guard on Red Square during a winter walk in Moscow.
• Unattractive dirty streets of Moscow in the winter.
• Friendly people treating each other in a polite and respectful way.
• Appreciating an taking the time to purchase a Matryoshka doll.

The biggest country in the world stretches across eleven time zones and carries a complex history, intriguing politics, and strong leaders. It is home to the longest railway, a rich cultural heritage, and breathtaking natural wonders. With so many places to visit and things to do, it would take months to explore and truly understand it.

Covering a vast area of Europe and Asia, Russia is a diverse and exciting place. I’ve always had a lot of respect for the country, where improvisation and good understanding of local rules can be very helpful to maximize the experience.

I traveled to Moscow twice for business. Meetings in various companies enabled me an insight into how different to the West some transactions and operations were done here: from buying international currencies, to import, tax payment and later distribution. Following official procedures and the complexities of post-Soviet bureaucracy could result in a serious company losing its competitiveness.

In order to do business in 2007, a local company had to deal with bribes, finding alternative routes to avoid paying taxes or using official channels in order to be competitive and efficient.

Especially younger generations of businessmen were very well informed and open-minded to do trade with Western companies.

The highlight of the business part of my visit to Moscow was being invited to Café Pushkin, one of the city’s best restaurants.

The upscale Franco-Russian restaurant is sprawling three floors, where four romantic dining rooms are saturated with antiques and glamorous baroque touches. Blinchiki, pirozhki, borscht and pelmeni (traditional Russian dishes) are combined with alternative ingredients. The quality of all dishes, particularly the caviar, is exceptional, while prices are prohibitive to ordinary people.

When Russians want to make a guest feel important, food and drinks are served lavishly on the table. A shoot of vodka after every 10 or 15 minutes, cheering, saluting and loud speeches are part of the banquet.

I quickly realized that drinking shots of vodka, while eating, does not result in substantial drunkenness, but rather contributes to the sense of joy.

Consuming food, particularly fatty foods, mitigates the effects of alcohol on the brain. When food is present in the stomach prior to alcohol consumption, the absorption of alcohol occurs at a slower rate.

Nobody would travel to Moscow solely for business without taking the opportunity to walk around the city and visit its main landmarks and attractions. I was accompanied by my work colleague Christophe, who was keen on joining me.

Our flight from London was delayed and we only arrived to a luxurious hotel in downtown at around 10:00pm. It was a cold December night, my first time in Moscow. I found myself too thrilled to go to bed and our proximity to Red Square made it impossible to remain indifferent.

It was cold, snow was falling lightly and not many people walked around the central Red Square, adjoining the historic fortress and center of government Kremlin so late at night.

We walked around, took some photos and enjoyed the idyllic background with falling snow. Fairy-tale lit Saint Basil’s Cathedral with exquisitely carved architecture was standing in front of us in striking contrast with the monochromatic buildings of the Soviet era. The towers were topped with differently designed onion domes – some swirled like ice creams, some textured with diamond patterns.

Red Square, with its remarkable landmarks and unique atmosphere, was the highlight of my trip.

While we were relishing the ambiance around us, suddenly two people stepped toward us and started to speak in Russian. The only word I could understand was passport and control.

“Who are these guys? What do they want so late at night? I won’t give them my passport.”

I looked at Christophe, who quickly agreed with me. The guys started to talk on their walkie talkies in Russian and soon another person joined them. He was younger and able to speak a few words in English.

It was already after midnight!

Only half a day after leaving London and we had a story of our life.

“We flew in an old Russian airplane with a few hours delay, walked around Red Square and were investigated by famous KGB!”

After returning to the hotel, we immediately asked for a registration certificate.

The Matryoshka is among the most iconic representations of Russia. Interestingly, the roots of the Matryoshka can be traced back to Japan until 1892, when it was for the first time brought to Russia.

Although Matryoshka dolls are a traditional representation of the mother carrying a child within her hands, there are many other motives, designed to follow a particular theme: traditional dresses, nature, Christmas, Easter, portraits, as well as more contemporary or popular (political, movie stars or celebrities).

The cheapest sets of wooden, hand painted dolls of decreasing size placed one inside another can be purchased for a few dollars, but the real quality matryoshkas start at a few hundred dollars.

Not being used to buying costly and unique gifts, I wasn’t sure what to do.

Should I opt for an inexpensive, tacky souvenir featuring a contemporary president, or should I invest in a remarkable piece of art that would remind me of a high-quality souvenir shop in central Moscow for years to come?

Ultimately, I chose the latter and have never regretted my decision.

Walking and driving around Moscow was not very enjoyable. There was very little snow, but the streets were covered with dark puddles and dirty slush. It was unpleasant for people walking or driving.  Every car on was covered in grime.

Moscow’s most recognizable structure is the Kremlin; a 15^th-century fortified complex that covers an area of 275,000 square meters surrounded by wall. The area with over 700 rooms was once home to the Tsar family and is now the official residence of the president of the Russian Federation. One section was open to the public and the visit was really impressive. No photos allowed.

The Bolshoi Theater is home to the largest and one of the oldest ballets and opera companies in the world. Unfortunately, it was closed and under reconstruction during my visit.

Not far from the theater, I visited Moscow’s oldest and most elegant shopping center, an architectural masterpiece.

GUM might not be the biggest shopping center any more, but it is the most beautiful with a mix of a steel skeleton and 20,000 panels of glass forming an arched roof, strong enough to support snow in cold Russian winters.

Window-shopping in exclusive stores with top brands warmed me up.

The last stop was Lenin’s Mausoleum, the final resting place of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin, located in a central spot of the Red Square. Lenin’s embalmed body has been exhibited since his death in 1924, lying down in a bulletproof glass sarcophagus as if he’s sleeping. It reminded me a lot on Mao Zedong mausoleum in Beijing.

So far, my experience in Russia has been limited to its capital, Moscow. Russia has been on my list for years, but the most serious intent was in 2021. A year earlier, I began learning Russian and designed a route to cross the country from west to east, complete with a list of places to visit and things to do.

My plans were first postponed for 12 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a year later suddenly dashed by Russia’s attack on Ukraine and the war that followed. It Is hard to predict when the war in Ukraine will be over and Russia will turn away from its aggressive politics to become a more democratic and peaceful country.

Until then, I will keep my level of Russian and explore the neighboring countries that are descendants of the Soviet Union.