Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown
Moscow update:
My tour yesterday was incredible. It was a personal 8 hour tour, covering an amazing breadth of sites. The tour guide was very well informed and she really did a great job of explaining everything and making it fun and interesting. Some of the specific sites I saw were Red Square, Kremlin, GUM, St. Basil's, Metro (like 8 stations), Armoury, Lenin Library, Bolshoi Theater, a monestary, and a traditional Russian restaurant for lunch. The tour was very history-centric, on my request (I'm a history buff), but my guide was an art history major and knew a bunch about art and architecture, so it included quite a bit in those areas too. The tidbits on the architecture and the changes in architecture in different eras was very interesting. I don't imagine many here will get the opportunity to visit Moscow, but if you do, take it. And get a private tour. It was some of the best money I've spent on a vacation.
Afterward, I found an awesome craft beer bar (dare I say, better than any in the Twin Cities?), and met up with a friend of a guy in my beer group that lives here. He took me to a few good bars, and a burger place. Really a fun night.
Today I was on my own. I slept in, and then wandered down to Red Square. Took more pictures, and did some Christmas shopping at Gum, and in the Christmas market set up in Red Square. Got lunch, dropped my stuff at the hotel, and found another beer bar, that is almost as awesome as the one last night, near my hotel.
I think people in the US see Russia as an almost mystical place that we cannot visit. That it is dangerous, that Russia is our enemy. I have to say, I have seen none of that while here. People have been warm and welcoming. Some curious about what I'm here for, but not hostile in the slightest. The language barrier is a challenge, a bigger challenge than anywhere else I've been, but it isn't a deal breaker. People are usually willing to work with you to communicate, and Google translate has been very helpful a few times. Hell, one night we got hammered with a bunch of locals in Tyumen, and a beer bar with live music, everyone was great, and friendly, and just fun to hang out with. When it is all said and done, I have seen or experienced a single thing that would give me pause to recommend an American visit Russia.
