Russia 2009 - A Country of Contrasts

The first thing that strikes you when you land in Moscow is the sense of contrast. The new vs. the old, the rich vs. the poor, and the communist past fighting with the capitalist future.

All around you are beautiful people dressed very well. The wealth is obvious but so is the poverty.

The woman here resemble Italians with sexy flair and neo-classic style. They carry themselves with calm dignity but have a fun side which is in stark contrast to the men who appear very serious and stoic, even in clubs.

Rather then being unfriendly though, the Russian people go out of their way to help and are much more charming then they appear at first glance. Their warm and friendly manner is not as overt as the Americans or Spanish but they are great fun once you get to know them.

If you look to either side there are many people who clearly aren't sharing in the oil born riches. Here is where the potential problem lies for this amazing country. To grow the Russian domestic economy quickly enough so that the majority of it's people are swept up in the improved living standards and greater access to a comfortable life.

One piece to this puzzle of expanding the role of the little people is in building the infrastructure to support a modern Russia with roads and transportation. The current trains are very good but they are in need of modernization. The highways around Moscow are in a constant state of grid lock. It can take four hours to drive to one of the many airports serving the city if you go at the wrong time. The actual distance should take less then one hour. If you get behind a tractor or an old Russian clunker Vespa then you might be overcome by fumes before reaching your destination.

Airports in Russia are cold and have very poor amenities. Shopping is almost non-existent with restaurants being very limited as well. American Express is not widely accepted and many credit card companies will stop your card if they see transactions coming through from Russia so warn them of your travel plans ahead of time.

They do however always have a bar nearby, which is nice!

Architecture is a headline feature in Russia with enormous old stone buildings and ornate churches surrounded by the modern steel and glass of the 21st century. The sense of grandeur and power is pervasive in the Stalin era structures but the coldness of the old style has melted away in the new buildings to uncover more artistic and engaging designs.

While there we stayed at the Savoy Hotel. The rooms were oldy worldy but good if you were above the 2nd floor and not stuck in a small room off the fire escape like I was. After complaining, they did move me but I had to pay to be upgraded which stung and the food in the hotel wasn't great.

There are excellent places to dine in Moscow these days! Go to Vogue for a coffee or a lovely meal if you have the time and money, it's not cheap... Kaplinskys (sp?) is really good for traditional Russian food. It looks like it has been there for 100 years but it was just built a couple years ago.

If you have the time, please do yourself a favor and see Moscow while there are still bits of the last 60 years remaining. It wont be long before the new Russia eclipses the old. Once that happens, understanding that period in our collective history will be much more difficult.