Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Moscow hassle
Well, I am getting a little fed up with Moscow, mostly because of the accomodation situation, which is ridiculous. For one, the prices here are about the most inflated (compared to local earnings/realistic prices) I have ever seen. There do not seem to be very many true hostels, and those that do exist charge exorbitant rates. Most of them cost more than northern or western Europe, which is ridiculous when you consider that the cost of living here is nothing compared to Scandinavia or western Europe. And today I was unceremoniously kicked out of my "hostel" (it was really more like a hotel, but somehow it is a member of Hostelling International) without warning because two Russian women wanted the "dorm" I was in for themselves. There was nothing I could do about it, despite my protests, and I was just told to find another place, so I wasted all of today (which, ironically had the best weather since I have been here) looking for a new place. The cheapest bed I could find was $25/night, which is insane in a country where the monthly wage is only a few hundred dollars a month, if that. So I opted to spend the night in the TV room of the hostel for about $11. The rest of Russia has been reasonable (although accomodation is NOT cheap), but Moscow is ridiculous. So I will leave Moscow and head to a small town for a couple of days, then come back and see a couple of museums and get on the train to St. Petersburg.
I am going to see Raimonda at the Bolshoi ballet tonight, and then I will take a break from this big city life. I considered spending the night in the 24-hour internet cafe for awhile (and I am still thinking about it), with the situation as it is, but hopefully a few days in the country will help calm me. The ballet starts in half an hour, so I'd better go.
I am going to see Raimonda at the Bolshoi ballet tonight, and then I will take a break from this big city life. I considered spending the night in the 24-hour internet cafe for awhile (and I am still thinking about it), with the situation as it is, but hopefully a few days in the country will help calm me. The ballet starts in half an hour, so I'd better go.
Monday, March 22, 2004
Hello everyone! Welcome to my new blog. This will now serve to supplement, but not replace, the e-mails that you receive from me. This will be a more regular way to check on my progress, as I will probably post to this blog more often than I will send e-mails. However, this will also be more impulsive, less refined writing, just giving my general thoughts for the day, updates on where I am, etc.
Yesterday I arrived in Moscow and visited Red Square for the first time, amid a light but persistent rain. St. Basil's Cathedral was unfortunately covered partially by scaffolding, but the Kremlin walls and State History Museum were unencumbered by such aesthetic no-nos and were as impressive as I had expected. Saw the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and took a short video, which may someday be put onto my website.
Walking around with Mark, an English guy from Birmingham, we visited the Red Square McDonalds, as he had not eaten the previous day (due to immigration/registration problems -- I will send out an e-mail about the hassles of immigration formalities in Russia). There we met another three travelers, about the most I have seen in one place during the time I have been in Russia. So apparently the place to meet travelers in Russia is in McDonalds. I have met very few at the hostel or other places you would expect to meet backpackers. I am still firmly convinced that 95% of the people who visit Russia come on a pre-paid, organized tour, as I have met hardly anyone who is traveling independently like I am. There also seems to be virtually no tourist infrastructure for the independent traveler. For some reason, Russia likes to control their tourism industry with a whole host of unnecessary regulations and rules, and they don't seem to really want tourists to come to their country. Despite this official disregard for foreigners, Russia does have a lot to offer, and is quite interesting so far. At the moment, I am off to visit the Kremlin, so I will write again later.
Yesterday I arrived in Moscow and visited Red Square for the first time, amid a light but persistent rain. St. Basil's Cathedral was unfortunately covered partially by scaffolding, but the Kremlin walls and State History Museum were unencumbered by such aesthetic no-nos and were as impressive as I had expected. Saw the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and took a short video, which may someday be put onto my website.
Walking around with Mark, an English guy from Birmingham, we visited the Red Square McDonalds, as he had not eaten the previous day (due to immigration/registration problems -- I will send out an e-mail about the hassles of immigration formalities in Russia). There we met another three travelers, about the most I have seen in one place during the time I have been in Russia. So apparently the place to meet travelers in Russia is in McDonalds. I have met very few at the hostel or other places you would expect to meet backpackers. I am still firmly convinced that 95% of the people who visit Russia come on a pre-paid, organized tour, as I have met hardly anyone who is traveling independently like I am. There also seems to be virtually no tourist infrastructure for the independent traveler. For some reason, Russia likes to control their tourism industry with a whole host of unnecessary regulations and rules, and they don't seem to really want tourists to come to their country. Despite this official disregard for foreigners, Russia does have a lot to offer, and is quite interesting so far. At the moment, I am off to visit the Kremlin, so I will write again later.
