A professional travel that made me fall in love with Moscow. Russia travel experience

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The appointment ... yet another "professional" and ... yet another opportunity to escape from the usual tram tram out to a place unknown to me until now: the Russia.
Destination Moscow, certainly only a small slice of territory incredibly vast and varied, but still a good step to start. A city in tremendous expansion, both housing and economic, the political heart, commercial and financial heart of a nation that has been through a very dark, not yet fully eliminated ... and now has a craving to re-launch towards the Western world for too once only seen on TV.
Social contradictions are commonplace and, for this reason, a human tide of ordinary people trying to climb the social ladder to achieve a more dignified life, are flanked by the most useless luxuries, the wildest excesses, the more excessive worldliness.
Millions of people traveling by subway (for more comfortable and architecturally unique) to reach the most distant corners of the metropolis. Factories, offices, schools, universities ... ... this is the daily life of the average Muscovite, the surface but inside the large circular ring that defines the "center" town, Limousines, tinted windows, evening gowns, elegant women, casino's , boutiques, elegant restaurants, neon signs, security, .... excesses and pomp ....
Access to Russia and especially in Moscow is not entirely smooth, a bit 'in all senses.
You first need a visa for tourism or business, easily obtainable in the embassy but quietly expensive. For an enthusiast like me for stamping on the passport and visas, this is just another piece of my modest collection.
Coming to one of several airports in Moscow, to move from customs what is depressing to say the least, the slowness of the workforce is really disheartening. Arrived late at night, I was still waiting for an hour of taxi before you arrive at the hotel and the next morning began the show ... .. want nothing more than an hour waiting in line to receive a stamp. ...
On leaving the crowds began bargaining for a taxi, they ask the most incredible figures, a tug-infinite negotiate a price "fair" and finally I move into the hotel.
And here is the real sore point, especially for pockets ... .. In the area adjacent to the center requests for a room range from 200 to 500 Euros per night. Even more in certain situations! It's a real madness! You can save staying in the suburbs but then during the day, it would take the helicopter to reach any area. The traffic is appalling and we proceed through the streets at a crawl ... .. especially in the long, cold winter. I found a good compromise when using Belgrad Hotel, close to Arbat Street and 2 / 3 km far from the Kremlin and Red Square.
A week in Moscow almost entirely devoted to work, just lets you in terms of tourism, I spent the late afternoon to explore the surrounding areas, starting from time to time in different directions. The evening with the taxi I had ordered in the places of greatest interest to see the version by Night "and I spent Saturday and Sunday to run far and wide, as far as I was allowed.
Moscow is not all that encompasses many beauties but those symbols that made it famous in the world are nothing short of enchanting. There's so who knows what to see, but the incredible town extension means that we should forever to get to any place of interest. Then turn on foot as I do often proved to be ambitious undertaking to say the least! More often I had to surrender to the lure of the taxi because really .... You can never turn!
Incidentally, among the symbols of Moscow ... there are the skyscrapers of Stalin. Development as impressive as horrible, scattered throughout the city and headquarters of universities, offices, hotels, government bodies. Are very similar to each other and create utter confusion in the visitor giving false landmarks.
How wonderful!! The Kremlin and its red walls, Red Square, the Cathedral of St. Basil. Three unmissable attractions and all gathered in the heart of the city. I remained open-mouthed for their grandeur, elegance and for their bright colors and gold decorations.
The mall GUM, the Mausoleum of Lenin and the Historical Museum are a worthy side dish.
Moscow is not only this, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the New and Old Arbat Commercial Road, Tverskaya Street, the statue of Peter the Great and Lenin in the square, the chocolate factory on the banks of the river Moskova, the Orthodox monasteries. Again, the hottest night clubs, ethnic restaurants in the former Soviet republics (I tried that Uzbek better than a good pizza ... .. ....). To end with what to me was a truly remarkable, late, that I will in future be more opportunities for rapid and autonomous in the movements. The Metro! What will it be .... Do not you ever taken a subway?? Some might ask ... ..
Of course you and now, almost every latitude but .... This is not a simple tube.
Approximately 300 km of underground galleries spread out like a thick spider web, hundreds of stops allow you to reach almost every corner of the city. The interior design is impeccable and really seems to move through a traveling museum. Some stations are real jewels with frescoes, paintings, chandeliers and huge representations of Communist Russia. This too is a piece of history. So what is the problem? I do not know Russian! Any sign, notice, statement and map is strictly in Cyrillic. Before diving into this incredible swarm of people I've thought several times saying "do not go no more" ... in the end I really regretted not having done it before. For this, having avoided the subway to the end, I was under the ground for 2 ½ hours to reach the stations more beautiful and meaningful.
Feeling in these moments the same as the real lives of many Muscovites, I managed to return to the hotel with a good feeling. ... I had it done!
Overcome what for me was a small trial, it was time to go home. After a week of blue sky, the clouds were giving me a snowfall history. Snow thick and dry so you can make snowballs without having to bend down and ... .. a few hours at the start, again by taxi to steal the last shots of a fly whitewashed!
After the first day with cloudless blue skies of spring and a pleasant temperature, time
I found myself wrapped in a winter.
Thus, starting, I thought that in such a short time I really did not miss anything!