Tourism
You just can't do it. You can't travel to Moscow without visiting the myriad of historical landmarks, Stalinist wedding cakes and museums that populate the urban landscape...

So, during the day, while waiting for my ex-pat associates to finish another dreary day of work, I strolled the city, soaking in almost a thousand years of history.

Kremlin
In the center of the city lurks the Kremlin, seat of all Russian power from the Tsars through the current president. All roads lead to the Kremlin, from whose walls Napoleon watched the city burn before his disastrous retreat to the west. The walled fortress stands beside the Moscow river, forming a rough triangle bordered by Red Square.

Red Sqaure
Red Square used to be a market place, and has seen executions, ICBM parades, hecklers and goose-stepping guards. Now it remains as mostly a tourist attraction, with seedy looking Muscovites offering polaroid photos with cut-out communists replacing the long lines for Lenin's tomb. Lenin's body may still remain inside, embalmed and preserved since his death in 1924, but the mausoleum is often closed to the public, and the guards have gone home.

GUM
Gosudarstvenny Universalny Magazin (the State Department Store, known as GUM, pronounced goom) was built in the 19th century, designed to house over 1000 shops. During the Soviet years, it was one of the few places where goods could usually be found - Soviet citizens would travel from all over the country to sample its wares.

Now it is little more than an upscale shopping mall, home to half off sales and overpriced espresso. Covering three floors and an entire city block, Moscow's answer to Macy's is as good a shopping experience you can get in the city - if you're willing to pay the price.

Vodka

Doom

Toilet

Lodging

Transit

Index