# Forum About Russia Russian Cities  Favourite place in Moscow and St. Peterburg

## Zhenya

Please, if you would  like to share your favourite places in these cities. 
Could be anything from a park to a special restaurant, just a street or perhaps some other location of interest!

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## kalinka_vinnie

There is on place in Petersburg  I just love. But only in the summer. 
Go to field of Mars (марсовое поле) and in the top left corner, looking from the Neva, there are some trees. Two of the trees are close enough and slanted enough that you can sit with your back reclined on one of the trees, and your feet up on the other (if you so like). On one of the trees there is even a branch that is perfect for hanging a jacket. Just sit there and watch people go past... *memories*  ::   ::

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## Zhenya

This is what I'm talking about !!!!!   ::

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## CTPEKO3A

Oh, memories, memories, memories...
Favorite place in St. Petersburg? It's impossible to pick just one..
On Petrogradskaya side, there is a river Karpovka. It turns 90 degrees between Kirovsky (Kamennoostrovski now) and Aptekarsky. There are stairs down, in the spring you can see fishes swirling in this dirty water.. BTW - pretty building behind with gates and enclosed court - we used to live there - the best place to see fireworks on the Victory day - from it's roof.
Nearby Botanical garden with all its little ponds, quiet corners and exotic trees (well, at least exotic for such northern location as St. Petersburg)..
Tavrichesky park, of course. View from Troitsky bridge (in Vasylievsky island direction).
Yes, and there is on more place on the gulf of Finland.. Primorskaya metro station, 2 stops by bus, or 10 minutes walk along the Smolenka river (or 20 minutes bicycle ride from above mentioned house on Petrogradskaya), and right where it flows into the gulf - there is a peaceful place to relax and think.. if it's warm, you can even take your shoes off and splash water with your feet..
Should I continue?

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## Zhenya

Pleasee!!!!!!

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## CTPEKO3A

Hehe
I don't think this forum could possibly absorb 27 years of me living there and being in love with St. Petersburg..
But I will keep trying from time to time..

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## CTPEKO3A

Ok, here is more. 
A secret passage from Kapella on Moika river to Bol. Konushennaya street. Well, it used to be secret 20 years ago, when I was just a kid, and my mom showed it to me. Now it has been restored, all the hidden courts cleaned up. No garbage piles anymore.. But it makes it even prettier. Kind of European-looking. 
Or a little bridge across Canal Griboedova. Far away from Nevsky prospect.. Well, it's worth it - to walk along Canal Griboedova all the way through. You could find a lot of cute places away from busy streets. 
That all was old town.. Here some of the newer parts..
Grazhdanka - the very north end of it. The last street (Suzdalski pr.) is like a border between city and a countryside. But if you sneak between metal garages (which are forming two more "streets") and cross the railway road, walking away from city for about 1/2 mile, you'll come to the country road. West end of it goes to Parnas, but continue going east on that, and you will pass a spot in the valley, where nightingale sings in the summer. If it happens to be sunset, just stop and enjoy.

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## Zhenya

I certainly hope that I will have the opportunity to visit that place some time!!! It sounds wonderfully inspiring!

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## kalinka_vinnie

Spend also alot of time in the metro... they are a work of art! 
And in the winter, when it snows at night, go for a walk along the canals, nobody on the streets, the buildings lit up, it takes your breath away!

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## Zhenya

Yes I have experienced such view i think

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## necromantic_angel

Best place in Moskva is in Tverskaya
There's a cafe there, I forgot the name, but I went there because that's where it was rumoured that lena and yulia from taty always goes...
No luck though, but I must say that the food was great!

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## Rimbaud

My favourite place in St Petersburg was the Banya next to the Idiot cafe - apparently Dostoyevsky used to frequent there too!
Also the Puskinskaya arts space off nevsky prospect across from moscow station/Ploshchad Vosstanya. 
Moscow - ermm..their was a park i as at where you could see out over the city - cant remember what its called now!Its near the Arh De Triompe-like monument!
Also - The Dom arts area - saw some amazing Tuvan music there in october.

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## Chuvak

Have you ever been at The Politeh which is located in St. Peterburg? If no, you have lost a great deal of fun (but not all is lost). I and my best friends are having fun At Politeh - And I thought and think and will think that The Politeh is the greatest place in whole SPb!!! (Because very near this place is disposed my university, studying in whish I had successfuly finished last summer)  ::   ::   ::

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## kalinka_vinnie

What the Taliban is The Politeh? Is it a club?? A cafe? A Russian money-laundering site?

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## Бармалей

> What the Taliban is The Politeh? Is it a club?? A cafe? A Russian money-laundering site?

 The Taliban? The Taliban? Are you using Taliban-branded opium or something?  :P  
But your question is valid and one I hope he'll answer; what kind of word is "politeh" any way -- it doesn't sound like anything from a language I've heard.

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## TATY

> Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie  What the Taliban is The Politeh? Is it a club?? A cafe? A Russian money-laundering site?   The Taliban? The Taliban? Are you using Taliban-branded opium or something?  :P  
> But your question is valid and one I hope he'll answer; what kind of word is "politeh" any way -- it doesn't sound like anything from a language I've heard.

 Maybe Политех - Polytech(nic).

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## MikeM

> Maybe Политех - Polytech(nic).

 That's right, it is short for Polytechnic Institute (or probably now a University).

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## Бармалей

> Originally Posted by TATY  Maybe Политех - Polytech(nic).   That's right, it is short for Polytechnic Institute (or probably now a University).

 Ah,ok...the lack of the "k" there threw me.

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## TATY

> Originally Posted by MikeM        Originally Posted by TATY  Maybe Политех - Polytech(nic).   That's right, it is short for Polytechnic Institute (or probably now a University).   Ah,ok...the lack of the "k" there threw me.

 Easily thrown then. What else could an h in Russian be?

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## Бармалей

> Originally Posted by Barmaley        Originally Posted by MikeM        Originally Posted by TATY  Maybe Политех - Polytech(nic).   That's right, it is short for Polytechnic Institute (or probably now a University).   Ah,ok...the lack of the "k" there threw me.   Easily thrown then. What else could an h in Russian be?

 I didn't know that it was necessarily Russian. Foreign names/words are routinely used in Russia. There's a place called "Quo Vadis" there for Pete's sake.

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## TATY

> Originally Posted by TATY        Originally Posted by Barmaley        Originally Posted by MikeM        Originally Posted by TATY  Maybe Политех - Polytech(nic).   That's right, it is short for Polytechnic Institute (or probably now a University).   Ah,ok...the lack of the "k" there threw me.   Easily thrown then. What else could an h in Russian be?   I didn't know that it was necessarily Russian. Foreign names/words are routinely used in Russia. There's a place called "Quo Vadis" there for Pete's sake.

 But since it is Russia, it is highly likely it is Russian.

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## Бармалей

> But since it is Russia, it is highly likely it is Russian.

 Tell you what: the day бизнес-ланч dies a slow, horrible death, I'll start thinking of everything in Russia as almost exclusively Russian.

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## Chuvak

Politeh - Tiis is short "Saint-Peterburg State Polytechnical University" for me   ::

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## tdk2fe

I was only in Moscow for a few days, but I guess I had two favorite places: 
The first is an art museum.  Now before you laugh because I don't know the name, maybe somebody could help me out.  It's basically the one that has just about every famous piece of Russian-made art in it.  Things like "The Great Schism" with that Boyaress being dragged through the snow, and the huge piece where theres a bunch of people looking at Jesus.   
My next favorite place is an internet cafe called Собака in the underground mall right next to Red Square.  Pretty swank place - you can order drinks and food directly from the computers, and get like 5 liters of Stari Melnik at once   ::   
tdk

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## Leof

"Boyarinia Morozova" (by S*u*rikov) and "The Apparition of Christ to the People"(?) (by Iv*a*nov) are held in Tretjakovskaya Gallery - Государственная Третьяковская Галерея   ::

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## Бармалей

My funniest memory of Государственная Третьяковская Галерея was that there was some non-Russian speaking woman from Texas who insisted that the non-English speaking sales clerk accept dollars for payment. They kept arguing, in their respective languages, until the Texan decided it would be a good idea to just walk away with the postcards she was going to buy. That went over well...it ended with her slamming down the cards and the Russian very pissed off generally... 
But you're right; there is some incredible artwork there -- I still slightly prefer the Госсударственный Русский Музей in Spb.

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## tdk2fe

Leof, thanks for the help! 
I know this is a bit off-topic, but I think Americans in Russia are just funny in general.  For some reason, a lot of church-groups and missionaries like to go there - even if they don't speak Russian.  I remember that after living in Saratov for a couple of months, it got really easy to spot an American.  It was always priceless to say to them as you were walking by "Hey, whats up man?" in a perfect american accent and look at their expression  :P  
tdk

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## Leof

hehe  ::

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## basurero

> I know this is a bit off-topic, but I think Americans in Russia are just funny in general.

 American tourists are funny pretty much anywhere.

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## TATY

> I know this is a bit off-topic, but I think Americans in Russia are just funny in general.
> 			
> 		  American tourists are funny pretty much anywhere.

 I love the one's here in London, mispronouncing all the names of places. 
The H in the -ham suffixes is SILENT!!!!

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## kalinka_vinnie

> Politeh - Tiis is short "Saint-Peterburg State Polytechnical University" for me

  Well, that is where you hang out to have fun?   ::

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## Бармалей

Who said anything about Americans -- I was talking about Texans.   ::   (hoping there are no Texans in this forum...)

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## basurero

> Originally Posted by basurero     
> 			
> 				I know this is a bit off-topic, but I think Americans in Russia are just funny in general.
> 			
> 		  American tourists are funny pretty much anywhere.   I love the one's here in London, mispronouncing all the names of places. 
> The H in the -ham suffixes is SILENT!!!!

 Well, most Americans don't bother learning the language of any other country they visit, so why should England be an exception?

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## Бармалей

Right, because all visitors to the US can instantly pronounce every city name correctly. If you're going to bitch at something worthwhile, then fine, but if all you're going to do is bitch and groan because you don't like someone's pronunciation of "Birmingham," then you're just being a douche. And FYI, here it IS NOT a silent "h." See Birmingham, AL.

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## TATY

> Right, because all visitors to the US can instantly pronounce every city name correctly. If you're going to bitch at something worthwhile, then fine, but if all you're going to do is bitch and groan because you don't like someone's pronunciation of "Birmingham," then you're just being a douche. And FYI, here it IS NOT a silent "h." See Birmingham, AL.

 Birmingham Alabama, named after Birmingham, the second largest city in the UK, pronounced with a silent H.

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## drew881

eh, say what you want about american tourists, but there are loads of japanese, german, israeli, you name x country etc tourists running around every country in the world.  Singling out tourists by nationality is stupid, and why should tourists have to learn every aspect of a certain country to begin with?  It is not like they are colonizing (arguable if you want) your country, emigrating there, or taking your jobs.  On the other hand they are bringing money into your country and gladly spending it there.  The fact that they are there shows that they have some interest in the area as well, and of course there is the negative side of this (bride chasers for example), but it is better than billy bob who stays in his town all of his life.   
So next time you think of some tourists crowding up your city square and "ruining" it for you, just remember that you are also hanging out on a message board for learning a foreign language and going to a foreign country, and no matter what you do whether work or study there, how well you speak russian, study the area's history, and try to fit in, you are not a native of this area, placing you in the same category as the idiot in the fanny pack wearing the hawaiian shirt or the guy clicking off photos nonstop.

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## Бармалей

3 points:
-Birmingham with a "g" prounounced  :: 
-Agree in principle with Drew
-Feel a flamewar coming...

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## BlackMage

> Birmingham Alabama, named after Birmingham, the second largest city in the UK, pronounced with a silent H.

 We kicked your @$$ in the Revolutionary War and we saved your @$$ in WWII (with some help from our friends the Soviets) so you better leave us the hell alone before we start calling you wankers and making you pronounce your H's.  It's HUGH with an H.

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## kalinka_vinnie

I can feel the love on this forum, it is so warm and fuzzy...

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## Abreiter

Back on topic... 
My fave place is SPB is the Park Pobedy, no doubt. Just across my dear Kuznecovskaya no.50, where I used to live. I still remember walking there as a kid together with my great-grandma and my grandpa. Pity they replaced the beautiful ice-skating rink with a go-kart track. Ah, memories...

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