# Forum About Russia Travel and Tourism  Россия 2011

## fabriciocarraro

Привет всем! 
I arrived yesterday in Moscow for a 1 month trip with my wife. We're staying at her parents, so no money will be spent with hotels. 
We came from Brazil to Spain by Iberia. The flight was VERY tiring, I couldn't sleep at all. They don't have mini-TV's for each person, just like 3 monitors on the roof of the plane and some radios, very 90's. The crew was ok, not good as KLM but still ok. At the airport in Madrid we had some trouble to get the connection, because the S7 "kiosk" is behind imigration, and my wife couldn't pass because she's russian. We waited there for 30 minutes and the Iberia crew solved it out for us. Madrid's airport is huge, and very beautiful! 
Then, the circus started. We came to Russia by S7 (Siberian Airlines). We had to wait 1 hour for the plane to get ready. After that, there was a woman just behind us with a DOG! A POODLE! Barking all the time! The service is worse than Iberia, it seems like they don't wanna speak english with you, so my wife asked for everything for me. The pilots seem also not very "carefull" with the plane, you can notice when they take the "wheel". Also, the seats are very close to each other, so you can't strecht your legs completely (in Iberia you can). Well, I can't complain because the flight tickets were VERY cheap (I payed about 485 dollars for the round trip São Paulo -> Madrid -> Moscow -> Madrid -> São Paulo), but anyway, just so you guys know. 
The weather in Moscow is great now, 34ºC yesterday. Today it was raining a little bit, but now is warm. =) I've already seen people spitting and shouting in the streets, so I know I'm in Moscow =P (just kidding guys, don't be offended! =P). 
I hope to enjoy the city while I'm here. Last year I've been to the Red Square, Kremlin, Park Pobedy, Tverskaya, Tretyakov Gallery, an exhibition of ice statues (VERY impressive), the Lokomotiv's stadium, etc. Do you guys have any suggestions for me? We're going to Park Gorkovo, a cat circus.... and I don't know where else! 
I'll also try to study russian while I'm here, I'm already on intermediate level and I can understand about 20/30% of what my wife and her parents say to each other. I wanted to do an "intensive" russian course, if that's not too expensive, because we can't spend much in this trip. So, if you know anyone, please give me the contact (e-mail, Vkontakte page, whatever). 
Спасибо вам! Пока пока! =)

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## Hanna

Interesting to hear about your trip! 
What a terrible flight. Good luck and have a great time in Moscow! 
Perhaps you could post some of your pictures?

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## fabriciocarraro

Sure Hanna! I'll post them here =)

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## Basil77

I recommend you not to stick to Moscow this time, but visit such places as Suzdal and Sergiev-Posad for example.

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## fabriciocarraro

Sorry for taking so long guys! 
Me and my wife went to her friend's weddding here in Moscow, it was very interesting to participate in a real russian wedding cerimony! First we went to a "notary's office", then we got in a limusine and wandered around the city to take some pictures and finally we went to a restaurant, were there was food and some show with the newlyweds. Very nice! The people there were also great, everyone was very nice and friendly with me, asking about Brazil or just talking about Russia, football, computers, etc, etc! Here are some pictures, I hope you like them.      
Me and my wife:  
The newlyweds next to a "lockers tree" (I don't know the name of it):  
Ahahahahaha

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## zxc

Nice pictures. 
Regarding the locks, I don't name the name of it either, but it seems to be a common tradition for young couples in Russia.   
I distinctly remember while walking to the soccer stadium in Kiev crossing a bridge, and the girl I was with told me it was the мост любви (bridge of love).  There were hundreds of padlocks attached to it.  If I understood the girl I was with, she said couples will paint/write their names on the lock, lock it to a place of significance (perhaps a place they've kissed, or as in your picture, where they got married), and then throw away the key to sort of symbolize their unending love. 
Here's a picture I found of the bridge in Kiev:   
A bit cheesy.   ::

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## Hanna

Yeah, I saw the lockers in the countries I visited too. On bridges and tourist attraction type sites. 
Great pictures! Keep them coming! 
You and your wife look a great couple!

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## kozyablo

ok! Can I write in Russian?  ::  my recommendations for spending  free time in Moscow:
Museum:
Палеонтологический
Музей Дарвина
Музеи Кремля
Политехнический 
Park:
Зоопарк
Коломенское
Царицыно 
In moscow region:
Новый Иерусалим
Архангельское
Музей техники Задорожного
Танковый музей в кубинке
Музей авиации монино
Заповедник с зубрами
Дубровицы (церковь знамения) 
Это мои любимые места (что удалось вспомнить  ::  ).

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## Basil77

As far as I heard the Tank Museum in Kubinka has some stupid rule to not allow the foreigners in. You must bear a Russian passport to visit it. I'm not sure though.

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## nulle

Are they afraid of foreign spies?  ::

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## Basil77

Actually I wasn't quite right. Foreigners can visit, but they must get a special permission in the Defence ministry. Also they must get a FSB operative to follow them there. I've read somewhere how some foreigner complained how he couldn't visit the museum because the permission was rather hard to get.  

> Иностранные граждане могут посетить музей только после получения  соответствущего разрешения в Министерстве Обороны Российской Федерации.  Местонахождение Музея БТВТ и содержание его хранилищ требуют  сопровождения иностранных граждан сотрудниками службы безопасности, а  потому получение разрешения вовсе не является пустой формальностью.  
>  Узнать, как можно получить разрешение, можно по телефону у дежурного  по музею. Кроме того, ряд российских туристических фирм предоставляют  услуги по получению разрешений и экскурсионному обслуживанию. В  обязанности авторов этого сайта не входит реклама конкретных турфирм,  так что надеемся, что необходимая информация будет легко найдена Вами  при помощи Интернет.

 Военно-исторический Музей Бронетанкового Вооружения и Техники в Кубинке

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## kozyablo

yes, and this procedure takes about 1 month  and costs about 100 euro (including tickets)

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## Hanna

I'd almost pay 100 euro NOT to have to go to a tank museum. Sounds extremely boring.  :: 
But it's sounds a bit silly since it's a MUSEUM. I mean, it's understandable if foreigners can't view the latest models of tanks. But the old historical ones... What's the harm?  
Most countries have some areas or places that foreigners can't go to though, or areas that you need security clearance to enter. I've come across it in several countries.  
I read in a guide book that there are whole cities in Russia that foreigners can't normally go to. Several cities (not sure which ones) and also areas in the Caucasus and border areas. I wonder how they check to make sure that foreigners don't go to these places in the Caucasus.

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## nulle

> What's the harm

 Because Russian military industry apparently is not evolved much further from soviet times  ::  
And many of these "historic" tanks are still in use.

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## Basil77

> I'd almost pay 100 euro NOT to have to go to a tank museum. Sounds extremely boring. 
> But it's sounds a bit silly since it's a MUSEUM. I mean, it's understandable if foreigners can't view the latest models of tanks. But the old historical ones... What's the harm?

 As I wrote above, I think this rule is completely stupid, especially because Russian citizens allowed to make photos and even videos there and internet is filled with pictures from there. But the museum is the property of Russian military and as any military, and Russian one especially it's has a million idiotic rules. As Russian saying goes: "Who had served in the military doesn't laughs in a circus".   

> Most countries have some areas or places that foreigners can't go to though, or areas that you need security clearance to enter. I've come across it in several countries.  
> I read in a guide book that there are whole cities in Russia that foreigners can't normally go to. Several cities (not sure which ones) and also areas in the Caucasus and border areas. I wonder how they check to make sure that foreigners don't go to these places in the Caucasus.

 Actually Russian Caucasus regions have some type of border check points wich separates them from the rest of Russia.

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## Hanna

> As Russian saying goes: "Who had served in the military doesn't laughs in a circus".

 I met a Latvian person (regular Latvian, not Russian) who actually said that he had a great time in the Soviet army. 
He was a long distance runner and was sent to a place in Russia where he mostly did long distance running for the duration of his military training. He had nothing bad to say about it at all, quite interesting actually... I always thought that everybody in the ex Soviet countries had a terrible time in the army.

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## Basil77

> I always thought that everybody in the ex Soviet countries had a terrible time in the army.

 Why? During Soviet times military was quite prestigious and well-paid job. Even conscripts was in 100 times better conditions than modern Russian conscripts.

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## Hanna

Actually, it's just what I heard. When guys were complaining about doing military service in Sweden, people said "oh it's nothing compared with the Soviet Union...." And then they'd tell some horrible story about that. The biggest complaint of the guys were if they got sent North. Really cold in the winter and lots of mosquitos in the summer, and very isolated and rural. Of course, the weather in Russia is more extreme and it's even more rural and isolated. But I have no idea where they got the information about bad conditions from. 
Speaking about that, Sweden has stopped compulsory military service, and Germany just did it too. 
Does Russia have any plans for that? 
I have read (here, I think) that it's quite easy to get out of it.

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## Windup Merchantski

> Speaking about that, Sweden has stopped compulsory military service, and Germany just did it too.
> Does Russia have any plans for that?

 A Russian man is first a warrior then a citizen and a father. God bless our Army for protecting us from our enemies. In your dreams only will we stop the military service. Even if you take all our weapons from us we will use our teeth and kick our enemy's arse.

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## fabriciocarraro

By the way, today was ВДВ day, or something like that.  
The people here advised me not to go out on the streets, because every year they go around the city drinking and causing trouble. Do you guys know anything about it? I just know they are some kind of military.

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## nulle

> Even conscripts was in 100 times better conditions than modern Russian conscripts.

 Until they were sent to Afghanistan or Chernobyl....

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## Satyr

> By the way, today was ВДВ day, or something like that.

 ВДВ = "воздушно десантный войска" - Airborne forces. 
They drink, fighting, swimming in fountains. -)))  http://rutube.ru/tracks/4681453.html...598e74e59f5c3b

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## Satyr

Yesterday's photoreport on VDV-day  Арбузный день ВДВ! (61 фото) - Fishki.Net | Фишкина картинка

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## Hanna

> Why? During Soviet times military was quite prestigious and well-paid job. Even conscripts was in 100 times better conditions than modern Russian conscripts.

 That's sad.... it's hard being a guy sometimes! what happened? 
They thought it wasn't worth spending money on anymore?

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## Satyr

For those who unable to visit tank museum. 
Virtual excursion:  Виртуальная экскурсия: бронетанковый музей в Виртуальная экскурсия: танковый музей в Виртуальная экскурсия: танковый музей в Виртуальная экскурсия: танковый музей в Виртуальная экскурсия: танковый музей в Виртуальная экскурсия: танковый музей в Виртуальная экскурсия: танковый музей в

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## Hanna

Great, now we know the military secrets and can invade Russia! 
Let's go!!!  ::

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## fabriciocarraro

We went to a museum in Парк Победы. Veeeeery nice! It's about the World War II, and it has a LOT of videos, antiques, real weapons, miniatures, everything very nice!
Here are some photos:         
Table where, during the WW2, happened the "discussions" between USSR, USA and England      
Stalin's table:

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## Marcus

> Even conscripts was in 100 times better conditions than modern Russian conscripts.

 Where did you take this information?

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## Marcus

Well, in general, I think army is a hell. I'll do everything I can not to go there. You obey all the time, you are beaten by everyone, you have no freedom and rights, you do hard phisical work and feel exhausted for a year.

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## Eledhwen

And here is happens: )))

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