Moscow - the city that never sleeps

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So says the blurb anyway. Our train to Moscow was rather plush once we managed to get on it. I had to sign in again with the doctors at the station in Nizhny Novgorod to say that I was OK. They gave us an escort to the train - to make sure they got rid of us perhaps? Anyway, it was a really nice train, air conditioned with comfy seats and we got a lunch box too. Journey was pretty uneventful and in no time we were approaching Moscow. Once out of the train station we had to find out way to the Hostel (which we hadn't booked). Lyn's navigational skills came to the fore once again as she deciphered the Russian in the metro and found the one we needed to be on. Took a while but we arrived at Godzillas hostel and yes, they had beds for us though it was all very confusing to start with. We had to share an 6 bed dorm with some girls who were on a Vodkatrain tour and a Swedish mother and daughter who were spending some time in Moscow. A lot of our time was spent buying our next ticket to St Petersburg. You've no idea of the trouble it takes to buy a train ticket in Russia - hours spent trying to find out where to buy the ticket then more hours standing in the queue. To be employed by Russian rail you have to be able to scowl and rant and rave at the silly Ankliskis who don't speak the lingo. So far we've been lucky and we've either found someone who did speak Angliski or we've got someone to write it down in russian for us. Anyway, enough of the boring stuff. Moscow. Full of long legged girls wearing incredibly high spiked heels and smoking incredibly long thin cigarrettes. And Brides - everywhere you go there are brides, having their photos taken in Red Square, on boats, on bridges in the Metro and it's not just that now is the season, apparently it goes on all year round. The divorce rate is almost as high as the wedding rate though. We had the luck of being in Moscow on Russia Day and went down to Red Square for a free concert. Was a bit scary as the place was teeming with soldiers who created barriers between the throngs of people. It doesn't get dark here at the moment which makes it hard to sleep or to know what time it is. We got very good at queueing for train tickets which prepared us for queueing for the Kremlin. Two hours in the queue then two hours looking around inside. Took a ride on the river boat in Moscow - it was a lovely day so perfect for a cruise and as we were both tired from walking for miles it meant we could relax for an hour or so. Our train to St Petersburg was fantastic - the Red Arrow it's called and they play a special song before it leaves the platform (at 11.55pm) and again when it arrives in St Petersburg. Now this was a train I could have spent a few weeks on and I wouldn't even mind getting sick on it. The carriages were gorgeous, toilets were spotless and all in all it was a train fit for a queen - my favourite train thus far - it got to St Petersburg way too quickly for my liking but sadly we had to part. If you ever get the chance to ride it - take it. Sorry, gotta sign off now - early start tomorrow for bus to Tallinn in Estonia. Just got used to the Roubles now I have to get my head around the EEKS. St Petersburg update and photos will follow soon.......

Carol D

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Comments

[Paul]

Lyn - Have you lost the will to type?
Lyn you'll have to wrestle the laptop from Carol and update the blog. So far (and how very surprising) "It's all about Carol!" :-) Trust all is well in beautiful downtown Tallinn