MOSKOW 2007
MOSCOW

October 2007

Flying through an intensive cloud cluster, we descend towards the landing
runway. Turkish Airline planes land at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International
Airport. It is cloudy and 7 degrees. We are in Moscow now; we wait for our
documents in the VIP lounge and eat caviar accompanied with welcome
champagne. Due to heavy traffic, we drive towards the city from side roads.
This is my first trip to Moscow. As I remember old Moscow of Communist
Russia from films and from what I have heard, I am not surprised at Moscow's
new appearance with luxury cars and in wealth; yet, I am very impressed. In
general, one sees no trace of the past here. Instead of the cold and creepy
atmosphere, there are illuminated constructions everywhere now; avenues with
the most luxurious stores; constructions that remind fairy tale countries
and after drinking vodka, people's faces have a kind of sweet drunkenness in
Moscow cafes now.  I read my list...

Red Square: Red in Moscow means red and beautiful. This is a historical
square that witnessed many incidents in the past. It accommodates many
impressive structures and this is Red Square's main characteristic.

Kremlin Palace: Kremlin Palace, presented as the symbol of Moscow, has been
buit as a defense castle and its 19 metres surrounding red walls add a
different aspect to the Palace. The main attractions here are the churches
and the towers inside the palace and the highest building is 72 meters.

St. Basil's Cathedral: the second most attractive construction after Kremlin
is Saint-Basil's Cathedral. The Russian government still uses it and the
most fascinationg part about it is its 8 domes with different heights
displaying a very distinctive appearance. The top of the highest dome is
gold-plated and it looks especially nice when the cathedral is illuminated
at night with its coloured tiles adding an exceptional beauty to it.   

Lenin's Mausoleum: Lenin's body got vaxed in 1924, 56 days after his death
and it is preserved in a glass lantern now. It is open to visit on certain
days of the week.
Pushkin Museum: the most distinguished arts of work are the treasures from
Troy. It is worth seeing this precious piece which is constituted from many
golden and other valuable stones.  20. Century treasures and many
collections from Rome, Egypt and Middle age are being exhibited in the
museum.

Nazım Hikmet Cemetery: the tomb of Nazım Hikmet, who died on 3 June 1963, is
in Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow.

Gorky Park: It is the most famous park of Moscow. This park has become
popular with its giant size ice sculpture exhibitions, considered as
precious pieces of art and many visitors rush in crowds to see them despite
the cold weather in winter. With its bars and cafes inside, it is also one
of those places that you can have pleasent time in Moscow.
You can watch Moscow from several hills with bird's eye view. You can watch
over Moscow's coloured and active life from  "Poklonnaja Mountain" and
"Lenin Hill" which are in front bank of Moscow university. If you go to
these places at night, you will once more get fascinated by Moscow's
illuminated sight, which is spread out beneath your feet underneath...
Furthermore, you can watch Moscow on a boat trip over the river and you
shouldn't miss this.   

Our hotel is Ararat Park Hyatt on Neglinnaya Street. It is a highly
impressive, modern and beautiful hotel.
We settle down and get ready for dinner. I have my first dinner at Cafe
PUSHKIN, at 26-A Tverskoy Boullevard. The usual caviar and vodka...

After dinner we go to Vogue cafe which is quite new and modern. Not
different from New York at all; everybody is chic and posh...

Vogue Café (Kuznetsky most ulitsa 7/9, tel. 495-623-1701)

2. Day... We have breakfast in our hotel room and set off to have city tour
by car. It is 4 days holiday and we have a rather heavy program.

Our first stop is Kotelnicheskaya Naberejnaya Building, where the Park
Avenue Furniture Store is located. It is one of Moscow's 7 buildings built
by the enslaved German soldiers following Stalin's order after 2. World War.




Lost in the translations, I feel exactly the same as in that film... I
cannot read any signboards... It is very irritating not to be able to spell
street names.

The words that I can spell first are cafe and restaurant; Hah, I can read
them!!

We have lunch at China garden in Mezhdunarodnaya Hotel inside World Trade
Center. The most beautiful Chinese food I have had, especially duck is
super...

We walk in Red Square. It is not red and not square!  On this square which
is 400 x 150 meters size and which is right in the heart of Moscow, there
are Kremlin, GUM Shopping Center, Historical Museum and St. Basil Cathedral
and also Lenin's Mausoleum. This square  has been the topic of many films
and we live the history of it.

GUM is a super mall and super architecture... There is a very elegant
restaurant in it looking at the center, Bosco Cafe.  





We drive along the river that divides Moscow into two. There is a beautiful
bar with a glass roof on the tenth floor of the hotel. The sun sets
spreading red lights...

We attend the Mercedes cocktail at Avilon in the evening.

We eat our dinner at GQ bar.

GQ Bar
Ulitsa Baltschug Dom 5
Telephone: (495) 956-7775
Metro: Novokuznetskaya
GQ Bar at Passport Restaurant Guide

3. Day. Dream House and Luxury Village at Barvikha tour. All brands are
collected here; it is a super village.

We go to the TSUM Department Store from here; it is very successful and
chic. It is right on the center near our Hotel, Red Square and Bolshoy
theatre.

We have our dinner at the Italian Restaurant called Mario. Mario
(Klimashkina ulitsa 17, tel. 495-253-6505) HomemadeTaglioni is super...

4. Day... Today we will have our tour accompanied by a guide.

Kremlin tour; touring the halls where Jewellery and Cloths are exhibited..

Afterwards Metro tour... Walking on Arbat, lunch at Hard Rock Cafe...

Return to the hotel, rest at the pool...

At night we watch the dance show 'Kings of Dance' at 'Bolshoi New Stage'.

Dinner at Cafe des Artistes...





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