Russia: A Trip Of A Lifetime
Story by Intern Katie Armstrong
Roosseeah!! The master of ceremonies at the Moscow Circus boomed his country’s name into the microphone with drama, pride and enthusiasm. He rolled the “r,” stretched out the “oo,” hissed the “s,” barely pronounced the “ee,” and with a flamboyant hand gesture, held out the “ah” for several seconds. The crowd applauded with their communal clap, whistling and cheering. That was what Russia was all about – the drama, the dynamics and the pride. Those words describe exactly what Russia embodies.
Moscow: Meeting Russia Face to Face
St. Basil’s Cathedral on Red Square (Moscow)
One can only appreciate Russia, with its diversity and expansiveness, one city at a time. This May, while on a school trip with Villanova University, I visited the two major cities associated with Russian history and culture: Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Moscow is the more Russian, more ancient city with the Kremlin, Red Square and the current government situated there. From the Russian word meaning “Fortress,” the Kremlin is a walled complex that currently houses government buildings and several churches where Tsars and Patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church are buried.
The walls of the Kremlin are brick red; spires stand atop the walls at some
points, with five-pointed stars, made of a sort of ruby, adorning the top of
each spire. The churches inside the Kremlin are square-like, with three to five
massive gold ‘onion’ domes perched on top. Richly painted icons are displayed
above the entrance to each church; these icons are the churches’ namesakes.
Inside, everything is decorated, as icons embedded with jewels surround the
sanctuary.
Lenin’s Mausoleum on Red Square
The most well-known Russian landmark, Red Square is the site of Vladimir
Lenin’s Mausoleum and St. Basil’s Cathedral, a church of confectionery delight.
Larger than a football field, Red Square is so-named not for the color of the
Kremlin walls around it, nor from the link between red and Communism. Rather,
the name is derived from the Russian word krasnaya, which can mean either “red”
or “beautiful.” The walls and spires of the Kremlin stand ominously behind
Lenin’s red and black mausoleum.
Built in the style of ancient burial tombs, the mausoleum looks like stacks of rectangular LEGO blocks placed symmetrically atop each other. Trees, flowers and guards decorate the outside and Lenin’s name in capital, red Cyrillic letters is written above the front entrance. After passing through an outdoor security checkpoint, you walk a path in a garden commemorating late Communist officials.
Just inside the entrance is a guard holding a flag. You turn to the left, go down some steps, turn right and then up a ramp. Lenin, with small ears and dressed in a dark suit with his arms at his side, palms down, lies in a dark orange and red tomb with a glass top that exposes him from all angles. His tomb itself is underground, musty, and the walls above Lenin are black with red designs. Guards stand watch at every corner of the mausoleum, shushing and hurrying on visitors.
As macabre as this, though, directly across the Square from the Mausoleum is
a pricey shopping mall; the Mausoleum is clearly visible from the mall’s many
windows.
An actor portraying Lenin, and me
No matter the history associated with Red Square, there are, inevitably,
tourist attractions marking the entrance. Actors dressed as current and former
Russian leaders stand ready for pictures for approximately 200 rubles (about
$7), and monkeys on leashes are available for petting for a mere 100 rubles
(about $3). Souvenir and Pepsi vendors complete the touristy venue.
When the historic sites get to be too tiresome, one can frequent souvenir shops, of which there are a plethora in Moscow.
Arbott Street in downtown Moscow is a vibrant tourist destination with shops
whose wares are splendidly displayed. Matryoshka (nesting) dolls of all sizes
and themes peer from the windows and smile cozily at fascinated shoppers.
Vendors wrap you in brightly woven traditional shawls, and place fur hats with
Soviet pins stuck all throughout on your head.
10-piece Matryoshka Doll set with scenes of Moscow, with a traditional Russian scarf as the backdrop
If you get hungry shopping, McDonald’s, Starbucks Coffee, and stylish cafes
and bars line the street. Another popular souvenir destination is Ismailovo,
just a short train ride from center city Moscow. Wooden stalls brightly painted,
with the fabulous treats of Matryoshka dolls, traditional scarves, jewelry,
icons, fur hats, lacquered boxes with scenes from Pushkin fairytales, and
collectible Soviet pins are all available for a price that definitely should
include haggling. (There was even, if one can believe it, a Matryoshka doll of a
University of Florida Gators football player!)
The pushy but smooth vendors beam lovingly on their treasure and pet and flatter you to buy, and indeed how good you feel holding the richly painted Matryoshka dolls and woolen, vividly colored shawls.
The most convenient mode of transportation in Moscow is the Metro. Upon entering any station you would think you were entering an underground palace. Ornately decorated columns and ceilings abound, and even sculptures of Russian leaders are found. The trains, blue with white trim, themselves look regal. Trains arrive every three minutes, and the escalators move at speeds twice as fast as in America.
Soviet ideology stands behind the beautiful architecture of the Moscow Metro, for the Soviet government believed that while individuals may themselves be poor, as a country, the people all together, Russia was rich. So, to boost morale the marvelous underground stations were constructed.
St. Petersburg: Where Russia Earns Its Identity As Dramatic
Typical St. Petersburg
We took an overnight train from Moscow to St. Petersburg; unfortunately we
couldn’t see much of the scenery, but I happened to wake up early enough to peek
out the sleeper compartment window.
Outside, there was what seemed like a forest with mist, gobs and blankets and rolls of mist, hiding the forest, except for the tops of the trees – like something out of a Pushkin fairytale. We rolled into the chaotic St. Petersburg train station at 6:30 a.m. Upon exiting the train, a wall of people, worn and frantic-looking, fell upon us.
St. Petersburg embodies the drama of Russia. Built by Peter the Great in 1703
as a means of Westernizing and modernizing Russia, and the Russian capital for
more than two hundred years until 1918, after the Russian Revolution of 1917,
St. Petersburg is located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland
on the Baltic Sea. Classical and Baroque architecture is the prominent style of
just about every building. The city has had three names in its history – St.
Petersburg (named, not for Peter the Great, but for his patron saint), Petrograd
(‘City of Peter,’ considered during World War I a less German-sounding name than
‘St. Petersburg’), and Leningrad. Now it is informally called Piter by the
younger generation, but Petersburg, or sometimes Leningrad, by the older. Also
termed “The Venice of the North,” St. Petersburg is filled with pastel-colored
palaces, dozens of museums, many multi-domed cathedrals, winding canals and
picturesque gardens.
The Hermitage
The most famous museum in St. Petersburg is the State Hermitage Museum.
Founded in 1764 by Empress Catherine the Great, the Hermitage houses one of the
largest art collections in the world. The collections occupy a complex of six
historic buildings, including the Winter Palace, once a residence of Russian
emperors. The Summer Garden, on an island in the middle of St. Petersburg, was
conceived by Peter the Great in 1704 as a means of ‘educating’ the residents of
the area. Life-sized statues representing scenes from Aesop’s fables and scores
of fountains stand along shady garden paths.
From atop St. Isaac’s Cathedral, all of St. Petersburg is visible. In front
of the Cathedral is the famed Bronze Horseman statue, a monument erected by
Catherine the Great in honor of Peter the Great for his dedication to the
modernization of Russia.
Peterhof, and the Grand Cascade
About two hours outside of St. Petersburg, on the southern shore of the Gulf
of Finland, is the royal Summer Palace, Peterhof. Rooms of gold, illusionary
mirrors, even a room with portraits as wallpaper, mark the splendor of the
interior of Peterhof.
Of course, St. Petersburg is not all palaces, gardens and museums. Cultural events, like the ballet and opera, are favored pastimes of city dwellers. Mariinsky Theater, a luxurious theater of opera and ballet once frequented by royalty, produced Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker during our visit to Russia. (It is not considered a Christmas play in Russia, just a magical story.)
Culturally, We’re Similar but We’re Different
While traveling in Russia was exciting, educational and adventurous, understanding and becoming acquainted with the culture was slightly difficult. There was, however, the presence of Americanization.
American pop and rap songs, such as works by Eminem and The Black Eyed Peas, were played in almost every restaurant, and were featured (in English) on the equivalent MTV station.
Americanization! Coca-Cola stands
Even Disney/Pixar films, like Up, were popular, and one evening I saw The Simpsons dubbed over in Russian on television. American basketball games were popular, too; I even caught a few moments of the Orlando Magic games.
English is commonly spoken in the cities, and there were English translations of food on the menus, so it made ordering in restaurants and getting around the cities easy. Some fast food places existed such as, of course, McDonald’s.
Teremok was another chain restaurant, serving blinis (crepes), with just about very filling imaginable, from smoked salmon to berries and cream. Searing bowls of borscht – beets and meat in a broth, topped with sour cream and chives – were available everywhere, as was good Russian vodka, and of course Coca-Colas.
One interesting aspect of Moscow food culture was roadside beer and pastry stands. Tiny square buildings with a window display of the foods and drinks served at these eateries; you just walked up to the tiny window, pointed to what you wanted in the display, and the salesperson searched for it, then rung it up at the register, handed it to you through the window with a grunt, and waved you on.
My favorite food in all Russia, though, was a delightful and filling Danish pastry with thick, gooey crusts, and a glob of buttery cheese in the middle.
Cultural differences existed even in clothing and in restaurant customs. Russian women are ultra fashionable, wearing tight jeans, huge purses, stiletto heels everywhere, and Gucci sunglasses. (Unfortunately, however, the mullet hairstyle is quite acceptable, for both women and men.) Given there is no middle class in Russia, it was hard to tell where everyone shopped, since these fashionistas were certainly not too poor, but neither were they super rich, and the shops in St. Petersburg were exceedingly pricey.
The service in sit-down restaurants was slow – it must be that European mindset of enjoying life, not living it fast-paced. Exact change was very much appreciated, and giving change was practically abhorred. Tips are not customarily given, except in nicer restaurants, though they are appreciated everywhere.
Another distinctly European tradition, I noticed, was the abundance of flowers given as tokens of affection. Men carried vast bouquets, surely for their beloveds, and women held roses tenderly while walking with their boyfriends. The culture was thrilled with flowers, and the giving and receiving of them seemed so natural.
Old women with gold teeth stood on the street corners of Moscow and St. Petersburg selling daffodils, peonies, and pretty purple blooms. Like a tourist infatuated with the marvels around me, I just HAD to buy some flowers. Since the old women didn’t speak English, I was unable to negotiate a price, so I shoved a 100 ruble note into one seller’s hand. She beamed at me, and handed me some pretty purple lilac flowers wrapped in newspaper. I grabbed them delightfully, as if she had handed me my favorite Danish pastry. I trotted across the street, so excited, until I saw several trees full of the same flowers. People walked by plucking the flowers off, giving them to companions. So, I paid roughly $3 for something I literally could have picked off a tree. But it was worth it!
Russians celebrate their country with as much pride as a 4th of July parade. Saturday, May 30th was the 306th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg. A sea of people covered the entire city. The park in front of Kazan Cathedral was turned into a carnival grounds, and SpongeBob Squarepants balloons were plentiful.
Cities Never Sleep
A canal in St. Petersburg, with the Summer Gardens on the right
During the day, we visited historic landmarks and walked the soles of our shoes off. Night, however, was different. We frequented probably every dance club in St. Petersburg, yet even that was a cultural difference. Disco and techno music thudded so loudly my head hurt, and I was dizzy from the flashing lights, but I noticed that we Americans danced with partners; Russian clubbers danced on their own, hardly ever with a partner.
If this sort of entertainment exhausts you, seeing the 2 a.m. raising of the bridges in St. Petersburg is a popular attraction. For 500 rubles, approximately $17, you can ride a long, flat boat that breezes through the narrow St. Petersburg canals to the Neva River, where it joins other such boats to see the raising of the bridges close-up. The black velvet waves of the Neva rolling around the boat is about as beautiful as the lit monuments of St. Petersburg framing the scene of the three major bridges being raised so that cruise ships and barges can pass through.
Kazan Cathedral (St. Petersburg) at around 10:00P.M.
Additionally, as the city is so far north, it was light almost all night long in St. Petersburg. It did get dark for a couple of hours around 11:30 p.m., but there was always that faint rosy glow on the horizon. Therefore, 10:00 p.m. often found me sitting on a bench in front of Kazan Cathedral, a cathedral built in honor of the victory over Napoleon, eating Cadbury’s chocolates and writing my journal. And no, it was not cold. The May weather in Russia was similar to spring weather in New England, that is, cool and sometimes rainy. But most days was perfect sunny weather – 70s and 80s during the day, and 50s and 60s at night.
Conclusion: Go!
Russia is not so far away a country that it is impossible to explore. The 8 1/2-hour transatlantic flight to Helsinki, Finland is easy and comfortable, and from Helsinki it is about an hour to either St. Petersburg or Moscow. The 8-hour time difference between EST and the time in both Moscow and St. Petersburg is easy to adjust to as well.
Russia is as dynamic and dramatic as history and literature portray. The contrasts of Moscow and St. Petersburg are many, but the beauty of both is fascinating. The customs and culture may be different from America’s, but some aspects are lovely and exotic. The food is fantastic and filling, and the fashion could embarrass even New York City. But overall, the drama and dynamicism is present in the architecture. The richly colored and elaborately decorated churches speak volumes of how the people feel about their traditions and religion, and the pastel, gold-leafed palaces of St. Petersburg express the love of beauty, drama and cultural pride Russians must inherently possess.
My advice for any wide-eyed travelers – if you get the chance, go!
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June 22nd, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Wow! brilliant story, sounds like alot of fun
must be amazing to travel the world and write