My Top And My Tail!

[lupestripe]

Wolfie was feeling a little delicate on Sunday on account of some orange juice he had had - much like the orange juice had tipped me over the edge on Thursday. Consequently, once we had arrived at Strogino Metro station on the outskirts of Moscow, we headed downtown and straight to our hotel. It was surprising to see streets covered by snow on Monday now completely bare aside from some hazardous sheets of ice which almost caught us off-guard a few times. The week we were in Moscow was unseasonably mild, around zero degrees so much the same as what the UK experienced the other week. This was a tad disappointing really as I wanted to feel -20C but alas it wasn't to be.

After dropping our baggage off, we headed to the city centre to check out the imperious Kremlin, National Library and Red Square. Lenin's Mausoleum was coveted by a giant white inflatable dome for some reason while a kiddies' ice skating rink has now been set up in the middle of the square. It was great being back here in the February drizzle, seeing world famous sights and being attacked by a man in a giant robotic Santa contraption that Wolfie tried to stare down.

We also went to ГУМ, Russia's most famous department store opposite the Kremlin. It has a beautiful ornate structure - think Victoria Quarter in Leeds - and was famous for chic in Soviet times. It's much the same now except the stores are high end affairs of the kind you'd find on Bond Street. Indeed many are the exact names you'd find on Bond Street such is the way of globalisation.

Before this, we had looked around for a Crapdogs van but alas our favourite near the Bolshoy Ballet has since been towed away. However, we did find one in an offshoot of the underground labyrinth around there so we were soon enjoying a delicious hotdog with ketchup and cheese sauce while an old man kept saying the word два to us repeatedly for an unfathomable reason.

Considering noms, we also tried McDonald's spicy beef roll and the delicious Крошка Картошка, a baked potato chain of restaurants that has only been going since 1997. The potatoes they serve are gorgeous, with butter and cheese mashed into the potato before it is baked again. You can then choose toppings such as the freshest cream cheese I have ever tasted and they also serve beer. Truly heavenly, so much so I am thinking of asking the CEO of the company about UK marketing plans.

Fully filled, we headed back to the hotel to check in to our flight online, grab a beer and a shower (not simultaneously) and head to bed to endure a poor night's sleep on the lumpiest pillows ever while dreaming of young children being run over by juggernauts and furs harboring criminals. Not pleasant.

Monday saw us have half a day in Moscow ahead of our flight home. Taffka had still to give me the feet paws and one hand paw as yet uncompleted. She had taken them home after the con and delivered them to us at our hotel at lunchtime. She came with Llanowar and the duo gave us a nice Rusfurrence luggage tag before guiding us to our station from which our train to the airport departed.

With an hour to kill, they took us to a local cafe bar, a remake on the Soviet style canteens where we enjoyed delicious pelmeni while watching Tom and Jerry and discussing the con. We congratulated them both on a job well done and vowed to return amidst the bright orange decor of the restaurant. It was better and far cheaper than the station one and more lively too, which was fantastic.

At the airport itself our flight was half an hour delayed so we enjoyed another delicious potato curtesy of Крошка Картошка before avoiding the expensive bars, favouring a wander instead. Then we boarded our flight during which I experienced the best airline food I've ever had while watching the acceptable movie 'ted' as we headed back to the UK.

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Comments

[startide.livejournal.com]

"...grab a beer and a shower (not simultaneously)..."
What? I think that's a potentially explosive untapped market right there! Imagine beer taps in the shower! It would be Homer Simpson's wildest dream XD

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I imagine it would be Homer Simpson's big dream but soapy beer does not sound particularly pleasant :(

[alaskawolf.livejournal.com]

sounds like an interesting trip :)

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

It was brilliant, I really love visiting Russia ^^

[skawinski.livejournal.com]

All those stories and your trip reports really make me wanna visit Russia one day :)

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

You should go, it's brilliant. It's exotic yet familiar at the same time and Rusfurrence is truly awesome ^^