Moscow

I do not know what it means, but my whole trip to the capital of Russia is associated with unbelievable coincidences.

When I was in airport bus last time, I noticed one very moody Cabin Senior (boss of the economy class). And although I saw her for the first time in my life, I immediately got a strong feeling that I was going to fly to Moscow with her. And as it turned out today, I was right! Fortunately, during the flight, I find out that behind moody facial expression, is just love trouble. The night flight is very smooth, most Russians on the board sleep for the whole flight so we have time to chat with colleagues in the back, in the aircraft galley. We arrive to the magnificent Russian capital city early in the morning, right in the middle of the morning traffic jam. It takes good two hours in the bus from the airport to the hotel! Seems I will have to forget about the bed this time, napping in the bus must be enough. Time is short and Moscow is big…

Russian winter and a warm welcome

Once we check-in and change our uniforms for warm coats, we rush to the city – myself and our Cabin Senior Maria from Italy, which I read so wrong at the beginning. The famous Russian Red Square with the fabulous Kremlin palace is quite far from our hotel, so we have to take the metro to the city. However, signs in Russian letters that we can not read are not very helpful. Most people we ask about the direction, do not understand and the huge old Russian metro suddenly looks so creepy. Fortunately, after a while, we come across one sympathetic blond guy who is trying to explain to us with his broken English what line to take. Finally, he gives up and rather walks us all the way! When the time to say goodbye come, he leaves us in front of city gates even with a package of nuts as a welcome gift!

The square bigger than the football stadium

We walk around square and souvenir shops, where I fall in love with typical Russian fur hat, and as it is really cold outside, I decide to buy it. For my niece, I buy one Masha doll because I know how much she adores Russian cartoon Masha and the bear, and for my boyfriend I take typical wooden Russian Matrioska. I remember that exactly the same my grandmother used to have. On one of the squares around the Kremlin, are seasonal markets opened. From every corner we can smell roasted sausage or traditional Russian Borsch soup, they also sell caviar, fish and pumpkins. Moscow is just great, cold and megalomaniac! I do not know how to describe it correctly, but everything is huge and so spacious here. The Red Square is bigger than any football stadium in the world! I can picture really spectacular First May celebrations here! We also check decorated Orthodox Kazan cathedral and then continue to the National Museum. There are hundreds of people standing in front of a glass building where tickets are sold. Russian art and jewelries will have to wait. It seems that the trip to the museum should be planned ahead…

Coincidences do not exist?

Next we turn to the well-known Old Arbat Walking Zone, which is as magnificent as everything in Moscow, generously decorated and endlessly long. In one of the cafes we stop for a cup of hot tea and a typical Russian Borsch soup with a sour cream on the top (so yummy!), which will warm us up. Over the cup of tea we discuss our Arabian loves and then we walk along the majestic Volga River back to our hotel. It’s a long walk, but we do not want to risk it with the metro. As soon as I jump on my bed, tired to death and start uploading pictures on Facebook, my mobile phone beeps: “Zuzi, are you in Moscow?”

Moscow in the evening

Would you believe it?! My friend and former love from Czech Republic I have not seen for a long time is in the same city, at the other end of the world at the same time as me! Unbelievable! Who would have said that we would meet in such an inaccessible Moscow? I’ve been waiting for this flight for a whole year, and for him it is a unexpected business trip. Fatigue or not, such an opportunity I can not reject. So I put on a coat and my new hat again. In an hour Tomas is waiting for me in front of my hotel. We take the taxi to Red Square to see its beauty in the night light. Since I walked here with Maria just a few hours ago, I can now do a small guide tour for Tomas. Then we have a light dinner (again borsch:) and as soon as I reach my hotel half dead, I pass out…

Like in the bar

The next day one busy flight is waiting for us. As could be expected, the Russians won’t let us chat this time. The galley in the back is soon transformed into a temporary bar, from where we serve one vodka shot after another. Vodka, beer, vodka, beer, whiskey… until we don’t have anything to serve. Unbelievable how much Russians can drink!