Our mini-bus creeped along in Moscow traffic and our G Adventures group was abuzz despite our early morning wake-up call. We were officially starting our journey along the Golden Ring of Russia and headed to Vladimir, the start of the Golden Ring route some 80 miles northeast of Moscow. Our visit was a short excursion […]
Golden Ring of Russia
We’ve mentioned the Golden Ring of Russia at least a handful of times now and you might be wondering what exactly it is. No, it’s not just the name of the G Adventures tour we were on, though that would be a good guess! It’s actually a scattering of old Russian towns, about 10 to […]
Red Square and St. Basil’s Cathedral
In Italy, there is a saying that “all roads lead to Rome”. In Moscow, all roads do, in fact, lead to Red Square. Moscow’s major streets, which connect to Russia’s major highways, originate from the square. There’s even a plaque in front of the Iberian Gate that marks Kilometer Zero of the Russian highway system. […]
Izmailovsky Market Moscow
We’d heard that The Arbat is Moscow’s premier pedestrian shopping street for Russian souvenirs like matryoshki (nesting dolls), amber, and lacquered boxes. But in all honestly, we found most of the merchants were Chinese and were practically accosted and forced into visiting a few with “You loookee!” being shouted as we tried to pass by. […]
10 Things to Taste in Russia
Russian cuisine is based off the peasant food of the rural population that had to deal with a harsh, long-lasting winter. Traditional Russian food is meant to fatten people up in preparation for the long winter ahead and has more carbohydrates and fat than proteins. Not entirely sure what to expect, we found a variety […]
Tips for Using the Moscow Metro
Moscow tops the list of the world’s worst traffic and after seeing the streets in a continuous state of traffic jam all hours of the day, we believe it! Taxis in Moscow aren’t metered; you agree upon a price with the driver before you start your journey, but it is often faster to walk than […]
Three Michelin Star Dining at Les Menus
Many Muscovites have a seemingly disposable income for fine dining, luxury travel, and fast cars. For a city that boasts more billionaires living in it than any other city in the world, I was surprised to learn that Moscow has only one three Michelin starred chef. Pierre Gagnaire, decorated with the highest gastronomic award of […]
Moscow’s Most Beautiful Cloister
Founded in 1524 along the bend of the Moscow River, the Novodevichy Convent (New Maiden’s Convent) commemorated the capture of Smolensk from Lithuania. It not only served as a religious institution, but also as a fortress with strong defensive walls and 12 battle towers. We were told it is Moscow’s most beautiful cloister, second only […]
The Many Superstitions of Russia
Russia is a strange and mysterious land even still today, as evidenced by the absolute fascination Tim and I have been met with since returning from our trip. Russians are very superstitious people. They believe in the Evil Eye (дурной глаз in Russian), an evil look that brings bad luck or trouble, and they fear […]
Luxe Lotte Hotel Moscow
Moscow is home to 79 of Russia’s 101 billionaires, more than any other city in the world. While we might not be billionaires (or millionaires even), we certainly felt like Moscow billionaires during our stay at the luxurious Lotte Hotel Moscow! From the Maserati valeted out front to the glittering lobby with specially commissioned blown […]
