Russia

Russia

DK Kapila

The trip to Moscow was a pleasant experience and a surprise. Unlike what the Western Media projects, it is a lovely huge nation with a comparatively small population. Moscow Airport was huge and the changeover to the domestic terminal for the flight to Saint Petersburg was an equally huge task ! Walking endlessly and all sorts of elevators and a train. And I had the most heavenly bakery products at the Airport with the famous Russian Cream as an essential ingredient. I am still missing it as I track every well known bakery at Chandigarh.

One thing, Russian Pilots on Aeroflot are somewhat flashy, the aircraft tend to take sharp turns and dips while landing, it can be quite un-nerving ! But the food is good, the air hostesses, smart and elegant, though are in a better mood during the afternoon flight than the night flight, that I must say.

Saint Petersburg is oh so lovely and so beautiful. It appeals to the heart and mind and captures one senses. A visitor must take the night or late evening cruise on the Vega River and sitting on the deck is a must. Feel the pride of Russia and it’s rich imperial past. Something they are very proud about. It comes out so strikingly and their sense of being consistently misunderstood as a nation and culture is ever so clear in discussions. But to revert to the main point, Saint Petersburg was a place I could have spent a complete week. The cruise at night was wonderful as the waterfront highlighted with good lighting their imperial past. And they honour their martyrs of the World War too, with gun turrets from those days still in place at some places as a tribute and as a reminder of those horrific years.

Courtesy Make my Trip’s facilitation, I also understood the immense sense of history the Russians have. Those who spoke English, admittedly not many, told me that the Russian Empire reduced in size when it evolved as the Soviet Union and then reduced further when it became the Russian Federation. The sense of loss and the perceived blunders of Gorbachev and Yelstin still hurt. And unlike our nation, Military Heroes are respected and honoured in Russia, they remember their past and know the value of a motivated military.

In fact, there seems to be a deep sense of hurt as I could make out about the way Western Europe and the USA have perceived them to be.  We have our own culture but are not the peasants we were perceived to be and are still perceived to be said one Russian. They are indeed proud of their history and sacrifices, I also felt there is a siege mentality even if partially.  They do point out where Napoleon was stopped and from where the Germans were rolled back. That sense of history is permanently etched in their mind it seems. They seem to be proud of having overcome the break up of the USSR and feel a bit shortchanged by the West about it.      

The people are generally silent or rather on the quiet side. Language issues are certainly there but on the whole people are friendly. You need to carry a separate Mobile phone for a local SIM card to download and access local app based taxi services or you will be ripped off by a regular service. And the currency market mystified me. If Rs 72 convert as one dollar and so do 72 roubles, then how come all currency changers are in the 56 or so range. I decided to just reconcile to living with it. And beer in even mid scale restaurants is costly! But not at the stores. That reminds me, that all manner of people told us that alcoholism is down and that the Government has been strict about it. Plus heavy fines have been imposed to improve compliance with traffic rules. In any case I found good traffic manners and discipline on the roads. By the way prices are higher in Russia than back in India. That seemed so in the few visits we made to stores. And at the restaurants we visited.

Moscow was beautiful but after Saint Petersburg it was like a bit of a come down. Initially. That feeling though corrected itself when we visited the Red Square again at Night and the lovely Mall (GUM) next to it and the largest Mall in Europe (Aviapark). It was a revelation. The range, products and prices, all of them, was quite attractive, though this is mainly anecdotal. And the food, if you are a non vegetarian is vast in range. The range of vegetables is rather limited though, as it appeared to me. Wheat products such as rolls are fairly common and the famous Russian Salad certainly was different from what we get to eat back home.

Another cultural aspect I noted is the ingrained sense of the massive losses in World War Two and the West not acknowledging this. Losing 2.8 crore citizens, specially the best of their youth, mainly men, wrecked their society and family lives. Perforce the Russian Women had to evolve as strong, unemotional and resolute citizens. They had no choice, is what I understood. Moscow has any number of parks, vast roads and a lovely elegant atmosphere. It is certainly worth exploring plus do visit the University and Atleast the Space Museum (time permitting). And buying the Matryoshka Dolls is a must. It’s a Russian Cultural icon.

The Kremlin blew my mind with its huge sense of history. We found out even the Emperor used to stand through the ceremonies at the Dormition Cathedral and Saint Basil’s cathedral. It’s a tradition to stand through the ceremonies and another touch which is remarkable, women covering their heads during the service. Visiting and Admiring the Onion Shaped Domes of Churches, as they are so strikingly different from the churches and cathedrals of Europe is a must. And do visit the Moscow University Campus too and you might get to see the bikers gangs too. Alongside a must see is the Metro, steep steep elevators and huge stations, wonderfully decorated with great artwork. It is another world.

Travel by train and also travel outside Saint Petersburg to the Army Base or just to admire the countryside. Birch Trees and the forested lands are vast and unending. They just don’t end.

Go ahead, visit Russia.  As two American tourists remarked at the Kremlin, this is wonderful, nobody told us back home about all this. So do travel to Russia too. You won’t regret it for sure. In fact it will surprise you. Pleasantly.

By Dinesh Kumar Kapila

PS - No views on Vodka, as I don’t relish it. That is for friends who asked about it. Secondly a lot of friends sent messages about the Russian Girls being very pretty and strikingly standing out. Well I was travelling with my wife. But yes, the ladies do stand out at times. Strikingly. And they are aware about themselves. I can safely state they are smart or elegant and with the better half during discussions I can camouflage it as the cultural differences between Russia and India !