Moscow: The modern and magical
Bruce Fraser finds signs of gloom and glory in the Russian capital
I T’S close to midnight on a Friday and the house beats of Fat Boy Slim are pumping through the City Space Bar on the 34th floor of the Swissotel Krasnye Holmy in Moscow.
Perched on a bar stool, I gulp in not only the Baltika #7 beer in front of me, but also the 360-degree views.
It’s a spectacular setting, as the lights below illuminate the many places of worship, restaurants, bars and malls that dot the landscape.
Voted among the top 50 bars in the world by Drinks International Magazine in 2011, the City Space Bar looks like the place to kickstart the weekend for hip-and-happening Muscovites.
Outside, the subzero temperatures cut to the bone while the full moon illuminates a light flurry of snow.
I’ve been in the country for hardly 48 hours and already it is time to leave. The DJ spins her magic as I order another beer. It is a good time to reflect on my brief time in Russia.
Domodedevo International Airport, a five-hour flight from Dubai, is the main gateway to Moscow.
After the impressive Dubai skyline, Domodedevo offers a more down-to-earth perspective on life.
As our Airbus A380 made its approach, the desolateness of the area loomed large. Trying to shake off the last of winter, the fields surrounding the runway were doggedly covered in large tracts of snow. A number of old planes — including one belonging to the Serbian Air Force — were parked to one side.
It looked cold, bleak and miserable.
Soon we were in our courtesy vehicle on the Kashirskoe Highway, making the 50km trip to our hotel on the outskirts of Moscow.
On either side of the highway, kilometre after kilometre, sat housing blocks. Judging by their size, this is where a fair chunk of Moscow’s 11 million people live.
Badly maintained, they just blended in to the dark skies and slight drizzle that was falling. Broken windows, fading paint. Cars that go months without being washed thanks to the bitter weather. It all added to a picture of gloominess.
“Before the fall of Communism, we were all the same,’’ said one local. “There were no obvious signs of wealth. We were, for the majority, all poor and that was life. We didn’t know any different.’’
But signs of wealth are now making an impact, both good and bad.
In recent years, there has been concern over the demolition of a number of historic buildings to make way for modern condos, where a one-bedroom unit will set you back about R27 000 a month.
Moscow is regularly rated as among the top-three most expensive cities in which to live. A decent steak in a restaurant will set you back R1 000 while the cost of a bottle of wine would buy you a case back home.
One can’t go to Moscow and not visit the Kremlin and we had an afternoon free to visit this historic site.
With a guide on hand, we first explored the adjoining Red Square, an expanse that for so long was the site where the Russian bear flexed its muscles.
I remembered, as a child, watching on television those shows of force as heavy military vehicles and thousands of soldiers took to the square in a show of unity.
No one can ignore that history but times have changed and today the square often plays host to other shows, from rock concerts to athletics events. It has also become a focal point for anti-establishment protests.
The Russian female punk group Pussy Riot grabbed international notoriety when they filmed a video in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on the banks of the Moskva River, which flows past the Kremlin.
More recently, another to make his voice heard in protest was local artist Petr Pavlensky. Tired of “the apathy of modern Russian society”, Pavlensky undressed on the square, sat down and drove a 10-inch nail through his scrotum.
During our stroll around the square, just the odd protestor could be seen demonstrating against the Russian takeover of Crimea.
It’s a minority voice, according to our guide, with 80% of Russians supporting Putin.
One can only imagine what former leaders Lenin and Stalin, entombed at the square, would make of modern Russia.
To the south of the square, St Basil’s Cathedral, with its colourful, onion-shaped domes, stands as proud as when it was first opened in 1561.
Commissioned by Ivan the Terrible, the cathedral today is a museum depicting the rich tapestry of the country. History comes alive as you take to the wooden passageways to explore the many rooms.
The Kremlin (which means fortress), covers 27ha and is home to not only the Russian parliament but also many cathedrals, palaces, museums and a concert hall.
Some areas are off-limits to the public but on the whole you can wander around, soaking up history.
A highlight was a stroll through the armoury museum, its two floors packed with treasures dating back centuries. One interesting section contained many of the dresses worn by Catherine the Great.
Beautiful colours, fabrics and often pearls work together to create not only masterpieces of the time, but statements to the present.
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Before the fall of Communism, we were all poor and that was life