Arrived at Leningrad airport, and caught a bus. 21 Roubles (about 50p). Driver surprisingly careful. Conductor takes the money, but the bus is a little squashed. So if you're at the far end of the bus you pass your note along the passengers, and the change and ticket are returned.
A look at the cars: a strong Japanese bias Hondas, Mazdas, Toyotas - even the odd Subaru; Fords, Hyundais and Chevrolets. Turns out they all (mostly) have a nearby factory. The occasional older Soviet motor: Lada 1300, Volga breaks the monotony. And a handful of Jaguars too.
Leave the bus and onto the underground - rather grander than London's.
Midst the new cars, lots of battered cars around. Indeed one street just outside the centre has almost endless parked-up front-ended cars, waiting for who knows what. No sign of tax discs and presumably MOTs/SORN etc. etc.
And that particuarly unnerving central/eastern European habit of allowing turning traffic to go when the pedestrians also have a green light. How much do I trust those Russians as they drive towards me?
On to Moscow (by train, overnight, travelling first class with an en suite shower-room). Now there's luxury.
Until you've seen an eight lane road - the mokhovaya ulitsa if you want to google satellite view it - with all eight lanes going in the same direction, you haven't seen an inner city road. It goes right past the Kremlin. Thank goodness for the subways. The "Garden Ring" an edge-of-the-centre ringroad is four lanes in each direction; rumour has it that it was intended for landing aeroplanes.
I'm glad to see that Red Square - krasnaya ploshchad - has lines marked on it, handy for the tanks on those May Day parades.
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I'm jealous. Enjoy your trip.
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>>And that particuarly unnerving central/eastern European habit of allowing turning traffic to go when the pedestrians also have a green light.<<
France too. And equally unnerving - but they do use a light warning drivers there just might be people crossing who actually have priority.
I envy you the trip - but I think I'd want to go when the Russian management is away for the weekend...
Last edited by: Mike Hannon on Mon 4 Jul 11 at 16:55
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Aside from the motoring observations, it was absolutely wonderful and I cannot wait to go back to Moscow. A bit like a cross between France 30 years ago (once you get outside the centre) and New York on speed if you can imagine it. Shockingly expensive though.
The French are much kinder on those turns, thanks to the big amber flashing lights.
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A postcard from Russia - Alanovich
