Moscow's Marvelous Metro
Post date: 28-Oct-2009 03:39:52
The Moscow metro stations are like entering a grand ballroom. There are fancy light fixtures and chandeliers. Mendeleevskaya station has molecule lights. Many have arched doorways and you can dance from one line to the next. The escalators stretch on for kilometeres up and down the tunnels. We saw tiny square tile pictures, metal works of art, stained glass etc. Some Metro stations contain archways, columns, statues, or have etched domed ceilings with flowers carved into them. The Metro stations don't just look good, they also smell good. Everytime we're in a station I smell honey dew melon. I don't know if there is one big air freshener or what the deal is. Since the Metro comes every 2 minutes, it makes it really easy to get off at every stop, admire it, snap a picture, and then hop back onto the Metro.
Mendeleevskaya Station
Fabulous Food
Colin and I heard that we must try Chicken Kiev but were unable to find a restaurant that served
it. However, we did get our fill of pancakes which are really crepes served with jam on top. We also had crepes filled with mushrooms and meat and they were quite tasty. We tried Shepherd's pie which was a nice combination of veggies and cheese baked in the oven. Our favorite is the dumplings though. They are about the size of tortellini and are filled with a delicious slightly sweet meat. We had them with onions and barbecue sauce and with cheese and tomatos baked in a clay pot. The latter was my favorite.
Each item on a Russian menu must be itemized, so when we ordered the barbecue sauce it had to be listed separately with a price. Even things like pistachios are listed separately on the menu.
Just about all the food we can get at home is also available here. We went to a mall that was very similar to West Ed but with more levels that are smaller than each level in West Ed. There is even a skating rink on the top floor too. The mall food court had Italian, Sushi, Chinese, etc.
Fancy Dress
Not a hair or bit of make up is ever out of place on a Russian woman. Some wear pants but always with heels or boots. Many wear mini skirts that you can't see the bottom of under their long coats. However, even if the coat is off you usually can't see the bottom. Thin nylons are worn with tall boots. The women must always be freezing. When we met our friend Caroline for supper in Moscow she told us that many women dress the same way in Soeul, Korea and when she asked them why they said it's beause shivering burns calories and keeps them skinny. I have seen quite a few skinny Russian women, but I think they dress this way because I read that appearances are really important to them.
We also have not seen a single shoe that is not shiny. People instantly and constantly shine their shoes the second it is dirty. When Colin and I were eating in a restaurant, I actually saw a woman stop and dig out a cloth from her purse to shine her shoes before she continued on. Our hotel has a shoe shining cloth and an brush in our room. In the lobby there is also a shoe shining machine. I feel very shabby next to the Russian women, espscially since my only closed toe shoes are runners. I miss my hooker boots and skirts.
The men are not far behind the women. They are often clean shave, with groomed hair, just as nice of shoes as the women and a nice suit. I have never seen a culture so obssessed with their appearances before. I think Canadians could learn a few things from them. I get asked if I have a job interview if I dress nice for work.