The major streets in Moscow were very wide but they ended up very congested in the evenings. There was this huge TV screens, showing some Sand Art display. Quite fascinating.


I even took a video of it. This was in the morning, temperature was about 4 deg.

Some more pictures of the street.


It was raining lightly.


Yes, rain. Not snow. I guess it wasn't cold enough, otherwise it would be snow.


Like this scene. I noticed some of the buses were still of this electric nature. They looked rather old though. I'm not sure if such buses are a common sight anymore, I may be wrong though.


This video shows you some light snow in Moscow, as I look at the streets from the warmth of the office. Thankful I was not out there in the cold!

Now, let me talk about my Big Mac in Moscow Adventure! Yes, Big Mac.


Before I went to Moscow, I told myself I will look for a McDonalds. I didn't have much luck searching google maps. I couldn't find any McDonalds near my hotel, perhaps I didn't know how to search properly. Doesn't matter. I figured that if there was going to be a McDonalds, it was going to be at some prominent place at a prominent street. I didn't find one in Gum and Tsum. But as I walked up on one of their major streets, I found not one, but two. Finally! So I decided to have a meal there.

What should I eat? A Big Mac, of course. Why? Why would I want to fly all the way to Moscow just to have a Big Mac? It just felt cool.


Growing up, in Singapore, the news was always talking about possible war between the then Soviet Union and America. President Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union the 'evil empire'. I remember he wanted to build 'Star Wars' as a defense against the Soviets. I remember asking my teacher, if the world went to war, what would happen to Singapore. The answer was, we would all die together. That was the first time I was introduced to the concept of mutual assured destruction. I remember studying about the Cuban missile crisis, the facedown between JFK and Khruschev, and how close the world was to nuclear war.

So many memories and thoughts came to me as I looked at my Big Mac. I don't think I got emotional, but those memories and the fact that I was staring at this Big Mac before me, certainly left an impact.


So, savour the moment. Cherish the relative peace we have today. At least, we are not at the brink of a nuclear war. Make love, not war. And share the Big Mac yah? Here is a video of my experience eating the Big Mac. I had to take this all down, to tell my kids and grandkids that I had a Big Mac in Moscow, in 2015. Better still, I paid for my Big Mac meal using VISA, and observed many other locals enjoying their Big Macs and McChickens and other American Fast Food.

The cost was 259 Roubles, or about US3.90 A Big Mac Meal in Singapore is officially more expensive than a Big Mac Meal in Moscow.

Alright, I know I'm slow. McDonalds opened its first store in then Soviet Union in 1990. This year, they celebrate 25 years! I read that McDonalds now has more than 500 stores in Russia. Way to go!!