MOCKBA

The days in Moscow were something of a re-introduction to Soviet life in the 1970s. There were canned tours – the Kremlin, the Bolshoi, the circus (all amazing) but also enough time to get out on one’s own. We rode the stunning metro, walked along the river, visited GUM the huge department store, declined to see Pickled Lenin, took pictures at midnight in Red Square… We were pestered endlessly by people trying to get us to exchange our dollars/pounds for rubles at the black or grey market rates (what exactly are we to do with those rubles, by the way?) One such pestering took place directly in front of the Lubyanka building, home of the KGB and site of numerous executions over the decades. Yeah, sure, buddy.

But it’s one of the world’s great cities and shows it. Not my favorite big city, but pretty impressive given the times. I’d like to return one day (probably not happening) but from what I can see on TV, it looks like it’s joined the group of bland European metropolises.












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