The Mighty Russia - September'21
After FIFA 2018, Russia became a popular tourist attraction for Indians once again in 2021. This time because it was one of the few countries that had opened its doors to the citizens of one of the worst hit countries by the Pandemic.
But it had been on my radar since much before. It was the Imperialism, the Russian Revolution, the Cold War, the Soviet Union, the Arts, Architecture and Literature that had always piqued my interest in Russia. It is not ordinary when we talk about the world as if it were divided into three parts because Russia has a prominent place in that metaphor. Russia is the Second World in this three part world. And boy if it isn't a grand world! The vibrant frescoes, mesmerising architecture, literature and philosophy, opera and ballet, pancakes and dumplings, piercing Arctic winds, the Black Sea, Caucasus Mountains, Russia offers a plethora of new experiences!
Seasonal transitions are quite conspicuous in Russia, much like the other Western countries. It experiences bitter winters with temperatures as low as -42 degrees in Moscow. Summers are less excruciating with temperatures going only upto 25 degrees in Moscow. So while winters may not be the preferable time to visit for everyone, the winter beauty is a spectacular sight to behold.
The most popular time for tourists, when the weather is a pleasing 22 - 25 degrees, is July - August. September is the shoulder season when the temperatures start dipping to 10 degrees. But this is not set in stone. As per the locals, Russia experiences a "small summer" before it finally welcomes the winter season for the year. And this "small summer" appears in the month of September. So, if one keeps some room for adjustments in the itinerary, September can be a fair deal to visit Russia (as it was for me).
This means that you get a mix of weathers so you can plan your indoor and outdoor activities accordingly. My Russian friend had indicated that the cold would be equal to the amount it is in Delhi in November. And though she has lived in India for more than a decade, her weather forecast turned out to be false! Now call it the unpredictability of weather these days or my friend's underestimation of my tolerance for cold, but it was as cold as it gets in Delhi in the entire winter, which is in January. And the wind in Russia is excruciatingly biting. So it is imperative that one is appropriately clothed to be able to enjoy the outdoors properly. This excluded Sochi though. That city had very comfortable temperatures in September (and is hot in the months before).
Confession: I used to take off my jacket while getting my pictures clicked. So please do not discount what I mentioned above by looking at my pictures. 🙈
Moscow
My trip began in the capital city of Moscow. The city is home to the UNESCO Heritage sites - Kremlin and Red Square, the historic Bolshoi Theatre, the vast Moskva river, Stalinist architecture and the stupendous Moscow Metro.
Moscow Metro, amidst the rest of the grandeur, was my favourite thing about Moscow. What makes it so special is its extravagant interior design, exalted as the 'Palace of the People'. Each metro station has its own theme. The idea behind this unique creation was not just to provide a modern means of transport for the common man, but to also celebrate one of the socialist beliefs, "A palatial experience for every person".
Fun Fact: There are several lines of the Moscow Metro that connect to the underground bunkers and military centres and can provide shelter from a Nuclear War! 😯
Next on the itinerary was the Bolshoi Theatre. The theatre holds ballet and opera performances in Moscow. Much like some other forms of arts and culture, opera and ballet are acquired tastes. I believe that it is important to pay note to the tenacious effort that goes into these arts, in order to be able to truly enjoy them.
Prospective visitors can view the schedule and make bookings on their official website. Unfortunately, I couldn't get to see a show in this theatre because the limited theatre schedule (due to Covid) did not fit in my itinerary. But that did not stop me from enjoying it from the outdoors.
Red Square is the hallmark of Moscow. The stroll around Red Square is free of cost and a must, both for daytime and nightime. It gets shut at midnight though. Interestingly, the term "red" in this name has no association with the erstwhile Communist Party of Russia. It was, in fact, originally called the Trinity Square. Its magnificence led people to call it "Krasnaya Ploshchad", which in old Russian means "beautiful" and later came to mean red.
A spectacular sight at Red Square is St Basil's Cathedral, which was interestingly built even before the Red Square existed. It commemorates the victory of Ivan The Terrible over Kazan and Astrakhan. The unique design and the colours of the cathedral will leave you in a stupor.
Entry to the cathedral is chargeable and the tickets can be bought on the spot for 2000 Rubles. Everyday, a group of Russian choristers, Doros, performs spiritual songs in the cathedral. They perform all day, with only a few minutes interval. They say that real Russian men do not complain about tiredness! The performance fills the entire cathedral with resounding melody. It incorporates magic and belief in your visit and is an experience not to be missed.
Kremlin, the "fortress inside the city", is the official residing place of President Putin (and all Russian Presidents since 1991). A symbol of Russian power and authority, it was once the Tsar's Moscow residence. The Kremlin walls surround a striking combination of churches and palaces, and tightly secure offices of the state.
The Moscow Kremlin State Historical and Cultural Museum, comprising the Armoury Chamber, Diamond Fund and the Cathedral Complex, are open to the public everyday. The Cathedral Complex includes four magnificent churches and Ivan The Great Bell Tower. Tickets can be bought from their official website. I recommend booking them in advance because it saves standing in long lines at the time of the visit. The tickets for Diamond Fund are not available online and ought to be bought separately.
Fun Fact: If you start wondering how it would have been to ring the largest bell in the world, the Tsar Bell, you may want to stop. The bell had cracked during a fire in 1737. It has been on display on the grounds of Kremlin since 1836 . It was never in working order, suspended or rung.
A rather off-beat destination in Moscow is the Cold War Museum or Bunker-42. It is especially of interest to Great War, the Second (as Russians call WWII) and Cold War enthusiasts, like myself. Built 65 metres below the ground in downtown Moscow, it is a fortified facility which was built during the Cold war as a place to provide shelter in the event of a nuclear attack. And not surprisingly, also as a site to launch a nuclear attack.
The Russians have done a brilliant job of turning the once military centre into a historical place of visit. Visitors must pre-register for a tour online. The tours have fixed schedules and are strictly guided by a uniformed official. The tourists are not free to wander off on their own once inside. A private tour in English can be requested, although the English audio guide had sufficed for me.
Highlights: Visitors get to witness a mock nuclear attack launch and the massive destruction that it can cause on ignorant, innocent lives. Additionally, the tour includes a mock drill for the event of a nuclear attack. It demonstrates the preparedness of the bunker for the disaster. Both the experiences are sure to make you horripilate.
Fun Fact: At the end of the tour, the official guiding you will give you two choices. "Take the fitness route of stairs or the idle route of elevator, back to the exit". Bear in the mind the depth of the bunker before embarrassingly accepting the "fitness" route. 😀
Shopping & Food in Moscow
Arbat Street and Tverskaya Street were my favourites. Lined with shops, restaurants and street artists, both the streets light up beautifully in the evenings. Do not miss the Russian delicacies at Cafe Pushkin at Tverskoy Blvd and Varenychna №1 restaurant at Tverskaya Street.
Enjoy shopping in the contemporary Moskva-City or The "Moscow-Citi" International Business Centre. It has some of the highest skyscrapers of Europe and depicts a stark contrast from the "wedding cake" style architecture of the rest of the city.
GUM, known as the State Departmental Store during the Soviet era, is a mall that houses more than 100 different international brands, restaurants and cafes.
St Petersburg
An exciting four days and a four-hour Sapsan Bullet Train ride later, I arrived at the cultural capital of Russia. St Petersburg was the capital city of the Tsardom of Russia and, during the Soviet Era, it was called Leningrad. It is for the same reason that the railway terminal in Moscow from where the trains depart for St Petersburg is called Leningradsky.
St Petersburg turned out to be my favourite leg of the journey particularly because of three reasons, which are also the core characteristics of the city.
First, the city portrays a beautiful amalgamation of Western European and Russian Architecture in the form of its epic Winter Palace, St Issac's Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral and Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ.
Second, there is no distinctive city centre or a kremlin, as is characteristic of most Russian cities of a medieval origin. In lieu of that, Nevsky Prospekt (avenue), particularly its stretch from the Admiratly Square to Moscow Railway Terminal, is the prime hotspot of the city. This also makes it a suitable choice for accommodation. Throughout the day, the bridges and corners of Nevsky Prospekt are lined with street artists, delighting you with classical and rock music.
Third, the remarkable waterways that run through the city which give it the impression of the "Venice of the North" or as the bridges would make it look like the "Amsterdam of the North". These waterways are the tributaries and canals of the Neva River that stretch to the Baltic coast.
If one does not get to visit the Bolshoi Theatre, or if they are particularly fond of ballet/opera, there is respite in St Petersburg in the form of Mariinsky and Hermitage Theatres. I had the good fortune of attending the renowned Swan Lake ballet at the Hermitage Theatre.
Two notable aspects of the city tour were the Raising Drawbridges Night Boat Tour and the visit to Peterhof Palace.
The night boat tour starts at 11PM and is either 2 hours or 3 hours long depending on the numbers of bridges you wish to see. A total of four different bridges are covered and you get to witness the remarkable sight of the beautifully lit drawbridges opening against the backdrop of classical piano music. Grab a mulled wine after the tour from one of the hot dog carts (one parks right at the embankment), to warm up in the chilly night breeze.
Peterhof Palace is a 45 minutes speed boat ride away from St Petersburg. It was the suburban palace of Peter the Great, which was inspired by the Palace of Versailles, France. It is hence also called the "Russian Versailles". The palace overlooks a massive stretch of lush gardens spotted with splendid fountains. It presents the perfect opportunity for a small picnic. Try to pack a basket and spend a couple of hours out in the sun after visiting the palace museum.
Insights: Two separate tickets are required at Peterhof - one for the park and one for the museum. I went with the Astra Line Cruise for both these bookings. Both the tours started from Admiralty Embankment and the boats were super comfortable.
Food in St Petersburg
Nevsky Prospekt is thronged with cafes and restaurants of various cuisines, including Indian. My favourites were the Israeli cafe, Bekitzer at Rubinstein St, the Indian restaurant, Tandoor at Admiralteyskiy Prospekt, and the Italian restaurant, Italica at Griboyedov Channel Embankment near Kazan Square.
Sochi
After the cultural soak in St Petersburg, I arrived at the final destination, Sochi. This was going to be the adventure leg of the journey.
Sochi is the resort city of Russia, its largest, in fact. The popular ski resort Rosa Khutor in Krasnaya Polyana gives the impression of "Switzerland in Russia". Sochi was the host of the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the city takes pride in it quite evidently.
The USP of Sochi for me was the package experience of beach and mountains. One could be dipping in the Black Sea one minute and be surrounded by the Caucasus in the next hour.
Skypark by AJ Hackett is the first and only high-altitude adventure park of Russia. It has the longest suspended pedestrian bridge of Russia, with views of the Caucasus mountains on one side and the Black Sea on the other. The park curates diverse adventure sports for family, children and, extreme adventurists.
Being the project of the pioneers of Bunjee Jumping, the park offers two variants of the sport - 69m and 207m. I chickened out of bunjee. But I did the other extreme category adventure - Sochi Swing. It is the HIGHEST swing in the world, 170m, with a free fall of 3 seconds. I did it in tandem with my travel companion.
The swing gives you mixed emotions. The nerves begin to build up the moment you are harnessed and suspended on the platform, dreading the release. Soon after, the platform underneath starts retracting, leaving you suspended in air at a height of 170m. That's when you realise for real what is about to happen! The officials cheer you on and there are about twenty people standing at the observation deck, waiting to record the hell road you are about to tread. And then they all start applauding you too for the brave hearts you are to fall from 170m. 😄
And then it happens.The countdown from 5 begins and in five seconds you fall! You'd think that you'll experience a jerk or that you will fall back. But no. For the duration of the free fall, your body will leap forward, making you feel that you will come out of your harness. Because you are literally leaping in the opposite direction! But soon the rope stabilises and you are straight once again, now swinging above the Mzymta River. This was the point when I broke into a major laughter, relieving all the anxiety that I had suffered back at the platform. This moment onwards, you can relax and start enjoying the panorama around you. Give a shout out into the GoPro. You will like this smile when you'll show this video to your friends later.
It is very useful to have this GoPro recording, especially if you do not have a friend to record you from the observation deck. The video, pictures, certificate and the t-shirt can be collected after the activity from the registration counter. The media will cost somewhere around 1000 rubles.
After this whirlwind of emotions, I took a walk on the suspension bridge, whilst admiring the 360 degree views and watching the other people participating in various activities. You can choose to go all the way across the bridge, which is a length of 439m. On the other side is the Colchis forest. The other side is also where the zipline starts. So, once you cross the bridge on foot, you don't have to walk back. You can descent on the zipline, at a speed of 60km/h, fancying the cool breeze and the scenery. I, however, did not do the entire length of the bridge.
The official website of Skypark provides discounts on online bookings. I recommend using this route. Also, there are shuttle buses which transfer people from the city to Skypark at regular frequencies. My Russian friend had helped me with this booking. I'd suggest asking for this at your place of stay or any locals that you can get to help you. This is a fun and an economical mode of reaching the park, as opposed to a private cab. Fun because you get the chance of interacting with other people on your bus. 🤝
Rosa Khutor is located in Krasnaya Polyana, around 50km from Sochi centre. It is a year long mountain resort with a multitude of offerings - gondola rides upto an altitude of 2300m, chairlifts to a waterfall park, Rodelbahn, high-altitude swings, suspension bridge, paragliding and hiking trails.
I had booked the "Cableway summer pass + Rodelbahn" package service from this website. I took three gondola rides to reach the Rosa Peak (2320m), which is the highest point you can reach via the gondola. Each ride has a conspicuous landing point with a varying list of activities and restaurants. Rodelbahn happens at the first landing point, Rosa Plateau (Mountain of the Olympic village). I recommend going straight up to Rosa Peak first, to make hay while the sun shines. Make hay being analogous to "get a full view of the Rosa valley" and sun shines meaning "before the clouds descent".
Outside of my package service, I also did the "Swing over the Clouds". It is a high-altitude swing located at the edge of a picturesque gorge, swinging on which you can experience the feeling of weightlessness and flying over the abyss, as well as enjoy the opening panorama of the Caucasus mountains. I paid for this separately on the spot. They also click pictures for you which you can buy from them later.
Confession: I did not actually swing above the clouds. I could not let the operative push me farther than you see in the picture below. 😨
From the Rosa peak, you can choose to hike upto to Mount Aibga - "Stone Pillar" (2509m, only possible in summer) and/or down to the Mendelikha Waterfall Park via the chairlift. I went the southern route. From the drop point of the chairlift, it is roughly a 5km hike to the waterfalls. Post that, the chairlift brought me back to Rosa peak and the return gondola ride brought me to the Rodelbahn site.
Rodelbahn ride was an unforgettable experience. Sliding between the mountains, at a modest speed of 40km/h, hair fluttering around and wind brushing by. It took me about a minute to get used to the speed and the turning around because I had somehow expected a slower speed. I don't know why! But I assure you, it would have been slightly boring if the speed were lesser. The cart can accommodate two people but it's best to ride it alone unless the second person is a child. It would be uncomfortable to share it with an adult, especially around the turns. And it is not scary at all! Just. Pure. Excitement. So really, do it alone.
It takes approximately 15 minutes to complete the ride. The cart is fixed with a GoPro, so you needn't task your companions with recording or clicking you. Plus, there are high-quality cameras strategically placed throughout the length of the track. So after completing the ride, I bought the video and the pictures (for 900 rubles), got a German Wit beer and some vegetable fried rice and sat down at a bench, facing the valley, to end my visit.
This was my last night in Russia. I visited Casino Sochi, Estonskaya with the hope of winning back some of the money spent on the vacation. I did not come close to winning back even the plane ride from St Petersburg to Sochi 😭. Fun night, nonetheless. There are worthy casinos in Moscow as well, if you can make time there.
I grew very fond of the fruit teas in Russia. One especially - Sea Buckthorn. So much so that I had it in three different forms during my stay. As plain hot tea, as hot tea mixed with whiskey and, as hot tea mixed with wine and spices. All brilliant options, both taste-wise and for keeping the cold at bay. Interestingly, I did not drink vodka in Russia at all! I did bring back some bottles of Beluga Noble though, conveniently bought at a local superstore, along with some some Russian chocolates.
And thus happened the end of this beautiful vacation...