(Russia Trip) the rest of the story

Our Moscow’s trip turned so-so upon our return. It is kind of horrible. I didn’t take the Jakarta’s scorching sun with me.

Anyway, we arrived around 7am local time, where the local from suburban were starting their days. Station was FULL of people! Our host in Moscow was kind enough  to allow us for early-check in.

Soon as I arrived, I think I was familiar with surrounding and  yes it was. I have walked near here when I visit Arbat Street few days ago.  This apartment is good deal, just across the mini market and had elevator. We didn’t need to drag our luggage up to 3-4-5 floor! It has elevator!

Well, our last few days in Moscow was kind of….COLD!  It was 10 – 14 degrees when we were there, as the rain pour unstoppable. But the good thing is, it was still day light until 9 pm.

After we checked in, we went outskirt of town. Farrr….far…away! We took angkot as the Pass is not valid. Then I just knew that their Big Shopping centers are located outskirt. Passing many  big shopping center or alike.

Outskirt of town where we visited CSK Moscow stadium…but unlike any stadium where the club practices, there is no stadium tour or alike, different from soccer stadiums in other part of Europe.

 

Stadium

This is the only day that weather was considered good despite the heavy cloud.  The next three days until we get home, I have to buy TWO UMBRELLAS! One I brought from Jakarta can’t even handle the heavy pour.  To make it worse, we didn’t prepare to deal with 10-12 degrees temperature! I checked around it always said usually on Summer the temperature goes between 18 – 25 degrees.

Then the rest of the days we visited  in random order)  

Bolshoi Theatre ( Большо́й теа́тр) 

 

The fascade is used for 100 rubbel bank note

Luzhniky  Stadium  ( стадион Лужники )

 

Stadium Luzhniki.

Soekarno terinspirasi oleh stadium ini dan meminta secara langsung bantuan dana kepada Uni Soviet dalam pidatonya di acara peletakan batu pertama (sekarang) GBK pada tahun 1956.

Kala itu, Uni Soviet langsung memberikan bantuan dana 12,5 juta dolar AS untuk membangun kompleks Gelora Bung Karno guna mendukung Indonesia sebagai tuan rumah Asian Games 1962.

Tak cuma bantuan dana, arsitek dan insinyur Uni Soviet pun dikerahkan untuk membantu pembangunan GBK mulai 8 Februari 1960 dan selesai 21 Juli 1962.

Di stadium ini, diselenggarakan pembukaan World cup 2018.

Source: https://m.detik.com/sepakbola/serba-serbi/d-4068378/menengok-kembaran-gbk-di-rusia-luzhniki

Moscow  State Univerity ( Московский государственный университет )

 

MSU

Founded in 1755.

The building behind them was built in 1950’s one of the 7 skyscrapers (Joseph Stalin’s high-rises)

This main building is 240m tall, translated to 36 floors (ambi banget Stalin ya?)

If you were kids grew up in 80’s, I bet you’re familiar with Mikhail Gorbacev, he was one of the alumni.

I was imagining having my pic in front of this 7/8 later with those ABG Tangsel wearing toga 😂

Ismailovsky Market  ( Изма́йлово ) 

If you hear “Cantik, Bagus, Murah” in a far far away land, means too many people from Indonesia are visiting the place. They sell souvenir, and I love the Matryoshka Doll, you will also found Indonesia president or even Ahok there.

Russia Doll

Of course, we met Friday again and I took my son for Friday Pray. So I witnessed “KEBEBASAN-UMAT-BERAGAMA” where Muslim is minority.

The  Mosque was  on the corner, and they blocked the road with local policeman making human-brigade around the mosque. It was summer and 10 degrees and I wonder how it is like on WINTER under snow storm!

See the police

Getting inside the mosque is not easy, I have to undergo several security check point. Although I wear hijab they still gave me throbe. #meh.

The last day, I had enough of Cold  Moscow but still I did my morning run under cloudy and rain the local seemed staring at me from their car

Pose

This apartment is very recommended. The host speaks English very well and responsive!

Long story short, our host ordered us Yandex (local Uber) dan meruntuhkan stereotype gw atas dinginnya orang Rusia. IN my surprise, although the driver has limited English, he still wanted to be nice with us and even act as local tour guide telling us what building that we just passed. If only we had met him earlier…

Took train back to DME, I witness dark, grey, wet Moscow.  It said grey sky gives gloomy feeling. It was what happened to me when I left Munchen. But not Russia.

Buat saya pribadi, sangat layak visit, considering it was once “negara Adi daya” full of history, advanced technology and rich in culture. But if you asked me to go back here again, I am afraid I wont. Ngga tau kenapa ngga sedih pas mau balik, beda banget waktu long-haul trip 2015 dan 2018.  Well, except Murmansk Perhaps or Trans Siberian Trip. Perhaps!

Also for me, Russia is quite affordable, even Moscow is not so pricey compare to Jakarta let alone Singapore. Food price even lower, cheap transportation cost (Rubel 55 regardless the distance), cheap accomodation as well. Jadi kalo dapat tiket murah, beli aja!

Until sikiky next trip, I bet you guys know where! Hahahahh

To the North

Next morning, I wanted to run again to Gorky park. But unfortunately I was late, and it was tooooo damn hot just like Jakarta.

To make it even worse, Gorky Park was closed since there would be an event.

Long story short, we checked out from Hotel at 12 pm, the hotel staff ordered us taxi, off we went to Leningradsky Station. Stasiun gambir-nya Moscow lah, and it’s HUUUUUGEEEEEEEEE!

This will be my very first time taking bullet train a.k.a сапсан

We were heading to St Petesburg, the second largest city in Rusia and trip took 4 hours and so.

I booked an apartment in Nevsky Avenue, the busiest district in this city. It is more like the famous Orchard Road – Singapore to me.

It took a while to meet the person who was in charge in my apartemen booking and the owner is not really nice either she complained why we we were so long after we arrived. Gee! I wonder if she travels! Doesn’t it took a while where to go after we reached our destination especially it’s first visit.

The manager doesn’t speak English, thanks God there is such a thing as Google Translate.

I welcomed myself again to Europe when I realized there was no elevator on the apartment and of course, no AC! It was summer and these middle-class tropical kids automatically looking for AC remote.

Anyway, we dragged luggages all the way to 3rd floor. Again, the owner doesn’t pay detail, she only gave us 3 towels.

But the room was nice.

Sunset at 10.30 pm and I woke up at 3 am, sun had raised!

Giling! Gimana yang Ramadhan di sini ya?

In front of Gorky Park

Leningradsky Station

Off to санкт Петербург

Out side Moskvoretskaya Station so hectic

Inside Sapsan

Mamang Galon at Nevsky Avenue

Exploring the city

I woke up with a purpose, I must have my morning run! I checked the map, the famous Gorky Park is only 2.5K away, thus it makes 5K back and forth. That would be suitable for my training plan.

It was 6 am, sunrise at 4 am, seems it is still considered early for local. Seems running it’s not thing for Moscow people, unlike Osaka or Paris when I see runners now and then. I was the only runner on that wide pedestrian Parveletskya, and even in Gorky Park, I saw only 2-3 runners. I ran for 7K that morning.

Back to sightseeing, we visited the largest Orthodox Curch, 100m tall. The wall was beautifully painted up to the dome about Jesus early life until death. We are not allowed to take picture inside. There are 3 bodies of Saint (forget who). I also saw many visitors made a pray close to the giant picture of the holy people and kiss its frame.

Unfortunately, there was no audio guide. I was clueless about the painting and the story behind.

Later we took train to Tsaritsyno Palace, outskirt of the city. You know, I copieD Dian’s friend itinerary. He said there’s a tasty kebab stall outside Orekhovo Station and that where we had our lunch. We continued our walk to the palace seemed google maps gave us wrong direction. Walking under scorching sun in the nature park for ones who live in tropical country went like….duilehhh macam Kebun Raya Bogor aja ini sik! We gave up, then saw a sign that show way to Metro Station. And that where the shortest way to the Palace from Metro Station. We saw many visitors.

Since we were tired, we headed back to hotel And took rest.

Good thing about summer, the day is long.

At 7 pm we went to Zaryade Park, behind red square. It has observation deck to watch sunset.

It was beautiful evening.

PS : my pic on the observation deck, that is Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building. One of 7 high-rises built during Stalin’s era. In 1950’s. Kebayang ya ambisinya Joseph Stalin ini, pantas Uni Soviet pernah jadi negara adidaya.

Take a rest

Chatedral of Christ The saviour

Kebab stall

Tsaritsyno park

Observation Deck

St basil Cathedral

Moscow Day 2

As expected, I woke at 3 am Moscow Time (translated to 7 am Jakarta Time)

I took a walk around the hotel, since it wasn’t in city center, it was a quite neighborhood.

Taken at 5 am

Y’know, to cut budget, I bought mini rice cooker, so we had nasi and abon for breakfast hahahah.

Proceed to Paveletskaya Station, we bought a-3-day pass for bus, metro and tram. This make transportation expenses in Rusia make sense to me.

And I tell you what, Moscow Metro Line is….confusing and you have to go deep town to tunnel,which may uncomfortable for some. It really took minutes for me how to manage those circle Line.

Cut the story, I finally see it with my own eyes, the Red Square!

St Basil Cathedral

I went inside St Basil Cathedral that now turn as museum. The church was built in 1955-1961. Do you know the architect was blinded after making this, so he wouldn’t design another beautiful building.

There was a choir practice and o em geeee, those 4 males sounds like heaven! Beautiful voices.

Then to гум (GUM), a high class shopping mall, built in 1800’s then to Arbat Street.

Those are common tourist places, well, what can I say, I’m one of them 😉

I want to go toilet, and I welcome myself to Europe when I had to pay Rubbel 50 to pee. #meh

Even it was in GUM.

All those places required metro. Uhmm, Moscow Metro, one of a kind.

After arrived back at Paveletskaya, where we lived, I decided to took tram and let see where it took me. It was sunny day and I realized Moscow is HUGE!

During impulsive tram trip, I saw beautiful ortodok church and even halal food stall. It was quite in suburb.

We jumped off when it crossed the third line (if you see in Moscow map, the area is devided by circle. Red square in first circle, our hotel in the second circle and of course the airport in the outer ring)

It amazes me this city provide bus stop with charging station! Wow! How thoughtful.

Charging station in bus stop

Vintage tram

Привет, Москва

Hallo Moskow!

Well, here I am, back to Europe.

Many of my friends asked, why Moscow? What is so special??i said “i got promotion ticket from Thai Airways” that is it! I’ve always wanted to see the world, but money has always been the issue :))

That’s the reason, why we had overnight in Bangkok.

It was a 10-hr-flight from Shuvarnabumi to Domedodovo. Imigration process was so so, and yes!

Just arrived

My wish was granted , exactly in time frame! Gusti Allah maha baik!

We took aeroexpress to the city (Praveletskya Station) . And I couldn’t stop smiling.

Stasiun Gambir-nya Moscow

Of course, it took hours how to get to our hotel. Praveletskaya station (and its surrounding) got helped from the local, and boom. Because it’s summer, sun set later, I stay calm. Otherwise I got on my nerves.

Due the jet lag, I slept when I got the hotel.

‘Till later!