Московское метро

Несколько, к сожелению, типичные встречи Московского метро...

 

У каждой станции есть свои, не менее двух.

 

 

Мне ещё странно когда женьщины отдываются с целым животном. Конечно, я рано понимала, что при таких температурах, нет выбора: то что лучще защищает от холода - природные материалы и поэтому мех. Но, мне кажется, что быть при голове животного - просто не надо, это не защищает от холода лучше и даже меньше как аксессуар на сумочке. Это модно? Я так и не думаю, но о вкусах не спорят... 

 

Other first times...

Opening a Russian bank account...

Walking the streets in Moscow the first thing you notice is the relatively large range of banks: there are banks everywhere. A Muscovite friend having studied finance at university told me that thanks to the relatively flexible conditions regulating the opening and running of a bank, it was way easier for banks to settle in Moscow. So when the time came to open a bank account, I was very confused about which one to choose. Furthermore, not being familiar with neither the Russian financial system nor the vocabulary you need to be able to check the validity of the contract you are signing, it was going to be a totally new experience for me! Thanks God I have a Russian friend working for a bank, and she offered to take care of everything: comparing the different options for each bank account, prices of international transfers... When the D-day came, she came with me to check each sheet of paper I was to sign and THE moment came, you know the moment when you should keep your mouth shut because you are not sure about the translation of the word you are going to say, but what you should never forget is that your accent combined with the self-confidence you try to show are just going to make it worse. Although you can always pretend to be exhausted and that of course you knew it, still, you are going to sound pretentious, ridiculous, at best just crazy. This is how I shouted out in front of everyone at the reception (as we were filling in the papers just behind the reception desk) without hidding my surprise and dissatisfaction: "What?! I can just put 50 000 rubles on my account?!"
And when both the receptionist and my friend turned to look at me with a very confused face, I understood I had said something very wrong, but I did not know what which made me repeat it more quietly (still, I was not satisfied with this and I was ready to argue!). Later, they showed me I could actually put not 50 000 but 50 000 million rubles (more than 1 million euros), and that it was, indeed, very unlikely that I would reach this amount unless I won the lottery. That was the last time I tried to understand what was going on, too ashamed.

PS: For your information (if you ever plan to open a bank account in Russia) opening a bank account here is very quick and easy, only buying things on the internet with your credit card is quite complicated and remains obscure to me; it requires so many different codes leading to other complex codes that I actually gave up this part. As for the interest rates of deposit accounts, they are all much more interesting than in the countries I have been leaving before Russia (the aftermath of the global financial crisis seems to have been nice to the ruble).
 

Катюша - Katyusha

You certainly know Katyusha, a Russian wartime song which depicts a girl longing for her fighting military husband. It was first sung by female students from a Russian industrial school in Moscow to bid farewell to Russian soldiers going on the battle front against Nazi Germany.
Katyusha is diminutive from female name Ekaterina.
The song is also the source of the nickname of the BM-8, BM-13, and BM-31 'Katysuha" rocket launchers that were used by the Red Army in WWII and later for the Korean war, the Vietnam war, as well as the Iraq-Iran war. They are still used today, in the Libyan war.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHWmkLIFx7s

 

Le parc Gorki (également appelé parc de la culture)

Ce matin, patinage! Et comme les russes ne font rien à moitié, c'est le parc entier qu'ils ont aménagé en patinoire. Eh oui, que voulez-vous, on est 16 millions dans la capitale, ça en fait des patins...

Première constatation en arrivant: TOUS les russes pratiquent le patin à glace, des russes très apprêtées (vous les verrez remettre leurs bottes à talons aiguille en sortant de la patinoire) aux babushkas (qui restent très en forme!). Sport national ou simple logique: en Russie, on apprend à marcher et à patiner en même temps, et personne n'y échappe. 

Dans le parc, un coin est réservé aux enfants en bas âge qui, d'après ce que j'ai vu, en savent déjà bien plus que moi. Un autre endroit a été aménagé en terrain de hockey sur glace pour les amateurs (ne vous y fiez pas, notre définition d'amateur et celle des russe est bien différente!) et ils sont nombreux.

Il est possible de louer des patins de très bonne qualité, mais en réalité pratiquement tout le monde vient avec sa propre paire. C'est donc en vraie moscovite que je suis allée m'en acheter une ce matin, que je compte bien amortir en visitant toutes les patinoires de la ville, en commençant par celle de notre quartier (= notre terrain de basket ball).

Vue panoramique d'une des entrées du parc

Vue panoramique depuis une autre entrée

Kolomenskoye Parc

Here are some of the main buildings in Kolomenskoye park. Don't be surprise if the park, although located in the very city centre, seems endless (it is), or if people are skiing or having a sleigh ride, this is Russia!

Gate of the Saviour

Erected in the 1670s as a servants entrance, it is of a rather modest design.

Its roof is a characteristic element of the 16th-17th century Russian architecture.

Kazan Cathedral

Built by Tsar Alexei I in 1649-1653 to commemorate the centenary of the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible, it is of typical 17th century style.

Red Gate, leading to the Church of the Ascension

Bell Tower of Saint George, first half of the 16th century

The Church of the Ascension 

The entire weight of the building presses against the walls, which are 2,5 to 3 metres thick. 

Built from 1530 to 1532, this church was at its time a radical departure from the traditional Byzantine style. The Church of the Ascension is known as Russia's first stone tent-roofed church (toit en forme de chapiteau*) 

The parc, and people randomly skiing in the city centre (only in Russia!)

On the river bank

The Orchard (verger), still in the city centre!

 Sleigh ride, routine...

Kolomenskoye

The Tsar's Palace

Formerly located 10 km to the south of the city, this parc is now part of the city centre (this gives you an idea of how far the city has increased in size, which it continues each year).

Here are some interesting facts:

Kolomenskoye was created around 1240 when the inhabitants of Kolomna, seeking refuge from the Tatar-Mongol invaders, settled here.

Ivan IV the Terrible (1530-1584) lived here as a child, and later with his first wife Anastasia.

The young tsar Peter the Great was taken here during the riot of 1682. Later, he returned several times (during his visits to Moscow, the capital city having been moved from Moscow to Saint Petersburg). The palace was neglected as the tsars left it and the old wooden structure became unsafe for living, which led Catherine II to order its destruction in 1769. What we see today is a reconstruction.

Moscow by night

Quelques aperçus qui ne rendent pas justice à la magie de Moscou en hiver

 

La cathédrale du Christ-Sauveur, édifiée une première fois entre 1839 et 1883 en mémoire de la victoire de la Russie sur la Grande Armée de Napoléon Ier en 1812, puis détruite sur les ordres de Staline en 1931 (la religion n'avait plus sa place sous le régime socialiste soviétique), enfin reconstruite à l'identique entre 1995 et 2000 et désormais siège du patriarcat.
Véritable bijou de l'architecture orthodoxe!

 

Un des nombreux bâtiments de style empire, encore plus impressionants éclairés de nuit.

 

Un des musées des beaux arts de Pouchkin (il n'est pas rare en Russie qu'un musée soit réparti en plusieurs bâtiments dans une même ville).

 

Encore un bâtiment de style empire, sur une colline de neige.

 

La salle centrale des expositions, devant le Kremlin.

 

Une des entrées du Kremlin (celle des touristes), à droite de la salle centrale des expositions.

Le long de la salle centrale des expositions.

 



 

Le jardin d'Alexandre, construit sur ordre du Tsar Alexandre Ier et abritant divers monuments et statues dont l'obélisque des penseurs socialistes et la flamme du soldat inconnu (alimentée en permanence). Il s'étend le long du mur ouest du Kremlin.

 

Une autre façade de la salle centrale des expositions, sur laquelle des films étaient projetés ce soir-là.

 

Début de la grande avenue "Tverskaya", qui commence devant la Place de la Révolution (en continuité de la Place Rouge), peut-être l'équivalent des Champs Elysées. En dessous des trois dômes de verre  se trouve un gigantesque gallerie commerciale comprenant toutes sortes de magasins, restaurants et fast food.

 

Cette année le marché de Noël accueille les Strasbourgeois. Derrière, le musée historique de la ville, dont les peintures et ornements muraux sont magnifiques!

 Une des entrées de la Place Rouge.  Sous cette arcade se tiennent généralement des sosies de Poutine, Staline, Lénine et en ce moment le Père Noël et Cnegourotshka (nièce du Père Noël et personnage important du Noël russe). A droite commence le musée historique de la ville. Juste derrière se tient la fameuse Place Rouge.

Incredible Russian New Year's Eve

С новым годом Москва!

Spending New Year's Eve on Red Square was certainly one of the most exiting experiences I've had in Russia so far. Not only had I never seen such an impressive security system but also the widespread joy and exitment was absolutely unique! 
Arriving at the metro station we already could feel the spirit of the night to come. Lots of Russians were wearing fancy hats and singing out loud Russians songs or repeating "Happy new year" together. Lots of young people had come in groups, which added to the cheerful atmosphere.
Arriving two hours early, we had to go through 3 security bareers, getting smashed from all sides, and yelled at by not very flexible Russian soldiers. Surprisingly it went quite fast and we didn't lose each other in the incredible crowd. In order to warm up and not to freeze (it was around -10, maybe less) we walked several rounds of the Holy place, listening to Russians singing and dancing together to warm up too.
I have been to big public events in the past but this one was without any doubt the most impressive. I had never seen so many people showing such a true happiness. People tend to say Russians are a distant, cold people, they are not. I already knew these people were very kind and welcoming, but I was surprised by their mood yesterday night. This crazy happiness lasted until the sun rose, and I spent the rest of the night admiring fireworks from my bed, reflecting on the other buildings or directly in front of my window.
This confirmed another Russian habit: Салют or "fireworks in honor of something". Russians love setting fireworks in honor of any kind of event: birthday, new year's eve, christmas, weddings, a birth... This is how we end up watching fireworks every single night from our flat. Indeed, it had been a week since their frequency had augmented, and last night they were endless and literally everywhere in the city. In each district you could see fireworks coming from behind every single building, at every single corner, on every single stadium and small park. It was the most massive event I had ever attended.
It is true life is not always easy here, but people got used to live in tough conditions and need very few to be happy. Whatever stereotype you can hear, Russians ARE a happy people, and they know how to show it.