Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Not only is Moscow becoming more polite, she is gradually but noticeably becoming an
easier, cleaner, more pleasant place to live.
One of Mayor Sobyanin's first orders of business, back in 2011, was to clear out the thou-
sands of kiosks that littered the city sidewalks. It was a controversial move - not exactly
supportive of small business - but nobody really misses those makeshift shops selling cigar-
ettes, beer and candy.
While streets are still congested, driving is more closely regulated, meaning people are
driving more sanely and more safely. Sobyanin introduced paid parking in the city centre, so
there are fewer cars on the narrow old streets. Urban development in the centre has focussed
on parks and pedestrian ways, making it easier to navigate on foot - or even on bike.
Hipsters
Hipsters are taking over Moscow. You'll see these educated, good-looking, well-travelled
people, mostly in their 20s and 30s, browsing the art galleries at Vinzavod, populating the
pubs and clubs in Red October, and playing ping-pong in Gorky Park. They are not particu-
larly politicised, but they want to lead rich, rewarding, 'normal' lives - like their counter-
parts in Europe and America. Most importantly, they know what this looks like.
So when Putin made moves to appoint himself to a third presidential term in 2012, they
took to the streets. Analysts agree that the protests 'for fair elections' were a political flop, in
that they failed to effect change in the elections or fix flaws in the system. Strict laws were
subsequently enacted to make sure the public manifestations of discontent did not continue.
But the protesters did succeed in getting the administration to pay attention to them. Sud-
denly, the city's parks were revamped; flowers were blooming; fountains were flowing; and
the calendar was packed with art markets, yoga classes and beach volleyball. Sergei Kap-
kov, who directed the transformation of Gorky Park, was appointed to head up the city's cul-
tural department. He's now overseeing the design and development of the new, high-profile
park in Zaryadie (on the former site of the Hotel Rossiya) and a revamp of the municipal
library system. Some analysts believe that Kapkov's main mission is to keep the hipsters
busy and happy. And he's doing his job...
Putin (and by extension, Sobyanin) recognises the importance of popular appeal. The
president enjoys high approval ratings, and he understands that this lends him a degree of le-
gitimacy (perceived election fraud aside). His tenure has seen life improve dramatically for
most people in Moscow - especially the hipsters. And it keeps getting better. Who wants to
organize a protest when you can go out for a bike ride instead?
