Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
4
buoyant, carefree celebration of sum-
mer—liberation after the city's long
hibernation. Watch at midnight as resi-
dents picnic with their kids or play
soccer in the courtyards. Then take a
nighttime boat ride through the canals
as the sunset melts into a languorous
sunrise, and you'll never want to go
south again.
Steaming Your Stress Away at the
Banya: Thaw your eyelashes in January
or escape snow flurries in May in the
traditional Russian bathhouse, some-
thing between a sauna and a Turkish
hammam. The pristine Sandunovsky
Baths in Moscow are a special treat,
with Greek sculptures and marble
baths. Watch expert banya-goers beat
themselves with birch branches, plunge
into icy pools, exfoliate with coffee
grounds, and sip beer while waiting for
the next steam. Sandunovsky Baths
(Sandunovskiye Banyi) are at 14 Neg-
linnaya, Moscow ( & 495/625-4631 ).
See p. 157.
Watching the Drawbridges Open
Along the Neva River (St. Petersburg):
An unforgettable outing during White
Nights, or anytime, involves perching
yourself on the quay at 2am to watch
the city's bridges unfold in careful
rhythm to allow shipping traffic
through the busy Neva. Just be careful
not to get caught on the wrong side of
the river from your hotel.
Taking the Trans-Siberian Railroad:
This winding link between Europe and
Asia offers a sense of Russia's scale.
Seven days from Moscow to Beijing, or
from Moscow to Vladivostok on the
Pacific Coast, the journey provides
plenty of time for reflection and mak-
ing acquaintances. Lake Baikal and the
Altai Mountains are stunning interrup-
tions in the masses of pine and birch
forests.
Picnicking at Kolomenskoye (Mos-
cow): This architectural reserve boasts
the breathtaking 16th-century Church
of the Assumption and the wooden
house where Peter the Great sought
refuge before assuming the throne. The
surrounding lawns and groves beckon
visitors to stretch out with caviar or
cucumber sandwiches and a thermos of
strong Russian tea. The hilly paths wind
through apple orchards. Historic folk
festivals are staged here throughout the
year.
Paying Your Respects at Novodevichy
Cemetery and Convent (Moscow):
The intricately original graves of the
Russian eminences buried here—writ-
ers Anton Chekhov and Nikolai Gogol,
Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, and
Stalin's suicidal wife among them—are
allegories more than headstones. The
tranquil grounds of the convent above
witnessed bloody palace intrigues, and
many a powerful woman in Russian
history was exiled there. Today its
restored cathedrals and adjacent pond
exude a quiet serenity.
Sipping Baltika Beer at Patriarch's
Ponds (Moscow): This prestigious
neighborhood inspired writer Mikhail
Bulgakov ( Master and Margarita ). It's
still a prime spot to sink onto a bench
with a bottle of local beer (Baltika is a
popular choice) or other beverage and
watch Moscow spin by. Whimsical stat-
ues of characters from Ivan Krylov's
fables will entertain kids, and the pond
is a skating rink in winter.
Taking Tea at a Luxury Hotel: A cup
of steaming tea from an antique samo-
var is a treat for anyone, and even those
on tight budgets should find something
affordable at top-end hotels. To accom-
pany the tea, try jam-filled bliny (thin
Russian pancakes), fruit- or meat-filled
pirozhki (pies), or caviar on toast. For
more information, see the listings for
Moscow's Le Royal Meridien National
or Metropol hotels (chapter 5) or St.
Petersburg's Grand Hotel Europe
(chapter 12).
1
Search WWH ::




Custom Search