Must-see in Moscow?

[Stephanie Briggs]

Hello Devin,

I believe I can offer you a unique perspective on visiting Russia as a
20-something disabled person who knows the language. I know the information
as a disabled person might not be relevant to this discussion, but since
it's an integral part of my life experiences, I include it here.

All the tour books (Fodors is a piece of junk when it comes to cultural and
social interactions) advise that disabled people just shouldn't try going to
Russia. I can see what they mean if someone is using a wheelchair, but I
managed very well with my cane. It was exhausting, but I wouldn't have
missed it for the world! I think sometimes that people I spoke with were not
used to seeing a disabled person going out and about and managing just fine.
Everyone I interacted with was quite congenial.

I was there for only 4 days in 2003 with my mom, so I packed a lot into it;
I had to do all the interpreting for her, and enjoyed it immensely. We
stayed with a family B&B  near Smolenskaya station. One day was spent on a
bus tour, as I have difficulty walking long distances (moderate cerebral
palsy). A bus tour might be worth it if you want to see a lot of things that
are spread out in area from each other. That is how I got to see
Novodevichy. Never would have made it there myself on foot.

*Novodevichy Monastery* for sure, although I only saw it from across the
river, but I got great pictures.

*Krasnaya Ploschad* goes without saying, eh? I did not go into the Mausoleum
(too creepy for me). The Alexander Gardens is the metro stop to the Square,
and is quite nice. When I was there, coincidentally, there was some sort of
ceremony being performed near the Mausoleum, complete with red flags and old
pensioners laying down flowers and marching around. The Historical Museum is
beautiful from the outside - looks permanently snow-capped. The little pink
church is also nice; we could hear bells ringing and chanting from the
outside on the Sunday we were there.

*Arbat* - watch your personal items, as they said! Lovely place to walk.

The mosaics in the *Metro* are absolutely gorgeous, as are some of the
pedestrian walkways. I know that might sound ultra-touristy, but really if
you are using the metro anyways, why skip that? You really will never look
at the metro the same way. Beats the London Tube, hands down, just for the
visual experience!

A fun (scary) story about *Stalin Skyscrapers*. My mom and I went looking
for the Belgrade Hotel (can't remember why), and accidentally walked into
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs! Fortunately, we were able to speedily make
a dignified retreat, although I cannot imagine what the gigantic security
guards in the dark, cavernous entrance made of it all. (I'm a petite person
and walk with a cane, so probably didn't look like much of a threat. I hope
I made them laugh.). On another day we ended up at the Ukrainya Hotel.

There is an excellent view of the city (?) on *Sparrow Hill*, with the
Moscow State University behind you. Watch out for all the vendors selling
stuff there.

I have also been to *Petersburg *(4 days again)* *and around there; *Pushkin
* (Tsarskoye Selo), so if she would like ideas for that, please let me know.
Also: *Yaroslavl, Rostov.*

Thanks for reading this loooong email. I'm not a high-level academic like
most people on this list; I have a BA in Russian and am going to be taking
an MA in Translation Studies. I just wanted to contribute to the discussion
because I enjoyed my time in Russia so much. I hope it helps and that I will
get to go again someday; probably will be easier now that I am living in
Britain, rather than Canada.

Stephanie Briggs

*****************************
~Stephanie D. (Sures) Briggs
http://sdsures.blogspot.com/

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