“Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma
– Winston Churchhill
After 10 days in Russia, I think this is a little hyperbole.
With the caveat that I only visited the major cities of Saint Petersburg and Moscow, the Russia I saw in the spring of 2019 was not that mysterious.
Here are my impressions and tips:
Why Go To Russia?
Girls.
The first question people ask you when they hear you’re headed to Russia is why? The answer is simple; the best looking girls in the world are in Russia (Specifically Moscow).
I met a lot of beautiful Russian girls in Los Angeles, so I simply wanted to see the source of all these pretty girls.
Places to Go in Russia
The two most popular cities in Russia are St. Petersburg and Moscow.
St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is in the upper northwest part of Russia on the Baltic Sea. It’s a beautiful city with a relaxing California feel. I’ve heard St. Petersburg is called the Venice of Russia – I think that’s appropriate.
Moscow
Moscow is the hub of Russia. Everything in Russia revolves around Moscow. In fact, while Russia has eleven time zones, official Russian time is based on Moscow time.
With 13 million people, Moscow is supposedly the 6th or 7th most populous city in the world. I believe it.
It has a New York feel. Everyone is on the go with things to do.
While there are some fantastic tourist sites in Moscow such as St. Basil’s Cathedral, Red Square, The Kremlin, The State History Museum, and Gorky Park, Moscow does not have a touristy feel.
Upon arriving in Moscow, you feel like you’ve been dropped into everyday Russian life.
However, if you’re a single guy, I’ve never seen more beautiful girls anywhere in the world than I did in Moscow.
St. Petersburg or Moscow?
Tip: If you’re going to Russia, definitely go to both cities. There’s a 4-hour high-speed train called the Sapsan High Speed Train that gets you to and from both cites very easily.
But if you can only visit one, I’d suggest St. Petersburg.
Dispelling Common Myths of Russia
In the post How to Get a Visa To Russia, I mentioned that my visit to Russia was in part to dispell or confirm some common stereotypes.
Here are my conclusions:
1. Can Russians speak English?
No.
Russians do not speak English. Even people under 25 cannot speak English.
In ten days, I met maybe five out of 30 people who spoke fluent English. And those girls taught Russian to English speakers.
If you ask someone if they speak English, they will say “a little” or “so so.” That means barely any.
I think English is taught in schools, but it’s kinda like Americans learning Spanish in school – if you never use it, you’ll forget most of it.
Thankfully I took the Pimsleur Russian Course a few years ago and was able to speak and understand some Russian.
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If you don’t learn any Russian, I suggest at least learning the Cyrillic alphabet because everything is written in Cyrillic.
However, the Metro system has signs in both Russian and English.
2. Do Russians like Americans?
Yes, every Russian I met was very nice.
Russians have no problem with Americans. But I will say that Russians are very proud to be Russian.
I’ve never seen a country with so much pride.
Russians remind me of Texans in the U.S. You see a lot of Russian flags and people wearing clothing representing their country.
But just because they love their country, doesn’t mean they don’t like America.
3. Is Russia safe?
Yes.
From a police presence point of view, Moscow is the safest place I’ve ever been in the world. You will see police probably every 10 minutes, and every 5 minutes near the Kremlin in Moscow.
Additionally, you will feel very safe on the main street in St. Petersburg called Nevsky Prospect.
4. Are Russian girls attractive?
Yes.
My Perspective: Compared to Kyiv, Krakow, Stockholm, London, Sevilla, and ten other cities around the world, I can say without a doubt, Moscow has the most beautiful girls in the world.
And it’s not even close.
Unfortunately, St. Petersburg is not the same. In fact, St. Petersburg’s girls are not much better than girls anywhere else in the world.
However, the one bad thing about girls in Moscow is that they all smoke.
5. Is Moscow expensive?
No.
Moscow is known as one of the most expensive cities in the world.
Maybe ten years ago, but not today.
Moscow is no more expensive than LA or New York. In fact, it might be a bit cheaper.
An average good hotel in the middle of Moscow will cost you $125 to $250 just like anywhere else in the world.
A basic burger and fries will cost about $17.
A latte at Starbucks costs $4.
Yes, you can definitely go to cheaper places in Eastern Europe, but Russia is not as bad as advertised.
6. Is it true Russians never smile?
No, at least in Moscow or St. Petersburg, people smile just as much as anywhere else in the world.
I was told not to smile in Russia. I was told if you smile, people think you are crazy. Americans think Russians don’t smile because they are so beaten down from all the past years of communism.
There’s supposedly a Russian saying;
“the bad news is life is hard, but the good news is it’s short.”
I don’t believe this.
My friends did tell me that Russians don’t wear fake smiles, or act fake like Americans. I’m not sure about this.
Russians are just as happy as anyone else in the world.
7. Is the Russian Visa process Difficult?
As I said in my post How To Get a Visa To Russia, the visa process is not difficult, but there are many moving parts.
8. Is Russia flashy and dressy?
No
There is a stereotype that Russian overdress for everything.
This is not true. Everyone I saw was dressed just like anyone in a basic American city.
Even the girls, you don’t see as many girls in high heels as you do in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Tip: The best place for people watching is outside the Kiyevskya Metro stop at the mall, Tverskay Street, and Old Arbat street.
9. Is the Moscow Metro busy?
Yes, very.
The Moscow metro system is known as the 2nd busiest in the world.
I believe it.
It’s easy and efficient. Moreover, a pass only costs about .85 cents. I’m sure it’s even cheaper for locals who probably have a monthly card or something.
Tip: Stay away from rush hour in the mornings and after work if you can help it.
Tip: Like all Kiosks in the world, the Russian metro has an English option. Also, cashiers speak enough English to help you buy a ticket.
10. Any black people?
Yes, at least in Moscow I saw a lot of black people. Presumably not black Americans but nevertheless, black people.
Like any big city, Moscow is pretty diverse.
Again, St. Petersburg is not the same. I only saw about ten black people in four days in St. Petersburg.
Conclusion:
These are my perceptions of Russia from being there. I understand that I was only there for 10 days, and I never left the city centers; however, I saw a place most Americans never see.
Without a doubt, if you’re thinking about visiting Russia, do so.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comments.
за здоровье! (literally “for health” but used for “Cheers!”)
