Arriving In Moscow — Nov 15

When exiting the plane we were directed along a series of corridors by officials stationed at key points, then down a flight of stairs to stand in a short line before a series of booths, each housing a passport control official. One at a time we approached a booth when our turns came. We silently handed over our passport and migration form. After a few seconds the passport and half the migration form are returned, silently, and then we pass through into the baggage claim area. [The migration form was supplied by the attendants during the flight and they even instructed us on how to fill it out. The form has two halves; you fill out both, with the same information. Passport control takes one half as you arrive; you carry the other half with you and surrender it as you leave Russia at the end of your trip.]

Here is where we got confused. We had understood that we needed to complete a Customs Declaration form (to declare all cash and valuables), which we had expected to receive on the plane; and then pass through the Red Channel. However, everyone was going through the Green Channel (for “nothing to declare”). We asked a few Americans, none knew of the Red Channel procedure. We found the forms on a counter, filled them out anyway, and then tried to ask at the Red Channel. But, no one paid us any attention and in fact, all the Red exits were roped off. So, with much concern, we went through the Green Channel.

Nothing happened! No one was stopped. We just passed by one official who didn’t seem concerned with us, rounded a partition and slipped through the final barrier into the crowd of people waiting to greet their friends, family and other expected travelers. This crowd included Vladimir, our driver, holding a sign with our last name (wish we had asked to keep that sign as a memento.)

We exchanged greetings briefly, then Vladimir told us to put our on coats, so we quickly pulled them out of our luggage. I wish that we had also taken the time to pull out our thermal underwear, or at least our sweaters. We would be in store for some bone chilling moments ahead.

Out into the crisp Fall weather of Moscow we paraded. A high of 30 degrees Fahrenheit and overcast skies greeted us. We loaded the car, then easily exited the airport only to run immediately into stop and go freeway traffic. Sheremetyevo Airport is 30-40 minutes outside of Moscow. The road was lined with that dirty black snow. The leaves were off the trees and buried under a layer of snow on the ground. Scattered houses, fences, farmland (in the outskirts of town) was quite reminiscent of memories growing up in Indiana and New York.

Vladimir asked us questions about our trip and our life in the U.S., and answered our questions of him. He had learned English on his own for this job. He also works at a store repairing guitars. Normally he takes the visiting adoptive parents to his apartment to rest before catching the train to Bryansk (which departs about 7 hours after getting off the plane), but his 16 year old son was home sick, so he decided to show us around Moscow instead.

We wanted to try out our knowledge of Russian and more specifically the Cyrillic alphabet, so we sounded out the words on the billboards and buildings, and Vladimir would then tell us what they represent (often they were just brand names). It was comforting to be able to recognize words at we sounded out. Many are known once pronounced properly. For example, Vladimir finds it amusing when people ask about all of the “pectopah” signs in the city. That is how it appears to be pronounced using English letters. If pronounced using Russian letters, it is “restaran”; which makes it clear why there are so many.

First he had to stop at our agency’s office. He easily found parking (a difficult task in Moscow) near a park and suggested we walk around while he went to the office. Did he not realize how cold it was? Gayle stayed in the car after getting her hat, gloves and scarf out of the luggage. John walked down to the street corner pretending to blend in with the passing Moscovites, but soon came back to the car to thaw out.

Vladimir returned and we drove to a place by one of the train stations, to change some of our money into rubles. The street door was locked and a line started to form outside behind us. Vladimir didn’t say what was going on, so we just waited quietly, shivering in the cold. Finally, the door opened, a man came out and we were able to enter.We learned that only one person at a time could go into the teller. Gayle slid our dollars through a slot in a window and someone slid back rubles.

Back into the car and we’re now on our way to Red Square; to see the sights that we didn’t think we’d get to see this short first trip: St. Basil’s, the Kremlin, the History Museum and the G.U.M. state department store. Tough to enjoy being so cold, but still it is impressive...but hard to believe we were really there halfway across the globe. John’s lips were freezing, so much so that he couldn’t speak clearly at times. Vladimir suggested we go in and tour St. Basil’s. He helped us buy tickets (along with an extra ticket allowing us to take pictures). We offered to pay for his ticket, but he said he’d wait outside for us. Again, did he not realize how cold it was? I guess for Russians this is just a light Fall chill.

By the History Museum is an archway marking an old entrance into Red Square. There in the ground is a plaque noting the exact center of Moscow. Tradition is to stand on the spot, spin around, look at the angel on the archway and make a wish while throwing a coin over your shoulder. It was hard to jump in with all the tourists (mostly Russian, it seemed) and making their own wish. But Vladimir had given us coins and took our camera, so we couldn’t miss this opportunity to make our wish come true. Although I think John wasted his wish, wishing he wasn’t so cold!

Vladimir then drove us to the highest point in Moscow to see the city. This was near the beautiful Moscow University building that is one of the seven sisters (matching buildings scattered across Moscow). He stopped where a friend of his was selling souvenirs on the sidewalk. So we were able to buy a few things; but again the cold kept us from really looking for long.

Vladimir suggested we have dinner prior to boarding the train, so he took us to an American restaurant he thought we’d like, TGI Friday’s! He was going to wait in the car, but accepted our invitation to dine with us. Thankfully they had a menu translated into English. The server was friendly and seemed to enjoy trying out her English.

Now we had to hurry to the train station.