Gay in Moscow, Russia.

Airports | Caution | Climate | Currency | Dining | Essentials | Getting Around | Holidays | Internet | Language | Lodging Passports & Visa | References | Reflections | Scene | Taxis | Things to See | Time Zones | Tipping

Moscow, once the capital of the 'evil empire', has changed more radically in the last half decade than over the previous half century. Once-empty shops have become expensive restaurants, designer boutiques and 24-hour convenience stores. The nightlife, which used to be restricted to cheesy singers at bad restaurants, has exploded into one of the most vibrant and decadent party scenes in Europe.

The politically ambitious mayor, Yury Luzhkov, has transformed the center of the city by rebuilding the magnificent Christ the Savior Cathedral and constructing a huge, three-story-deep shopping mall under Manezh Square, next to the Kremlin. The crime wave of the early '90s has tapered off - the notorious mafia have become more subtle in their dress and business methods. The ruble has stabilized after the runaway inflation of 1992-94. Moscow is acquiring all the attributes of a Western European city at breakneck speed - but all interpreted with an unmistakably Russian panache. Young Muscovite women read the Russian-language Cosmopolitan, dress in Benetton, rollerblade on weekends and order goat-cheese-and-basil pizza by phone. The clientele at the city's stylish restaurants wouldn't look out of place at the Ivy or Spago, and mobile phones are commonplace.

Gay Moscow has also a lot to offer to its guests. The elite gay clubs are at your desire at all times. Cheaper gay discos are full with a mixed gay and straight teenage crowd dressed in unisex style. Cruising places known as 'pleshkas' swarm with cuties from the sunset till the dawn. Lascivious steam of gay saunas takes you to the land of dreaming! But, above all, Moscow is the city of genuine and sincere souls. Of famous Russian gay charms.

Moscow/Russia is simply a challenge. I would recommend travel there, but in a group. Moscow is not set for the individual tourist yet. For example, there was a Cesarea Evora concert I wanted to attend, and my five-star hotel was able to arrange the ticket, but could not guarantee that there would be someone at the box office who'd be able to understand what I was saying once I got there. Meanwhile, once in the theater I would have been unable to read the numbers in Cyrillic.

Visit Russia. With open eyes and mind. And watch their future. It is promising and sobering.

Three sources of information indispensable for anyone coming to Russia are:

1. Russia for Visitors Andrey Sebrant, a Moscow-based journalist, collected an outstanding directory of more than 700 sites covering virtually all aspects of Russia.

2. The Moscow Times' Guide to Russia It is an extremely helpful guide to all things Russia and is compiled by the English-language newspaper The Moscow Times and based on their publications over the last decade.

3. The Expat Survival Guide Expat.Ru, a site by and for expatriates (foreigners) living in Russia, brings you an insider's view on how to make life in Moscow more enjoyable.

Jet Lag

For the Frequent Flier Member the clue is to be able to upgrade to Business class. Call ahead and if you are flexible to book your flight on the available dates you can upgrade. Buy the cheapest fare available and use 50,000 miles to upgrade to business class. Moscow is easily accessible from many European Capitals through Aeroflot.

To avoid jet lag the easiest way is to sleep all the way over (going east) and stay awake on the way back (going west). If you are flying business, you have the option of dinner on request. As soon as you get on board order dinner. When it arrives, take a short acting sleeping pill (e. g. Halcyon or Ambien). Request that your flight attendant wake you for breakfast. Take the night flight and you then awake in the morning, Moscow time.

On the way home you need to stay awake as long as you can. Check out the in-flight movies (I have watched as many as four full features on the way home.) If you can stay awake until at least 9:00 PM (6:00 AM Moscow time) you should have no problem sleeping the night. Another short acting sleeping pill will ensure that you wake up on your home time. I have done Weekend Theater in London with this method.

Time Zones

Time is GMT +3 for Moscow. The clocks change twice during the year. There is a "summertime period" from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. New York is 8 hours behind of Moscow, Chicago is 9. Check the "Time Ticker" for current time in Moscow.

Passport and Visa

U.S. citizens must possess a valid U.S. passport and appropriate visas for travel to or transit through Russia, whether by train, car, ship or airplane.

Russian visas should be obtained from an embassy or consulate in the U.S. or abroad in advance of travel, as it is impossible to obtain a Russian entry visa upon arrival. Travelers who arrive without an entry visa are not permitted to enter Russia and face immediate expulsion by route of entry, at the traveler's expense. Errors in dates or other information on the visa may result in denial of entry, and it is helpful to have someone who reads Russian check the visa before departing the United States.

Visas are valid for specific dates. An entry/exit visa reflects two dates written in the European style (day, month, year). The first date indicates the earliest day you may enter Russia; the second date indicates the last day you are permitted to be in Russia using that visa. Sometimes the length of a visa may not correspond to the length of your planned stay. Before starting your trip, be sure your visa is valid for the dates of your planned entry and departure. Travelers who spend more than three days in the country must register their visa through their hotel or sponsor. It is helpful to make a photocopy of your visa in the event of loss, but note that a copy of your visa will not be sufficient for leaving the country, as Russian border officials always ask for the original.

The office that issued your visa must approve amendment of a visa necessitated by illness or changes in travel plans. If travelers experience entry and exit visa problems they and/or their sponsor must contact the nearest Russian visa and passport office (OVIR) for assistance. Visitors who overstay their visa's validity, even for one day, or who neglect to register their visa will be prevented from leaving until this is corrected, which usually requires payment of a fee and results in a missed flight or other connection.

Due to the possibility of random document checks by police, U.S. citizens should carry their original passports and registered visas with them at all times. Failure to provide proper documentation can result in detention and/or heavy fines. It is not necessary for travelers to have either entry or itinerary points in the Russian Federation printed on their visas.

All travelers must continue to list on the visa application all areas to be visited and subsequently register with authorities at each destination. There are several closed cities throughout Russia. Travelers who attempt to enter these cities without prior authorization are subject to fines, court hearings and/or deportation. Travelers should check with their sponsor, hotel or the nearest Russian visa and passport office before traveling to unfamiliar cities and towns.

Any person applying for a visa for a stay of more than three months must present a certificate showing that he/she is HIV-negative. The certificate must contain the applicant's passport data, proposed length of stay in Russia, blood test results for HIV infection, including date of the test, signature of the doctor conducting the test, medical examination results, diagnostic series and seal of the hospital/medical organization. The HIV test must be administered o later than three months prior to travel and the certificate must be in both Russian and English.

Russia issues visas (with the exception of transit visas) based on support from a sponsor, usually an individual or local organization. Generally speaking, visas sponsored by Russian individuals are "guest" visas, and visas sponsored by tour agencies or hotels are "tourist" visas. Note that travelers who enter Russia on "tourist" visas, but who then reside with Russian individuals, may have difficulty registering their visas and may be required by Russian authorities to depart Russia sooner than they had planned. Student visas allow only for one entry. The sponsoring school is responsible for registering the visa and obtaining an exit visa. It is important to know who your sponsor is and how to contact him/her because Russian law requires that your sponsor apply on your behalf for replacement, extension or changes to your visa. Even if your visa was obtained through a travel agency in the U.S., there is always a Russian legal entity whose name is indicated on the visa and who is considered to be your legal sponsor. The U.S. embassy cannot act as your sponsor. U.S. citizens should contact their tour company or hotel in advance for information on visa sponsorship.

Persons holding both Russian and U.S. passports should be aware that if they enter Russia on a Russian passport that subsequently expires, Russian authorities will not permit them to depart using their U.S. passport. Since it may take several months to obtain a new Russian passport to satisfy Russian requirements for departure, travelers are advised to ensure that their Russian passports will be valid for the duration of their stay or that they travel on a valid U.S. passport and Russian visa.

For additional information concerning entry and exit requirements, travelers may contact the
Russian Embassy, Consular Section, 2641 Tunlaw Rd., NW, Washington, DC 20007, telephone
(202) 939-8907, or the consulates in New York (tel. 212-348-0926/55), San Francisco (tel. 415-928-6878, 415-929-0862, 415-202-9800/01) or Seattle (tel. 206-728-1910).

The following travel agents feature gay and lesbian tours to Russia:

• GoToRussia (888) 263-0023, 4651 Roswell Road, Ste. 301 D, Atlanta, GA 30342.
• Danikon Tours (877) 541-6460, 142 Charleston Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10309.

Airports

Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) is located approximately 35 kilometers from Moscow. It has two terminals. Sheremetyevo-1 accommodates passengers traveling to St. Petersburg and Minsk (Belorussia). Shercmetyevo-2 is primarily used for passengers traveling inside and outside of Russia. Both terminals have waiting areas, restaurants, bars and conference rooms, which are at the passenger's disposal. Sheremetyevo can accommodate 31 aircrafts simultaneously and up to 2100 passengers per hour

Taxis

In Russia, taxi fees are usually negotiated with the driver ahead of time. Do not use gypsy cabs or accept rides in cabs that already have a rider.

The central bureau of orders of a taxi: Phone +7 (095) 927 00 00
Taxi-Blues Phone +7 (095) 128 77 63, 128 59 57
Taxi-service Phone+7 (095) 203 02 47

Currency

All payments in Russia are made in rubbles. However, in many shops, prices are often indicated in Euros or U.S. dollars. The rate of the rubble changes all the time (decreases, mainly), which is why standard units are used. As of the latest update one US dollar equaled 28.4 rubbles. In shops, the exchange rate may be higher than the official listing. You can exchange your money for rubbles at commercial banks, exchange offices, and hotels. Look for a board with the sign (tk Cyrillic). It the currency exchange office is a small one; it will only accept dollars or Euros. You can also reconvert rubbles at the offices. You may also be approached by "fartsovchiki" (gamblers), who may offer their services for currency exchange. We advise that you stay away from these people, however, as they may try to cheat you. Most hotels, shops, and restaurants, especially those near the city center, accept all major credit cards. Sometimes you may be asked to show your passport or identifying documents. Traveler's checks haven't yet become popular in Moscow, but you may always exchange them for cash in exchange offices, hotels, and banks.

Climate

Moscow, like the rest of the country, has a range of extreme climatic conditions from intensely cold winters to swelteringly hot summers. From November to April the temperature rarely rises above 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) and snow is common. However in July and August it can reach the mid 30 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). The best advice is to keep checking the weather information below and be prepared!

Caution

The local mass media says a lot about the criminal situation in Russia, but most cases of murder and many other crimes are directly related to the local Mafia and financial intrigues. If you have no intention of conducting illegal activity in Moscow, you'll be safe and protected. The best advice is to simply stay away from people who you don't trust or like. Never give your advice or telephone number to people you don't know. Like you would in any other city, it is best to follow these simple rules:

• Avoid walking through unknown and deserted streets after dark.
• When walking through crowded streets, big stores, or marketplaces, check your pockets regularly.
  If pickpockets see that you are on your guard, they'll be less likely to single you out.
• Never carry a lot of money with you. Most stores and restaurants downtown accept credit cards.
• The crowded public places (like railway stations and the Arbat, e.g.) are full of Gypsies, who may offer to tell your fortune. Most are legitimate, but some can be thieves. Be on your guard.
  

Essentials

Customs Before passing through customs you must fill in a customs declaration. No duty is necessary if the total cost of items taken out from Russia is less than $750 US Items under $75 may be sent duty-free via international mail (over $75 worth costs 60 percent of the customs value of the item).

Electricity Electricity throughout Russia is 220 volt/50 hz. The plug is the two-pin thin European standard. Be sure to bring your own converter as most places in Russia do not carry them (God forbid you will not be able to use your hairdryer!)

Holidays

Internet

There are few places to access the Internet. I was forced to dial out of the country to access the Internet which made my hotel bill quite expensive. Most local Internet cafes are in Cyrillic. Unless it is absolutely necessary, do not take your computer into the country.

Language

Russian is hard. And not knowing the Cyrillic alphabet is an almost sure means of getting oneself lost or in trouble. Nothing is labeled in anything other than Cyrillic. The interesting thing is if you know what the Cyrillic letters stand for in English letters, you can often piece together what a word in Russian means (although it'll still give you no clue how to pronounce it). A Cyrillic "P" is an English "R". A Cyrillic "C" is an English "S". And a Cyrillic "H" is an English "N". With this information, one can piece together that a sign in Moscow reading "PECTOPAH" spells "restaurant".

Moscow's English language newspapers are a buzz with news about new business startups, new strategic international political and economic alliances. They also are chock full of advertisements for secured, western-standard condominium communities. The outlook is almost universally upbeat and the opinion pundits in Western Europe echo this view. President Vladimir Putin is well regarded, at least by westerners. One newspaper fawned over Putin's strategy in his recent summit with U. S. President George W. Bush. In the paper's view, Putin has achieved his entire agenda by convincing President Bush that they share a personal rapport. Yet in the paper's view, the reality is that Putin has aligned Russia's future with Western Europe, NOT with the US Thus, the editors were saying, Putin was diffusing US wariness while maximizing future latitude. A decade ago, Soviet children didn't learn English. They studied German, Chinese, and Spanish: the languages of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic's allies. Today Russian children study the world's lingua franca: English. As these young people enter the work force, Russia will be more accessible to the world.

These hopeful predictions aside, a walk around town indicates there are plenty of Muscovites who are challenged by the market economy that Russia's leaders are seeking. One sign is the phenomenon of hundreds of women selling miscellaneous clothing items in the underpasses that pedestrians use to cross major boulevards. They take pride in their merchandise, all carefully wrapped in plastic. Another sign of the economic hardships is the visible commercial sex trade.

Tipping

Tipping is increasingly expected at restaurants. Tip 10-15% depending on service.

Lodging

• Balchug-Kempinski l ul. Balchug, 1, Moscow. Email. Phone: +7 (095 or 501) 230-65-00. Fax: +7 (095 or 501) 230-65-02. A truly 5 star hotel. I was able to get a room for around $125/night. Watch out for services; they quickly add up. Marco Polo 9 Spiridonyevsky Per Tel +7 (095 or 501) 202 0381.
• Metropol Teatralnyj proezd, ¼, Moscow. Tel: +7 (095) 927-60-00. Fax: +7 (095 ) 927-60-10.
• Marriott Grand Hotel Tverskaia UL, 26, Moscow. Tel: +7 (502) 935-85-00. Fax: +7 (502) 935-85-01
• National Hotel 15/1 Mokhovaya St. Moscow. Phone: +7 (095) 258-7000 Fax: +7(095) 258-7100
• Sheraton Palace Moscow Hotel 19 Pervaya Tverskaya-Yamskaya St. Phone: +7(095) 931-9700 Fax: +7(095) 931-9704
  

Getting Around

For the non-Russian-speaking traveler, on his own, Moscow is more interesting than fun. Moscow is the opposite of a pointillist painting. In pointillist paintings, the beauty derives from the effect produced by the combination of a myriad of little points of color. Up close, there's not much, but taken as a whole, there is meaning and beauty. Moscow is the reverse. There are quite beautiful, inspiring, even awesome individual images. But the whole is chaotic and discordant. This phenomenon derives from the fact that for almost three-quarters of a century from 1917 on, the centrally dictated Soviet government pretty much demolished, built, or rearranged every physical aspect of the city.

Personal City Guides

Moscow, St.Petersburg or Kiev are big cities where commuting from one sight or museum to another takes considerable time. If you are mostly traveling on your own, getting around could become a real trouble unless you possess a fair grasp of the Russian language: street names are written in Cyrillic letters, subway and bus maps are in Russian only, and only few people in the street speak foreign languages sufficiently to understand and meaningfully respond to your questions, should you get lost and decide to ask for your way. Taxi drivers consider foreign tourists 'easy prey' and often double and triple their prices (meters are broken or not functioning in many cars). Besides, ticket salespersons in the booths or at museum entrances more often than not speak no English either.

Visitors who wish to avoid these hassles, often ask Gay.Ru how to find a guide to show them around the city and provide assistance with translations. Many ask specifically for a gay guide with a view to visit gay places of the capital and make the firsthand acquaintance with the local gay scene, which merits a closer look! Others just feel more comfortable having someone from the gay community around them, especially when traveling as a couple or a small group.

You should expect the hourly rate of a guide to be USD 15 or higher depending on the guide's experience. Admission fees, cover charges, and transportation expenses are customarily paid separately.

If you use the services of Gay.Ru guides, we strongly encourage you to write Gay.Ru and share your opinion on the quality of the service provided. With your permission Gay.Ru will publish your feedback to facilitate the choice between different guides for those guests who will come after you.

For a complete list of guides, go to Gay.Ru.

Public Transport

The Metro (THE UNDERGROUND) is the fastest and most comfortable means of public transportation within the city. The length of Moscow underground is approximately 240 kilometers. There are more then 140 metro stations. During rush hours the metro trains run at speed of 41,4 kilometers per hour (including waiting time). Trains move on 80-second intervals, at rush hours the interval is 40-50 seconds. The Moscow metro transports every day approximately 9 million passengers. The fare for all metro lines is the same - a ticket one can buy at Metro stations, it is valid until one exits the Metro. Unfortunately, all the stations are labeled in Cyrillic, so it is very hard for the tourist to find their way around.

My lack of facility at either speaking or reading Russian sometimes had quite funny consequences. On my last day in the city I wanted to take a subway across town. There were some venues in another neighborhood I wanted to visit, and the Moscow subway is supposed to be a destination on its own, having been lavishly outfitted when it was built for "the people". After observing dozens of travelers going through the turnstiles, I thought I'd figured out what kind of card I needed to buy to take my own subway journey. I ventured up to a ticket seller's window and, through much gesturing, believed I'd communicated what I needed. What I ended up buying was a prepaid telephone card. I never did get my subway ride.

Of course, if you're tired of Moscow, how about going to St Petersburg? NordTrip specializes in gay tours of the great city and are looking for contacts from the US and Australia. Contact them at: Zaharova str 11, 115, Saint-Petersburg, Russia. Tel: 8-812-1517702 or 8-911-748-94-22. Email.

Things to see

• Arbat Street Old Arbat Street is a street of many songs. It is busting with activity at any time of day and it is in Arbat Street that artists, musicians, lacers of poetry and amateur songwriters like to get together. Some of the monolithic Soviet architecture is also interesting, if only for the insight it gives to Soviet thinking. Everything built during the period is big. Often it seems a weird imitation of some Western inspiration: the row of gigantic, identical 1970's apartment houses on Novy Arbat Street are something of a cross between Chicago's Lake Shore Drive and the 1960's public housing projects on Chicago's south side.
• Boulevard Ring Meanwhile, if you focus your gaze away from the Soviet era buildings that leer over most neighborhoods, you can sometimes get a sense of what a particular district looked like before 1917. The west end of the Boulevard Ring is a good example. The Boulevard and Garden Rings are two concentric horseshoe shaped boulevards that encircle central Moscow, arching north from the Moscow River. The inner of the two, the Boulevard Ring, has a sometimes-100-foot-wide park running down the middle of it. On either side are interesting old houses and apartment buildings that seem to date from about 1820 to 1917. The architectural styles range from Greek Revival to Art Nouveau.
• The Church of the Christ Redeemer Situated on the left bank of the Moskva River on the site of the former Alcxeyev Monastery. The Church of Christ the Redeemer was founded in 1839 and its construction went on for 40 years. Architect K. Thon conceived the Church in the Russo-Byzantine style and it was designed to strike the imagination with its grandeur and wealth of external decor. In 1931 Bolsheviks blew up the church. Today the church stands on its historical place and looks precisely as it looked a century ago. It was built on donations coming from a great number of people.
• Kitaygorod Near the Kremlin there is a street, which is a veritable collection of masterpieces of old Russian architecture. It is called Varvarka Street after the Church of St. Barbara the Great Martyr that is situated here. Built in 1514. The church was believed to be one of the finest in Kitaigorod.
• Kremlin One sight I did enjoy was the Kremlin, which is actually a raised, walled fortress with a collection of centuries-old government offices, cathedrals and palaces inside. The fortress and buildings are beautifully maintained. From every external vantage point, the Kremlin as a whole is impressive and definitively medieval. The present-day Kremlin is a gem of Russian architecture which has been taking shape for centuries , an ensemble of wonderful places and cathedrals, a treasure house in which collection of values absolutely beyond all comparison are stored . "The Kremlin is a place of great historical remembrances ", this is what Nikolai Karamzin, a Russian historian, said. When looking at the magnificent panorama of the Kremlin, it is hard to believe that area was once covered with dense forests. The first wooden Kremlin was built by order of Prince Yury Dolgoruky in 1156. During the reign of Prince Dmity Donskoy white stone walls were erected and since that time Moscow had been called "white-walled". In 1485-1495 19 towers and toothed walls, resembling swallow tales, were built and clock were installed on some towers. Buildings to see are: The Spasskaya Tower, The Troitskaya Tower, The Borovitskaya Tower, Arsenal, Cathedral Square, The Cathedral of the Dormition, The Cathedral of the Annunciation, and The Cathedral of the Archangel Mikhael
• Lomonosov Moscow State University In the Southwest of Moscow on the Vorobyovy Hills, one of the highest points In the city - an elevation rising 75 meters above the level of the Moskva River - stands the tall building of Lomonosov Moscow State University, the biggest among the Moscow sky-scrapers built in 1950. The complex of university building is very impressive. The university campus lying round its main tower, which together with the spire rises to a height of nearly 240 meters, includes 27 main buildings, a number of sports facilities, a botanical garden and park. Together the form a superb architectural ensemble. In the center of the main courtyard in front of the main tower stands a bronze statue of the Great Russian scientist Mikhall Lomonosov after whom the University is named.
• Manezhnaya Square A new public garden was inaugurated in 1997 next to the Manege and Alexandrovsky Gardens.
• The monument to Yuri Gagarin In Gagarin Square was unveiled in 1980. Its 40-meter high silvery pedestal is reminiscent of the fiery tail of a rocket leaving the earth with the globe at its foot. At the top of the monument is a full height figure of Yuri Gagarin wearing a space suit, with his arms spread like wings.
• Pushkin Square With its fountains, flowerbeds and old-fashioned street lamps is one of the most beautiful squares in Moscow. In the summer of 1880 a monument to great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin was inaugurated on the western side of the square at the end of Tverskoi Boulevard. The monument was erected with funds raised by public subscription. In 1950 the monument was moved from Tverskoi Boulevard to Pushkin Square where it stands now.
• Tall Seven In 1947 Stalin determined that Moscow suffered skyscraper shortage vis-à-vis Western capitals. So his government dropped seven massive Empire State-like buildings into different Moscow neighborhoods. Today these edifices are known collectively as Stalin's Seven Sisters. They're different from the Empire State Building in that they spread out, as well as up. So their construction wiped out entire blocks of the neighborhoods in which they're located. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason regarding the uses for which they were constructed: one is the Ministry of External Affairs; another is a hotel, a third an apartment block. The inspiration for their being seems to have sprung solely from a need to compete with the West. These seven buildings are really awe-inspiring when viewed on the horizon (their design quality erodes up close). But they violate the physical context into which most were inserted. The combined effect is jarring at best. Erected in the late 1940 and early 1950 in compliance with a special resolution of the Council of Ministers adopted in 1947. The sites for them were selected on elevation - the "seven Moscow hills" in order to emphasize the natural features of the terrain and the radial-circular structure of the city plan. The tall buildings were intended for Moscow University, a palace for science and youth, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, an office and residential building in Sennaya Square, residential complexes in Kudrinskaya Square and on Kotclnicheskaya Embankment, and the Ukraine and Leningradskaya hotels.
• Teatralnaya Square (Theater square) holds one of Moscow's greatest treasures - the Bolshoy Theater. From even' point of the square one can see monumental white columns of Bolshoi Theater and above them four rampant horses harnessed to Apollo's chariot. In 1780 a public Petrovsky Theater was opened on this site but it was burnt down in 1805, Nearly 20 years later a new theater was built in its place from the design of Osip Beauvais and Alexander Mikhailov but it shared the same fate; the theater was greatly damaged by a fire in 1853. Its surviving walls and eight-column white-stone portico were included in the new building erected by Albert Kavos in 1856.

Museums

• Gorky House Museum One of Moscow's finest examples of the art nouveau architecture of Fyodor Shekhtel, also known as the Ryabushinsky Mansion. The building served as the residence of the great writer Maxim Gorky from 1931 to 1936. Built just after the turn of this century, the mansion is appealing for its remarkable design and decoration, both inside and out. Shekhtel's design is an almost hallucinatory masterpiece of waveforms, floral mosaic and stucco decorations, and vibrant hues--the uncontested highlight is the sinuous main stair. All of this contrast strongly with the building's significance as the home of one of Russia's greatest "proletarian" writers, but the irony merely adds interest to a visit.
• The Pushkin Fine Arts Museum Opened in 1912, the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum possesses a collection of European art second in Russia to only St. Petersburg's Hermitage. Much of the strength of the collection is in Impressionist and Postimpressionist painting, a result of the oft-forgotten fact that such works gained an appreciative audience in Russia long before they captured the imagination of collectors further west. Manet's Dejeuner sur l'herbe resides here, as do Renoir's Bathing in the Seine, a host of fine works by Van Gogh and Matisse, and an entire gallery of Gaugins.
• The Tretyakov Gallery The Tretyakov Gallery possesses the finest collection of traditional Russian painting in the world. The core of the museum's collection was assembled in the middle of the nineteenth century by Pavel Tretyakov, a wealthy Moscow merchant whose passion for collecting included violins, birds, and milk cows as well as Russian art. Tretyakov donated his extensive collection to the city in 1892, and subsequent enlargement has long since provided the Gallery with far more works than it can possibly exhibit in its limited space. Although this means that innumerable fine works rarely see the light of day, it also means that those works that are displayed are without exception masterpieces of their period and genre. While everything in the Tretyakov deserves and rewards patient attention, its collection of icons stands as the definitive presentation of this Russian art form.
  

Scene

Of course, it was impossible to assess the daily life of 12 million Muscovites in only 72 hours. But here are some high points I took away. There was liveliness among people on the street. People walking, strolling arm-in-arm. Children on their way to or from school laughed and goofed around like those in any city. Pensioners sat on park benches and serenely basked in the sun that shined on my entire trip. The city center is pedestrian friendly in places. Sidewalk-side kiosks sell ice cold Diet Coke (12 rubles / 30 U. S. cents), fruit, candies, and beer and spirits. Some streets have been sealed off from traffic and turned into decent versions of the pedestrian shopping streets of Amsterdam, London or Madrid. Reminders of life under the communist dictators like enormous public- address speakers attached to the tops of 20-story tall buildings are pleasantly lifeless.

In terms of the Muscovites' sex lives, there seems to be some parallel with the United States in the 1970s. The parallel arises from the appearance of an emerging sexual freedom, without much information, education, or health care to enable responsibility as well as freedom. Just as American social norms mitigated sexual freedom until the upheavals of the 1960s, it seems that communist law proscribed a lot of sexual expression under the Soviet regime. With the overturn of communism most of those restrictions are now gone. Today, most major nightclubs appealing to whatever sexual / gender segment of the population advertise striptease, a seemingly common form of entertainment. One club even touted a nude underwater ballet! Prostitutes were pretty visible in my hotel's lobby late each night. There are now three clubs reputedly catering to a gay population in Moscow, something that was expressly illegal until a decade ago.

I won't say these phenomena are good or bad. But the results, in the absence of public health education and widely accessible sexual health care, can be disastrous. Such was the case in the U. S. with the appearance of AIDS / HIV in the decade after the advent of the sexual revolution. And that's just what the data, reported in Moscow's two English language daily newspapers, is saying: HIV rates are surging dramatically.

The other thing to note is that, given the country's legal history, there are very few people who are "out". People in their thirties came into age when anything they could do, including gathering in a home, was illegal. That would explain why the Kosack Guard I took home with me to my hotel room spent 30 minutes checking the room for microphones and cameras. The only people comfortable with their sexuality are those who have recently come of age.

We would like to refer you to Gay.Ru for the current gay scene in Russia.

From Gay.Ru

"Only a decade ago Russian gays were reduced to underground, our love did not dare to speak its name. Perestroika has made changes in our country possible. Russian gays threw off the yoke of Soviet-time constraints, the homosexuality has been decriminalized, and general attitudes have become more tolerant. It was Gay.Ru that brought together Russian gays giving them a sense of unity. Having become the leading gay task force in Russia and the most comprehensive web-site on all queer issues in Russia and the former USSR, Gay.Ru sets new horizons aiming to integrate and to share our experience with the International Rainbow Community."

Magazines and Organizations

Web sites are in Russian.

• Charity Aid Foundation (CAF) 57 Sadovnicheskaya ulitsa, 3rd floor, office 4, Moscow. (Metro Paveletskaya). Tel: 792 59 29. American charity foundation extending support and offering legal assistance to NGOs, including gay and lesbian organizations.
• Imena (Names) Foundation Bldg. 1, 52/55 Bolshaya Pereyaslavskaya ulitsa, Moscow. (Metro Prospekt Mira). Mailing address: PO Box 130, 113303 Moscow. Memorial project, information for people with HIV/AIDS, AIDS testing centers. Tel: 933 42 33.
• KVIR (Queer) Launched in August by Ed Mishin and distributes 15,000 copies in clubs, saunas and bookstores from Moscow to Vladivostok. All of Russia's other gay magazines had gone out of business. Advertisers include dentists and travel, hair-removal and security companies, but the publication is still losing money, reported the Moscow Times.
• TOGETHER - LGBT EDUCATIONAL CENTER PO Box 1, 109457 Moscow, Russia. Email Information on gay life in Moscow. Assistance to gays and lesbians. Gay support groups gather on Thursdays. Publishing projects
  

Dining

• ALEXANDROVSKY Russian/European--Features Russian and European cuisine. Try the specialties such as Salad Alexandrovsky, Sterlet Kupecheskiy with mushrooms and ham, and ice cream Alexandrovsky for dessert. Open 12 noon-12 midnight. Reservation recommended. AMEX, Visa, Diners Club, Master, JCB, Union accepted. 17 Ulitsa 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya, +7 (095 or 501) 251-0701/2761.
• BANGKOK Thai--Authentic Thai cuisine prepared by Thai chefs. Oriental interior. Cozy atmosphere suitable for banquets, business parties and family reunions. Good selection of drinks and cocktails. Open daily from 1 p.m. until the last guest leaves. Visa, Diners Club, Master, Maestro accepted. Parking lot. 10 Bolshoy Strochenovskiy Pereulok, +7 (095 or 501) 237-3074.
• CAPRI Italian/Russian--Features Italian seafood dishes and pasta. Try lobsters there. Grilled meat, fish, seafood. Wide choice of Italian and French wines. Casual atmosphere. VIP room for 30-40 persons. Business lunch ($15) 12 noon-5 p.m. Open 12 noon-2 a.m. AmEx, Visa, Diners Club, Master/Euro, STB, JCB accepted. 7 Prospekt Akademika Sakharova, +7 (095 or 501) 207-5253.
• DIANA French/Russian-- Wide wine list. Relaxing atmosphere. Live music. Open from 11 a.m. until the last guest leaves. Visa, Master, AMEX accepted. 22 Ulitsa Timura Frunze, +7 (095 or 501) 246-5448.
• EL RINCON ESPANOL 2. Spanish--Serves Paella Valencia style, Spiny Lobsters a la Planchee, Parilla el Rincon. Express-lunch: special 2 -- course lunch for $14. Spanish, American, Italian, French wines. Spanish CD music in daytime, live music at night. Open 12 noon-12 midnight. Master, Dialog Bank, Visa, Union, JCB, STB, AMEX, Diners Club accepted. 13/8 Ulitsa Bolshaya Dmitrovka, +7 (095 or 501) 229-7023.
• HONG KONG Chinese/Thai/Malayan--300 exotic dishes, including Hong Kong Style Duck. Business lunch. Guarded parking lot. Open 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Hotel Pekin, floor 2nd, 5/1 UL Bolshaya Sadovaya, +7 (095 or 501) 209-2456/4539.
• IL POMODORO 2 Bolshoy Golovin Pereulok, bldg. 5, Moscow. Tel: +7 (095 or 501) 924 2931. Italian--Many kinds of spaghetti and pasta. Italian wines. Open 12 noon-11 p.m. Visa, Master, AMEX, Diners Club accepted. +7 (095 or 501) 924-2931
• METROPOL Hotel "Metropol" Teatralniy Proezd 1/4., Moscow. Tel: +7 (095 or 501) 927 6061. European/Russian-- A la carte and business lunch. Breakfast every day 7:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Lunch 12 noon-5 p.m. Business lunch Mon.-Fri. 12 noon-4 p.m. Dinner a la carte Mon.-Sun. 6 p.m.-12 midnight. JCB, AMEX, Diners Club, Visa, Master credit cards accepted.
• LE ROMANOFF French--One of Moscow's gourmet restaurants. Extensive French wines list. Weekly changing 4 courses (DM 130) and 6 courses (DM 165) set menus. Attentive service. Open Mon.-Sat. 7 p.m.-2 a.m. (last order at 1 a.m.) Reservation recommended. Jacket and tie required. AMEX, Visa, Diners Club, JCB accepted. Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moskau, 1 Ulitsa Balchug, +7 (095 or 501) 230-6500.
• SCANDINAVIA Ulitsa Tverskaya 19, Moscow. Tel: +7 (095 or 501) 200 4986. European--Features Scandinavian and European cuisine. Try their Cured Salmon and Swedish Beef. All products imported directly from Sweden. Open daily 12 noon-12 midnight. AMEX, Visa, Diners Club, Master/Euro, JCB accepted.
  

Reflections

Observably different in their demeanor were the new rich. I add the new adjective because, as far as I can tell, there weren't any old rich left in the country by the end of communism. The new rich are everywhere in the city center, conspicuous and uniformly similar. They share at least three characteristics: their healthy complexions and chic western clothing, their penchant for HUGE black sedans (I mean ONLY "S" and "7" series Mercedes and BMW's), and their bodyguards. To me, the solitary traveler, the latter aspect had the most impact. The bodyguards are called "oxen" in Russian. (Gofer type personal attendants are called "calves.") The bodyguards are rather homogenous: Tall, in their late 20s to late 30s, built like the draft animals for which they're named, and dressed in gray or black suits. In cocktail lounges or restaurants they sit two or three tables away from their employers, observing anything and anyone in the vicinity. If you happen to be sitting between one of these brutes and his employer, you are at best an obstacle, at worst a threat. I was in this position more than once and it was nerve-racking. Also, the very existence of the bodyguards sends a strong message about the locals' expectations about personal safety. I couldn't help but wonder what blazing gun battle was about to engulf a restaurant in which I was sitting, given that more than a half the tables were occupied by wealthy business types, their women companions, and their ever-alert protectors. I rarely saw the new rich smile or laugh.

Public drunkenness also seemed to confirm reports in western media about the problems inspired by Russian drinking habits. It was the norm, not the exception, to encounter (mostly) men, visibly under-the-influence, singly or in pairs, on any street on which I walked. The gutsy and blatant advertising inside my hotel, the Kempinski, also surprised me. Touting the "therapeutic" qualities of the hotel's restaurant on a Sunday afternoon following a Saturday night bender. The ads actually talked about hair of the dog.

It is clear that Russia needs to continue to realign its values and resources. An image I witnessed an hour before I departed to the Netherlands spoke volumes. In the well-off neighborhood adjacent to the Kempinski, I saw a man, legs amputated below the knee, dressed in army fatigues. He was kneeling on the stumps of his legs in between two lanes of traffic, panhandling. The Mercedes and BMW's favored by the rich and ruling classes were speeding past him. It was a miracle he wasn't killed while I watched.

References

• Moscow Tourism
• Gay.Ru
• City of Moscow
• Russia