Have you ever been to Russia?

[dcg]

I'd like to go. Have a couple of friends (sisters) from Russia who are going for a trip back to Moscow in September...asked me if I wanted to tag along, and said I needed to see St. Petersburg as well. Unfortunately the timing didn't really work for me.

Someday, hopefully.

 

[scottcw]

I'm going to be in Prague the first week of August. Does that count?

 

[acecow]

Originally Posted by crazyquik

Serious as a heart attack.

There was only one non-Soviet chess world champion during the Cold War. Russians (and Eastern Europeans) continue to dominate as well.

I believe it has something to do with education. The Russian public school system is very different from, say, the US one. I graduated from a Russian high school, but also studied in London and the US. In Russia we've had a lot more emphasis on science and mathematics than anywhere else. I remember that chess was encouraged through my school years. We had free interest groups and competitions in school and as extra-curricular activities. I assume, that kids there are brought up in a way that makes the most out of those with talent for chess.

 

[Etienne]

I went to Moscow and St Petersburg a few years ago. It was in June, and the weather was quite nice. I had a wonderful time.

I plan to go back eventually.

 

[Treen]

I've been to Russia three times: Moscow, St Petersburg and Novosibirsk and like them all. Novosibirsk was my favorite though, the locals were super friendly and, for some reason, the bar I watched a game between Tottenham and Man Utd had a massive amount of Spurs fans, which is always a plus in my book.

 

[tonylumpkin]

I was in Moscow twenty+ years ago, while Russia was still part of the Soviet Union. I was taping a documentary for The Disney Channel celebrating Mickey Mouse's 60th birthday and the first official showing of Disney animation in the Soviet Union. I loved the city, but think we probably had a somewhat sanitized experience, as we were with Roy Disney and "the mouse" a lot of the time.

 

[tbtommyb]

I study Russian and lived for a while in Yaroslavl last year. We also travelled all round Western Russia so I got to see a good deal of it. It's an intriguing place.

 

[thinman]

I visited Moscow shortly after the breakup of the Soviet Union and had several interesting experiences.

I'd just been paid a sizeable honorarium, by Russian standards, in Zurich but didn't want to wait in the long line at customs, so I breezed through with "nothing to declare". I also exchanged money for the maximum amount of Russian currency allowed, a fairly small amount. That evening I ate a sizeable dinner at a hotel for foreign scientists and realized to my initial horror that I didn't have enough rubles to cover even the cost of dinner. Knowing that Western currency was prized, I called my waiter to the table and explained my embarrassment at not having enough rubles to pay my bill, but assured him that I had German marks (from time in Berlin). When he inflated the prices to three times the official exchange rate, I told him I had only a certain number of German marks, sufficient to pay my bill at the official exchange rate. Problem solved, as I paid my bill in rubles and German marks.

In addition to having no substantial amount of currency to declare, among my other items not to declare was a bottle of Scotch as a gift to my hosts. Once I presented them the gift, they not only opened several bottles of vodka, but also the Scotch. I'm not much of a drinker and I especially dislike Scotch, but felt I had to drink to be social, so I awoke the next day with a splitting headache. In my experience, the rumors about Russians' drinking abilities is true!

I have fond memories of my visit to Moscow. I've got some great photos of the cathedrals around the Kremlin and decent photos of the Kremlin itself. My hosts were also exceptionally nice and generous people, though living conditions were hard.

 

[JayJay]

I visited Moscow and St. Petersburg, and had a terrific time. I went to a great party on New Year's Eve, the best I've ever attended.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

A friend of mine (yes, I actually have a couple of those, despite what the internets would have you believe) lives in Moscow teaching English to people for a ridiculous amount of money. I'm sure that's not very common, but he's been there for six or seven years now, and the only reason he stays is the pay. I was thinking it would be cool to visit, but I think I'd want to see it in the wintertime. I don't think I could handle a cheerful, sunny Moscow. It would defy my expectations of bleakness.

 

[Manton]

Sort of.

 

[Sherlock]

Yes, Russia is high on my list of places to visit. Definitely one day.

But I don't want to go only to Moscow or St Petersburg, I want to see the small towns. I would like to go to Vladivostok, buy a car, and drive it all the way to Ukraine, stopping frequently along the way (although I'd probably avoid Dagestan/Chechnya/etc where islamic terrorists are known to be). Unfortunately I don't know anyone who I can do this with and don't want to do it by myself.

 

[Sherlock]

Originally Posted by crazyquik

No. I have wanted to for ~10 years, but am afraid of rampant corruption. And the fear of ending up in a Russian prison.
I would think that's far more likely to happen to you in the US than in Russia. The impression I have of Russia is that people can do pretty much whatever they want as long as they don't criticize the government.

 

[zeroconspiracy]

SOCHI 2014!! see you there!

 

[edinatlanta]

Originally Posted by zeroconspiracy

SOCHI 2014!! see you there!

+1.

Palm trees at the winter Olympics, can't wait!