Union Buildings

Union Buildings

Tuesday, 12 July 2016

A rough guide to city living in Moscow in 1993


By Steve McQueen, Moscow

After having been here a little over seven months now, I think it could be said that Moscow is more different than any other city. We arrived in Moscow almost two years after the really hard work had been done to establish South African representation here.

Those pioneers could no doubt write chapters on the challenges they faced to set up an office in Russia.

We couldn't pretend to have experienced the hardships and difficulties of those early days. Suffice to say that the Moscow as we have experienced it, is considerably different now and provides far more goods and services than two years ago.

Having made that disclaimer then, the following is a strictly personal view of life in Moscow as we have experienced it.

A visitor to Moscow could be baffled by this city where not only the old and new architecture exist side by side, but also where attitudes to the immense changes which have taken place are every bit as negative as they are positive.

It is a mistake to believe that the political changes of the last two years have been unchallenged or that the opposition to them is too insignificant to warrant attention. The contrary is true. On Lubyanka Square, outside the headquarters of the former KGB, is a podium upon which once stood a statue of Felix Drezhinsky, the founder of the Cheka which later became the KGB. 

This podium is all that remains of the statue which was toppled after the failed 1991 coup in Moscow. The Moscow Times recently carried a photograph of attempts by the Moscow Government to remove the podium in its entirety. These attempts were frustrated by a lack of labour and equipment and the local English press suggested that, like the vestiges of Drezhinsky, Russia's past was resisting the changes and was more difficult to remove than previously thought.

Remembering this sometimes helps to understand life in Moscow and perhaps puts a little perspective on the city of Moscow today, where past and present live side by side and where very often the only way to understand the present is to look at the past.

Leaving the political issues aside, a visitor to Moscow will find that there are factors here which make an impact on your life every minute of the day, and your attitude toward them can determine how quickly you adjust to life in Moscow. We were once told to take one day at a time, but honestly, in Moscow sometimes all the days attack you at once.

In no particular order then, the following are a few of the factors with which a visitor to Moscow will in all probability have to contend:

The Weather:
Weather-wise Moscow can be frustrating. The summers, although short, can be hot and humid. We look forward to this time of the year because drivers can at least then see the potholes which need to be avoided. For about seven to eight months the snow is our constant companion. Temperatures range between minus ten and minus twenty five degrees. Temperatures are a constant discussion topic, although personally I am not yet convinced that minus ten is any better than minus fifteen degrees. Anything below zero is cold. From there on, it's all just a matter of degree. Believe it or not, the city functions perfectly normally, the snow notwithstanding. If you allow it, the darkness and the cold can lead to what has been called cabin fever. Many hours are spent indoors and the necessity for indoor activities takes on a new meaning during the winter.

A dual economy:
The official Russian rouble currency now trades at more than one thousand to the dollar. The dollar exists side by side with the rouble. In fact the first question you would ask in a Russian establishment, is whether the form of payment is rouble or dollar?

While there is seemingly great poverty here, there are those who have taken the opportunity provided by the collapse of communism, and have taken on all forms of trading in a bid to enter the free market.

The existence of an economic mafia is openly acknowledged. You can buy anything here, from ancient and priceless icons, to marmoset monkeys  from Africa, On one visit to an animal market I was asked if I perhaps wanted to buy a crocodile. I never doubted for a minute that if I agreed, one would be brought to me from a nearby stall.

A leading question for any self-respecting capitalist, must be, what is available in Moscow? Many hard currency ((i.e. US Dollar and D. Mark) shops have sprung up in Moscow, and although these provide almost anything the heart desires, the prices are high. A dozen apples, a loaf of bread, a few slices of ham and a litre of milk can cost around $50.00 (R150-00). 

The hard currency shops like the Finnish owned Stockman's, the Irish House, the German owned Colognia and the Italian-style Foodland are but a few of the shops where almost anything is available, from clothing (Mink coats, and every designer label you can imagine, Hugo Boss, Yves St Laurent, Polo etc), to sausages fromAustria, beer from Germany, ready-made microwave dinners from the USA, chicken from Israel, Dutch cheeses and chocolates, and salmon from Norway. 

The international variety of goods in these stores could easily make some stores in South Africa pale into insignificance. Expensive yes, but then again, a visit to these stores gives the lie to the old perception that Moscow today is barren of Western style food. It has been said that these hard currency stores deliberately inflate their prices in order to cash in on the presence of the significantly large foreign community in Moscow.

If on the other hand you want to venture into the Russian shops, you'll probably find a little more than you at first expected. The secret is of course to know which one to go to for which product. The stock in many of these shops is limited and it would be a foolish shopper who believes that that which was on the shelves yesterday will be there the day after. It is advisable to take along a local Muscovite, who can interpret and possibly even help with the price haggling. Things can be slow here. First you pick out the item, then you point out this item to the cashier to whom you pay the roubles. She will give you a receipt which you then take to the counter, point out the item once again and present the cash receipt slip and then you get the object concerned.

If you have time and patience, the Russian shops will surprise you.

Commuting:
Like any city of almost twelve million people, the roads leave a lot to be desired. Your chief activity behind the wheel is to swerve constantly as you try to avoid the potholes, some of which are literally big enough to bury a small car. The traffic is bad, more so in the summers when those who have stored their vehicles throughout the long winters, retrieve them from their places of hibernation, under bridges, in parking lots etc, and head for the streets. 

Foreigners here face a choice of vehicles. Either a Russian-made vehicle, or an imported type. For those who elect the former, you can choose  Niva, a Zhuguli or a Volga. These vehicles abound and while owning one allows for a cheaper repair bill, they do have a baffling propensity to break down at the worst possible moment. 

I have personally witnessed several Zhuguli's (very similar to the old Fiat's) lose their front wheel entirely, not because of a flat tyre, but simply because the wheel has just snapped off its axle. Why, I really don't know. Suffice it is to say that these wheelless cars are an everyday sight.

For those who choose an imported car there are the problems of a delay in spare parts, but more importantly, the inflated costs of repairs can be a factor which could persuade you to stick with local vehicles.

Closely tied to the problems of road commuting, is 01 course the ever present traffic officer, or gaiee, as they are called here. The gaiee are everywhere and while their job is an onerous one, from surviving the short and humid summers to the long, dark and painfully cold winters, the gaiee is ever present at his post. These gaiee are the butt of many jokes and often ridicule. 

They are said to be among the only state officials who can turn traffic control into an openly lucrative business.

When dealing with the gaiee, most of whom do not speak any English, the correct and preferred attitude is one of contrition. To try and challenge these officials can lead to all manners of unpleas-antness, gaiee are authorized to stop anyone for any reason. So, for example, if you have a western car, your chances of being pulled off by the local gaiee are pretty good. You may have done nothing at all, your car may be able to pass the most stringent of road tests, but still, when the gaiee points a little black and white striped stick at you, you'd better stop.

A very good Russian word to learn, is "skolka" - how much! This is good to remember when a particularly tough gaiee is about to threaten you with several hours of traffic instruction at a local night school. Skolka can solve all of that. Suddenly, the icy atmosphere warms to a sense of brotherhood, and as you reach into your wallet, he is all smiles.

Bribery you say? Never!! This is a perfectly acceptable form of paying a "spot fine" . Perhaps the plight of the gaiee is best explained by the anecdote of the Russian gaiee who went to his boss to ask for a raise because he was in need of extra money to fund his daughter's wedding. His boss replied sadly, "look, I can't help you with a pay rise, but look behind that door, you'll find a no-parking sign. Take that for the next weeks, it's worth hundreds!!"

The metro system is excellent. Some would say the best in the world. If its speed and efficiency you're after, Moscow metro fits the bill. In peak hours one train every 48 seconds will convey you with speed to any destination within its 200 km range. While perhaps not being as comfortable nor as clean as those of Washington DC for example, the metro more than makes up for this by the fact that a great many of the underground stations are museum pieces. 

The incredible art and architecture of many of these stations would probably be equal to any masterpiece the West has to offer.

Health Matters:
At time of writing, there is an outbreak of diphtheria in Moscow. This news sent foreigners hurrying to get their shots. The American Medical Centre (AMC) (one of a very few Western medical clinics) inoculated 5000 concerned foreigners over one weekend. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valour, we too made our way to the AMC. A very cheerful British expatriate nurse told us that the serum would last for ten years. Feeling now strengthened by this news, we are apparently able to mix with all kinds of diphtheria and suffer no consequences.

It is advisable to have diphtheria shots if you are planning a trip to Moscow and if you are planning an extended stay, membership is wise. Membership fees are high, about $800.00 per family, but then again it is comforting to know that the AMC is well equipped to handle most emergencies and will even evacuate you if the need arises.

Moscow remains an interesting city, filled with challenges like any other. Quite literally, the city is changing every day. While to some the changes are too fast, there are those who think that the changes cannot come fast enough. A visitor to Moscow will experience the distinct differences between the old and the new and perhaps be struck by the fact that the former museum of Soviet economic achievements now also houses a showroom of American off-road vehicles.
(To be continued)


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