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CITYTIp
Moskau TexT
The temperature was just below zero, but the sun was shining
in a bright blue sky when I walked out of the Scheremetjewo II
airport and started looking for a taxi.
The flight had lasted a little over two and a half hours. After
a short negotiation, the taxi driver and I settled on price of 30
euros to go to the mamaison Poprovka Suite Hotel. 20 minutes
and 30 kilometres later, I finally arrived. I quickly put away my
luggage and was soon on my way. The Suite Hotel is located
between the two inner city ring raods in the northern section of
downtown moscow. I set off on foot. It’s the last week of April
2008, but frozen snow still lies on the sidewalk and in the parks.
many of the houses on New Arbat are being renovated and over
the coming days I realise that whole city has been taken over by
a building boom. The future is coming fast to moscow.
my first destination: Red Square. The towers of the Basil's Cathedral
shine in the late afternoon sun – more beautiful than I
had imagined. The Kazan Cathedral is on the left and the legendary
Gum department store, on the right the Lenin mausoleum
between the Saviour or Spassky Tower and the St. Nicholas
Tower and in front of me in the middle churches with splendid
onion spires. That’s moscow.
Children surround a young man holding two small monkeys
dressed like people on his arm and lets himself be photographed
for money. Right next to him the tsar and Lenin stand there, a
bit bored – at least that’s how both gentlemen look.
Sebastian Anrnstorf
On the way back to the hotel I take a path through Old Arbat,
the oldest pedestrian area in the city. Here souvenir sellers hawk
matryoshkas, fur hats and other mementos. There are many restaurants
and cafes on this street. In front of a photo shop a lifesized
figure of Putin tries to entice customers. The New Arbat is
definitely interesting because of all the shops, cafes and bars, but
it is no urban jewel. Local people call the high-rises here »iron
dentures«. Garishly lit advertisements encourage you to visit the
casinos. Just a few metres further and I’m standing on the moscow
manege, looking at the Alexander Garden and the Kremlin
wall. Below the square, where they used to hold military parades,
there’s now a shopping mall. many mainly young people
wait in line in front of a mcDonald’s. That’s moscow too.
The Mamaison Suite Hotel offered both hotel rooms and fully
furnished apartments for longer stays. Recently opened, it’s the
first mamaison Hotel in Russia and is not the slightest bit inferior
to its sister hotels. The Pokrovka Suite Hotel is one of the
grandest and most practical hotels in the Russian capital. It also
sets itself apart with modern design and a welcoming atmosphere.
Next to the restaurant Numbers the futuristic Tezon Bar,
named after Olmeca Tezon, invites hotel guests and friends to
stop in for a while. The restaurant, designed by DOuCeT X.O,
pleasantly combines culinary delights and elegant, inspiring design.
Head chef Said Fadli fuses european traditions with fresh
ideas from the east and spoils guests with the best of Russian,
French and mediterranean cuisine. Later this year, a Algotherm
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