Park Pobedy - Moscow's Victory Park

Victory park, is one of the main parks in Moscow, located on Kutuzevski Prospekt at the west part of Moscow, not far from the center (metro Park Pobedy). It is build and designed as a monument park for the time of Great Patriotic War. It also contains history museum of second world war, which is an interesting place to see and feel these times of war.

The park is the main area for celebrations in Moscow for victory day, other patriotic national days. Concerts are given, music played as well as other activities. Also it is one of the main places for wedding coupes to have a walk and take nice pictures.


In the park, there are walking paths, some lakes, green area; as well you can see many roller skatig people since it has large plain area. Also some old helicopters, tanks related with the second world war is located in some parts of the park for exhibition; like an open air museum.

I can say this park is one of the top 5 parks of Moscow, and with its central location, close to metro, can be seen as a touristic activity as well.

Casta Diva - A Resturant for Special Days

Moscow is very rich in restaurants of differrent kitchens and cultures. You can find a large varity from cheap ordinary fast foods to very luxury, good serviced restaurants. Also on the web you can find sites giving ratings, telling about the restaurants. But any way its always better to try a place which your friends or someone you know have tried and offered you. So now I would offer such good and nice restaurant in Moscow : Casta Diva.

In some special days, like birthday, day of Valentine etc. we search for a special restaurant. I would offer you the resturant Casta Diva, which is located in the center, close to Tverskaya street near Puskin statue. It is an Italian resurant mainly but also has some other kinds of food as wll. It is a few houses away from the famous Pushkin Kafe. It has a very special interial design, like a tsars palace, all walls and ceiling with special paintings, tables and chairs with special design. Waiters and waitresses wear special old times dresses and serves very gently. Prices compared to same level resturants very reasonable and not expensive. For two person drinking a glass of wine, nice foods you can have a bill like 4000-5000 RUB (of course not choosing the most expensive food). Even having less it woull be 2000-3000 RUB.

In some days of the week, live classical music is played with a group of 4-5 people. That makes the resturant also very special. I liked this resturant and felt myself in a special place. So I would offer you to try this restaurant in your special day.

Web site: http://www.castadiva.ru

My Blog on Press and Web

Through this month I got suprising and nice news about my blog.

My blog was published on Aeroflots' (Russian Airlines) journal Junior under the topic of best expat blogs about Russia. My friend travelling to Tokyo ,saw it by chance and he informed me about this at return. So that was a great suprise for me.





















Also my blog is published on two expat blog internet sites and I get offer to make interview about me and my site.


http://www.expat-blog.com/en/nationalities/turkish/in/europe/russia/moscow/

http://blogs.expatify.com/russia/

Kuskovo Park

One of the nice parks located at south-east of Moscow, not very far from the center is Kuskova Park. This place was one of the resting palaces of the Ekatarina the Great(II. Ekatarina). Having buildings, exhibition rooms, lake and green areas and walk ways a nice park to see. It is also one of the favorite places of people getting married to take photgraphs, to make a small walk and celebration. On weekends, specially on nice weathers you can see many limuzines near the enterance of the park.


In the rating of Moscow Parks, I think it is a little over the average. It is nice to see one time, but not much activities or interesting places to see, no sitting places in the park. Walking roads are a little bit dusty as well.

Interesting Things in Russia - I (Public Cases)

There are things that might come different, strange or not understandable as a Turkish in Russia and Moscow. A few months ago I saw such a list prepared by a Turkish man in Turkish. It was interesting. Now my list comes, having some similar strangeness of Russia.

You can see white boxes located on streets which perform as public Toilet System. They are very unhygenic, smelling and for two small toilet cabins a Russian woman is waiting to take money. Even though, on some toilets can be queue of 10-20 people: beer.

- Russian troleybus system, which is not understandable in a country where petrol is produced and so cheap. Also they broke in the middle of the road, driver Russian women trying to repair it.

- As a driver of bus, troleybus or train you can mostly see women.


- Berbers for men and women is the same and moslty women cut your hairs.

- Instead of normal small shops you see small buffets which look very old, untidy located on streets.

- Fruits are sold in small metal bufets also, where people buy one-two of each, where everything is so expensive.

-You can see old "jiguli"s and luxury Bentleys' going on road together. Large variety of cars from very poor to very luxury.

- There is very little official taxi. You can make auto stop and every car can be your taxi.

- How much taxi will cost depend on your talking and knowledge of prices. Same road can be 10 dollars or 80 dollars.

- You see many nice Russian girls on street but very very little handsome Russian man.

- People drink beer everywhere, specially at exit of metros, like public beer cafes.

- Beer is like cola is Russia. Some people start day by drinking beer in the morning.

- Roads are large, which can be like 5-6 parallel going, but anyway traffic happens.

- Traffic can stop or flow so slowly for an unknown reason and everybody waits in patience without giving any reaction. After some kilometers it can opens suddenly and you don't understand why was all this traffic for.

- So much small accidents happens and even for very small hitting car drivers can wait the police for hours in patience.

- Soviet houses are large and very long block of flats, where 150-200 flat can be in one block.

- Entry of houses are with a strange entry door to the building, where if you hare foreigner you may have difficulty to understand it is the entrance.

- You enter the houses with some codes and up to your home you have to open 5 doors.

Russian Sauna

Suana has an important place in Russian culture to relax, have nice time with friends and for health. Private sauna saloons can be found on different regions of Moscow. Also some dachas (Russian summer houses), most sport/fitness centers, hotels have their own saunas. Made wooden inside, burning coal in the corner of the room, with a room temperature of nearly 100 Celsius degrees makes you hot, wet and healthy. Even in winter, some Russians prefer to go to street while snow falling to get the health and that refreshment. Also drinking beer, wine or tea at table near sauna is a must part of this culture.

All around Moscow, you can find many saunas located at different regions with a simple search on the internet. But you have to be carefull about choosing a good, clean and quality sauna. Because some saunas perform other purposes for men to have a few hours fun. In some saunas there are even catalog of girls, erotic cd etc. options. And some of them are located at hidden places under apartments, where nothing can be otherstood there is a sauna from the street at all. I have met with such a place while my search, and quickly exited by saying thanks.

Finding a good sauna saloon, you can rent the sauna place for a few hours for 2 people or with a friend group of 4-6 people together. In the sauna saloons there are usually: the sauna, cold water pool, bedroom, tv/music system, table for eating, shower, dressing part and billiard. It is relaxing and healthy activity. After staying 10 minutes in hot room and becoming wet, diving into cold icy water makes you fresh and strong. Having nice time with friends, you forget the daily problems and become relaxed as well.


This activity should be in your list for Moscow to be done once in every 3-4 months. But don't forget to find a good and clean sauna...

Kva-Kva Aquapark in Moscow

One of the nice summer activities you can do in Moscow, similar to beaches is aquapark. There is one aquapark in Moscow named as "Kva-Kva" located at north of the city, on Yaroslavski Shosse not far from cith center.

It is a closed place, not so large as special aquaparks in Kusadasi, Bodrum or Antalya in Turkey. Mostly young people or families with children go there. Also sauna, spa, massage options are available according to your choice. You can stay there all day or buy a 2 hour ticket. 2 hours was enough for me actually. I advice to see that place at least one time also, you can have a few hours nice time there.

In summer, saturday nigths there are special parties as well. A club concept is formed inside the aquapark, where djs, dancing place, lights and music is prepeared in the park. While swimming and having fun, you can have a club enviroment at the same time. Parties starting at 23 upto morning. Different and nice time you can have for a saturday night.