It is time to walk along one of the most famous streets of Moscow - Arbat.

During the Soviet times Arbat stood for Bohemian Moscow. It was the heart of a quarter where writers, actors and scientists lived and met. It had the most vibrant streetlife in the city. Other parts of Moscow were quite "dead" at that time, but that has changed in recent years and the position of Arbat is not that exceptional anymore. Nowadays it's kind of a tourist trap, but it's still very nice and cosy.

I marked the way I walked on the map below. The walk starts at the Stalin-gothic Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/mapa_arbat_web.jpg

Garden Ring. Arbat begins here (or rather ends here, as most people enter it from the other end).

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9644.jpg

Let's enter Arbat

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9645.jpg

Street artists are always present here

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9646.jpg

Looking back at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9651.jpg

Street life ;)

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9652.jpg

Monument of Bulat Okudzhava, the legendary singer, who spent a great part of his life here. "Oh Arbat, my Arbat, you are my destiny, you are my happiness and my sorrow"

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9657.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9662.jpg

Something for the ladies ;)

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9660.jpg

And for the gentlemen...

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9665.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9669.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9671.jpg

"Master and Margerita"...?

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9675.jpg

What the hell is going on in the heart of Moscow!!! ;)

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9681.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9686.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9689.jpg

I'm here :wave:

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9690.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9695.jpg

Looking back at Belgrade Hotel

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9697.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9698.jpg

Vakhtangov Theatre

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9702.jpg

Side street. The "brutal" highrises at the New Arbat can be seen from many places on the old Arbat.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9703.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9705.jpg

hmm... it wasn't her father... or grandfather ;)

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9706.jpg

A nice cow ;)

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9710.jpg

I turn into a small side street. The wall here is covered in graffiti about Viktor Tsoy, the singer of the legendary rock group Kino. He died in a car crash and is regarded a cult hero. Fans gather here to sing his songs and contemplate.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9715.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9712.jpg

That's what the girls from previous pic have written.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9733.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9716.jpg

Interesting contrast: the wall, Arbat and New Arbat

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9717.jpg

I continue the walk along the small side street. I will do a loop and get back to Arbat. Here the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can be seen,

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9719.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9721.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9725.jpg

Cute dog :)

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9724.jpg

Back on Arbat

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9726.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9729.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9730.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9732.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9734.jpg

Toy-toy babushka :D Apparently the introduction of toy-toys to the streets of Moscow didn't leave the "toilet babushkas" job-less. :)

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9744.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9745.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9747.jpg

Side streets

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9760.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9762.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9765.jpg

After cows, it' time for tigers :)

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9767.jpg

Peace Wall. The wall consists of scores of tiles painted by Soviet schoolchildren, expressing their hopes for peace and fears for war. I read it was a part of propaganda against Reagan's Star Wars.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9770.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9769.jpg

Another contrast

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9773.jpg

Leather clothes are very common among Moscow's women.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9777.jpg

Side street

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9779.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9780.jpg

The last (or rather first) part of Arbat.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9781.jpg

:)

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9788.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9789.jpg

Let's leave Arbat for a while. Last glance at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9784.jpg

I'm heading towards the New Arbat, as you can see...

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9783.jpg

A parking lot worker...

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9792.jpg

The New Arbat

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9795.jpg

Hotel Ukraina in the background. In the next years a few 300-meters towers will rise beyond it at International Business Centre.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9793.jpg

Between 1962 and 1967, a neighbourhood of old wooden houses, a few churches and one monastery, were bulldozed to make place for the New Arbat. The new highrises and department stores along the New Arbat become the symbol of the new Moscow.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9798.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9814_2.jpg

New York?

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9807.jpg

This picture is somehow symbolizing Moscow. Mixed architectural styles, a jungle of advertisements and an old orthodox church in the middle of it all.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9808.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9819.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9823.jpg

Side street. The Stalin-gothic residential at Kudrinskaya Square can be seen.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9822.jpg

In the part of the street (New Arbat) close to the Arbatskaya Square some old buildings were left.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9818.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9825.jpg

Arbatskaya Square. At the corner where Arbat and New Arbat begins, stands the beautiful building of the "Prague Restaurant".

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9831.jpg

Arbatskaya Square. Another lonely orthodox church. The white rectangular building is the Russian "Pentagon", I think. Correct me if I'm wrong.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9827.jpg

Arbatskaya Square is situated on the Boulevard Ring (the second ring). Unlike the stalinistic Garden Ring (the third ring), it has preserved much of its pre-revolutionary atmosphere.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9832.jpg

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9835.jpg

This is a common sight in Moscow. People walking around the city with cans of beer in their hands.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9833.jpg

Last look at Arbat. You can say that it begins here at Prague Restaurant, as most people enter it from this end.

http://www.michau.se/pics/my_pics/moskwa/2004_sept/moskwa_040919_9840.jpg

I hope that you enjoyed the Arbat :cheers: The Moscow walk is to be continued...

Michau, just excellent pictures. As well as the coments.

marvellous!!! wanna parts 5,6,7,8,9,10,11,infinity

Great respect! Nothing is showing city life better than this.

Excellent pictures!

You know what I noticed: Moscow looks so much like San Francisco on street level, unbelievably similar (of course except the Russian characters, old cars and the Orthodox churches). I lived for years in San Francisco, and consider myself a true Franciscan, and I can swear the God that had you shown some of these picture to me, my first reaction would have been: "What part of SF is that?"

No wonder there are tons of Russians in San Francisco-one of the biggest communities in SF (for your info, almost every single cab driver in San Francisco is Russian, and all are from 3 cities called Krasnodar, Sevastapol and Simferepol - or sth like that - and I have no idea why everyone from these cities are cab drivers (once I checked on the map and I noticed that these cities are pretty close to each other). Can anyone tell me that if they know the answer for that? Even the cabs in Moscow are similar to SF.). San Francisco, for many and also for me, is world's most beautiful city, but Moscow is as charming as SF (+the women are hotter for sure)

Good job again,

Regards,

i wouldn't say moscow is as charming as SF but there are some really beautiful parts especially in the center old buildings (from 18-19-20 cent). and yes IMHO
girls are beautiful, especially if you dig Slavic chicks.
As far as Russian cabbies being from same 3 cities it's pure coincidence.
In fact Russian drivers usually work in car services not taxi (wich run by Russsians)

Thanks for the amazing photos!

Thank you for your comments :cheers:

marvellous!!! wanna parts 5,6,7,8,9,10,11,infinity
hehe, it will "only" be 5 walks (7 threads altogether) from THIS visit to Moscow (I want to go back and make another 7... :))

Nice architecture.:okay:

I like the chicks too.

^jump :)

My Moscow series is going to be continued tomorrow :)