St. Petersburg and Moscow

On the train journey to Moscow, we were able to experience life on the rails for the first time, including Belarusian mothers who offered pancakes and fruit at stops.

The first stage of our tour through Russia naturally led through the two capital cities St. Petersburg and Moscow. While St. Petersburg appears young, hip, and relaxed, Moscow is noticeably more hectic and competitive.

We certainly did some sightseeing, but also had time for ballet or the circus. Speaking of the circus: There really are no inhibitions here when it comes to which animals are brought into the ring. In addition to lions and wolves, we also saw huge crocodiles, snakes, and sled dogs (yes, with sleds!). And don't even get me started on the Russian acrobats... The circus has taken on a whole new dimension.

In Moscow, the 'Red October' was pretty cool. Numerous hipster bars have settled in the huge area of an old chocolate factory. In the nearby 'Park of Fallen Heroes', all the (sometimes gigantic) statues that have become superfluous over time have been placed. You can find plenty of Lenins and Stalins in all colors and sizes.

We have already tried a lot of Russian street food. In addition to numerous ice cream vendors, there are plenty of salted corn cobs, hot dogs, blinis, pastries, and of course kvass - a drink made from fermented bread. The kvass vendor usually only sells this tasty drink fresh from the tap. When you buy from her, you usually wake her up. That's why she always seems to hate her customers.