How a Polish traveler-blogger saw Russia, and why she wants to come back here

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Polish traveler Kami has visited many countries, she considers herself an expert on Eastern Europe, but she is happy to discover different continents. She maintains her blog and shares her impressions, gives advice to travelers planning a trip to those countries where she has already visited. After a trip to Russia, Kami told how she saw a huge country, what surprised her, made her nervous, and why she would like to come back here more than once.

Do not be afraid to speak Russian, smile a lot, and everything will be fine

The very first and main advice that Kami gives to all potential subscribers is to learn the language. Or at least the Cyrillic alphabet. For a Polish traveler who has traveled to many countries, it was surprising that in Russia most of the signboards (with the exception of some) are in Russian, without translation into English.

Kami, thanks to her ability to put letters into words, albeit slowly, felt much more comfortable during her journey. And her desire to speak with Russians in their native language always brought a smile on their faces and a desire to help her. For example, in St. Petersburg, passers-by whom she turned to, realizing that she did not speak Russian well, immediately switched to English.

Before her visit to Russia, Kami had heard not so much good about its residents, she was sure that they were cold and reserved, and as a result, she received a lot of positive emotions from communicating with Russians. Now she considers Russians to be the most friendly, welcoming and smiling!

By the way, the big discovery for the girl, who has already traveled half of the world, was the presence of internal roaming in Russia. You need to buy a local SIM card to be able to use both communications and mobile Internet. Kami advises to carefully study the tariffs of different operators and make sure that the card bought in one region will work in others.

Accessible Russia

There is an opinion that Moscow is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. It was with this conviction that Kami went to Russia. And I was pleasantly surprised. Prices in Moscow turned out to be about the same as in Poland, and even cheaper for some similar goods.

It should be noted that the Polish traveler deliberately did not visit expensive restaurants and fashionable boutiques, where, like in any other big city, you can leave an incredible amount of money. Kami promotes a sensible approach to spending while traveling, she is not prone to either excessive savings or luxury, and therefore Russia seemed very accessible to her. As a result, she spent less than she intended, although she did not try to reduce her expenses.

Gastronomic Russia

Kami preferred to eat in inexpensive places, and most of all she was impressed by two catering establishments in Moscow. The first is the Mu-mu chain, the second is the famous canteen located on the top floor of GUM. In St. Petersburg, the traveler liked many inexpensive cafes and canteens, but most of all she was impressed by the Tarelka chain, where Kami liked not only the food, but also the very atmospheric interior.

But in Kazan, the traveler advises to focus on the national cuisine and visit the fast food restaurant Tiubeyeti. It was in this restaurant that, according to the traveler, she was fed the tastiest. Kami also specially noted for her friends: in Russia, even vegetarians will find food to their liking. As a last resort, almost all catering establishments have pancakes and cheesecakes on the menu, and there are plenty of other dishes, including just chopped vegetables. In general, according to Kami, vegetarians in Russia will feel more comfortable than in many other countries.

The best way to travel around Russia

For Kami, the most comfortable option for traveling was by train, despite the fact that the tickets were unexpectedly expensive. She used the services of Russian Railways three times, traveling by train on the routes: Moscow - Kazan (12 hours, 2nd class, compartment), Kazan - St. Petersburg (22 hours, 3rd class, reserved seat) and St. Petersburg - Moscow (8 hours, 2nd class, compartment).

At the same time, she booked and purchased tickets online, which helped to plan the trip in advance, save a little and avoid queues at the railway ticket offices. Tickets for the upper shelves turned out to be significantly cheaper than the lower ones, and instead of the ladder, which she never learned to use, Kami put her foot on the table. But in a two-story train, the upper shelf on the second floor turned out to be very uncomfortable and small.

All trains impressed the traveler with their modernity, good equipment, cleanliness, availability of working sockets and air conditioners. On the train, Kami recommends bringing slippers, your own cup, spoon, and food, including instant noodles.

To travel in a third-class carriage, you just need to take additional food with you, but not only for yourself, but also so that you can share with your neighbors. A traveler who has nothing to treat his neighbors with will feel rather uncomfortable, for he himself will certainly be treated.

Vivid impressions

The Polish traveler visited the Hermitage, visited many sights and never ceased to be amazed at the fact that people bravely stand in lines instead of buying tickets online or using vending machines located near museums or other cultural sites.

I especially remember the Kami metro stations in Moscow and St. Petersburg, where it was possible to take pictures without hindrance, however, only without a flash. She was also impressed by the scale of preparations for Victory Day: the decoration of streets, the construction of stands on Red Square in Moscow and on Nevsky Prospekt. Unfortunately, on this trip, Kami could not attend the Victory Parade itself, and she was also disappointed by the inability to visit the Mausoleum due to the fact that decorative thematic buildings had already been erected around it.

But the most unforgettable impression left on Kami was the incredible sense of security. The stereotype of an unsafe Russia was destroyed. The girl noted: traveling alone, she felt completely calm. There were always a lot of policemen around, and the people were all very friendly. Even attending a concert at the Olympic Stadium, where an incredible number of people gathered, passed without the slightest excesses.

After this trip, Kami fell in love with Russia and intends to return here more than once. Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic forced her to abandon the trip and return her booked tickets. But she is sure: her acquaintance with Russia is just beginning.

There are legends about the mysterious Russian soul in the world. Foreigners dream of traveling to Russia, to try to solve this very riddle, and then citizens from other countries either fall in love with this huge country forever, or refuse to even hear about it. Nevertheless, almost all tourists agree that Russian traditions are like some kind of magic that enthralls them.