I wasn't particularly sure when in my life I would go to Russia. It turns out that I need to go there, but why not enjoy it while I am aboard? Stay tune for this story.
30-XII-2019
Here is my situation. Right now, as I'm writing this post, I'm living in Turkey. As an Ecuadorian, I may only stay for 90 days in this country. If I would like to stay more time (other 90 days), then I need to, literally, travel outside this country and then come back again.
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So, where should I go?
The first clue should be to travel to another country that doesn't require a visa for me to enter. For some countries I need an appointment for an interview to still decide if I'm allowed to enter or not. Other countries have visa requirement but I just need to pay the entrance. Some other countries however, all I need is just a valid passport. From the list of countries that I saw, Russia came to my mind. It's so close to Turkey! This trip wasn’t planned because I didn’t think it was going be necessary. Furthermore, the airplane tickets price were nearly as half as other countries capitals. It would be cool to visit this city which has been the capital for many nations (Russian Empire, Soviet Union and Russian Federation) as well as other institutions such as the Orthodox Church.
What to expect from Russia?
Before traveling to Moscow, I would like to know which places are worth visiting because I just had 3 nights in this city. What I wanted to see or do the most were:
- Kremlin.
- A Russian History Museum.
- Drink some vodka.
- Red Square.
- St Basil Cathedral.
There is of course more places to visit in Moscow but I didn't know which one I should go first. I visited this site to have a general view of what I should visit. For me it was a solid guide to find out what I could do. This website is available in Spanish:
Ok, got it. Russia… But first a reality check.
How cold is it going to be?! You know, Russia is worldwide known for it's winter conditions so I wanted to be sure that I was taking with me the right clothes! I checked on the Weather Channel and luckily for me, it was going to be between -4ºC and 1ºC in the first days of January.
I bought the ticket from Istanbul to Moscow for 1366,96 TRY (230,52 USD) round trip in Aeroflot. I bought just one week before the flight. Not good. You should buy 2 months before the flight because the sooner you buy, the more affordable it will become. I was looking for a hostel that was close enough to the downtown of the city, especially the Red Square and Kremlin, and I found this small but convenient place.
Kremlin Lights convinced me because it is visible from the Kremlin itself and it is near the Red Square (less than 1Km!), so walking could be convenient. The 3 nights cost 3120 RUB (50,42 USD) and I was going to share a room with other 7 people. I read somewhere in their webpage that there were lockers. I took some locks with me so I could store my things safely, just in case I needed.
So I got everything for my trip before my departure: airplane ticket and hotel. Then, let's go to the airport and let's discover Moscow.
IMPORTANT.
Don't go to Russia without this tool.
If you don't speak russian (like me), be sure to download the app Google Translate in your iOS or Android devices and be sure to download the “Offline mode”
Be sure to stay tune for the next blog post, as I arrive for the first time in Russia.
If you are curious about how do I do to find airplane tickets, refer to this blog post to find it out.
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