Visiting Russia soon... what should I check out?

My good buddy recently moved back to Moscow. I'm visiting for 2 weeks in August. We'll be visiting St. Petersburg as well.

Any shops I should check out? Any equipment or stuff I should try to find and smuggle/ship back?

 

Hello, Brian! An interesting question.
And I have mine.

What kind of equipment or stuff, other than Soviet/Russian-made, do you think could you find in Russia, that you couldn’t find in California? Russian-made under license? Yes, but what for?
Or you are interested especially in Soviet/Russian-made equipment?

Anyway, there are some general warnings.

“Residential” voltages and frequencies in USA and Russia are different: 120 V 60 Hz USA and 220 V 50 Hz Russia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country#Voltages
Very many equipment units have “universal” 100-240 V mains supply voltage or a special switch for different voltages. Take care of having 120 V mains supply voltage on your potential purchase.

Many equipment types are indifferent to mains supply frequency, many are not. Fortunately, modern mfrs generally indicate working voltage(-s) and frequency(-ies) on labels on the rear panel (for example, “100-240 V. 50-60 Hz”). What is to avoid, it’s PAL video equipment with its 50 Hz 25 fps (USA’s NTSC working in 60 Hz 30 fps), which may cause light flickering in scenes lightened with 60 Hz blinkering lamps on normal video camera shutter speeds, conversion problems in NTSC countries etc.

For FM tuners or portable radios, 87.5-108 MHz ones are just of the worldwide standard, but what for to buy such there? Take care to not buy a 65-73 MHz Soviet/Russian-made tuner or portable radio, absolutely useless in USA.

Anyway, if your question does not aim especially at Soviet/Russian-made equipment, I’d say what for to tempt fate? If it does, maybe someone has already recommended some types/models of Soviet/Russian-made equipment? In such a case, it’s a collector/fan’s affair. I couldn’t be an advice-giver there. Especially if your good buddy is not a Hi-Fi man.

 

I would forget audio for a couple weeks and focus on other stuff! But maybe you can find some deals on tubes or something.

 

Russian women?

 

Like Mazzy said. Heck, go chase some tail.

 

My fiance will be in tow, but maybe I can convince her of the importance of chasing Russian tail.

 

Actually, tubes were the first thing that came to mind. But really, I was thinking more in terms of good HiFi shops that might carry some crazy esoteric stuff only available there that I could go listen to. More entertaining to me than visiting some boring museums.

 

OOPS!

 

Vodka...caviar

 

The Mariinsky Ballet (formerly Kirov) and the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

 

In Russia, gear checks out you!

 

Moscow is a wonderful place this summer. The current trend is the "culture hubs" - old soviet parks or factories totally transformed over the last couple of years into ultramodern hipster paradise - places like Gorky Park, Red October, Museon, Artplay, Vinzavod etc are amazing to hang out any way you like. In terms of "hip" and "cool" central Moscow puts NYC or LA to shame these days but you got to know the right places be it modern art, clubs or cafes. Don't miss the amazing scene of thousands of people dancing on the bank of Moscow River in the Gorky Park each day around midnight for example. Then there are some fantastic outdoor fests almost each week.

 

Oh, and Cuban Rum!

 

And Cuban cigars

 

Definitely. The vodka is so different than here and so good.

Check out Russian Chineese restaurants. Also go to the art flea markets. Visit Red Square and the mall.

Visit the Kremlin museum (a must see).
Visit Peter the Greats home.

Have dinner on a tour boat on the Moscow river.

Take several hundred dollars in brand new one dollar bills. This will come in handy you will see.

They love Dire Straits and Pink Floyd.

Enjoy!

 

Beautiful.

 

If your looking for a good music store, I recommend Purponi Legion. It used to be one of my favorite haunts when I was living there.

If you can tolerate the traffic or get on a train, I recommend seeing Sergiev Posad. It's a well kept monastery north of Moscow. The cathedrals there top anything inside of the Kremlin. Prepare to fork over some cash. Moscow ain't cheap.

 

Sheesh now I wanna' go

 

In Soviet Russia, you don't check out Russia.... Russia check out YOU!

 

Purple Legion is alive (though in a different location) but a pathetic shadow of it's former self. Most music stores died a pitiful death over the last few years. The only one still standing proud is Transylvania.

 

RonW, Moscow's a totally different city these days though the old places of interest still stand of course. Bolshoi is open after years of renovation so is Tretyakovka. The Novodevichi monastery is totally worth visiting. But it's the beautiful places like Patriki (Patriarchi Ponds) in the center that give a good idea of Moscow as well as the new places that I mentioned a few posts above that are pure Moscow 2014.

As for the restaurants - why go chinese in Moscow when there are lots of great russian restaurants as well as unique and awesome kinds of ethnic cuisine from all over former USSR that are nowhere to be found in the West? I mean ukrainian, georgian, azeri, uzbek etc? Restaurant scene in Moscow is incredible these days but of course you need to know the right places. If Brian wants some recommendations he can PM me anytime.

 

Try some Ukranian restaurants...

 

Definetely. Even the not so expensive chain "Taras Bulba" is extremely good for getting to know ukrainian cuisine.

 

This:

http://lana-sator.livejournal.com/207388.html

 

St. Petersburg will be a jewel of your visit. Nothing is boring about their museums.
I am sure you will also find hi-end hi-fi shops in Moscow. Russians like quality music gear. But things are quite expensive these days.
And don't be alone in a dark street. Watch your wallet also.
They used to have a different museums ticket prices for foreigners and locals in 90s (i am not sure if it is still the case). So it would be better if some Russian friend bought it for you.