Moscow - City

Moscow is a huge city – 15,000,000 people.  I had no idea!  It apparently has the worst traffic in the world – after 4 days there we can believe it!  90% of the people live in apartments – many own them.  Inspite of it's size, Moscow is a very clean city.

The city has been booming since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.  There is construction everywhere.  There are more billionaires than any other city in the world.  It is evident from what you see – many luxury cars, high end stores everywhere, young people with all of the toys you can imagine – it goes on and on.  I asked one of our guides if Muscovites spent everything they made or if they were saving something for the future.  The answer was they spend everything.  It makes you think it may all come crashing down at some point.

The construction that dates back to Lenin’s and Stalin’s time can be somewhat austere and in some cases it is being torn down.  Lenin did build 7 huge building (7 sisters) all of which survive and are very ornate.

New Construction Since Perestoika

University of Moscow - One of Lenin's Seven Sister's Buildings

Olympic Stadium from Sparrow Hill