2005 Moscow Reports

[Stravinsky]

Scoubidou,

Can't say if the Orlyonok is dyefki-friendly, but it is the home to Club 911, which, from what I can tell, is one of the biggest strip clubs in Moscow.

Talk about convenience!

http://www.911club.ru/index.htm

Stravinsky

[Scoubidou]

HI Mongers,

I will stay of week at hotel ORLYONOK located Kosygina Street.

Could anybody tell me if this is a girl-friendly hotel?

Is there any "good" spot around?

Thanks

[CA Traveler]

PD... The Holiday Inn is new and looks nice. It is very close to the Belarusskaya metro. Never heard any reports of their attitude of visiting guests, but when I walked past yesterday it seems very busy with biz men. Be sure to report because I imagine the HI will be a logical spot for many visitors because of the lower costs compared to the Marriotts/Sheraton/Hyatt.

[El Suave]

Time to time shemales are more joyful and sinful than the real girls. They know how to make you hot and open to play rough, besides "man knows better what a man wants".

Yes AJ, would you be kind enough to post the photo whereby you performed fellatio on your shemale? Will you make sure it’s the one in which you were creamed real good? You know, when your shemale gave you a memorable facial? Tell the board how “joyful” that was.

As Suavesito said; I'm just a kid comparing whit you and many other Doctors, Stravinskys, Cat's and many more

Don’t kid yourself sport, kids are smart, cute and resourceful, traits which you never had, nor will you ever acquire. However, don’t deprecate yourself vis a vis the members you list in above quote, you’re in good and comparable company.

[Philly D]

My first time in Moscow will be from June 3 - 11 and will be staying at the MOSCOW - LESNAYA Holiday Inn. Its suppose to be new. Any reports? Girl Friendly? I have been reading many posts and now think that maybe should have went with a Apt from Moscow Star. Next time for sure.

[One O Nine]

One more thing to add about the taxis. I do usually steer clear of the official cabs, but in one case they are indispensible. I visit my Russian employees at their homes every once in a while, and some of them live hell knows where on some forgotten little street in the middle of a slum. I don't feel very comfortable walking out there in the middle of the night and flagging down cars; and even if I did I'd probably spend a while trying to actually find one out there on the empty streets.

So, what I do is have one of the Russians call a cab company and call me a cab. They make sure to tell the dispatcher that I want to be charged by the meter. The cab will be by my door within 30 minutes, usually faster, and I get a nice quiet ride home. When charged by the meter, you get just about the best damn deal in town. Ride from Krasnogvardeiskaya to Mayakovskaya cost me 180 r.

So, if you're ever stuck in the middle of nowhere on a rainy night, it's a good idea to have a Russian call you an official cab and ask to pay by the meter.


By the way, anybody have any experience with Moscow limo companies? Sometimes I want to impress my Russian associates, and feel a little silly jumping out of a beat up Zhiguli next to their shiny MBs with chauffeurs and ohrana. I remember seeing some ad for some agency where you can get an S-class with a driver for $60 an hour, but can't for the life of me figure out where I saw it. Anybody every use anything like that?

[Doctor_Skank]

Airport taxi into town:

The price of a taxi begins at $100 as you exit customs and goes down to $35 once you actually exit the terminal and start walking towards the distant parking lots. Everybody knows that the taxi mafia controls the official taxis at the airport and in fact they are also involved with many of the inofficial ones too. Wonder why the oft-promised metro station out to the airport never seems to be finished and has more or less been forgotten?

I generally budget in 1000 rubles for transport into town... $35. I've never paid more for a gypsy taxi and sometimes pay as low as 600-700. Lately prices have gone up, but <1000 rubles still gets you into town.

There are cheaper bus and marshrutki bus/metro options but forget them. They are truly inconvenient. Besides, if you dont have $30 for a taxi into Moscow you probably should have stayed home and rented porn...

Real taxis will do it for $40-50 if you wait until outside the terminal to cut the deal.

If you are a regular traveler you may want to get the telephone number from a taxi driver you like and trust. They'll usually meet you at the airport if you send them an SMS ahead of time. The cost will likely be about the same (they dont go much cheaper than $30 these days... that's the minimum) but you'll have a ride waiting for you. Or order a taxi ahead of time by phone or internet. Also about $40.

I always either arrange a car through the apartment service or just grab a gypsy taxi outside the terminal for $35. Never a problem.

Airport taxi back to the airport:

Anywhere from 600-1000 rubles ($20-35) will get you to the airport with a gypsy taxi. Big Bro AJ is right, this is really easy. Just agree to a price beforehand or you will have a surprise when you arrive there.

You can also negotiate with real taxis if you choose. They'll drive to the airport for anywhere from $30-70 but generally want 1200-1500 rubles ($40-50). Always agree on a price beforehand. Never just jump in a cab and say "take me to the airport." They'll charge you (at least) the "official" fare if you do and it is $60+.

Tochka taxis:

If you have a good tochka driver, stick with him and use him regularly. He'll save you a lot of time and effort.

I've had luck both with official taxis and inofficial ones... but prefer gypsy taxis since they are cheaper. Generally speaking, Georgian, Armenian and Azeri drivers do know the tochkas best... and are happy to have a look at the girls and give you advice on which ones to choose. Don't trust their advice... they are "blonde blind" and think all blonde girls are good-looking. They just can't seem to look past the hair...

They are generally quite fun and friendly people, unfortunately they are also militia magnets and the girls hate their beat up, kerosene-smelling aging Ladas. Besides that, they generally charge more than the Russians. They are born hagglers and will try to squeeze every ruble out of you. And they are persistent. Usually they want at least 600 ($20) for a tour and often more. Be sure you get one that knows his way around... if he seems uncertain about your request, find another. There are many immigrants in Moscow now driving cabs that dont know there way around Moscow at all.

I prefer Russian guys as drivers, or cleaned up Georgians. And a clean car. It probably makes little difference to the militia in the end, but my luck has been best with Russian guys in somewhat modern cars... usually the newer "streamlined" Ladas.... preferably with a spoiler in back...

If you are going to take a real taxi, just agree on a price beforehand. I remember a recent tour with Shos (a world-class taxi price negotiator by the way) who arranged a real taxi for $30... and we covered Leningradsky, Leninsky, Mira Prospekt, the 3 train stations and even stopped into CF for a beer while the driver waited outside before moving on to continue the search... we were driving around for more than an hour.... as with many things in Moscow, its all a matter of negotiation.

[Big Bro AJ]

Guys

Never ever use the regular(yellow) taxi in Moscow. Those are the real swindlers.

If you need a transport from airport to your place(hotel or apartment), talk with the guys standing at the exit of international terminal. You can trust them. Negotiaion is possible. At the beginnig they ask $50 or equavelant in Euro from airport to garden Ring.

I always stay in an apartment close to Kolomenskaya metro station. It's almost 50 minutes drive from Sher.II . I have never pay more than $40. These drivers can speak little English and German.

Not only from ariport but also you don't need to use the regular(yellow) taxi in town. Just stand at the side walk, wawe your hand and 1 or 2 cars will definetly stop. Tell the destiantion and the amount you want to pay. IE: Tverskaya sto petdesiyat.

[Member #3309]

Hello,

I paid 30$ from the airport to Hotel UKRAIN with internet: gotoru.com.

Jean

[Dealdo]

Yeap, everything is so relative. I had better luck whit gypsy cabs, I made friends and "tourist guides". Besides many of the yellow just try to rip you off. Too bad. A friend of mine paid 100 DLLS! from the Airport to Arbat!

Good thing we have this board. So now is easier whit such a lot of options.

1o9 ones again thanks a lot for all your info. Man, you really are a professional and know well how to live the life! I take my hat off.

As Suavesito said; I'm just a kid comparing whit you and many other Doctors, Stravinskys, Cat's and many more.

And thanks to all for being patient.

DeAldo

[Big Bro AJ]

I am not a big fan of Tochka, but it is a must see.

Lots of things depend on your luck. (ie: Cat's experience)

Instead of gypsy drivers my choice is always Georgion or Azeri drivers. I can also talk Turkish with those guys and always have some sort of connections with the Big Brothers.

But you have to be careful with these guys, they are always eager to get more.

109, is totaly right about the driver. Driver must know the locations and have patience, otherwise it turns into nightmare. You don't know, he does not know, just driving around the Garden Ring looking for the decoy girl. Besides, as they said some of the drivers have good deals with the mamushkas.

El suave,

Time to time shemales are more joyful and sinful than the real girls. They know how to make you hot and open to play rough, besides "man knows better what a man wants".

My humle advice is to experience threesome with one real girl and a TV or TS. It's hard to describe, only be experienced. It's one of the top moments, a girl blow you when she was f***ed by a TV. )

AJ

[One O Nine]

Art Hotel: meh. It's kind of close to some tochkas, but other than that it's kind of far from anything. Most everything else is concentrated within the Garden Ring. If you plan on checking that out, be ready to endure long periods of silence in a cab as you gaze at dimly lit Moscow slums and the English deprived pro is apathetically stroking your hand with her cold well manicured fingers.


Now, on the topic of gypsy drivers, I personally wouldn't trust some random guy I randomly flagged on the street to do a good tochka run. Every other gypsy driver I get doesn't even know how to get to some well known spot in the center. I guess it could still work OK if you stuck your thumb out and asked around, after a few drivers you'd eventually find somebody who'd know the field; and if you just wanted to check out the more visible well known tochkas downtown you wouldn't even need to look very hard.

But really, tochkas are turning into such shit lately that your driver needs to have the patience to go from place to place, and of course know where they're all located. It's hard to find decent goods as it is, and if you rely on a random gloomy gramps and his rickety antique you might be decreasing your chances even further.

[John Quakman]

I'll second 109 in his reccomendation of Ashot. Armenian good guy. He has driven me on 2 sepaparate visits. $30-40 and helps

JQ

[Stravinsky]

Suavecito,

If you disagree with what someone else has posted, then make your case. What actual experiences have you had with Gypsy cabs in Moscow that would tend to dispute Dealdo's advice? What constructive and helpful guidelines can you give us for dealing with cabs in general. What experiences and advice do you have to offer?

If any...

Stravinsky

[Dealdo]

Damm, softy just don't quit whit that actitud. Jackson already censured one of my "poems" for softy LOL (It was so romantic hehehe)

But I still looking all kind of attacks from him to everybody. Umm what is wrong whit this picture?

Anyways, For all the other guys who need some tips. (I have to repeat that it was ONLY my experience)

I waist many hours whit yellow taxi cabs looking for Dievushkas. They didn't had a clue where to find them. This way I found that Leninsky Prospect and all Downtown was out of Tochka girls. Same as El Suave, these drivers didn't have updated the information,, totally disaster.

BUt here are a couple of civilian drivers that really know where and when to find the tochkas.

Gallar 8-906-051-5384. (50% English) Rafik 8-903-789-1822 (Poor English)
Gary 8-915-237-0495. (No English)

About the babushkas: As you know I had some problems whit some freebies, So one day I was trying to sneak away But I couldn't go to my room because She know my location. So I decided to try the Babushka apartment. This lady set her self By the Ring near Kursky metro.. her apartment is by Ploshchad Ilicha metro.. her name is Galina and her daughter speak good English 8-903-766-8545 rent for a night is 1000 rbls.. (expensive in my opinion) the apartment is not nice and the bed is real uncofortable..but is a life saver in those moments.

I saw some other babushkas By Leningrandsky and Stalinsgrandsky But you need to go early. Apartments get rented soon and babushkas go home.