2005 Moscow Reports

[Doctor_Skank]

I just got this email from my friend, who also happens to an apartment agent. She wrote me this email today:

"I spent the whole day today being questioned by milicia men, coz one of my tenant was attacked and robbed at the apartment!!!
First he told that just a couple of guys were waiting for him near the apartment, then he told me that he met a girl before.
Can you imagine that this idiot met a girl (ON TVERSKAYA!!!)
Invited her to the restaurant and when returned with her to the apartment was attacked by 2 guys with a gun. The girl disappeared, he was beaten, robbed and left at the apartment with his heands and legs bind...Finally they made him drink something so he fall a deep sleep...

The moral is DO NOT MAKE ANY AQUAINTANCES on Tverskaya and places like this!!!!
Promice me that you 'll behave yourself here, in Moscow, I don't want you to get in trouble and horrified at the prospect of experiencing this again!!!

I think it's a good idea to prepare the instructions to the foreigners and make them sign before they go into town:-)
Hope that you know everything, but still you should be more carefull in Moscow (as in any other cities i guess)...
I'll need your help in writing the instructions...:-)"

Take her warning for what its worth (I am happily one of those "idiots" who keeps meeting girls everywhere... and will continue to do so) but yeah fellas, you, me and all of us really should pay extra attention to whats going on. Seems to me that such incidents are occuring more frequently in the last 6 months. Just a gut feeling.



I think it would be a good idea to be wary of girls who seem overly anxious to meet you or approach you. They may very well have alterior motives.

[CA Traveler]

MM... actually most people just call me horny! Traveler is just the means to the end... Life is good! At least as long as the airline miles hold out...

Dealdo... I wasn't clear about BsAs. The trip was disappointingly SHORT! I had to leave after only one week instead of staying. Turns out that I had eaten some bad pork while I was there so it was just as well that I was in CA to deal with the consequences of that. Serves me right... who goes to Argentina to eat porK?

[Bez Bezarra]

young Korean girls
return to Moscow
a few trips to the Ukraine
August in Odessa.
6 weeks in Asia,
Thailand,
Cambodia
Burma and
Vietnam.
back to SEA
then back to Moscow

Could this be why they call you Traveler?

I'll be joining right up with you just as soon as I hit the Lottery.

[Dealdo]

Ca-T You really know whow to enjoy life,, good for you.. =)

I'm sorry to hear that Baires wasn't too good for you.. I offered you my help but you didn't check the forum I guess.

Well, Baires for me is awesome, I was able to meet a LOT of hot chicks and the prices are very low now,, picking freebies in the bars and dance clubs is very easy just as easy as Moscow or US but you need some spanish or Latino friends.. I had a blast last time and I will go back in Jun, I wil stay there 15 days and then I wil fly to Brasil.. 15 more days in that paradise.

So if you want to go I can hook you whit the best chicas and garotas.

I have a lot of friends there also, they could had helped you. Hopefuly next time.

[CA Traveler]

JQ... Sorry to take so long to respond. Glad you were able to hook up with Rick.

Back from BA, sitting on my ass in CA waiting to have my sinuses reamed out before I return to Moscow permanently. The only good thing is that the time gives me time to fully explore the new found pleasures of the AMPs in the City of Industry. Beautiful, young Korean girls. After a recent drought having been away from Moscow for a month plus and a rather disappointingly short visit to BA, the smooth skin and little bodies of these CoI girls are a pleasant relief!

HM2... One of the fun things about Moscow is that you never really know where an adventure will lead you. IMHO, it is a little risky to head off with a couple of Russkis who you just met... no matter how close a relationship you've developed in the last half-hour. If you had a wingman, it would be a different story, but alone is a recipe for a hurt. At the same time, I will caution everyone that trusting everyone is a good rule in Western countries, but the rules are not necessarily the same in the FSU. As an aside... When I rented apartments to Westerners they seldomn even asked about the triple locks, steel doors and the security entrances. When I rented to Russians now living in a Western country, ALL they wanted to know about were the triple locks, steel doors, were there two doors with deadbolts, was there a concierge/attendant on the door with outside entry security! Do they know something that we don't?

All in all, all's well that ends well! However, as someone mentioned, it is the total newbie who reads the report and then mis-reads a situation and jumps in a car with two Russians and is never seen or heard from again who needs to hear another side to the story!

Shos... I have heard on the street that Doug has leased a new spot for the "New Boarhouse". I have also heard that the Old CF will stay open probably through the end of the year. This seems to jive with Martin's comments.

As far as my plans... I keep getting PMs asking. I will return to Moscow on a permanent basis on 11 May. I plan to stay there until early November with a few trips to the Ukraine and also the month of August in Odessa. In November, from there I plan to spend 6 weeks in SE Asia, but my plans are up in the air except that I know I will hit Thailand, Cambodia and maybe Burma and Vietnam. Then, after a short visit back to CA, I plan to head back to SEA in January until March/April and then back to Moscow for the spring hormone renewal.

[My Alias]

I found this long funny, but sad, story on another bulletin board. http://www.exile.ru/2005-March-25/feature_story.html The writer, an American in Moscow, decides to test Viagra, Cialis and Levitra to see which works best, and he decides to make conditions harder for the performance. You'll have to read it to understand.

[Rogue Trooper]

As a side note. I've known Moscow Rick for many years (since '99) and he's an honest straightforward guy. He certainly knows the city well, and the clubs. You could do far worse than deal with him. Probably your best best for a non rip-off apartment deal in Moscow.

Pulford I have used as a corporate client a few times (again they are old and well established) - good apartments centrally located (I have rented two at the top of Tverskaya) but expensive. Reliable Company though.

Saw Rick recently in Propaganda, the guy likes to party!

[John Quakman]

OK, Apartment solved, Moscow Rick came through, then Oeyesa and then puliford so I had my choice and opeted for the Konown quanity(at least the Aprtments) so I'm on. See you guys on the 16th

JQ

by the by is the exchange rate still R30:$1

[Stravinsky]

HM2,

Read your PM.

[Handyman #2]

Sorry JQ my next trip isn't until the end of May and will only be in Moscow for a night or two and then off to the provinces (if you can call several 1M+ cities provinces). I do computer installations and interfacing as well as fiber-optic backbones, are we in the same line of work?

Stravinsky,

Thank you again for your inputs! They are always helpful! Do you agree with my assessment on the need to hire a very large, smart forman? Interested in your opinion on this.

NY Monger,

Thank you for your well wishes! Peace be with you!

[NY Monger]

HM2- Good luck in Moscow! If you buy a lottery ticket and win, think of me and smile! ( Or proceed to nearest incall and have the best time of your life!)

A somewhat general question to those of you who travel/do biz in Russia - are you beginning to sense any concerns from Russians about the seemingly un-stoppable spread of 'velvet' revolutions and Russia's loss of influence in what were considered their direct circle of influence?

[John Quakman]

Stavinsky

Stella?

http://33girls.com Go to www.wsgforums.com for the other wsg board??? and there is a discussion there about her and her service.

Olyesa is working hard for me. . Moscow Rick finally called today but no e mail. says he has vacancies so we will see.

HM2, will you be in Moscow between the 16th and 25th and would like to meet and talk to you. I think we are in the same line of work (was for me, I'm retired) and I might be of some help to you, If not we can talk about women. I'm American also.

Staring to feel better about the trip so see you guys if we can hook up.

JQ

[Dealdo]

Doctor Skank,

I'm absolutely agreed whit you, Pasha is an awesome person, intelligent, sarcastic, intellectual, sharp honest, and a great human being,, we became good friends and I have high esteem for my uncle, There are some people everywhere who doesn't care about anybody, Moscow being a megacity full of problems and the second most expensive in the globe is very understandable that people living whit a poor salary became a scammer very easy. Too bad as you said.

For the guy who asked about Olesya; Olesya is Pashas right hand, she is very professional and super nice girl as well, very honest too. So if she can't find you a good deal apartment would be difficult somebody else can.

When you get to know people like then in Russia you start to understand why we love that country so much.

Good luck bro.

[Stravinsky]

JQ,

Yes, it's been a while since we've heard from CAT. Last time he reported, he was in BA. The only thing I can think of is that he's knee deep in chicas right about now. I've been in that situation before and know how difficult it is to get up for air.

Keep us updated with your apartment search. I'm hoping to be in Mockba this summer so I will be doing the same search myself here pretty soon.

Who's Olesya, and Stella?


HM2,

Not sure about your appraisal of Russian labor. I think most men will act differently in the presence of women, be it in Moscow, or Brooklyn.

I get the impression that you're thinking of doing some construction work in Russia. I would get myself a case of vodka and keep it handy in the trunk of my Zhigooli, maybe a few bottles of cognac. Here's a phrase for you, "Vodka boodyet" or "there will be vodka". It might come from the crew in the form of a question, as in "Will there be vodka?", in which case it can also serve as the response. Regardless of the situation, it hath charms to sooth the savage beast.

The Cyrillic alphabet is not nearly as daunting as most people might think. Most of the characters come from the Roman alphabet, some are pronounced the same and some differently, but they are all familiar. There are only a few completely new characters to learn. Get yourself a cheat sheet and you can learn it on your next flight over.

счастливо,

Stravinsky

[Doctor_Skank]

Dealdo:

A real shame that people stole from Pasha. Pasha is a somewhat paranoid and overly sarcastic (even to the point of bitterness) fatalist, but those "qualities" made me like him. His sense of humour is blacker than coal and really refreshing. Cant believe some assholes would actually steal from him.

His loft apartment is one of my absolute favorites and the ladies really loved its cozy atmosphere... too bad.

JQ:

the Marriotts are all girl friendly but your girl may have to register at the desk. Not a problem usually, but if your girl has no docs whatsover (i.e. tochka) she may have a problem.

Has anyone encountered problems in that regard?

Take care and happy hunting all... and I hope the picture function starts working again soon...