Other Areas

[Prosal]

Bez is right, Joe Monger-Tourist doesn't stumble into clubs like that and leave with a girl in tow...

In fact I posted the link as the owner of this club is a fellow-countryman of mine and a friend-of-a-friend with who I had diner a few weeks ago.

He's an ex-pilot retired from our national company, and now lives in Krasnodar. He first went there to work for an oligarch who owns a private jet, and then opened this huge glam disco, very trendy, in association with his ex-boss. Curiously the third associate is a black guy.

Do I need to say that Krasnodar is now on the top of my to-do list ?

[Doctor_Skank]

It's worth browsing the photo gallery of this club in Krasnodar. Lots of smokin hot brunettes.

http://www.nebesaclub.ru/foto/index.shtml

Bez is right, Joe Monger-Tourist doesn't stumble into clubs like that and leave with a girl in tow... most likely he will stumble out of the club alone and intimidated and not knowing what time of day it is... 'cause he isn't going to get it from the girls.

Those kind of clubs do demand a-game, luck and language skills.

If you got it, go for it... if not... or you simply aren't willing to work so hard, try the local unis. Girls are often more fun there anyway. You'll even find girls there who prefer fried liver to sushi and prefer beer to expensive silly cocktails.

Both types have their advantages and it's impossible to say which ones fuck better or have the better bodies. When they're naked the glam effect of clothes and jewelry is reduced to zero.

[Bez Bezarra]

It's the photo gallery of this club in Krasnodar.

You definitely DO NOT get the impression of "poor FSU girls".

Looks VERY upscale. They do not have the look of the kind of girls that would easily fuck anyone except handsome young locals boys they already know or fatcat oligarchs. Or only the most attractive russian fluent mongers with the "A" game for pulling freebies out of clubs.


They almost look like models that get shipped in for the parties, but go to any university, pick out the top 20 or 30 stunners, dress them to kill, and you don't need the models anymore.

[Prosal]

It's worth browsing the photo gallery of this club in Krasnodar. Lots of smokin hot brunettes.

http://www.nebesaclub.ru/foto/index.shtml

[Privetprivet]

No, CitiBank ZAO is a separate Russian entity and actually has no legal connection to CitiBank USA, hard to believe but true. Its quite complex but can lead to problems.

You'll have to open a Citibank ZAO USD account in Russia and do a SWIFT/IBAN transfer as normal to a Dollar denonimated transfer from your US (Citibank) account.

I have to do this all the time and it pisses me off.

To add to this, if you are spending any time in Russia, open a USD account at a local RaiffeisenBank, CitiBank or Bank Societe General etc. You will need Passport, Registration and an employers letter (usually, but you can supply something you did on your PC's laser printer). They will give you a Visa/MC debit card to use with the account.

As I said, these are not foreign branches, foreign banks even but separate Russian ZAO legal entities governed by the (ever changing) Russian Banking Code - which changes almost weekly.

Happy Hunting.

[Privetprivet]

So if I deposit $9,000 cash in my Citibank savings account in New York City, all I have to do is walk into the Citibank branch bank in Novosibirsk and show my passport and account identification, and the bank will give me my $9,000 in dollars? Just like that?

No, CitiBank ZAO is a separate Russian entity and actually has no legal connection to CitiBank USA, hard to believe but true. Its quite complex but can lead to problems.

You'll have to open a Citibank ZAO USD account in Russia and do a SWIFT/IBAN transfer as normal to a Dollar denonimated transfer from your US (Citibank) account.

I have to do this all the time and it pisses me off.

[It Travel]

Actually, knowing no Russian is a problem, but not an insurmountable one.


Also be careful not to get ripped off. To be fair, Russia is relatively safe as long as you take sensible precautions. I only got ripped off three times in seven years (all of the times I was drunk and was ripped off around $100).

Like all "advice" on this board. take it with a pinch of salt. I hate self-proclaimed experts. I'm not pretending I'm one. but I'm willing to answer any questions. (Myself I'm a Ukraine newbie so I'm also into asking questions!)

Happy Hunting.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I certainly hope that the author or somebody else will post a link to this report in the Reports of Distinction thread. Please Click Here for more information.

I totally agree with you...

In the provincial Russia you still get laid with the "taxameter" a special amount per hour, if you want one or twelve it's your business... and you usually find nice naive and inexperienced teens (the one I prefer!) you can easily get one for approx. 150 USD a night...

IT

[It Travel]

Moscow is the easiest place to change dollars and euros in the entire world, probably - it's a much better place in that respect than the UK, US or EU-12. The spread is always very tight, as many people are paid in dollars or Euros. The Euro is eclipsing the dollar as a 2nd currency for Russia - once upon a time prices were denominated in y.e. (units of equivalency) ie dollars. Now, it's usually rubles and sometimes Euros. The dollar has fallen from 32/$1 to 25.5/$1 since I arrived. The Euro has gained about 2 rubles - it's gone from 33 to 35 or so Euros.

Now I do not remember the street, but it's easy to find when you get in the Red Square from Tverskaya the first street to the left should be Nikoliskaya. If you go further the GUM entrance, at the next corner, you will find (now I do not remember if it is Vetosny pereulok or Bogojavlenskij pereoulok, exactly on the corner you will find a Change taking nearly everything, from Yen to Canadian $, to Danisk Crowns or Romanian Lei.

It's a useful place because after all my travel I have always my pockets full of small bills, put all together and get my 2.000-3.000 RUR there when I'm just walking.

By the way thier change for USD or Euros is not so good.

One of the best found is the booth well signed just in the middle of small shops between Partisanzkaya Metro and Izmailovo hotel, they even change (usually) pre 1990 USD or 500 Euro notes at really good rates, otherwise go to a Seberbank office!

IT

PS if you go in to the deep Russia you can now take Euros but get 50 and 100 bills, as for dollars mostly common are 20 and 100. Maximum important take new ones! Mind that nowdays most of the bankomats (all in Moscow!) works even with your cards! And your surcharge or change lost might be really small. In my case, with a Master Card I get a fee of 2.5 € and the official day change (as in the booths) for taking out approx 8.000-8.500 RUR.


IT

[Bez Bezarra]

Big issue for foreigners is they can't have ruble denominated accounts in Banks.

So if I deposit $9,000 cash in my Citibank savings account in New York City, all I have to do is walk into the Citibank branch bank in Novosibirsk and show my passport and account identification, and the bank will give me my $9,000 in dollars? Just like that?

[Privetprivet]

Moscow is the easiest place to change dollars and euros in the entire world, probably - it's a much better place in that respect than the UK, US or EU-12. The spread is always very tight, as many people are paid in dollars or Euros. The Euro is eclipsing the dollar as a 2nd currency for Russia - once upon a time prices were denominated in y.e. (units of equivalency) ie dollars. Now, it's usually rubles and sometimes Euros. The dollar has fallen from 32/$1 to 25.5/$1 since I arrived. The Euro has gained about 2 rubles - it's gone from 33 to 35 or so Euros.

Actually dollars are universally accepted in Russia, and when they aren't (most shops and hotels) they usually point you to an official (or unofficial) changer.

Your problem may be with earlier USD notes of course, or defaced or torn notes. They aren't welcome anywhere although sperbank will change them (for a few % less).

In Moscow (and elsewhere) you are often penalised for changing less than 100 USD with a percentage - look at the small print.

As for exchanges in Moscow its best to shop around. For example with the 5-6 exchanges in Taganskaya (Central'ish Moscow) the difference can be amazing - even exchanges 1 minute apart (thats Russian logic for you). This may of course also to do with Money Laundering (too complex to discuss here and not relevent).

As for the Euro being more accepted than the Dollar. The Dollar is still King. Although the Ruble is accepted far more readily anywhere in Russia than either the Dollar or Euro.

Big issue for foreigners is they can't have ruble denominated accounts in Banks. That always annoys me

[Blaked]

Yes Bez it's true

In 2003 in provincial Russia it was even nearly impossible to even change €!

By the way I must say that always I go around with roubles! An pay every body with roubles everywhere outside Moscow.

IT

Moscow is the easiest place to change dollars and euros in the entire world, probably - it's a much better place in that respect than the UK, US or EU-12. The spread is always very tight, as many people are paid in dollars or Euros. The Euro is eclipsing the dollar as a 2nd currency for Russia - once upon a time prices were denominated in y.e. (units of equivalency) ie dollars. Now, it's usually rubles and sometimes Euros. The dollar has fallen from 32/$1 to 25.5/$1 since I arrived. The Euro has gained about 2 rubles - it's gone from 33 to 35 or so Euros.

[Privetprivet]

Actually, knowing no Russian is a problem, but not an insurmountable one.

I first went to Russia in 1999 (Moscow), and eventually worked in Moscow and all over the CIS for six years, accumulating in learning decent(ish) Russian and traveling to probably 20-30 cities/towns, from Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Nizhny Novgorod thru to hellish backwater towns in the middle of Uzbekistan. I know Russia probably as well as any expat, and likely a hell of a lot better. Not out of choice in many cases as my company (large US) sent me to many provincial hellholes all over.

Moscow is a no brainer. I mean with the Boar House (sadly declined considerably since its heyday in 1999/2000 and now a shadow of its former self), through PJ's, Karma/Buddha, RMCoys (actually not easy to pickup in here as its way too small), NF and Prop etc etc its easy to get laid, whether for cash or for free, without a single word of Russian. Rates? BH (when it was known as Chesterfields, as indeed it is still known by some Ho's) it was $50/75/100 max. Now... $100-150. Its a crazy spiral upwards and the girls have gone from 7-9's down to 6-7's. The old days are over. You still have O'Leary of course on the bar corner... he will no doubt give you some advice (nice chap). You can even pick up hotties in a McD's if you have a little Russian. Actually thats only if they don't speak English (and many do of course). Russia is still great.. but the days of the "Great White God" factor and VJ and the Shah (even the exile has gone downhill mega).

Met the most beautiful girl in the World in Tula in April 2003 (just outside of Moscow) - she was a 10. And impossible to lay. Cest la vie. But I may even go back just to locate her! Been meaning to.

Back to the main topic. I know Expats (Americans/Germans/etc) who have ventured to shitholes outside of Moscow and managed to get laid with four words of Russian every expat knows (nyet, da, spasiba, piva). Like many of these places, opportunities open up simply by speaking to the Barman/taxi Driver or whoever you find who can speak a few words of English.

My mate got laid three times for free in Volgograd, and twice in Kaliningrad (both weekend jaunts) and he's fugly as hell (f****** ugly) with NO Russian. BUT he's like a mini cash machine and he's NOT Russian (thats what counts in many cases). In Russia you often find yourself hooking up with the oddest of people in the oddest of circumstances. People really want to communicate. And women want to get laid. Money/Prostitiution is a hazy grey area in Russia like many other places. Take it as you find it. But take a laid back approach and you'll find others do to. If you come across as a sex starved asshole you'll part with a few ben frankilins pronto (and you may have got laid for free).

Don't let your lack of Russian deter you from visiting the provinces. However one piece of advice I advise STRONGLY (for Moscow as well) is to learn Cyrillic (it's easy) so at least you can read menus/signs etc. They are rarely in English esp. outside Moscow. Most expats in Moscow know little Russian and rarely venture outside the Rosinter chain (PP know El Patio, Rostiks, ABG etc where English is available) and the expat bars. So they are somewhat lost in the Provinces

Also be careful not to get ripped off. To be fair, Russia is relatively safe as long as you take sensible precautions. I only got ripped off three times in seven years (all of the times I was drunk and was ripped off around $100).

Like all "advice" on this board. take it with a pinch of salt. I hate self-proclaimed experts. I'm not pretending I'm one. but I'm willing to answer any questions. (Myself I'm a Ukraine newbie so I'm also into asking questions!)

Happy Hunting.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I certainly hope that the author or somebody else will post a link to this report in the Reports of Distinction thread. Please Click Here for more information.

[Mindighet Lechat]

This will be my first ever visit to Russia, I am as excited as a kid before Xmas. A business trip is bringing me to Ekaterinburg. I have RTTF'd a bit but haven't found much about this city (may be I didn't look properly but couldn't find a report less than 1 year old).

Any place/club interesting to visit? I will be staying at tha Atrium Palace Hotel, which seems to be the best hotel in town. Any action at the bar?

I don't speak Russian (I'll have a beginner's book with me, that's it), so I guess it won't be that easy. I will be in Moscow the next day (one evening only) so hopefully if I can't' strike a deal in Ekaterinburg I'll have more opportunities in Moscow. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Mindighet Lechat

[Bez Bezarra]

My company is posting me on Sakhalin.

Any travel routes from Europe

Its cheaper from Khabarovsk, only $26.
(+7000 miles closer)

[Captain Fire]

My company is posting me on a temp basis to Sakhalin. I know its a long way north and east, but anyone have any ideas or info on action there. Some guysI have talked to say its heaven as a lot of the workforce are Russian women. Also any info on travel routes from Europe or North America/
Thanks
Cap