Moscow

[QUOTE=Jake993;1430953]Ease up there Strav. Go easy on the lad. He's new![/QUOTE]Discipline, Jake, discipline... :)

Thanks for the details on Angels, I know it's very mundane stuff for you, but for the guys who are reading this and planning their first trip to Moscow, it's good info for them to have. Particularly for the ones who can barely say,"spahseebah"

In the immortal words of Gen. McArthur,"...I shall return". And he did... :)

[QUOTE=FDHarry;1430722]Hope that helps![/QUOTE]FD,

Thanks for the info. Don't be a stranger, it will be interesting to hear the impressions of someone living in Moscow for the first time.

всего доброго

[QUOTE=Jake993;1430953]1,000 to get in and sit at the bar.a table on the lower level it will cost you 2500 rubles per person.If you want one of the semi private lounges or "loge" as they call it, you must pay 4, 000 rubles RENT.table dance they will tell you 500 rubles.Private dance is 1, 000 but I tend to think private dance is a waste of money, but that's just me.FD is correct, a girl and a room will cost you 17, 000 rubles[/QUOTE]Fuck, I'm going to spend a fortune in Moscow.

[QUOTE=Stravinsky; 1431016]FD,

Thanks for the info. Don't be a stranger, it will be interesting to hear the impressions of someone living in Moscow for the first time.

&1074; &1089; &1077; &1075; &1086; &1076; &1086; &1073; &1088; &1086; &1075; &1086; [/QUOTE]I won't be. I got a lot out of these forums, so happy to give back!

I'm going to try to test out a sauna one of these days. Jake, any recommendations of the best way to do this? Looking for a place relatively close to Angels, but I can just go to any sauna and ask for devushka?

[QUOTE=YummyPL;1431053]Fuck, I'm going to spend a fortune in Moscow.[/QUOTE]If you don't speak Russian, then yes, no other city in the world will make a rich man feel as humble as Moscow will.

Of course, if you can speak a little Russian, then it's sort of like walking through the looking glass into wonderland.

Any suggestions on pre-paid mobile phone provider that will have a nano sim card and is good for data and voice for short term? I do not need to call outside of Russia.

I will be close to Smolenskay if anyone knows the location of a specific store that can help me.

Yummy,

You might try Евросеть. They are not a phone company, they are a retail store, but they sell phones and can register you for mobile service. You can also pay for extra time on your phone at their stores, when you run out.

Their stores are all over Moscow, and you may see a Евросеть kiosk at the airport where you arrive. If you have time, it's possible that you could activate your new local phone service right there at the airport, before you arrive in the city.

If you Google Евросеть москва, you can get a map of all their locations in Moscow.

An info to Yummy which is also a question: I bought a Megafon SIM, prepaid or rechargeable, I don't know how to call it, which I used only to call Russian numbers (guess whose, LOL!). One day a friend of mine called me on this RUSSIAN number FROM OUR COUNTRY. Well, he fucked my credit! So, in warning about this, which can be an annoying and disappointing problem, I'd like to know how is it possible. Russians don't (or would better not) answer calls from abroad?

Megafon, MTS, and Beeline are probably the three biggest and most popular. Telstar or something that begins "Tel" is the cheapest prepay phone most commonly used in Russia. It's very popular in Petersburg, but I'm not sure about Moscow. Megafon is the most expensive, has the best coverage, best roaming. Russians generally use Skype to make international phone calls, although if you have a monthly plan you can get good rates for international calls. If you have prepay, though, don't answer international calls. Reps selling all of these SIMs are all over the place: streets, metro, shops, even grocery markets. Really. You can't hardly walk in Moscow or StPb without tripping over them.

And all may or may not have international roaming set up on them. When I bought my Megafon SIM a while back, it was not set up for international roaming and I had to find a Megafon outlet and sign an additional form, show my passport, etc to get it turned on. Didn't cost anything extra, but it took some time to get it done. On Magafon, international calling and sending international SMS is also expensive, with prepay.

Also, if, for example, you buy a Megafon sim, put money on it in a Megafon store (they are all over the place). The machines in Megafon stores don't charge a commission, just as the machines in MTS stores don't charge a commission, etc. If you use a machine on the street or metro buyer beware. Some of them have outrageous commissions, as much as 50% depending on how much you put on your phone, and the machines have different commissions, with the info in Russian.

If you have a friend with a Russian bank account, he or she can also usually put money on your phone for you thru the bank, again, with no commission.

And on a final note, once you have your Russian SIM, you can look forward to receiving Russian advertisements: as you use your phone, and give out your number to Taxi services, etc, it will get put on lists and you will start receiving SMS ads for Taxis, clubs, fitness clubs, etc. I mention this because of the anticipation we somethings have for a SMS from that girl we sent a SMS too. We are waiting for her to write back. Waiting. SMS alarm. And. Disappointment. It's an ad for a Taxi discount.

[QUOTE=Skwiskwis; 1432057]. Reps selling all of these SIMs are all over the place: streets, metro, shops, even grocery markets. Really. You can't hardly walk in Moscow or StPb without tripping over them.

I had to find a Megafon outlet and sign an additional form, show my passport, etc to get it turned on. If you use a machine on the street or metro buyer beware. Some of them have outrageous commissions, as much as 50% depending on how much you put on your phone, and the machines have different commissions, with the info in Russian.

If you have a friend with a Russian bank account, he or she can also usually put money on your phone for you thru the bank, again, with no commission.[/QUOTE]Actually I never noticed any reps, nor in Moscow nor in Pete, but probably I was too busy finding my ways.

But what kind of SIMs would they give you? Used ones? As far as I know you are supposed to give passport to get a SIM.

I was charged 7 rubles out of 50 and 9 out of 100 when recharging, obviously without advice, and the machines had the english option, they just didn't mention commissions. Once I recharged through my own ATM card and paid no commission, also back home I didn't get any surcharge (yet).

Anyway this thing of charging the russians receiving an international call is absurd, an injustice. What if one doesn't watch before answering, because he's busy or just touches the answering button unvoluntarily? Also, for "business" girls, you may want to call them for a booking or for infos before leaving from your country. If they don't answer you may not go to them, if they do answer they'll spend money for a guy who may not become a customer.

What I mean is each of the mobile provides have little stands, not really kiosks, with some rep (they look like they are in university) selling SIMs. When you are in the airport arrival area you can see them, on the streets, in markets, metro, etc. They work for the mobile providers. Each of their little stands will have the logo of the provider on it, and they sell official SIMs. You have to show your passport, etc. And then there are lots of little official shops all over the place as well, where they sell mobile phones, computer accessories, and SIMs. And have the machines for adding money. Oh, and the last time I looked, you can buy a Megafon SIM on ebay from a Moscow business. He registers it, checks it out, and puts some money on it (30 rubles I think). It's also worth mentioning that if you take your Moscow SIM and travel in Russia your rates will change. Your Moscow rates are for Moscow region only.

[QUOTE=EastGoing; 1432105]Actually I never noticed any reps, nor in Moscow nor in Pete, but probably I was too busy finding my ways.

But what kind of SIMs would they give you? Used ones? As far as I know you are supposed to give passport to get a SIM.

I was charged 7 rubles out of 50 and 9 out of 100 when recharging, obviously without advice, and the machines had the english option, they just didn't mention commissions. Once I recharged through my own ATM card and paid no commission, also back home I didn't get any surcharge (yet).

Anyway this thing of charging the russians receiving an international call is absurd, an injustice. What if one doesn't watch before answering, because he's busy or just touches the answering button unvoluntarily? Also, for "business" girls, you may want to call them for a booking or for infos before leaving from your country. If they don't answer you may not go to them, if they do answer they'll spend money for a guy who may not become a customer.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Skwiskwis; 1432110]you can buy a Megafon SIM / QUOTE]Hi Skwiskwis,

Do you know they have micro-SIMs in Metafon stores? (or MTS stores for that matter)

[QUOTE=Prosal;1432121]Do you know they have micro-SIMs in Metafon stores? (or MTS stores for that matter)[/QUOTE]It doesn't matter anyhow. You can cut it down to size. The physical contacts (the gold part of the SIM) are the same size for all SIM cards.

TT

Yes, if you go to one of the Megafon, MTS, etc shops they have all of the SIMs. And if you buy one and need to change it later just take it into any of the appropriate shops and they will do their magic and make the one you need.

[QUOTE=Prosal; 1432121]

[QUOTE=Skwiskwis; 1432110]you can buy a Megafon SIM / QUOTE]Hi Skwiskwis,

Do you know they have micro-SIMs in Metafon stores? (or MTS stores for that matter) [/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=The Tanuki; 1432218]It doesn't matter anyhow. You can cut it down to size. The physical contacts (the gold part of the SIM) are the same size for all SIM cards.

TT[/QUOTE]Thanks guys. Sorry, I posted a bit drunk, and in fact I meaned "nano-SIM". Yeah, of course it is possible to cut a SIM into a micro-SIM, but the nano-SIM is thinner than the micro-SIM, and I don't know if a nano-SIM tray can accept the (cutted) micro-SIM's thickness. Anyway, Skwis answered my question ie that stores do have micro-SIMs, and also a priori nano-SIMs.