Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro (subway) system is one of a kind! Bieng an Urban Planning Major in college I am a sucker for these types of things but anybody would be impressed with this system. It is the second busiest Metro system in the world and trains run about every 90 seconds. However, what is impressive is the grandeur and design. The communists did an AMAZING job when it came to building metro stations. Almost ever station (or at least all the ones built during the communist era) are decked out in white marble, gold colored chandelears and each have amazing murals that depict Russian farmers, factory workers, etc. The sound of trains, the sight of people coming and going and the royal like atmosphere make riding the metro in Moscow an experience in itself. However, all of the stations and most of the signs are in the Russian alphabet. Needless to say it was the toughest metro system we have ever had to figure out. Luckily each line is color coded and both of us learned to look at maps and then memorize how many stops we needed. Lindsay and I only spent a few days in Moscow but we rode the metro constantly…we took it everwhere! Each time we exited the train we would start looking up to see the murals and amazing decorations. If you ever find yourself in Moscow do not go home without taking the Metro at least once.

On a funny note…the system they have for letting you know that you are “exiting” through an “entrance” is hilarious. To enter the metro you slide your card past a sensor and walk through a medal entrance about waist high (similar to most metros). However, instead of reading the card and then opening up the medal entrance (like most metros) they leave the medal bars open until you scan a card that is wrong and then you get a noise that sounds like “game over” and the medal bars come crashing down to stop you in your tracks. :) One night Lindsay and I were walking out of the metro feeling incredibly good just laughing and having a good time. We failed to notice that we were “exiting” through an “entrance.” At the same time we both heard the “game over” music and were both slammed by the little medal bars. It seriously felt like someone punched me in the stomach! :) We both looked at each other and started laughing so hard. Meanwhile a man was laughing/yelling at us to go around in his thick Russian accent….Awesome! :)