Life in the Gulag.

I have found Moscow to be the most vibrant, attractive, cosmopolitan, and beautiful city that I have ever visited. It is vast  and so far I have visited 10 different cities within the city. Each area is totally different with its own sub-culture but whatey all have in common is open green spaces and parks. I have , in two days, visited about 5% of the city and next year, God willing, I will visit again for two weeks to see more. Everyone is so friendly and helpful and it is full of young people who make the place buzz, with that feeling of excitement and joy that only comes with the blooming of youth and the joie de vivre that comes with it.
 The city containes 20 million of Russia's population of 74 million. Water is free, no plugs, the metro has wonderful stations and the trains are very fast and as soon as one pulls out, within 20 seconds another arrives. Freedom of speech and friendly discussions between opposites take place in the cafés , parks and bars. Everything is pristine which some like and some don't but it is the cleanest city that I have ever been in. The military are around, in small numbers, and leap to their feet on the metro to give you a seat. You get the impression that the motherland would be defended at all costs, as in the past, and the memorials remind you of the 27 million who died fighting Hitler and probably played a major part in his defeat.
 The next post on this blog will be reporting on my visit to Sankt-Peterburg/Санкт-Петербург.