Moscow, the Largest European Capital – Part 2

And if we want to continue on the topic of culture, then we can't begin with anything else but the Bolshoi Theatre.

The Bolshoi Theatre is the best ballet theatre in the world and is located in the very centre of Moscow. It's one of those things that you need to visit at least once in your life. Depending on the location, ticket prices range from a few dozen to a few hundred euros.

Not far away is the Moscow Kremlin, where, in addition to the President's Office, there are several attractions that you can visit. The Kremlin is on the "must-visit" list, which was also approved by UNESCO, as it was included on the World Cultural Heritage List in 1990.

In front of the Kremlin on the Red Square are the mausoleum of V.I. Lenin, as well as the Saint Basil's Cathedral, which is the most recognisable symbol of Moscow. And although each of them represents a completely different ideology and worldview, they have coexisted on the Red Square for a hundred years.

But rather than getting bogged down in listing everything, here is the best selection of forty must-see sights in Moscow. Now let’s go to the second part of my article, which are the city's events.

As befits a major European city, in addition to the daily performances in Moscow's theatres and concert halls, Moscow hosts a variety of events, both large and small, throughout the year – exhibitions, concerts, open-air theatre performances, fairs, and themed events.

Larger events can last for days or even weeks and take place at multiple venues, such as the Moscow International Circle of Light Festival, which has entered the Guinness Book of Records five times for the largest projection onto a water surface, the most sparklers lit simultaneously, greatest light output, and twice for the largest projected video. However, listing all the events in Moscow would require more than a single travelogue, so I advise anyone travelling to the Russian capital to check what's going on at that time before you leave.

The celebration of Victory Day is certainly the holiday that defines not only Moscow, but many other Russian places, as the former Soviet Union paid by far the greatest blood sacrifice of all those who opposed Nazism and fascism for freedom. On this day, numerous events are held throughout Russia to commemorate this important holiday. In Moscow alone, events were held at several dozen locations in parks, squares, and streets. Throughout Moscow it was possible to meet numerous members of the Immortal Regiment, or descendants of Red Army soldiers during World War II. They carried pictures of their relatives and sang patriotic songs to honor the victims of freedom. This tradition is not only in Moscow or Russia but also takes place in many countries, including France and Indonesia.

The military parade on the Red Square is certainly the central event that marks Victory Day and is known all over the world. This year’s parade, marking the 80th anniversary of Victory, brought together marching groups from the former Soviet Union, as well as China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Egypt, and other countries. The Victory Day celebrations concluded with fireworks displays in many parts of Moscow and other places across Russia.

During the Victory Day events, Moscow has a different traffic regime, as the central part is closed due to preparations for the main event. That is why I suggest staying a few extra days if you visit Moscow for Victory Day. During the celebrations the Kremlin, Saint Basil's Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, and the State Historical Museum are closed, as the main events take place on the Red Square.

A world without weapons and hatred is probably something we all dream of, but humanity has learned absolutely nothing from all the wars in history. Last year alone, an unimaginable 2.7 trillion US dollars was spent on armaments worldwide. This is why we are in a vicious circle. Even a small percentage of this money could eradicate hunger, and if half of these funds were allocated to the development of organic agriculture, environmentally friendly energy production, healthcare, education, and culture, we would all live in prosperity and there would be no need for weapons. But unfortunately, the curse of this world is that poverty exists not because we cannot feed the poor, but because we cannot satisfy the rich.

This is exactly the thought that came to my mind when I walked through the lively streets of Moscow after the conclusion of the main event on the 80th anniversary of the victory over fascism and Nazism. And while there are several streets in Moscow that are home to restaurants, bars and shops, the most popular of them is Arbat Street, which we will talk about in the third and final part of this travelogue, among other things. To end the second part, we will stop at one very special sanctuary, which is not among the religious buildings that Moscow has no shortage of, as in addition to Orthodox churches, we can also find religious buildings of almost all world religions.

Cat cafés are those “sanctuaries” for cat lovers. In a cat café, you can only be in pleasant company. If you become attached to one of the cats, you can also adopt it! There are many such cafés around Moscow, but I went to the one called Kotofeinaja or "Котофейня". It's located in the very centre of Moscow.

There, I spoke with Ekaterina Yasmin, whose job is called the Big Cat Boss. She told the story for the Globetrotter web-magazine that they opened the first cat café in July 2016, and since then, with their help, 450 cats have found new homes. They currently have a total of 64 cats in two locations. Most are abandoned ones that they take proper care of and that can roam freely around the café until they are adopted.

Some people, especially those who cannot afford a cat at home, spend most of their day in the cat café, which costs about 15 euros during the week and 18 euros during the weekend. But the cat café can also be visited for a shorter time and of course for a lower price, which in any case includes self-service coffee, tea and free internet, so many come with computers and work in pleasant company instead of in the office. The cats also have names, among which I especially remembered Boris Ivanovich, who kept a close eye on me for most of the visit.