There's little space left for romanticism in Moscow

[htpcl]

Hey, ma'fellow credulous fanfolk critically-thinking peeps! I saw this in a recent post in a local BG forum around here (rough translation): "Every Slav should see Moscow once in their lifetime, and feel proud and awed with the Slavic spirit of greatness that has endured through the centuries around the Russian places, and continues to flourish to

Comments

[luzribeiro]

So basically it's like one helluva big-ass Detroit, only with churches looking like piles of candy.

[htpcl]

That made me curious, so I checked for a parallel. See, Detroit it America's 19th biggest city. Its equivalent in Russia should be Tolyatti. Fine, let's look at Tolyatti. Click! And what do I see?

A concrete jungle, with a church looking like a pile of candy smack in the middle. :-)

[luzribeiro]

Ain't I a psychic?

[luvdovz]

There's one more significant parallel between the two. Both Detroit and Tolyatti are centers of the automobile industry. And both have suffered because of that one-trick-pony profile of theirs.

[nairiporter]

You haven't been to the Bronx, I take it. I haven't either, I have only seen pictures. But I have been to Alexandra in Joburg or Khayelitsha in my town. Let's hope you don't have that sort of poverty anywhere near your place.

[htpcl]

Nah, we only have Stolipinovo in my city.

[abomvubuso]

Good point.

[danieldemarko]

Just a quick search in google, I find thousands of article that Moscow is one of the top beautiful capitals in the world. Why is that?

[ddstory]

Were those, by any chance, articles at websites ending with .ru? ;)

[htpcl]

[danieldemarko]

I hope you know how to ask google. :-) 1s.

[airiefairie]

Then what is your reason for falling in love with Moscow?

[htpcl]

Not just Moscow, Russia in more general. Well, it's distinctive in some quaint way. The Russians are an odd flock, in a sort of bluff, yet down-to-earth way. It's hard to explain, but there's some sense of spirituality in them, even if it's mixed with vulgarity - perhaps imposed by the living circumstances, or the cultural and historical baggage.

I guess I'm sounding too incoherent at this point. Sorry.

[airiefairie]

Not necessarily. I think I know what you are talking about.