My dear Russian Insiders. Let me describe my recent visit to Moscow.

I did not visit Moscow since I left 26 years ago. The difference is breathtaking.

The old familiar buildings are beautifully renovated. All historical places are taking great care. New buildings are huge and done with great design. Big difference with grey boxes being built in Manhattan. The city is very clean. I used subway a lot and let me tell you, each station stop is a palace. My eyes were pleased by subway crowd. People dress very nice and very friendly. I asked directions many times and always had polite response. More that once I saw young guys gave up their sitting places to older people, me included. I was so surprised that responded with “Thanks” instead of  “Spasibo”.

I cannot tell anything about prices because I was hosted and fed by my relative, but food shop stands were full of products. I was following my relative instructions to hide my American origins and do not flown dollars. In a bus station when I asked how to use tickets machine few men looked at me with strong suspicion as I am an Ukrainian spy. One of them said “You have strange accent”. Before further questions I quickly disappeared from their eyes.

My childhood friend Victor took me to Pushkin Theater for Shakespeare play.

The actors were dressed into modern attire and in one of the scenes the male actor appeared totally nude, just covering his  main assets with the hand probably copying Smith Jared scene  from “Sex in the City”.

After theater we passed  magnificent concert halls and theaters and newly build spectacular malls. The boulevard circle was decorated with great sense of beauty for the holidays. Very impressive restaurants on each corner for any imaginable theme and  native food from Jewish to Tatar. The only one I visited was chain “Shokoladnitsa” recommended by my son Michael. It cost me only few dollars for very tasty blini with poppy seeds and coffee.

My next destination was new Jewish museum Tolerantnost. Its very modern with digital exhibitions. The only surprise that they left off information about  rabbis of soviet period such as  Adolf Shayevich  and my brother Yefim Levitis.

My sorrow that I left such an amazing country was cut off when I visited Vostriakovskoe Cemetery to check graves of my mother and grandmother with my friend Victor. I observed the whole line of huge monuments in a main path mostly for young Jewish men, as my friend Victor said “Mafia alley”. As I passed the Mafia monuments about fifteen young guys (boeviki)  prayed together in front of one them. We overheard conversation that this monument was for three young guys who were executed at the same time with machine guns one year ago.

With sadness I saw the monument for famous actor and comedian Yan Arlazorov, who lived across our apartment  and back in the days didn’t pass my mother’s exam as marriage material as she  didn’t trust people from entertainment industry.

I should mention my very pleasant experience with Russian Transaero company which I used during my travel. On a top of very cheap price (I paid $609 for my overall trip) service is great. The crew consisted of pretty slim girls and handsome guys in a very nice uniforms in red and blue combinations. Girls had tasteful small scarf around the neck. During each trip through Moscow and Israel I was served hot   meals three times with Russian pastries and chocolate. Crew were running back and forth the aisle giving attention to each passenger.

The overall experience was very positive to visit this great country and to meet my dear relatives and friends after so many years.

By Eva Levitis