Hardest Part about Leaving Russia for a Week...

... is physically leaving Russia!

The Russian government and by extension many of its people are known to be quite fond of their paperwork.  I have 4 kinds of photo ids that I use at various points during a normal week, I have to carry my passport or an official copy of it at all times, we have a slip of paper proving we are registered with the city and legally allowed to be here and almost any significant piece of paper has to have an official blue stamp on it (even restaurant menus).  So it stands to reason the exiting the county can be quite a pain, and on paper it is, but……

When it came time for me to leave Moscow and begin my France adventure I knew I had quite a trek ahead of me.  Just to get to the airport I had to take the Moscow Metro for about 40 minutes, to a train station, buy a ticket (in Russian) and then take a 35 min train ride to the airport.  The Moscow Metro was crowded, but I am used to Russian metros by now so it was no big deal.  However, it still is a bit intimidating to be all alone in such a big city where I don’t speak much of the language.  I was able to get to the airport with plenty of time to spare, and check in at the Aeroflot (Russian National Carrier) desk.

Instead of just going through normal security, Russia has an impressive multi layered system to overcome.  First you have to go through exit customs (nothing to declare!), then through exit passport control (I was able to do this in Russian and the woman at the counter even complemented me on my weight loss since my passport photo was taken) and then normal airport security.  This complex process was very well facilitated, professionally run and very clean and efficient.  I am quite impressed by their level of security while still remaining polite and professional.  I have had much, much worse times in US airports.

In fact Sheremetyevo Airport is one of the best I have ever been in every category I can think of!  I guess it pays off to fly on a national carrier from the national airport; it would be the best of the best they have to offer.    Also of note: Aeroflot still uses the communist hammer and sickle in their logo!  

I leave Moscow with a bit of a sunburn (and I realize that only I could get a sunburn in Moscow in October), lots of pictures, good memories, best wishes for my friends who are now dispersing across Europe for break, and hopes that I will someday return to the Russian capital.

The flight to Paris was uneventful and the food actually quite good, they even had my favorite brand of Russian tea!  In fact I was the most linguistically equip for that flight as I think I will ever be, on board they did everything in Russian, French and English.  Also I think I may have been the only American on the flight, many very obvious Russians and obvious French but I did not hear any English or spot any of the normal signs of an American.  My plane was a new airbus with very nice seats, very friendly staff and in fact it reminds me quite a bit of a JetBlue flight (no direct TV of course but my copy of Crime and Punishment is almost as good). 

 

I arrived in Paris on time, was able to find the shuttle bus to the small domestic terminal, had to go through security again (annoying), and within an hour of touching down I was once again in the air for the short flight to Strasburg.

At the Strasbourg airport (which is literally surrounded by cornfields) I felt quite a sharp contrast from the big cities where I have been living for 2 months now.  I bought a ticket for the short train ride to the city from a machine and was the only person on the platform the whole time and the only person in my car of the train.  When I reached the lovely city of Strasburg I had only one obstacle left to overcome after a long day of traveling, to find my Mom!

And when I emerged from the station, there she was!  Despite her 5,800 flying miles east and my 1350 flying miles south-west we were in the same place at the same time!

Train Station in Strasbourg

We made the time to go out to an amazing dinner (yay duck!) and had as much time as we wanted talk about my adventures, her adventures, and news from home.  My Russian experience is now suspended for the next 6 days, but let the for unforgettable France journey to begin!  But first I have to try and remember my French from high school, keep in mind that speaking Russian does not work here, and that I have to think in Euros not Rubles.

Bonsoir (Goodnight) Strasbourg! 

Strasbourg at night

For those of you keeping score at home: today I have used the following chain of means of transport to get to from Moscow to the hotel in Strasbourg:

Metro – Train – Plane – Bus – Plane – Train – Delightfully Short Walk!