M-whY

"Leningradskaya Station. Train number 002. Leaving at 23:55. Carriage number three, bed number 27," she said, translating all the essential bits of my ticket for me. "Take the Metro, the red line to Komsomolskaya." Somewhat familiar with the Moscow Metro now, I managed to get there without any detours. I even recognized the sign for 'Exit to the city': An uppercase 'B' followed by a lowercase 'b' followed by a bunch of letters/symbols, a single letter word composed of an uppercase 'B', and a third word composed of a bunch more letters/symbols. (At this point, that's how I was reading Russian.) Finding Leningradskaya Station would be a little more difficult. There were actually three train stations outside the Komsomolskaya Metro. How would I find the right one? More pattern matching of course.

I couldn't recall what the Cyrillic equivalent for 'L' was, but I knew 'E' was the same in both alphabets, and 'N' looked like an uppercase 'H'. So my plan was to look for a building labeled with 'EH' as the second and third letters. The system worked; I spotted the pattern across the street. Taking note for future reference that an 'L' looked like an upside down uppercase 'V', I went inside to look for the left luggage room. Again, signs in english were scarce, and I couldn't just look for two words both beginning with upside down 'V's; 'Left Luggage' doesn't translate the same way proper names do. I searched for pictures instead, and spied a suitcase icon with an arrow leading down the stairs into the basement. The man at the counter said something - I figured he either wanted to see my ticket or ID - so I showed him my train pass. Satisfied, he took my backpack and money, and handed me a claim ticket. Not knowing the language is a pain in the ass, but see? It's still possible to manage.

Relieved of 10 kilos - that's how much my backpack weighed the last time I checked - it was time to go sight seeing. It was a nice day outside, but today's main highlight would be underground: I wanted to explore the Moscow Metro in detail. That may sound a bit unusual, until you read that the system is probably the best in the world. The stations themselves are a marvel; Two of them are supposed be on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The best, or so I've heard, are located on the ring line, which Komsomolskaya was a part of.

Lighted by huge chandeliers and adorned with ceiling frescoes, it had to be one of the two UNESCO sites. I hopped on one of the trains passing by - it didn't matter which direction I went. As the name implies, the ring line just makes a big loop. Other stations may not have been as ornate as Komsomolskaya, but each was different with its own characteristics. Stained glass decorations in one, elaborate murals in the next, marble carvings of historical events and people in others. Square and rounded archways, unique chandeliers and torches. Perhaps the one thing they all had in common? The 'Exit to the city' sign.

There are twelve stations on the ring line; I stopped at them all. Afterwards, I returned to the Red Square to have my photo taken in front of St Basil's again, then sort of squandered away the rest of the afternoon in parks, internet cafes, and the post office.

Remember that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie where the villain discovers their sewer hideout? The one where they're forced to move and come upon a deserted railway station, which they colonize and make their home before heading out to kick some butt? (It's okay if you don't. You'd probably have to have been the right age at the right time to have seen it.) I can just imagine, years from now, after a nuclear World War III, a bunch of oversized shellbacks stumble upon one of these stations abandoned, and celebrate by shouting 'Cowabunga!' and ordering some pizza. Which, by the way, is written with what looks like the mathematical symbol for pi, a backwards uppercase 'N', two symbols that look like big lowercase 'u's, and the an uppercase 'A'.

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