I was so excited when I received the email that I had a gift waiting for me from American Airlines. What could it be?
I logged in.
I clicked. 
I found. 
I received this.
My miles were set to expire in May 2021 so I’ll take this over buying a magazine subscription. Alternatively, AA could get rid of the pointless policy of having my points expire.
Year 3 of Turkey Running is in the books and each year I improve (see Puerto Rico Turkey Run: TPOL Wins, Then Trolls & Cyberbully? TPOL’s Puerto Rico Turkey Trot (2nd Edition)). My nemesis from year 1 didn’t join me and it’s a good thing he didn’t (see No Turkey Trot This Year, But Still Thankful for Trolling). Despite technical difficulties, namely my shoelaces breaking before the race starting and my failure to load my music on my Garmin, I did tie my pace from last year of 7:57/mile. This is noteworthy because TPOL’s home course of Rio Mar includes a steep hill that is one mile long.
I’m getting used to this COVID lifestyle. I don’t know if I’m ready to leave the basement (see Punxsutawney TPOL). Looks like those dirty Dems have tricked me into accepting lockdown. Isolation aside, I’m also getting used to not blogging while I’m on vacation, even if it is in my backyard (see TPOL’s Vacation Post Policy). Besides this year almost being over, I’m thankful that Michigan won’t lose to Ohio State this weekend, a tradition as consistent as my Lions (see A Lions Thanksgiving: Football at Ford Field).
I’ll be back sometime next week.
Happy Thanksgiving,
TPOL
One more month to go and this shit may be over (see Give Me the Vaccine And Put Me on a 737 MAX). I’ve tried to be upbeat but enough already. The best thing to come out of this month was the election results, no doubt thanks to TPOL’s Endorsement. Second to that are these posts:
Moscow Travel Guide is part of the Quest Around the Globe Trip Report.
TPOL’s Guns & Butter Travel Guide is the best way to see as much as you can in as little time as possible. Here’s how it works – A trip is composed of two factors: Labor And Lazy. The opportunity cost (what is given up) for relaxing and being Lazy is gained by being adventurous in the form of Labor and vice versa. The guide includes inefficient activities i.e., tourist traps that should be avoided and aspirational activities that are worth doing but may be impossible to see given the constraints of time and resources.
Who doesn’t want to go to Moscow? It ranks #7 on the list of TPOL’s Best Cities in the World. Here’s what I did there:
Wander the Streets
When I arrived in Moscow, I expected it to be dark and gloomy with ugly buildings like Mongolia. I found the opposite. The streets were wide, the buildings were beautiful, and the city was inviting.
The Kremlin
I came here to see the Kremlin (see Red Square: The Best Photo Op If You Can Handle the Drama). It’s surreal.
The Metro
Another surprise was the metro. It was A Living Museum.
Eat
My first night I went to Cafe Pushkin, a Moscow institution, and ordered Russian classics (though there is a debate about who can claim borscht).
The second night I went to Bolshoi for caviar and rabbit.
From meal to meal, I stopped at various restaurants and cafes for espresso, burgers, and sushi.
TPOL’s TIP: Bosco is located at Red Square, 3, Moscow, Russia, 109012. It has no affiliation with George Costanza.
TPOL’s TIP: Bar BQ Cafe is located at ulitsa Pyatnitskaya 25 стр1д, Moscow, Russia, 115035 and is open 24 hours.
Drink
As expected there are many pubs along the pedestrian streets. Stop wherever you see fit.
I did go to the Hotel Peking for a rooftop bar. I’ll never understand the fascination with rooftop bars. I was good for a few photos and then it was time to move on.
TPOL’s TIP: Hotel Peking is located at Bol’shaya Sadovaya Ulitsa, 5, Moscow, Russia, 123001.
Avoid
It was a Wednesday night and I couldn’t believe that there were no bars open. I settled for the international tourist trap of buddha-bar. In fairness, they made good cocktails.
Double Avoid
Avoid the man in the pedestrian street who has chickens and asks if you want to take a picture. If you refuse to pay, he threatens to have sex in your mouth. Erasing the photo also works.
Sleep
While I was curious as to how Moscow would look like in person, I was confident that my hotel choices would be up to international standards. Both the Park Hyatt and St. Regis exceeded my expectations.
Leave
It was time to go to St. Petersburg, the sixth-best city in the world. I took the train to get there.
Overall
Moscow did not disappoint. I will return when my Russian improves (see TPOL The Polyglot: How To Learn Multiple Languages) and stay for weeks on end in order to see much more.
Moscow Travel Guide is part of the Quest Around the Globe Trip Report.
I’ve been everywhere. You’ve been everywhere. I’m not going anywhere. You’re not going anywhere. Let’s do this like SportsCenter and rank the best cities I’ve visited out of the 100 largest cities in the world.
But first, here is a list of the biggest cities I have not visited. There aren’t any on there that I am especially interested in visiting besides Baghdad (see I Don’t Want to Visit Every Country). Also, going to the airport doesn’t count.
6. Dhaka, Bangladesh
9. Mumbai, India
11. Karachi, Pakistan
12. Congquin, China
15. Kolkata, India
16. Lagos, Nigeria
17. Kinshasa, Congo
18. Manila, Philippines
19. Tianjin, China
22. Lahore, Pakistan
25. Bangalore, India
27. Bogota, Colombia
28. Chennai, India
32. Hyderabad, India
34. Nagoya, Japan
37. Tehran, Iran
41. Luanda, Angola
43. Ahmadabad, India
48. Dongguan, China
49. Foshan, China
50. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
51. Shenyang, China
52. Surat, India
53. Baghdad, Iraq
54. Suzhou, China
57. Pune, India
59. Harbin, China
61. Belo Horizonte, Brazil
65. Quingdao, China
66. Dailan, China
67. Fukuoka, Japan
70. Ji Nan, China
72. Zhengzhou, China
73. Alexandria, Egypt
74. Abidjan, Ivory Coast
76. Ankara, Turkey
77. Chittagong, Bangladesh
84. Brazilia, Brazil
86. Jeddah, Saudi Arabic
87. Changsha, China
88. Kunming, China
89. Changchun, China
90. Xinbei, Taiwan
91. Urumqi, China
92. Shantou, China
94. Hefei, China
95. Kabul, Afghanistan
98. Porto Alegre, Brazil
99. Recife, Brazil
100. Ningbo, China
Now for the places that I have visited. I have them in order of my split-second reaction of what memories came to mind from each place. Click to see what I did when I was there.
I’m sure everyone agrees with this exact order. If no, tell me your top ten.
Zoom Again is part of the Covid Trip Report.
Covid has taken away our right to privacy. And I’m not talking about lockdowns (see Puerto Rico’s Coronavirus Crackdown: Justified Or Unconstitutional?). I’m talking, once again, about Zoom calls. Recall how great life was when phone calls were replaced by emails? And how phone calls were only used in case of emergency? Now, inexplicably, matters that had to be handled by an annoying phone conversation are needlessly conducted over Zoom. This intrusion means that I have to actually wear clothes (see Let’s Zoom Naked), be in a locale that somewhat resembles an office, and appear as if I have an interest in what we are discussing.
While I understand that many people are lonely during this time and need some human interaction, that is not the case for all of us. One day we will go back to traveling, we won’t want to Zoom from Yangon, and we will regret making it normal to do so.
#STOPTHESTEAL of my purposeful isolation. Social distancing applies digitally as well.
Vaccine is part of the Covid Trip Report which hopefully ends soon leading to the Punxsutawney TPOL Trip Report.
The world is upside down, plagued by conspiracy theories purported by a troll and his minions (see Social Distance Yourself from Misinformation). On the one hand, they say that everything that the government is involved in is corrupt. On the other, they laud Operation Warp Speed for finding a vaccine for a virus that was a ‘complete hoax.’ On the one hand, they say that the heads of government agencies are working to undermine America. On the other, they say that we should trust the FAA who says that the 737 MAX is safe to fly.
So which one is it?
I’m going with blind trust even if it leaves me blind or dead by sticking my arm out for the vaccine as soon as it becomes available en route to the airport to fly on the first 737 MAX out of here, hopefully bound for a carnival celebration with tens of thousands of people somewhere (see Recap: Trinidad Carnival (Good), Injured (Bad), 737-Max (Worse), Home (Safe)).
The alternative is to remain in my basement, watching the never-ending drama of power-hungry politicians and pundits preach on how who should run my life. No thank you.
No Turkey Trot is part of the TPOL Moves to PR Trip Report and The Covid Trip Report.
For two years, TPOL has been dominating the competition at the Turkey Trot race in Puerto Rico. In year one, I held off last-second competition (see Puerto Rico Turkey Run: TPOL Wins, Then Trolls). In year two, I requested a rematch but was not given one (see Cyberbully? TPOL’s Puerto Rico Turkey Trot (2nd Edition)). Year 3, Covid has entered our lives and the Turkey Trot has been canceled. That has not stopped me from trolling my nemesis by inviting him to Rio Mar for a one-on-one race. As far as safety goes, no mask is required as there will be plenty of social distancing as I leave him and anyone else who shows up in the dust. The starting gun goes off at 6AM. Will you be here?
Moscow St. Petersburg Train is part of the Quest Around the Globe Trip Report.
Take the last train to Clarksville. Take the first train to St. Petersburg.
With St. Petersburg the next stop on the trip, the choice was either to fly or take the train. TPOL loves trains (see The Great Train Adventure to Machu Picchu & The Oriental Express to Chiang Rai) and hates airports and taxis (see “Taxi my friend?” The Worst Places to Hail a Cab). With the help of the St. Regis Moscow, I had tickets for the four-hour journey.
TPOL’s TIP: Booking through the hotel is advisable to make sure payment is accepted and to secure a time in advance.
TPOL’s TIP: The other option is to take an 8-hour overnight sleeper train which would save you the cost of a hotel night’s stay.
