Sunday, January 9, 2011

Arbat - for my "Poppa"


This blog is dedicated to my grandfather, who along with my grandmother visited Moscow a couple of decades ago, and absolutely adored the city. Before I left California I was shown photos, told stories, and given advice from my grandparents, who are my experts on traveling, since they've been so many places that I still haven't caught up to them. My grandma told me of all the lovely art museums, and national treasures, which made Poppa roll his eyes. Instead he told me, with great insistence, that if I really wanted to go see something interesting in Moscow, it had to be the "Arbat." "What is it?" I asked, since I had no clue about geography of the city, nor had I really read up on any travel guides. Just go there, he said, because after their trip he had read many books about this infamous place where all of these important people spent their time. So as much as I searched and searched for a postcard of Arbat, I couldn't find one anywhere. So Poppa, this is the next best thing. I hope it will do.

I have been to the Arbat many times. As it turns out, the first time I went to Arbat street was by accident with a friend, as we wandered around town rather lost. We poked around different souvenir shops, and walked up and down the cobble stoned pedestrian only street, and then left. It was only later, when I intentionally went to see the street did I realize that I had already been there.

Arbat street is so famous because, according to Rough Guides, "Arbat once stood for Bohemian Moscow...Narrow and cobbled with a tramline down the middle, it was the heart of a quarter where writers, actors and scientists frequented the same shops and cafes." This describes a scene in Dr Zhivago, the film, where Yuri steps on a tram, and sees Lara for the first time.... sadly I have never read the novel, so I don't know if the story really takes place on Arbat, but it wouldn't be surprising if it did.

Today Arbat street is well suited for tourists, with plenty of souvenir shops, cafes, and restaurants, such as the ever popular Hard Rock Cafe. It's a shame that there aren't as many cafes with artists hanging about, and it doesn't seem to be the place for the Bohemian life anymore.Although I'm not one for shopping, nor do I usually go to Hard Rock Cafes, I have to admit the street still has a little charm to it, since it seems to be one of the few places where cars simply cannot drive. As you walk down the cobblestones, you may not run into a lot of locals, or a lot of people in general, but it's rather peaceful and clean, and if you squint your eyes just the slightest bit, as the lights start to dim, you can almost imagine a tram car chugging along, with Doctor Zhivago, peering at Lara, the love of his life, as he hops off the tram and wanders into a cafe to write endless poetry about life, freedom, and all things that only true art can explain.

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