Before you leave to Russia, learn the Cyrillic alphabet. Part of it you already know.
Some letters are familiar but sound different, those are the hardest. Some letters are completely new.
It may take you one or two hours practice,
but it is so much fun to discover that about half of the Russian idiom can actually be understood!
You can read half of the food menu and two thirds of the drinks menu. Most shops have familiar names.
You suddenly realise that Russian is a Indo-European language,
and also that many many words are derived from Latin similarly to West-European languages.
Making yourself understood is entirely a different matter. Hardly anyone speaks even a few words English, not even at the Internet shop,
or at the Hermitage ticket office. Fortunately you can get by with makeshift sign language, like anywhere else.
And most people are very friendly and patient, but probably slightly amazed that you travel without a tour guide.
Tip 2
If you plan your visit in the second half of June, like we did, you'll be able tot witness the White Nights,
the Crimson Sail festival and other festivities. There are lots of concerts, pop, jazz, classical, some in the open air.
Tip 3
Europeans can bring euros just as well as dollars. No need to pay exchange rates twice.
Tip 4
Get your visa in time. You won't receive a visa unless you can show an official invitation.
Since this is standard practice, you can ask the hotel or travel agency to send such an invitation. No need to explain,
they do this everyday.
Tip 5
There is a free English spoken magazine, the St Petersburg Times, also available online, which is a good read. It is not a propagandistic journal,
as it expresses rather critical views on economy and politics.
Or perhaps it serves the purpose to make westerners believe the press is still independent.
No harm done as Russians don't read English.
Tip 6
You can order tickets for the Hermitage online. Within days you receive a voucher by email, which allows you to jump the queue once you are there.
home
