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Zatkriti! Everything is closed in Russia!

Way to Russia Talk Lounge Forum Index -> Russian Contexts, Myths and Truths

Author	Message
dc197 Frequent Guest Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 14	Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 6:16 pm    Post subject: Zatkriti! Everything is closed in Russia! Hi Wanted to get peoples thoughts on a frustrating issue I discovered recently in Russia. Closed. Everything seems to be closed! Well, I say everything, that is unfair, but a lot of things were closed. For example, the most famous theatre in the world, the thing I was looking forward to the most, the Bolshoi. Closed for the season. As was the Tchaikovski concert hall. This restaurant, that museum, this exhibition, that hotel.... CLOSED! Red Square. Closed. Lenin's tomb. Closed. I visited twice, on the first day , thursday, it closd at 1pm. WHY?!? He's not even in it anymore! So I cam back on the Sunday in good time before it closed again at 1pm. At 12:45 they stopped admitting visitors. Closed until Tues. WHY? Can anyone tell me why so many things - tourist attractions and other items that I was willing to pay to see/do/enjoy - were closed? It's no way to run a tourism industry. Other than that I loved Russia, you have a great country. Regards Daniel
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Goga Just Starting Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Posts: 8	Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 4:50 pm    Post subject: Closed Because.... places are closed because its either a holiday, or you wewre not paying attention to shedules. people dont just live to server you, they got other things to do, its not about business as you mentioned, its about having a life outside the work you do
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dc197 Frequent Guest Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 14	Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 5:17 pm    Post subject: I appreciate that not everyone is there to serve me, of course. However as a tourist, the Russian tourism industry IS there to serve me, frankly. You are right, I should have checked in advance that the Bolshoi would not be closed before I visited. However theatres closing for the season is not something we are used to and it did not cross my mind to think of it. And really, "for the season"? The summer is high season! For some things, as you can see in my original post, I DID observe the schedule, like Lenin's tomb for example. They did not not stick to it and closed early. Very frustrating. Here's another example of them not obeying the schedules: the queue at Lenengradskii station. I DID observe the signs that said this desk will take breaks during the followings times.... however the woman behind the desk took a 30minute unscheduled break; which pissed off not only me but locals too. For other things, there were no schedules or holidays relevant: for example, I wanted to see some of the exhibits of British art in the Hermitage. These rooms were inexplicably closed. Daniel
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Goga Just Starting Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Posts: 8	Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 5:37 pm    Post subject: remember, its also about the workers. this 30 min thing goes back to the soviet system, when i was younger the worker (any and EVRY employee) is basically in a higher status then a customer, because a customer (in realtime) is in a way a non-employee. because 'all workers unite' a worker deservers to jsut pick up and go to take care of whatever he needs to do, its not uncommon to leave ur work for personal reason and take care of personal usiness, this also can be underlined by the time it takes to do anyhting due to bureaucracy. one explanation i give to english-born and non natives of russia is this in russia all things like theaters and museums are usually government run, similar to public service. an analogy to that would be a high-way (freeway iin america) they do not tell you when they will close the road to do maintenance, hence they can close museum, theater for any reason they want. its not a business. you are thinking of places in usa, uk, etc that try to sell u food and souveneirs at or near a museum >> thats a business, and they will usually try to keep a schedule. as a russian, i worked in usa and people were astonished by my work ethics i still take off to do what needs to get done. jsut like when i am back in russia. as for rooms closed in museum, if you are a regular museum visitor you should know that museum rooms sometimes need to be maintained, etc. i do agree (on some level) that notifications should be available , questions is to who and where? notifying anyone is a costly process. but sometimes people do what needs to get done first. (good for the community, forget the individual, common russian reference
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dc197 Frequent Guest Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 14	Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 5:42 pm    Post subject: Hi Thanks for your replies. I found them most interesting. Regards Daniel
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Goga Just Starting Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Posts: 8	Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 5:59 pm    Post subject: how to deal with delays... grab a beer, strike a conversation with the person standing next to you in line, complain openly. share the beeer complain some more. works for me. 30 mins goes by like whoosh, esp if u offer to someone to hold ur place in line while U go get the beer so not bribery, and being friendly and meeting new people . but i dont know if u are fluent in russian, i am so i guess its easier to complain in native tongue.
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dc197 Frequent Guest Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 14	Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 6:06 pm    Post subject: No, not fluent, just a beginner; I have been learning for about 9 months. I think it's a great language, if quite hard. It sounds so sexy! Holding someone's place in the line and being allow to cut-in when your train is about to leave are cultural differences that are both excllent. In the UK holding someone's place and cutting-in (even when late) are not allowed!
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Filimon Lounge Lizard Joined: 20 Dec 2004 Posts: 97	Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2004 8:39 pm    Post subject: Erm, Lenin IS still in his tomb, he did not go anywhere. Req Square does get closed from time to time for no particular reason, but if you go there at different times of day, you are bound to catch it open. Theatre season starts in September - remnants of the Soviet time, when everyone would go out of the cities to the sea and into mthe country for the summer, not stick around in dusty Moscow to go to theatres. On other occasions - just bad luck I guess When my Canadian mate came to visit Moscow one summer, we managed to see everything
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