Petrogradskaya Storona

After Nevsky Prospect, the metro goes under the river to Gorkovskaya (named after Gorky, which means bitter). Like many subway stations, this one had a crowd of kiosks around it, which serves as "the market" for those who can afford to shop outside the traditional outdoor markets, but who don't go into the touristy "supermarkets" (which are very tiny and, as I discovered, don't have any better quality than the kiosks).

At Gorkosvskaya I found a place that sells a wonderful shaverma (gyros in the US). For 10 000 rubles ($2) I got two of these things, and that and a frozen bag of pilmeni (something like won tons) was, besides fruit, bread, cheese and cookies, what I lived on. And water, which I had to boil and then store in the refrigerator, because the concept of ice water was unknown. After the second trip I swore I would bring ice-cube trays next time, but there never was a next time. I also drank tea whenever it was offered, and would have cups and cups of it, because it was the closest thing to water in the normal Russian diet. (Yes, I did also drink vodka when I was with people.)

After Gorkovskaya is the Petrogradskaya station/neighborhood. The biggest news in Petrogradskaya was the opening of the first McDonald's in St Pete (Moscow already had three). The staff are taught to raise their hand when they're free. Prices are a little higher than in the States, and the restaurants are much bigger and a little fancier. And you actually do feel like you're eating something special, because it really is better than the other food around. When I met a friend of Mike's in Moscow and I wanted to go to a cafe to talk, he suggested McDonald's. I said, "I can stay home and go to McDonald's!" He said, no, it really is the best place in town.

St Petersburg, Russia -- September 1995