I just wanted to say that I returned from Moscow and I wanted to post my observations. I am really indifferent about returning. For the most part, it isn't a very easy city to get around in. Very few people spoke any English at all. All the signs are in Russian and its a language that you cannot even come close to deciphering. The people are not friendly at all, almost condescending, and that includes the persons that staffed the hotels and restaraunts. (I stayed at the Milan Hotel) We did have some problems with the credit card bills(ie charging for the other persons bill on my credit card, which happened more than once) We also were stopped by the traffic police and had to pay a bribe (500 rubles, so as not to get a ticket, and that was when one of the local persons that we were training was giving us a ride from the airport to the metro) The metro on the otherhand is relatively easy to navigate as long as you know where you are going and watch the signs in the station as to which stop to get off on, because all the announcements are in Russian and very hard to understand and if you have a metro map thats in English it doesn't match up to the Russian words(street maps are the same way). I will say that that the strangest thing to me was that everyone appeared to live in apartment buildings. There were literally blocks and blocks of apartment buildings that seemed to have been built in the 50s and 60s. I would put the costliness of Moscow right up there with London. If you stop at gas stations for water and sodas you will definitely be doing yourself a favor.
The Kremlin, Red Square, and St. Basils Cathedral were impressive. Other than those and a few other places, the architecture is really rather plain. I will say that it was a really neat experience to see the things that were off limits not too long ago. Having the opportunity to experience what I did was worth the trip, but it was overshadowed by the overall experience that I had. I will say that we felt safe the whole time we were there and not threatened in any manner. Its like any other big city, you just have to avoid the places where you wouldn't feel comfortable in. Not meaning to offend anyone, but just my take on the trip.