Drinking in Moscow

Vodka - 3 pound a litre!
Yes. It really is that cheap. You can get it even cheaper if you know where to look but I would not recommend drinking the stuff.
A good bottle of beer (500ml) only costs about 30p. Red wine costs from 3 pound upwards. Price is not a good indicator of quality so the best way to go is to find one you like and stick to it. You can pay a lot of money for undrinkable rubbish.
Every supermarket has its stack of vodka on offer; somewhere in the middle of an aisle.
The outcome of this availability of cheap alcohol is that there is a high level of early deaths amongst men due to intemperance. Average male life expectency is about 59 years.

There are some extremely pleasant drinking establishments in and around the city At one time we would have called it 'Continental' style: relaxed, family, cafe type establishments and there is a scattering of English/Irish theme pubs. One of our favourite, uniquely Russian, establishments is called The Rakes. It is spacious, comfortable and the food is good. The newer Russian eating/drinking places are very quirky and original with their decorations. The men's toilet at Rakes is lined with astroturf - walls and ceiling!

Unfortunately drinking on the street is common and there are empty bottles located on various corners throughout the city. There is a step behind a shop that we can look down on from the apartment and it is used as one of these outdoor meeting points. We call it the 'picnic site'. One of the picnicers was lying, sleeping it off on the freezing ground in temperatures well below freezing the other day. Fortunately one of his friends came and took him home.

Do svedanya,

Graham

Factoid: BALTIKA, one of Russia's biggest breweries, is owned by Scottish and Newcastle Breweries - the makers of Newcastle Brown Ale.