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Yes it is, but it is not like Moscow isn't loud, ugly, and polluted..
True, but it's a question of scale.
How often does Moscow get days like this?
comparison
Keep in mind this is not incredibly uncommon and that is definitely not fog.
I know Moscow was heavy hit with air pollution back during the firestorms, but that was a pretty isolated incident. The above pictures are actually part of a cyclical norm.
Additionally, Beijing gets to take the brunt of the massive desertification that's been occurring in the interior leading to huge dust storms like this
We are talking about almost unprecedented levels of pollution here.
The city's trying to improve things, but it's still has a long way to go.
I've been to neither but my parents have been to Beijing and had a good experience though it was with a tour group. If this question is which one would I prefer to visit I'd probably go with Beijing since Beijing comes across more as a tourist destination though Moscow is interesting too...will get to that later. I heard the pollution in Beijing can be bad both from the traffic and the dust storms that come out of Mongolia and it is loud and noisy. However the weather is probably better in Beijing and Moscow's dreary and snowy winters.
My grandparents were born in China and my parents grew up in Taiwan before coming to the U.S. and the density and crowding is one of the things they hate most about Asia and which is why they hate any effort from our local government officials here in the state of Maryland to promote high-density or transit-oriented development. But I would love to visit the Great Wall and the Forbidden City since there are world class landmarks though there are many countries higher on my list to visit before China including Italy, Spain, Austria, Ireland, Mexico, Canada, Australia and many of the Caribbean islands.
Now with Moscow that place gives me a sense of mystery and intrigue, like a place to go after I'm done all the touristy stuff. There is something that is very foreign, mysterious, and imposing about Russia in my imagination. I love spy books and movies and an ultimate adventure would be to visit Red Square and see the old KGB headquarters and Lubyanka prison, and other things associated with the Cold War and the former Soviet Union. Now Moscow may not be "touristy" but there actually is something about the concrete Soviet style architecture and communist-era boulevards that dominate the city. I also want to visit Berlin for the same reason especially the former East Berlin. Which is interesting since besides Moscow I'm not really interested in seeing most of Eastern Europe. I do want to visit Prague and the Czech Republic which I hear is not truly Eastern European anymore but it IS behind the old Iron Curtain.
Now with Moscow that place gives me a sense of mystery and intrigue, like a place to go after I'm done all the touristy stuff. There is something that is very foreign, mysterious, and imposing about Russia in my imagination. I love spy books and movies and an ultimate adventure would be to visit Red Square and see the old KGB headquarters and Lubyanka prison, and other things associated with the Cold War and the former Soviet Union. Now Moscow may not be "touristy" but there actually is something about the concrete Soviet style architecture and communist-era boulevards that dominate the city. I also want to visit Berlin for the same reason especially the former East Berlin. Which is interesting since besides Moscow I'm not really interested in seeing most of Eastern Europe. I do want to visit Prague and the Czech Republic which I hear is not truly Eastern European anymore but it IS behind the old Iron Curtain.
Well, the thing about Moscow is you just name practically everything and you can see everything in 2 days, even if you take it slowly.
It depends on what you want, but if you are interested in all that Cold War stuff and a lot more of Russian culture you're better off going to my city.. The northern and cultural capital. Piter has its ugliness, but it is nowhere on the level of that hole called Moscow, because we have so much beauty.
I hate Moscow and people from there with all of the passion I can possibly have, admittedly I'm biased, but for history, architecture, and all of the other stuff you mentioned it is really hard to compare Moscow to the city of Peter and Lenin
Well, the thing about Moscow is you just name practically everything and you can see everything in 2 days, even if you take it slowly.
It depends on what you want, but if you are interested in all that Cold War stuff and a lot more of Russian culture you're better off going to my city.. The northern and cultural capital. Piter has its ugliness, but it is nowhere on the level of that hole called Moscow, because we have so much beauty.
I hate Moscow and people from there with all of the passion I can possibly have, admittedly I'm biased, but for history, architecture, and all of the other stuff you mentioned it is really hard to compare Moscow to the city of Peter and Lenin
From an American perspective, I think you'd have to visit both Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Many westerners find it hard to live in China because China is a country that doesn't cater to outsiders. You need to learn Chinese and learn their culture to work/live there. This is indicative of China's attitude towards the world at large, so now that China is rapidly becoming the dominant superpower, Westerners will have to learn how to deal with a cultural framework that is very different from their own.
With that said, I think both cities have a lot of history and culture. Beijing is older than Moscow and probably has more futuristic architecture as well. They are very different cities and hard to compare.
The same was true of Japan, look at them now. I think they'd had been much more powerful in the long run had they (political and company leaders) not been so arrogant. It's foolish to believe you'll be at the top of the world, and indefinitely, and everyone will have to cater to you. It may turn out that way for China, but I'm doubtful. Even "the country of cool" Japan was and believed it was is not true anymore as Korea has taken over as leader of pop music, film, and drama in that region. All Japan still leads in is anime, which is quite niche in both Asia and the world.
The same was true of Japan, look at them now. I think they'd had been much more powerful in the long run had they (political and company leaders) not been so arrogant. It's foolish to believe you'll be at the top of the world, and indefinitely, and everyone will have to cater to you. It may turn out that way for China, but I'm doubtful. Even "the country of cool" Japan was and believed it was is not true anymore as Korea has taken over as leader of pop music, film, and drama in that region. All Japan still leads in is anime, which is quite niche in both Asia and the world.
I think it is a traditional Chinese attitude. China has always been self-centered and though two centuries of Western dominance has changed that somewhat, it is still quite self-centered.
But let's be honest here. This is an attitude typical of big countries. America is also the same way. Americans are very self-centric and provincial. Actually I travel a lot around the world, and the Chinese, though culturally disconnected with the world are actually very acutely aware of the political and economic realties globally and are moving fast to shore up their position as a global economic superpower. While Americans have a lackadaisical attitude and a false sense of supremacy, even though our country is rapidly losing ground and in decline, yet most Americans are completely ignorant of that and believe we are still in a position of unchallenged supremacy.
Now with Moscow that place gives me a sense of mystery and intrigue, like a place to go after I'm done all the touristy stuff. There is something that is very foreign, mysterious, and imposing about Russia in my imagination. I love spy books and movies and an ultimate adventure would be to visit Red Square and see the old KGB headquarters and Lubyanka prison, and other things associated with the Cold War and the former Soviet Union. Now Moscow may not be "touristy" but there actually is something about the concrete Soviet style architecture and communist-era boulevards that dominate the city. I also want to visit Berlin for the same reason especially the former East Berlin. Which is interesting since besides Moscow I'm not really interested in seeing most of Eastern Europe. I do want to visit Prague and the Czech Republic which I hear is not truly Eastern European anymore but it IS behind the old Iron Curtain.
I don't get it - what "concrete Soviet style architecture and "communist-era boulevards" are you talking about?
Are you saying that there were no boulevards in Moscow before communists?
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