This time of the year is strange. That was the thinking’s with my morning cup of coffee. You see, the Russians living in Moscow simply disappear. The children that overwhelmed the playgrounds have all vanished. Oh there is an occasional lost straggler, but for the most part the Muscovites are gone, or at least the non working part of the family is gone…
The main highway (Mkad) around Moscow is half empty now and a pleasure to drive. The stores are easy to get into and go shopping. Everything is like you have stepped into a twilight zone and half the population disappeared over night. I have been here 5 years and this strange occurrence happens like clockwork ever year…
Once the schools are out for the summer, then dacha / village season starts. The places where all good Russians take their kids and let them spend lots of time enjoying the country air and play in the rivers and gardens…
I exaggerate when I say everyone is gone but that is what it feels like. When millions upon millions of people leave Moscow to the countryside, it is noticeable. When you are use to seeing up to 20 million people at times jammed into one city. Then summers become a pleasure in Moscow, because so many people leave for the summers…
So while there still is 10 to 15 million people still in Moscow. That is a whole lot better than 15 to 20 million that normally pack the city like sardines…
So what is and are dachas? Have a read on a past article: Russia and Her Dacha Craze…
So that cup of coffee is even better when you can drive the streets of Moscow and get somewhere in minutes instead of hours…
Windows to Russia!