This document summarizes an newsletter from the International Women's Club of Moscow. It discusses upcoming summer activities organized by the club, including day trips to Bogdarnya and painting classes. It also provides information about past events held by the club, such as the Embassies of the World Ball and Dinner, and contact information for various roles within the club.

1. newsletter
The International Women’s Club of Moscow www.iwcmoscow.ru
SUMMER 2015
NEWS
The Embassies of the World Ball and Dinner
IWC SUMMER ACTIVITIES
Bogdarnya Day Trips
Painting Classes
2015 Summer Trips
MOSCOW
INFO
Bike Rental in Moscow

2. As always, we want to hear from you! The
IWC is here for all of us, and we want to
know how we are doing, and what we can
do better. Please send us your comments.
General Inquiries
iwcgeneralofficer@gmail.com
Membership
iwcmembership@gmail.com
Interest Groups
iwcigmoscow@yahoo.com
Donations Office
iwcdonations@yahoo.com
Public Relations
iwcmoscowpr@gmail.com
Website
iwcwebsite@gmail.com
IWC Newsletter
iwcm.news@gmail.com
IWC Sponsorship
iwcsponsorship@gmail.com
The International Women’s Club of Mos-
cow Newsletter is published four times a
year, and distributed at general meetings,
coffee mornings, emailed to our members
and posted on our IWC website.
We welcome your ideas, contributions
and own photographs to make our News-
letter more interesting. The deadline for
submissions to the autumn issue is 1st of
September 2015.
Editor-in-Chief:
Therese Plappart
Assistant Editor/ Layout Design
Bianca Jutaru
Writers:
Mireille Vrouenraets
Bianca Turtur
Machtald Lepeer & Marina Zuskov
CONTACTS
CREDITS
CONTENTS
PAGE 1
IWC Moscow’s President Letter
PAGE 2
IWC Newsletter Editor’s Letter
PAGE 3
IWC Events : Next Meet&Greet Meetings and
Coffee Mornings
PAGE 4
IWC Events: Review of the May IWC Meet&Greet
PAGE 5
IWC Events: Review of the April and May PWEs
PAGE 6 and 7
IWC Events: Embassies of the World Dinner and Ball
PAGE 8 and 9
IWC Interest Group List
PAGE 10
IWC Summer Activities : The 2015 Summer Trips
PAGE 11
IWC Summer Activities: Bogdarnya Day Trip / Painting
Classes
PAGE 12 and 13
Out and About: A visit to Peredelkino
PAGE 14
Out and About: Gorki Leninskiy
PAGE 15 and 16
Moscow Info: Bike rental in Moscow
PAGE 17
Moscow Info: The Ostankino Tower
COME AND JOIN US!
The IWC operates by the effort and love of its volunteers. If you’d
like to work with an international group, improve the conditions
of underprivileged Russians, and gain job experience, this is the
place for you. We have positions open on the Steering Committee.
Sponsorship Chair and Assistant
Winter Bazaar Co-Chair
PR Assistant
General Officer
Recording Officer
PWE Coordinator (non SC vacancy)
Start your adventure now; email us!
iwcgeneralofficer@gmail.com
A full list of positions available and a description of the responsibili-
ties involved, is available on the IWC website : www.iwcmoscow.ru

3. Dear members,
Time flies, I still remember when Therese, the chair
of the newsletter team came and asked me to write
the president’s letter for the IWC members. When I
asked her what to write, she replied: just say whatev-
er you feel. Thank you, Therese for all your support.
It gave me a great pleasure to meet and talk to so
many of IWC members, friends, sponsors and guests,
and that’s the advantage of the expat and the diplo-
matic life when it comes to international club.
I am happy with the year achievements; a wonderful
start of the IWC year was at the Czech Embassy, a
luxury hall with a huge crystal chandelier welcoming
more than 400 people.
Then came the successful IWC Winter Bazaar, 70
embassies participated and we raised around 7 Mil-
lion roubles.
Another special gathering was organised by the cul-
ture centre of GlavUpdk , outstanding fur fashion
show followed by Russian souvenirs and spread of
food.
Wonderful Meet&Greet gatherings in various muse-
ums, churches and hotels.
Not to miss the gathering at Romanian Embassy
where everyone danced and enjoyed the atmosphere.
Ending the season has to be special and great with
the Tsarina’s Night at the Embassies Dinner & Ball,
IWC members and guests had the pleasure to dine
with Ambassadors and then continued their evening
at the beautiful Petroff Palace.
Thank you all for your support and all the wonderful
memories.
The President’s Letter
At the end there is always a light be-
tween the clouds,
A beauty when leafs lays on the
grounds,
Ablessing when snow falls and greens
comes again to life’s.
Do svidaniya ,
Afrah Alfaddaghi
A Friend From Kuwait
IWC Moscow’s President
PAGE 1

4. Summer has arrived in Moscow and for many of us it
will soon be time for holidays. Moscow will get a little
bit calm and emptier during the next weeks and it is
the season to enjoy the beautiful gardens and parks,
walk through estates and enjoy summer terraces.
Again this year for many of the expat community it is
time for a change – time for new adventures either
back in their homes or at a new location. We want to
wish all of you all the best for the future!
My family and I decided to stay a year longer and I
will be happy to meet as many of you next year again.
But nevertheless it is time for changes – this is my
last Newsletter as Editor. Mireille Vrouenraets is the
New NL Editor and her assistant Bianca Jutauru will
continue making the layouts for both, Monthly Bulletin
and Newsletter. But there is a whole NL team working
in the background and I will be happy to assist wher-
ever I can. I wish all of them a good and not to hard
work for their future!
Thank you, dear readers, for all your comments we
have received. You helped to improve our publica-
tions
Enjoy you summer and all the best wherever you go!
Therese Plappart
The Editor’s Letter
PAGE 2

5. Existing members and newcomers are cordially invited to our Coffee
Mornings - which are held twice a month at Le Pain Quotidien.
PLEASE NOTE: the venue for the upcoming coffee mornings has changed and we will wait for
you at the Le Pain Quotidien on Bolshaya Sadovaya 2/46 (M. Mayakovskaya or Barrikadnaya)
There will be free coffee, tea and snacks courtesy of Le Pain Quotidien and IWC. It’s a great
opportunity to meet new friends, relax and maybe have lunch together afterwards.You are wel-
come to attend as many Coffee Mornings as you like and we look forward to seeing you there!
Upcoming Morning Coffee Dates:
Saturday, 6th of June and Tuesday, 9th of June
Saturday, 4th of July and Tuesday, 7th of July
Please save the date for our next IWC ”Meet & Greet”
on the 17th of September, 2015 (location to be disclosed shortly).
More information about the venue and the program will be sent out to our
members via email.
SAVE THE DATE !
17th of September 2015
COFFEE MORNINGS
MEET & GREET
PAGE 3

6. Every year the IWC invites members who have an artistic talent to share their artwork at the
Annual Art Exhibition. This time 21 artists, all members of IWC, showed their work to a large
audience at the monthly Meet & Greet on May 21st. The Meet & Greet team had chosen the
most wonderful and inspiring location for this event, St. Andrew’s Anglican Church and Centre
at Voznesenskiy Pereulok.
Thanks to the chaplain of the church Reverend Clive Fairclough IWC was allowed to use this
wonderful venue for this event. In his welcoming words the chaplain stressed that the church
is not only a venue but very much a community that reaches out to people in need.
There was a great variety of artwork on display. Next to beautiful colorful paintings and impres-
sive photos of Moscow in different styles, one could also admire handmade jewelry, mosaics,
embroidered bags, ceramic art, sculptures, decoupage art, extravagant handmade hats and
beautiful designed scarfs. Some members even experienced Mehendi, the art of body deco-
ration!
Of course there was also time to meet old and new friends, have a chat in the beautiful garden
and have some refreshments. The Marriott Courtyard Hotel (across the street from the church)
is a partner of St. Andrew’s Church and Centre and very kindly provided IWC with tables,
tablecloths and all refreshments. The Church Administrator Marina was a big help in getting
everything organized, thank you Marina!
This year all the artwork was for sale. The artists who sold their works donated 10% to IWC.
Therefore the IWC charity committee received a donation of 35,280 RUR! Besides the money
also clothes were donated. IWC is very happy with these donations and would like to thank all
artists and buyers! And a very big thank you to Reverend Fairclough and his team, the staff of
the Marriott Courtyard and Riina and Wendy, without whom this truly inspiring event would not
have been possible!
Mireille Vrouenraets.
REVIEW OF THE MAY
IWC “MEET & GREET“ MEETING
PAGE 4

7. Hotel Intercontinental once again generously and professionally helped us host one of our
monthly events – the April Professional Women’s Evening. We heard from two amazing ladies
and one of them one of our own!
Our first speaker - Katalin Diossi, PhD, co-chair of our Charity Board gave a presentation on
her background and all the work she does in her professional life and her involvement in IWC
charities. We can definitely incorporate many of her principles in our professional and personal
life.
Our second speaker, Ksenia Davidson, is the development director for the Sheredar Charity
foundation – organization providing much needed rehabilitation services for children with dis-
abilities in Russia. Ksenia’s presentation gave us a better understanding of the achievements
and challenges present in many charity projects.
Both ladies left us with a feeling that we can achieve quite a lot by working smarter, clearly
understanding challenges in front of us and finding creative solutions for them, in our personal
and professional careers.
As Katalin pointed out by quoting a Spanish proverb- There are no impossible tasks, only in-
capable people!
Marina Zuskov
May’s Professional Women’s Evening was certainly an interesting one from the very start.
Mrs. Alice Chamradova surprised us all by asking us to form a circle instead of the usual rows
of chairs. We were invited to take part in the discussion, even more, she asked us to start by
telling her what we expected of the evening. A few brave participants offered their opinion.
Mrs. Chamradova talked about finding a balance between her professional life and her role as
a mother, about adapting your values to the environment you work in. But most importantly,
she encouraged us that if we set clear goals in our life, we can reach them. Perhaps not when
and how we expect it, but step by step one can grow, like a potato given enough light and soil.
Without clear goals, we are like the potato left in the dark: we try to grow sprouts, but fail.
With this original metaphor Mrs. Chamradova illustrated that we must try to find ourselves in
everything we do. When we are sure about ourselves, about what we want, we can get any-
where.
I believe these words inspired many participants – we thank mrs. Chamradova and Hotel In-
terContinental for this pleasant evening!
Machteld Lepeer
REVIEW OF THE APRIL AND MAY
PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S EVENINGS
PAGE 5

8. HOT OF THE PRESS !!!
This was the 2015 Embassies Dinner and Ball
For the first time this year, the EDB was not held in winter time for one very good reason: As
soon as the decision was made that the second important IWC charity event will be held at
Petroff Palce, the organizing team immediately thought that it would be a shame only to use
the inside and not the beautiful gardens of this very special place. This was when we decided
to change habits and to have a Spring Gala.
For many, the evening began with an elegant dinner at one of the hosting embassies and dip-
lomatic residences around the city. Tsarina’s Night was a wonderful event with over 250 guests
having lots of fun with dancing, entertainment, raffle and silent auction. Of course we can not
give any numbers by now but given the atmosphere we can tell the event was a huge success!
But of course EDB would not be possible without the cooperation of numerous embassies.
Therefore we would like to take the occasion to thank:
Hosting Embassies
Australia, Chile, Czech Republic, EU, Kuwait, Switzerland, Uruguay
Supporting Embassies
Canada, Hungary, Namibia, New Zealand
EMBASSIES OF THE WORLD
DINNER & BALL
PAGE 6

9. Our sponsors generously supported the event and we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to:
International School of Moscow, GlavUpDK; Lindt; MoveOne; Dave’s Photo Studio; Water
Sila Baikal; Beer-Blanche de Bruxelles ; Timmermans Peche; Woseba Coffee; Newby Tea;
Flowers & Gifts, FeaRozi, BMW and Hotel Metropol
Sponsors for the free lottery, raffle and silent auction as well as the gift bags:
BMW- bike; Sky TV- sky TV box; Marina Yachting - lady handbags; InterContinental – Hotel
stay; Private donation - Samsung phone; Petroff Palace - Hotel Stay and Spa; D&G - cos-
metics and perfumes; Bogdarnya Farm - Eco/nature Lodge Stay; US Dental Care - whitening
set, pens and chewing gums; Expat Salon - gift basket; Imperial Tailoring - male shirts tailor
made; Patriarshy Dom Tours - travel agency voucher; Water Sila Baikal - water certificates;
Dave’s Photo Studio - Moscow unique picture framed; FeaRozi – luxurious flower arrange-
ment; Flowers&Gifts - flowers; La Prairie - luxury gifts; International School of Moscow-
branded water bottles and teddy bears; Lindt ; Pride - lip balms; Moscow Expat Life – maga-
zines; Radical chic – silk scarf and discount certificate; Newby Tea;
Many thanks to all our PR Partners:
Moscow Expat Life; Le Courier de Russie ; Moscow In Your Pocket; My Destination
The Embassies of the World Dinner and Ball and Winter Bazaar are the largest annual contrib-
utors to IWC’s fundraising efforts.
For more information about the charities we support and upcoming events, visit the IWC
website at www.iwcmoscow.ru.
EMBASSIES OF THE WORLD
DINNER & BALL
PAGE 7

10. IWC INTEREST GROUPS
Interest Groups who are continuing during July and August – Summer Groups
This is the most updated list after the booklet so keep this together with your booklet
Arts & Crafts
Matryoshka Painting Course
Weekdays, from 10.00
Leader: Anna Lech
89104168817
annadlech@gmail.com
Teacher: Zhanna Nikolaeva
89250859277
zhananikolaeva@mail.ru
Monotype
Tuesday or Wednesday from 10 till 12 a.m.
Leader: Olga Smolenkova
8 903 719 6965
osmolenkova@yandex.ru
Teacher: Ludmila Varlamova
8 903 113 1367
ludmila_artist@mail.ru
Painting Oil/Acrylic
Mon. 10.30-13.30
Sep.-Dec.;Mar.-June
Thu. 10.30-13.30
Leader: Elisabeta Martin
elisabeta.martin@gmail.com
Teacher: Michael Novokshchennyy
89253761749
m-art@mail.ru
‘New Artist’’ Intuitional Painting Course
Wed. 10.30-13.00
Thu. 10.30-13.00
Leader: Anna Schipper
89035765533
annaschip@gmail.com
Sculpture
Mon. Thu. 10.00-13.00
Leader: Edda Just
8495 6245433
justpeters@t-online.de
Teacher: Vadim Kirillov
89166534022 / vadim_sculpture@mail.ru
Body - Mind - Soul
Bones for Life
Thu. 10.00 - 12.00
Leader: Zyomara Briseida
8 963 690 65 65
zyomara@gmail.com
Gnosis - Wisdom Lectures
Fri. 10.00-12.00
Leader: Zyomara Briseida
8 963 690 65 65
zyomara@gmail.com
Sahaya Yoga Meditation Group 1
Thu. 11.00-12.30
Leader: Neelam Fedorova
89096843490
neelamvictor@hotmail.com
Sahaya Yoga Meditation Group 2
Sun. 12.00-13.30
Leader: Sveta Kotwani
89037645149
svetajimmy@yahoo.com
Teacher: Jimmy Kotwani
89036256159
Jimmy@mytailor.ru
Family & Children
International Playgroup (up to 3 years)
Tue. 10.00-12.00
Leader:
Gaylene Pearson
8 917 5638578
gaylene77@gmail.com
PAGE 8

11. IWC INTEREST GROUPS
Russian for Beginners
Beginners
Wed. 14:45 - 16:15
Fri. 14:45 - 16:15
Leader: Tanya Roode
89857487296
roode.maarten9@gmail.com
Teacher: Maria Soboleva
89161889796
sobolevamar@rambler.ru
Russian Conversation-Discussion
Beginners
Mon. 10.30-12.00
Thu. 10.30-12.00
Leader: Julia Sheina
89161285956
mos.julia2013@gmail.com
Teacher: Natalia Mahalova
89161285827
Russian Conversation-Discussion
Intermediate and Advanced
Thu. 12.00-13.30
Leader: Julia Sheina
89161285956
mos.julia2013@gmail.com
Teacher: Natalia Mahalova
89161285827
Spanish Conversations
Intermediate level
Mon. 10.00-11.30
Leader: Zyomara Briseida
89636906565
zyomara@gmail.com
Cooking / Wining
Indian Ayurvedic Cooking Group
Thu. 11.00-13.00
Leader: Sandy Gray
89857826531
sjgray2014@aol.com
Teacher: Neelam Apte
89162418503
nuapte@gmail.com
Culture
Theatre, Architecture, Interior Design
lectures, workshops, excursions
October-June
Mon. 11.00-13.00
Leader: Anna Schipper
89035765533
annaschip@gmail.com
Music and Dance
Ceilidh Dance Club
Wed. at 14.30
Leader: Wanda Hyde
89251345405
wandadhyde@yahoo.co.uk
Teacher: Sergey Alverov
89165362757
plus79165362757@gmail.com
Languages
Learn and Improve your English
Semi Beginners / Intermediate
Leader: & Teacher:
Anna Schipper
89035765533
annaschip@gmail.com
Tue. 10.30-12.30
PAGE 9

12. For those of you who will remain in Moscow for all or part of the summer, we are happy to
announce the 2015 Summer Trips. These are organized in conjunction with the AWO, BWC,
IWC and Patriachy Dom Tours with the lovely Lena usually acting as our guide.
These trips take place once a week, usually on a Thursday, beginning June 18th through until
September 3rd. You must sign up to receive the weekly email which will detail each trip and to
which you will respond if you wish to attend. That email address is daysoutinmoscow@gmail.
com (you must sign up for this year’s trips, irrespective of whether you did so for last year as
a new mailing list will be created)
The first 4 visits scheduled will be:
June 18th Abramtsevo (A writers and artists colony)
June 24th Volokolamsk (Monastery & Kremlin)
July 2nd Melikhovo (Chekhov’s house)
July 9th Yasnaya Polyana (Tolstoy’s house)
Other trips planned are Archangelskoye, Klin, Gorki Leninskye, Peredelkino and many more
interesting places. This is a great opportunity to get out of the city center and a chance to meet
other ladies experiencing the joys of expat life in Moscow.
The trips depart in the morning, around 9am (depending upon our destination), we are usually
back in Moscow by 4pm - traffic notwithstanding. We leave and return to the Starlite Diner at
Mayakovskaya. The trips are first and foremost for members of our organizations, if there are
additional spaces available a maximum of two guests may come per trip. The trips are not for
children. The cost of each trip is dependent upon the number of ladies present, entrance fees
and travel time (as the the driver and guide are paid by the hour).
Right now all you have to do is reply to the daysoutinmoscow@gmail.com email to get on the
mailing list. You will then receive information regarding the first trip, this will include directions
to the meeting point, estimate of cost, confirmed meeting time etc.
Don’t miss this great opportunity, sign up today!
IWC SUMMER ACTIVITIES
2015 SUMMER TRIPS
PAGE 10

13. IWC Day Trip to Bogdarnya on the 18th of June
We’re escaping the city for a day at the Bogdarnya farm! Do you want to get outside, enjoy
the fresh air and learn about life on a working farm? Join us on this day trip and don’t forget
to bring your children, spouses and friends! You don’t have to be a member to join, so please
spread the word!
We’re offered a meat lunch or vegetarian lunch and a special children’s menu with homemade
fish fingers! After a day full of tasting and experiencing we will get the opportunity to buy Bog-
darnya’s famed own produce for the best price at their farm shop.
Although we have a full schedule, this is a day to relax. We’ll be travelling by train so we don’t
have to worry a thing about traffic. A guide from the farm will travel with us and they’re provid-
ing a bus transfer from the railway station to the farm.
For detailed prices, schedule and subscription please visit http://goo.gl/forms/92s4ndpGKR
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions at iwcigmoscow@
gmail.com.
IWC Interest Group Coordination team:
Katrien Goffings (+7 915 188 66 30), Machteld Lepeer (+7 968 912 02 41)
Painting Classes - Oil/Acrylic
The oil/acrylic painting class is for students who want to learn how to paint and techniques to
enhance painting skills. All levels are welcome. Class space is limited due to studio size and
allowing time with instructor. Class limit: 3 people per day
NEAREST METRO: Park Kultury Circle Line, address is: Frunzenskaya Naberezhnaya 18,
3rd Entrance, Floor 8+1Left Door
COSTS: Fee for teacher is 1500 rubles per session (supplies not included)
TIME: Monday, Thursday 10.30-13.30 Sept.-Dec.; Mar.-June
LEADER: Jan Marie Friedrich, 89672925895, janmf@hotmail.com
TEACHER: Michail Novokshchenny, 89253761749
IWC Interest Group Coordination team:
Katrien Goffings (+7 915 188 66 30), Machteld Lepeer (+7 968 912 02 41)
IWC SUMMER ACTIVITIES
PAGE 11

14. On a chilly day in early spring I went with a few other members of the IWC Lunch & Litera-
ture interest group on a trip to the village of Perdelkino, where we wanted to visit Pasternak’s
house. We started our journey at Kievsky station, where we took one of the local trains, also
known as электрички [elektrichki] to Peredelkino. It took us just about half an hour to get there
for only 30 rubles.
Perdelkino is a prosperous “dacha village” most famous for being the countryside retreat of
many Soviet poets and writers. It was created in 1934 to reward the most prominent writers
so they could escape from their city apartments. These days most of the about 50 residences
are property of very rich Russians and screened by huge gates, but some of the historical
dachas are house-museums and are open to the public. One of them is the house where
Boris Pasternak, the famous author of Dr Zhivago, lived for almost 30 years. The village also
contains the former home of the celebrated Soviet translator and children’s author Korney
Chukovsky (maybe you know his famous character Dr Aibolit) as well as the summerhouse of
Bulat Okudzhava, famous musician and poet.
As we got off the train we had to cross over the tracks and walk up a small hill towards a very
colourful (and fairly new) church. Opposite the new church stands an old church, part of the
summer residence of the late Patriarch Alexei II, who died here in 2008. We had to ask for di-
rections to get to the graveyard where Boris Pasternak and many of his family members found
their final resting place. After we crossed a square diagonally we were greeted by a few cows
and some goats in a field next to the graveyard.
After visiting the Pasternak’s grave we continued down the hill and up a large road which even-
tually lead up to Pasternak’s beautiful dacha in a very spacious green garden. The scenery
was very peaceful and poetic, with huge pine trees, fresh spring flowers and birds chirping
everywhere. It was not difficult to imagine why Pasternak loved to live here. The interior of
the house is very light, with spacious rooms and big windows to enjoy the view. The most
impressive room in the house is the writers study on the first floor overlooking the garden. In
Pasternak’s days he would overlook a huge meadow, where he could even see the towers of
Moscow on a bright day. Everything in the room is very basic, a bed, a bookcase with mostly
dictionaries, a cabinet, a few simple chairs and his wooden desk. It is at this very desk that he
wrote the cycle of poems “Peredelkino”, translated Shakespeare and Goethe into Russian and
finished his famous novel Dr Zhivago.
It was also here that he learned that he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1958
after his novel Dr Zhivago had been published in Italy (after being rejected in de Soviet Union
because “he showed more concern for the welfare of individuals than for the welfare of soci-
ety). The regime made Pasternak decline his award.
On May 30 in 1960, Pasternak died at his house in Peredelkino. In a room downstairs one
can view a picture from a French magazine showing how many people came to the funeral,
although the regime had tried to keep the details of the funeral secret. Hundreds of his fans
turned up to pay their respect and recite lines of his poetry at the graveside long into the eve-
ning.
OUT AND ABOUT
A VISIT TO PEREDELKINO
PAGE 12

15. The dacha acquired the status of the museum only in 1990, thirty years after the poet’s death.
Thanks to his descendants the museum is a completely preserved environment and it still
breathes the atmosphere in which Pasternak and his family lived and worked. The entire mu-
seum is a memorial, there is not anything that does not correspond to the lifetime of the poet.
Even the paintings on the walls are in the exact same position as they used to be when Pas-
ternak was alive, there are photo’s to prove this!
After our visit to the museum we wanted to have lunch in the nearby restaurant. Unfortunately
the restaurant was closed for ‘remont’ and we were advised to go to the ‘stolovaya’ in the old
sanatorium. In this huge, very old and worn down building we found a small canteen where
lunch was served for the workmen who were busy rebuilding the restaurant. This lunch really
added some extra historical feel to our tour!
If was a wonderful excursion. If you want to get out of the busy city center one day I can really
recommend going to Peredelkino, nature is just a 30 minutes train ride away!
Mireille Vrouenraets.
Practical info: The Pasternak house-museum is open Tue - Sun 10:00 - 17:00. Closed on
Monday and last Tuesday of the month. You can book a tour in Russian or English. Tel. (+7)
495 934 51 75, www.pasternakmuseum.ru.
OUT AND ABOUT
A VISIT TO PEREDELKINO ... continued
PAGE 13

16. Gorki Leninskiye is an urban locality in Leninsky District of Moscow Oblast located 10 kilome-
ters south of MKAD (direction Aeroport Domodedovo). Gorki, meaning small hills, is named
after almost 50 old graves from medieval times that gave the name to this territory.
The estate of Gorki belonged to various Muscovite noblemen from the 18th century. Zinaida
Morozova, the widow of Savva Morozov, purchased it in 1909, the year before she married
General Anatoly Reinbot (later Anatoly Rezvoy), the Moscow head of police. She engaged the
most fashionable Russian architect, Fyodor Schechtel, to remodel the mansion in the then
current neoclassical style, complete with a six-column Ionic portico.
Lenin’s Dacha
After the Soviet government moved to Moscow in 1918, it nationalized the luxurious estate and
converted it into Vladimir Lenin’s dacha. In September 1918, the Soviet leader recuperated
there following an assassination attempt. He spent an increasing amount of time there as his
health declined over the following years. On May 15, 1923, Lenin followed medical advice and
left the Moscow Kremlin for Gorki. He lived there in semi-retirement until his death on January
21, 1924.
Also located on the estate are a large museum built in 1987 concerning Lenin’s life there, con-
taining such artefacts as his Last Testament (as transcribed by Nadezhda Krupskaya), other
documents, photos, books, Lenin’s personal car (a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost), his wheelchairs,
and his apartment and office from the Kremlin, reconstructed in a separate building. A monu-
ment representing “The Death of the Leader” was unveiled in the 18th-century park in 1958.
The park invites visitors to walk around and enjoy the calm atmosphere of country side. There
is a playground for the fun of the smallest ones, a cafeteria in the modern building and a sum-
mer terrace close to the garage.
Therese Plappart
OUT AND ABOUT
GORKI LENINSKIY / LENIN’S DACHA
PAGE 14

17. When I was moving from The Netherlands to Moscow about one year ago I asked several
people who were already living here if I could pack my bike to use it in the streets of Moscow.
Everybody strongly advised me to leave my bike at home, because it would be “close to sui-
cide” if I would try to cycle in Moscow.
So I left my bike in storage… Only to find out that as soon as the weather gets nice bikes do
appear in the city streets these days! It may be dangerous to cycle on the extremely busy
roads, but there are many parks and nice stretches of green that can be used both by pedes-
trians and cyclists. I also noticed several bike rental stations at many places in the city centre,
apparently sponsored by some Moscow banks.
I decided to find out a little bit more about this interesting initiative. The bike rental stations
seem to be part of a project of the City of Moscow, two Moscow banks and an organization
called Velobike. The purpose of this “Project of urban public bike rental” as it is officially called
is to create an alternative to the car and public transport and to provide city residents and tour-
ists with affordable transport for short trips. I think that is a very good idea! In fact it looks like
the equivalent of “Boris Bikes” in London, or “Witte fietsen” in The Netherlands: docking sta-
tions around town where you can pick up a bike for a small fee and drop it off at another spot.
By the end of 2015 the network should consist of 300 bike rental stations, with an impressive
number of 2700 bikes. At this moment most of the rental stations are located near the Boule-
vard Ring, right in the heart of the city, so you can cycle from one interesting site to the other,
or just take a bike to go visit a friend or have some nice lunch.
Here is a link to the map with all the locations of the rental bike stations:
http://www.velobike.msk.ru/LocationsMap.aspx
I have been walking quite long stretches in the city, which takes a lot of time and I would love
being more in the outside while the sun is shining, instead of sitting in a car or spend some
time underground in a metro. Therefore I wanted to give this system a try. On the website of
Velobike (www.velobike.ru) I found the information (mostly in Russian) on how to use the rent-
al bike system. You can rent a bicycle for a day, a month and even for the whole season for a
very reasonable amount of money. Each user can rent a bike at any bike rental station, and
return the bike to any other station.
To be able to use the rental bike system you have to register on the website www.velobike.ru.
This is a very easy process. When you register you must specify your name, e-mail address
and mobile phone number. After registering you will receive an SMS with a login and PIN code
to access the terminal located at the rental stations.
You can also use your Troika Card (if you have this reusable card to pay in all public transport)
as an electronic key instead of entering your login and password to getting a bike.
There are three possible purchase plans to choose from:
“Day” (24 hours) 150 rubles (+ 1000 RUR deposit)
“Month” 600 rubles (+ 1000 RUR deposit)
“Season” 1,200 rubles (no deposit – season ends 31 October)
MOSCOW INFO
BIKE RENTAL IN MOSCOW
PAGE 15

18. The price of each purchase plan includes an unlimited number of trips lasting less than 30 min-
utes. If the duration of the trip will be more than 30 minutes, you will need to pay in accordance
with a series of set rates, for example 400 rubles for up to 3 hours. So be aware, the rental
consists of two parts: the purchase plan and a time-based payment of the rental fee (hence the
deposit) if your journeys last more than 30 minutes. Payment is only possible by credit card.
If you really want to ride a bike for 150 rubles a day you have to make sure to return your bike
to a rental station within 30 minutes. There you can take another bike to continue your journey
for another 30 minutes (and so on). This is a very convenient way of travelling if you have to
go to a meeting or a shop (on the first bike) and back home again (on the second bike), but it
is not so handy if you really want to make a nice daytrip around the city.
Before taking a bike from the station you have to make sure that it is in good condition. Check
the tires, adjust the height of the saddle and steer and if you want to park your bike somewhere
outside the rental stations bring a good lock with you. A “non-return” of the bicycle to a station
within 48 hours or more is considered to be a stolen bicycle and the user will be charged a rate
of 30 000 rubles.
Sometimes all spaces at the rental station are occupied, which means that you cannot return
your bike there and you have to find another station. That feels just like trying to find parking
space for your car, fortunately there is also an app available that can help you finding parking
space for you bike!
Mireille Vrouenraets
MOSCOW INFO
BIKE RENTAL IN MOSCOW
PAGE 16

19. Once it was the highest free-standing building in the world...
The Radio and Television Tower Ostankino is located only ten kilometers away from the city
of Moscow. The tower is reachable by metro, just walking distance from “VDNH” station, and
only a few stations away by tram from ulitsa Akademia Karoleva 15. Between 1967 and 1975,
when the completion of the tower took place , the building was one of the highest free-standing
in the world. Today Ostankino Tower is on the fourth place, after first Tokyo Sky Treue, Canton
Tower and CN Tower.
After surviving a fire in the year 2000 and closure due to further renovation, the tower has
been open for the public open since 2009. Anyone planning a visit should make an appoint-
ment by phone or via internet. On the scheduled day the visitors should bring some sort of an
identification document. Every viewing takes place in a guided tour always on the hour. And
you cand also take the tickets back home with you as a souvenir with your name written in
cyrillic script.
Between 1963 and 1967 the tower was built of concrete and steel in a height of 540 m. The
impressive base has a diameter of 74 m and is extended 3 meters into the earth. The viewing
platform is located at 337 m. An elevator brings visitors in 57 seconds to the observation deck.
On a sunny day the wide view of the city is beautiful. The distinctive places of interest are
noticeable from up there, the same goes for the Moscow-St. Petersburg Sapsan train track.
Back down it is possible to take a walk in the nearby Ostankino-Park or at the fairground of
“VDNH” and in front of the Sputnik monument.
Bianca Turtur
MOSCOW INFO
VISITING THE OSTANKINO TOWER
The tallest towers in the world
PAGE 17

20. IWC SPONSORS
Your First Choice for Duty Free
The finest selection of wines available to the diplomatic corps.
We can offer the leading liquor and tobacco brands from
throughout the world and the most comprehensive choice
of cosmetics, fragrances, groceries and household goods at
highly competitive prices.
Don’t Miss Out! Request a copy of our latest Catalogue and Promotion!
Telephone: +00 371 672 58000 Fax: +44(0)1798 874924
e.mail: europe@i-d-s.com website: www.i-d-s.com/europe
A reliable, cost effective delivery service for diplomatic Duty Free
Telephone: +00 371 672 58000 Fax: +44(0)1798 874924
PAGE 18

21. IWC SPONSORS
• High quality British style education for pupils aged 2 to 18 years
• Pleasant, green field locations in Krylatskoe and Rosinka
• UK qualified and/or experienced teachers
• School bus and lunch service provided
• Pupils will be leaving our 6th Form to enter top universities of
their choice from September 2016
The International School of Moscow is recognised as an excellent
school by the UK Independent School Inspectorate commenting:
“The quality of school is excellent.”
“The school fully meets its aims of providing pupils of all its
nationalities with the motivation to explore the extent of their
capabilities in a happy, secure environment surrounding by a
strong moral framework. Pupils receive an excellent educational
experience. They are well educated and make strong progress.”
WORLD CLASS EDUCATION
AS A DOORWAY
TO THE FUTURE
For More Information: www.internationalschool.ru
+7 (499) 922 44 00 info@internationalschool.ru
PAGE 19

22. IWC SPONSORS
PAGE 20