A juxtaposition of contrasts, a chiaroscuro of the classical past vs the commercial present, hard core communist vs crass capitalist, Red Army soldiers vs Mafia gunmen, order vs chaos, high cost of living vs low pay packages, dollar vs rouble. That is Moscow -  metropolis and village, brilliant and boring, beautiful and glitzy. A butterfly just emerging from its chrysalis but one with a history that goes back centuries, modern Moscow has left its years of Soviet rule far behind but not its memories. The city is all aglitter with neon lit plazas, malls, nightclubs and stylish restaurants. The ubiquitous Lada has been replaced by the sleek Mercedes and the deafening quiet of a people under watch has given way to the buzz of animated conversation. Foreigners are no longer suspect, spies have moved in from the cold and there is an aura of change and transition everywhere.

So, Welcome Tourists!  Visit the Kremlin or stroll along the Red Square, be enchanted by the gilded domes of St Basil’s Cathedral or scour the city's many museums, take a leisurely boat ride along the Moscow River or spend an evening at the Bolshoi Ballet, shake a leg at a swanky nightclub or down a shot of vodka at a bar. Whatever your choice, Moscow is the newest party scene, the hippest and happening of places .... decadence returneth and how!