Things to do in Moscow in the heat?

[vivienr]

Through a rather complicated set of circumstances I have an unexpected holiday in Moscow from 7th - 14th August - a bit daunting as I will be on my own and have never been to the country before.
I was looking forward to visiting many of the parks and open spaces, partly to help out my very limited budget in a very expensive city. But now I believe people are being told to stay indoors because of the smog. I would be grateful for any advice, ideas from any residents or visitors so that my week does not turn out to be just a very expensive opportunity to catch up with my reading backlog

[Maggi Young]

Vivien.... your Moscow break sounds extraordinary... you must make the most of it!
I think we need the help of Oleg and Olga here, for a  start!

[Olga Bondareva]

Vivien
Nobody knows what kind of weather will be at that time. Smog was very strong but today air is clear. But it’s still very hot. Yesterday at about 40, today 30 and it is nearly cool.   

[vivienr]

Conditions don't seem to have changed much yet - hopefully they might change in the middle of next week so that I can have a good look at the parks and botanic garden.
Looks like the first few days will be spent hiding in museums and galleries but there are plenty of them so that should be OK.
Conveniently, as part of the complicated set of circumstances, I have a pack of face masks which might come in handy

Expecting to return home slightly kippered

[Maggi Young]

Expecting to return home slightly kippered

 Isn't that a fairly usual state for UK holidaymakers to return in from the Costa whatever, even without the sadded hazard of smog??

Here's hoping you avoid the smog and have a super time in Moscow, Vivien ..... not an opportunity many of us will have  under any circumstances!!  

[vivienr]

Thank you Maggi,

I really should be finishing my packing but remembered that I had not read this weeks bulb log and I could not go without doing that. Then of course it is easy to get distracted...  check forum, check Russian news, check for updated foreign office travel advice, double-check that hotel has air-conditioning, check tennis results...now look at the time - I'm not going to have time to wash the kitchen floor (again)

Do svedanya

[Olga Bondareva]

Vivien
I made this foto today driving to Moscow remembering about you:


Take face bandage, it's nearly impossible to buy it here. Sorry it's not a joke. 

[Maggi Young]

Oh crikey... that is very bad, isn't it?  Good advice there, Vivien to get  those face masks ready.  I wouldn't want to be breathing that.

[Olga Bondareva]

Maggi
It's really hard to breathe and very hot. I sleep under wet towel. Many people at the streets are in masks. The same smoke is around Moscow for hundreds kilometers. S.-Petersburg is much better.

[vivienr]

Thank you Olga, the masks are already packed. It does look bad today. The forecast here is showing some rain and a little drop in temperature around Moscow on Tuesday/Wednesday. Let's hope it does.

[fermi de Sousa]

The TV reports over here are that the severe smog in Moscow is due to forest fires which have already claimed many lives. The authorities were reported to be advising people not to visit!
Has this advice been given in the UK as well?
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

It has, fermi .....
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/europe/russian-federation#health

[vivienr]

That slightly stronger warning was issued after I left. As I have no health problems, it would take an official recommendation not to travel, rather than just a warning about current conditions, in order for me to reclaim any costs with travel insurance.
As it was, I went and had a great time   The smog was bad when I arrived but most days it lifted late in the morning as the heat increased.  It was very hot though, and my feet blistered so much that I was hobbling by the end of the week. I have just got home - hope to post a few pictures after a bit of rest and recovery (lots of cups of tea) 

[mark smyth]

looking forward to your photos and hearing more about the trip. "Unexpected" did you win the holiday

[vivienr]

looking forward to your photos and hearing more about the trip. "Unexpected" did you win the holiday

Mark, I was due go on a voluntary project in a Russian village which was cancelled with only two weeks to go. By then I had paid for travel to Heathrow, airport hotel, Russian visa and other costs which were not refundable, so rather than cut my losses and stay at home I took up the option of keeping my flight to Moscow and booked a reasonably priced hotel in the south of the city. Then....the news of the fires came through

Until I get any refund of the project costs, I will not know how much it has actually cost me but I did know that, as I do not like shopping or eating in fancy restaurants, that I did not need to spend much money while I was there