Millions in Moscow

Hooray, hooray! We; meaning Benita, Nina, Charlotte and myself, arrived in Moscow a few hours ago. It's the largest city in all of Europe - 12 million and counting. Our first stop, the ministry of public affairs for our press passes. Can't do much sightseeing with a huge bulky camera wrapped around my shoulder without an official media pass. There's still plenty of checks and balances everywhere in this country, especially with tenses mounting between our administration and theirs. But we're here for positive coverage and Moscow is just a pleasant pit-stop on our journey to Tula tomorrow.

After gaining our press passes we feasted on a plateful of fresh fish and vegetable soup at a restaurant or pectopaw. You pronounce the p like a "r', the c like a "s" and the w like a "n". Confusing? You betcha! As if learning a new language isn't enough the alphabet dupes us as well.

This country feels like it's in slow motion or it could be that we're all so tired from our 10-hour flight in. We finally manage to finish lunch and walk to the Metropol, the hotel we're staying at for the night. Our shortcut just happens to cut through Red Square. Immediately, I'm struck by the grandeur and colorful edifices. Lenin's tomb, the History Museum and of course the magnificently decorated Saint Basils, seeing it with my naked eyes against a beautiful blue backdrop with big fluffy white clouds is surely surreal.

My camera has a mind of its own and I find a way to shoot all the coverage I need before the sun sets and the guards pounce. Nina, our interpreter and Irian, our guide, parade us up and down the city streets observing traditions in action and globalization at work. Women love their fashionable high heel shoes and Camel Lights and men can't get enough of gabbing on their Nokia cell phones. The winds of change blow us into a fountain park better known for the soldiers that guard the 'Tomb of the Unknown' despite the hundreds of tattooed youth lounging on the lawn.

The candor I'm hearing will make for some eye-popping stories throughout the Capital Region when Benita Zahn puts this together for NBC-13. Be reading tomorrow when I describe what our first shot of 100% proof Vodka tastes like chased by a dill pickle!