This is Moscow!

ANY journey to Moscow must have an element of excitement, as one never knows just what to expect, and also there is always so much to learn about the Russians.

The trips made in connection with ATV’s live programme exchange deal have had the added excitement of the pioneering feeling, for, whatever stories have been written in the Press, ATV has truly pioneered this television break-through.

The first trip, in company with Lord Bessborough [Frederick Edward Neuflize “Eric” Ponsonby, 10th Earl of Bessborough – Ed], Mr Norman Collins, Messrs [Terence] Macnamara and [Stephen] Wade, was placed in what now appears the “dim and distant past” of December 1960, and although lasting less than a week, the stay in Moscow enabled us to learn a little of the Muscovite, and “what makes him tick”.

As a result of our business meetings, we made a number of social contacts at varying levels.

Over meals in our hotel with these “new found friends” we were able to find out how and where they live; their likes and dislikes; and we of course reciprocated.

We were rather surprised to find that they were very like us in many ways, and even more surprising, they even looked like us!

Food and Drink

Most Muscovites live in rather large apartment houses, State-controlled of course. The apartment rents are paid to the Government, and there appears to be no choice of location. As a result, the intellectual professor may live next door to the crossing sweeper, who will, incidentally, be a woman!

The Muscovite is very fond of his food and drink, and in our hotel eating and drinking appeared to be the favourite pastime. There was in addition a small four or five piece band playing what sounded suspiciously like capitalist music, to which the clientele danced western foxtrots, quicksteps, etc.

THE modern Moscow young lady appears to have discovered that beauty preparations and stylish clothes have a desirable effect, for we saw much evidence of lipstick and jewellery, being worn with dresses which were prettier than we would have expected.

There were, of course, still a number of people attired in more utilitarian clothes, but we suspected that they were slightly envious of their better dressed neighbours.

We also had the opportunity of a quick shopping expedition in Gorki Street, where the largest shops are to be found. Most of the shops are big and imposing as buildings, but take on the appearance of rather sombre “self-service stores” inside, where one finds a perpetual fur-hatted crowd all trying to reach the counter at the same time.

The Gum Store

One large multiple store by the inspiring name of “Gum” [Государственный универсальный магазин, Gosudarstvennyy universalnyy magazin, State Department Store] dominates a large area close to Red Square.

This is a most remarkable building which I can only describe as similar to the conventional prison block, because it consists mainly of balconies around the inner wall, up to I believe three stories, connected horizontally and vertically by steps and bridges.

Colour TV

We were further privileged to be given a conducted tour of the Moscow Television Centre, which, in addition to the normal studios for black and white transmission, houses a studio from which a colour programme is transmitted on most evenings.

This colour service is in the form of a test, as the programme time is rather limited, and we understood that only people intimately concerned with television had a colour receiver.

The senior engineer of the colour studio was, like a number of other senior staff — a woman.

We enjoyed a lengthy discussion in English and Russian, illustrated with little drawings, into the niceties of the various television waveforms.

ON leaving Moscow, to our surprise and pleasure, we were given presents of vodka, caviar and, believe it or not, Russian perfume called “Red Moscow” from our hosts, and I think we were all agreed that we liked them (our hosts).