Soviet Moscow shopping

[Bob]

Will be in Moscow for a day or 2 in 2 months time - best spots for QUALITY awards shopping?

[NavyFCO]

Will be in Moscow for a day or 2 in 2 months time - best spots for QUALITY awards shopping?

You can buy all the QUALITY awards you want... but if you don't have a good way to get them out through customs, you're going to be out some funds... (that's from personal experience)

Dave

[Riley1965]

Russian Customs are a tough bunch. I bought a rare transitional Air force captains Parade uniform from a member of another forum. He shipped it and customs returned it to him because the cap had a 1953 date in it. They said it was an invaluable item. He's now shipped the pants and jacket in seperate packages from Russia and took the cap with him to Paris where he'll try to mail it from there. Russsian Customs agents are very anal.

Doc

[Bob]

Russian Customs are a tough bunch. I bought a rare transitional Air force captains Parade uniform from a member of another forum. He shipped it and customs returned it to him because the cap had a 1953 date in it. They said it was an invaluable item. He's now shipped the pants and jacket in seperate packages from Russia and took the cap with him to Paris where he'll try to mail it from there. Russsian Customs agents are very anal.

Doc

Well, they're presumably administering the local laws right? I know collectors are generally ehmm "flexible" in terms of how to get those rare missing items for the collection but still...

Anyway, I am not holier than the pope... I was on a driving vacation to Ukraine and hiding awards in your car is of course a lot easier than in a mail packet or piece of luggage for a flight.

I will be going to Russia for some weeks of mountaineering so will be able to simply put any medals I buy into my check in luggage which will contain a healthy load of metal mountaineering equipment anyway:)

Back to the topic though: good places to go shopping? E.g. any dealers with a real physical shop? I imagine the open markets aren't good places to obtain genuine quality pieces anymore (recall 8 years ago or so this 1 big market next to a hotel a bit out of the center city).

[Chris S]

Personally, I would not like to take the chance of taking items thru Russian Customs, I used to leave that to Russian guys who knew who to butter.

I always remember seeing some poor Japanese guy being made an example of for taking thru 2 dollar items and the hoo harr in the papers whilst connected guys did the dirty thru pay offs.

As for back to the topic, expect to pay more than US prices for good items, jeh, baffles me as well!!!

Chris

Edited June 21, 2006 by Chris S

[Bob]

Personally, I would not like to take the chance of taking items thru Russian Customs, I used to leave that to Russian guys who knew who to butter.

I always remember seeing some poor Japanese guy being made an example of for taking thru 2 dollar items and the hoo harr in the papers whilst connected guys did the dirty thru pay offs.

As for back to the topic, expect to pay more than US prices for good items, jeh, baffles me as well!!!

Chris

Is it also illegal to IMport them then?

[Chris S]

Is it also illegal to IMport them then?

Actually the jap was taking them out...simple anniversary medals and a Labour award...big article in pravda about it...reckon you would drop your self in the pooh being caught in or out....

Any way Bob ...go for it, and then you can spin a dit about how you did get them thru or what a pain it was.

Chris

[Bob]

or what a pain it was.

That reminds me of a quote from Pulp Fiction:

"This watch was on you daddy's wrist when he was shot down over Hanoi. He was captured and put in a Vietnamese prison camp. He knew that if the gooks ever saw the watch, they'd confiscate it--take it away. The way your dad looked at it, this watch was your birthright. He'd be damned if any slope's gonna put their greasy yellow hands on his boy's birthright. So, he hid it, in one place he knew he could hide something: his ass. Five long years he wore this watch . . . up his ass. Then, he died of dysentery, he give me the watch. I hid this uncomfortable hunk of metal up my ass two years. Then, after seven years, I was sent home to my family. And now, little man, I give the watch to you."

[Chris S]

That reminds me of a quote from Pulp Fiction:

"This watch was on you daddy's wrist when he was shot down over Hanoi. He was captured and put in a Vietnamese prison camp. He knew that if the gooks ever saw the watch, they'd confiscate it--take it away. The way your dad looked at it, this watch was your birthright. He'd be damned if any slope's gonna put their greasy yellow hands on his boy's birthright. So, he hid it, in one place he knew he could hide something: his ass. Five long years he wore this watch . . . up his ass. Then, he died of dysentery, he give me the watch. I hid this uncomfortable hunk of metal up my ass two years. Then, after seven years, I was sent home to my family. And now, little man, I give the watch to you."

Reminds me of "No Pain no Gain" followed by "front support place...bend and stretch"....not from a jane fonda fitness vid

Chris

[order_of_victory]

I dont quiet fancy hiding a Order of the Red Star up my ass (Even if it is a Gonzak) to get through Russian Customs though

Could you step this way sir for a body cavity search.......

Order of Victory

Edited June 22, 2006 by order_of_victory

[Chris S]

I dont quiet fancy hiding a Order of the Red Star up my ass (Even if it is a Gonzak) to get through Russian Customs though

Could you step this way sir for a body cavity search.......

Order of Victory

Now reminds me of the film "Virgin Soldiers" ...as he said under contact..."###### this for a game of Soldiers"

Chris

[order_of_victory]

It also remines me of a film with Virgin in the title and nothing to do with soldiers.........I think I have said enough

Order of Victory