17.12.2006
Vladivostok City Information
What you need to know about staying awhileI. General Information Vladivostok News is a local newspaper produced in English. II. Post and Email Post Office and Telegraph
Central post offices in Russia also sell stamps, envelopes, fax services, Internet time, and Telegraph services. Address: 2a Verhneportovaya St., Vladivostok, Russia Tel.: +7 4232 413557 Private mail services
There are several private mail services in town including DHL (http://www.dhl.ru/index_e.html phone: 095 916 1000) and FedEx (http://www.fedex.com/ru/ phone: 7-095-787-5555). There are also some less expensive private mail services established mainly for expats – usually they advertise in the local English papers. If you will be in town for several months and need to receive important documents it is worth opening an account. Otherwise, it’s just not worth it, given the easy access to email these days. For sending postcards and letters, the Russian post is just fine although slow, but know that packages sent from America sometimes still have “difficulties” getting to recipients in Russia. Internet Cafés
There are a handful of private Internet Cafés in Vladivostok, many of them small and in out-of-the-way places. One of the most popular is Vladivostok CyberC@fe, located at 209, 19, Uborevicha ul. There is another located in the the Kodak Center next to the FENU dorms and another in the Central Post Office (see above). III. Food
Below is short list of handy places to get you started. Nostalgia – located near the University, this place serves good quality Russian dishes for fair prices. Pervaya Morskaya 6/25, Tel: 410513 (yes, only six digits) Pizza M – Also fairly near the dorms, in the Primorye hotel, is cheap but decent pizzeria. Ul. Posetskaya 20. Studio Coffee – Good coffee and hamburgers 24hrs a day. Svetlanskaya 18. Kafe Krishna- (vegetarian!) Cheap Hindu vegetarian food, Okeansky pr. 10/12. Ali Baba Fast Food – (vegetarian!) Middle eastern food (Falafel!). Ul. Pogranichnaya 6/3.
IV. Clubs, Shopping and Culture
For shopping, Svetlanskaya Ul. is the center of town. We recommend you simply take a walk and stop by GUM (the main store at the corner of Uborivecha. There are many clubs in Vladivostok, but university students now seem to favor a club called BSB, which is tucked away at Kransovo Znameni pr, 67. For more cultural affairs, tickets may be bought at the Philharmonic and Gorky Theatre, both also located on Svetlanskaya, 15 and 49, respectively. You may also notice kiosks or even small tables in the streets selling tickets. These are legitimate sellers (at least every time we have tried). V. Medicines/Vision needs
There are small pharmacy and eyeglass kiosks throughout the city. They sell medication for just about everything, but mostly in brands you’ve never heard of before. Eyeglass kiosks sell contact lens solution and cleaners in brands you know. Some kiosks can even cut new glasses for you or sell disposable contacts. Make sure you know your eye prescription before you leave home, there is no doctor visit needed. VI. Allergies/Seasonal concerns
During the winter, daylight gets scarce in Russia. We have found that exercise and vitamins (bring multi-vitamens from home) are very effective ways to fight off the seasonal blues as well as colds. Climate in Vladivostok is quite mild for Russia, but can wander to extremes. Winters can be mild; they can also be very severe. Summer could be rainy and dreary, unbearably hot and humid, or extremely pleasant. In short, pack for every possibility. You will never regret having a good hat, gloves, and umbrella. Winter hiking boots combined with thermal and wool socks when necessary are more useful than very heavy winter boots. VII. Immunizations
Make sure you are up to date with diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, and tetanus. If you will be in the provinces, it is recommended that you are immunized against hepatitis A and typhoid and receive immuno-globulin injections. Tick-borne encephalitis and lyme disease have been reported in Siberia. If you are going to Siberia, you should get immunized against encephalitis (tick-borne). VIII. Exercise
Around town are several Sportivni Zali (Sports Clubs- sometimes Sportivni Klub). These often offer better machines than the school some aerobics classes, etc., but at a price. Many of them will demand you have a physical before joining. A couple are listed below for you. (Fitness clubs inside the hotels.) Hyundai Hotel: 29 Semenovskaya St; Tel.: (4232) 40-22-33 Gavan Hotel: 2 Krigina St; Tel.: (4232) 49-53-63
IX. Transport
Before making any major trip (even within Russia), make sure you ask about visa and registration restrictions! The Trans-Siberian Railway to Moscow will cost you $200+.
Trains to Harbin, China will cost around $50. Boats run to Japan (Niigata and Fushiki) and cost about $235 one-way.
South Korea can also be easily reached by ferry for about $300 roundtrip.
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