TAKE YOUR FRIENDS / December
Take your friends
…FOR A WINTER SWIM
This is one Moscow experience
you’ll never forget and will most
likely miss having on a regular basis.
airBaltic
f lies to
Moscow
four times
per day
Words by Olga Dolina
Publicity photos and
by Olga Dolina
It’s a crisp winter day, and there’s
been a heavy snowfall. You put on
your swimsuit and dive into the
warm, blue waters of an old-style
swimming pool right in the heart
of busy Moscow. Did we mention
it has no roof ? And that the dif-
ference in temperatures creates
a dense, fairytale-like haze a few
centimetres above the surface of
the water? Intrigued?
Russians say that ‘a healthy
body makes a healthy spirit’. No
reason to disagree, especially if
Muscovites have a decades-long
habit of steeling their will with a
proper open-air swim. Summer
or winter, rain or shine, Chaika
is one of the few swimming pools
that awaits swim addicts all year
long. And it’s located right in the
city centre, just a three-minute
walk from the Park Pobedy
metro station.
For the best burst of physical
and aesthetic adrenaline, go early
in the morning or late in the eve-
ning. After paying the entrance
fee (RUB 1500 for a one-day visit,
including gym and group aqua
aerobics), you’ll also need to take
a quick medical evaluation. Use
this opportunity to find out which
swimming style suits you best,
and then dive right into the pool.
The first thirty seconds are a
genuine shock, but after that it’s
pure endorphins.
Chaika has a 50-metre main
pool and a 25-metre pool with
an impressive six-winged diving
tower. The water is deep enough
for professionals, but those who
want to relax can slide into the
children’s swimming lane, which
is warmer and only one metre
deep. The poolside sauna is also a
must-try procedure in winter.
Built in 1957 for the 6th World
Festival of Youth and Students,
Chaika quickly became a top spot
for both professional athletes
and regular citizens. You can still
enjoy a glass of fresh juice in the
rotunda-styled cafeteria, which
stands at almost at the same level
as the water.
3 Turchaninov Pereulok;
chayka-sport.ru
42
/ airBaltic.com