For decades the Old Arbat has been one of Moscow's most famous streets, loved these days more simply because it is pedestrianised than for its architecture which has been slowly modernised and chopped up over the years. The whole long street is lined with fast food chains like McDonalds, Starbucks, the Russian Mu Mu and souvenir shops with men dressed like boyars outside inviting you to enter and buy their Russian dolls, McLenin T-shirts and embroidered linen. In warmer months vendors await outside too offering paintings and made-in-China antiques. Everyone here speaks English and prices are sometimes high as it's notoriously on every tour guide's trail.