One good reason to visit Moscow

According to this article, Russians are sick of getting a bad tourism rap. For those too lazy to click on the link, the general gist is this:

"Moscow officials have launched an attack on Lonely Planet,
saying the backpackers' guide portrays the Russian capital
as a gangster-infested Gotham and presents an image of
the city that is at least 15 years out of date.
One television channel said the guide suggested that "life
in the Russian capital is determined by the laws of the
jungle. Foreigners are being warned: criminals, Aids and
mites are raging in Moscow and shops are full of fake vodka."

This amuses me for several reasons. First up, beware, tourists! Not only is AIDS rampant in the city, there are also mites! Bed bugs! ONE BITE FROM THOSE SUCKERS COULD SPOIL YOUR WHOLE NIGHT! Apparently, Russians are as concerned that the city is regarded as lawless as it is that there's a nasty rumour that their vodka is fake: 'Our streets teem with crooks and thugs, but let's be clear - our vodka is the certified shit!'

Secondly, they're not disputing that Russia was, until very recently, blighted by these self-same plagues of shysters, vodka substitutes, AIDS epidemics - AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE MITES! MIIIIIITES! But not anymore, you understand. They showed those bugs. AIDS? That's behind them. And the vodka is the real deal.

Thirdly, if Lonely Planet is portraying Moscow as a 'gangster-infested Gotham', that's pretty much the only thing I've ever heard - besides the chance to gawp at a pickled Lenin - about Moscow that's made me actually consider going. Monorails! Baddies! Batphones! If I ever do head to Moscow, I will be fully expecting to get embroiled in some sort of espionage scenario that involves ducking and weaving my way through snaking queues of Muscovites who've hocked the family jewels to buy a single Estee Lauder lipstick, Russian dolls that come to life, and microfilm. Because who needs Lonely Planet for a travel guide when you've got Smirnoff ads, anyway?