Advertisement
Published: July 31st 2008
Edit Blog Post
Saint Petersburg
Quick facts: Russia's second biggest city. The city city consists of 42 islands. The entire inner city has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Named after the apostle Peter, it was the capital from the 18th century - 1917. The city name was changed from St Petersburg, to Petrograd, again after 1924 to Leningrad, and back to St Petersburg in 1991.
Well my second Russian city...I think I would have more positive things to report if I didn't have such a bad cold! I feel lousy, but must get out and see everything. Though it's not with the same vigour as normal, which is a real shame. Like for example yesterday I was feeling so-so but was out and about investigating and finding beautiful surprises. I thought I'll try and get an "early night" and left the centre. To my surprise when I got out of the metro, it was raining. I waited a bit thinking it might disipate. It didn't. So sans umbrella I started to walk back to the hostel. Thunder crashes, down it comes, rain Melbourne would die for, lap up. So I started running, what else could i do and laughing. It
The Summer Garden
Just like a dream happened to all of us, getting caught out, no umbrella could have protected you. Needless to say I was drenched bu the time I arrived at the Hostel, and conveniently I had a white shirt on! When I got back to the room, ah empty, none of the other four people were there. So I started to dry off, got to get out of these clothes. Only towel covering my chest still with my shorts on, in comes a middle aged German man and a Pakistani! Quelle surpris, I didn't realise I was sharing a room with 3 men! Tired, sick and wet I ran to the bathroom, and a semi break down, recovered and returned to have about 3 hours sleep. Unrelaxed in my sleeping situation, possible side effect from unknown medicine I bought from the chemist by imitating sneezing and using my poor Russian! Also being eaten alive by mozzies at the same time. Scared to blow my nose or sniff too much would have wake my roomies! yes, a big surprise I am no longer staying there. In my fragile state, I need to sleep and feel comfortable, so much for my idea of going really budget.
Swan Lake
Lose yourself in a story of music and dance Hostels are not how I remember. Though I was younger and more fearless. I wear my scaredy pants alot more often these days. So now I have a nice Soviet apartment.
What can I say about the city? Enormous, grand, amazing, these descriptive words keep coming. I get nice surprises everyday, when appearing something so beautiful that I had not expected or was on the way to see something else, only to find this surprise! Like many European cities, St Pete is packed full of history and for any book reader, this city was a backdrop for two epic stories - The Bronze Horseman and The Bridget to the Holy Cross, written by Paullina Simons. Epic stories of tragic war and of course love. So for me, I get to visit inspiringly beautiful scenes from the book, sounds corny but if you've read the book you would understand.
Russia - food & culture. How is a vegetarian surviving in Russia? Well thank god I have iron tablets, unless you cook for yourself, iron and soy proteins are hard to find here. Bean salads is some thing I hunt down. Russians are into Blini (Pancakes). The fillings for vego's
Walking in the rain
Yes another night of rain, at the end of the White nights. Really special pretty scare, cheese is really the only option or fruit. They have alot of bistro type places, they can be basic but safe. Meat is big on the menu. Oh and language, fair to say without being able to read the russian alphabet, your pretty much in trouble. Not saying people don't speak english, but you cannot rely on this option. So a tip for Russian travel, learn the alphabet and make life easier!
Russian beer and champagne are nice, Russian women, love to wear heels here, especially scary as some roads are cobble stone. Podiatrists must be rich in this country! Also the tattoo craze for women is very popular.
Poland and Russia similar? No way! I naively thought possibly they would be. Maybe except for the fact they both love vodka and beer. Maniac drivers, I have closed my eyes a few times in car with a Russian taxi driver! They are good at what they do but....
The people are lovely, friendly, relaxed, similar to those in Kaliningrad. Main thing is people can really rip you off here, not so much in Kaliningrad.
Swan Lake at Alexander Theatre. How could I leave St
Finally.....
So here he is Jane, The Bronze Horseman Pete, the cultural capital of Russia without a trip to the opera or ballet. So with lots of time to kill before my midnight train to Moscow and a chance to escapre the rain. I bought myself a ticket to Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. I can't say I got all dressed up for the occaision but I had my best thongs on! The Alexander theatre is no Mariatsky but a beautiful one all the same. A great seat on the balcony to experience my first ballet performance. Beautiful music, dancing and costume. A new experience of a story told by dance and music. After the performance, I was walking through the streets under my umbrella still during the white nights with Tchaikovsky playing in my head, now that was a walk to remember! Great little train ride with 3 Russian men! A nice man who looked like Boris Yeltsin, another and a Kazakh Hip Hop dancer!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.073s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 11; qc: 25; dbt: 0.0304s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Lom
non-member comment
.
I just can't wait to read your Moscow report.