Sunday, September 5th, 2010--Saint Petersburg, Russia

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Sunday, September 5^th--Saint Petersburg, Russia

After breakfast aboard the ship, all of Polina’s charges boarded a tour bus at the dockside. The bus drove through the city and the local guide pointed out the various buildings, churches, historical places, etc. and told the history of the city. She kept saying to look at the yellow facade on the right or around the next corner--the buildings were mostly painted yellow or cream or some similar light color. Apparently, since the days are short, someone--Peter the Great or Catherine, decreed all buildings in St. Petersberg were to be painted a bright yellow.

The day was warm and clear even though they predicted rain--in fact rain was predicted almost every day, but it was short-sleeve-warm and mostly sunny the whole time. Every so often on the tour, we would stop and be allowed to get off the bus and have time to take pictures. Some of the churches are absolutely breathtaking in their beauty.

When we got to the Fortress of Peter and Paul, we went inside the Cathedral. This walled fort was the beginning of St. Petersburg and at one time housed all the military, the church, and the government--in one period it was the capitol of Russia. This city is beautiful and we really, really enjoyed it. Valerie's pictures will have to show you the lavish buildings and Cathedrals---words just will not do.

We had a buffet lunch at a downtown hotel and then were taken to the Hermitage museum. The buildings of the Hermitage is right on the river straight across from the fort on the other side. Catherine the Great collected art from Europe that she liked and put it in several rooms of her palace---she had it just for herself and a few other of her special people to look at--her hermitage she called it. Of course with her money it is a fabulous collection of paintings, statues, furniture etc., etc., etc. The throne room was particularly spectacular.

The Soviets made several of the fabulous churches/cathedrals part of the Hermitage museum system much like the Smithsonian with its numerous parts. This way they were at least protected and not destroyed although services were obviously discontinued in them. We found this to be the case in Moscow also--they declared the fabulous churches as museums and then removed the crosses from the domes and spires. At least they were not used as basketball courts or concert halls as they were in this country.

After the day of walking and going full out we called it and early night in our narrow little beds. I surprised myself at not getting claustrophobic---guess I was just too tired to care.

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