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Published: November 22nd 2021
SAINT PETERSBURG - THE OLD
The belfry of the Peter and Paul Fortress is the tallest in the world. The Fortress is the oldest landmark in Saint Petersburg.THE CRUISE CONTINUES
Two Days in Saint Petersburg, Russia
July 19th! The big day arrived. We were going to St. Petersburgh. I had been to Denmark, Finland, and Sweden before. But I had never been to Russia.
Saint Petersburg - Day One
We went to the Peterhof Palace and Gardens. At the entrance was the Grand Palace Church. Ah! The Russian domes. Then there were the gardens and the fountains: sixty-four fountains. The remarkable thing about the fountains is they operate without pumps. The elevation of reservoirs located in the upper gardens powers the fountains in the lower gardens. There is so much gold. Many of the statues are gilded, and even the rain could not dim their gleam.
We walked for hours in a gentle rain.
We had some respite from the weather when we toured the palace of Catherine, the Great. The ceilings were so high. The walls, clad in costly fabrics, and wallpapers, made the height even more dramatic. The furniture looked so dainty and fragile in comparison.
Our guide took us to a restaurant for a typical Russian lunch of potato salad, borscht with sour cream, stroganoff, and cake.
THE LAHKTA CENTER - THE NEW
This skyscraper is the tallest building in Russia and the tallest in Europe, at 1515 feet. We went into two souvenir shops. I couldn't resist buying a Russian kokoshnik: a tall turquoise blue folk headdress, completely covered in an intricate pattern embellished with seed pearls. There are not a lot of places to wear something like that. But it was a hit at home.
I was so tired when we got back to our room I was almost sick. A warm shower didn't help much. I pulled a blanket out of the linen closet and wrapped myself up in it. I was still cold.
Rest and food helped.
Every night in the ship's auditorium, there was free entertainment on stage. Aylin and I went to see the Russian performance. I loved the ethnic costumes, dancing, and music. It was high energy, but I was still tired.
Saint Petersburg - Day Two
As I dressed for our excursion, I realized I hadn't charged my phone and Fitbit. I left them on the charger while we had breakfast. We were hurrying to meet the tour bus when I realized I had to go back for my electronics. I told Aylin I would meet her on the bus and went back to get them.
PETERHOF PALACE AND GARDENS
Church of the Grand Palace. I got my things from our room. As I was making my way to the bus, I met several members of the tour group. They hadn't seen Aylin. I went back to the ship twice, looking for her. Finally, we went to the bus. Aylin was there. She was miffed, blaming me for making her the center of attention.
Our bus dropped us at the Fontanka, a left branch of the Neva River. We boarded an open-air barge for an hour and a half cruise. It was nippy. We had a sweeping few of the city as we went down the river. Beautiful old mansions that once belonged to the Russian nobility stood high above the left bank. We passed under fifteen bridges as we went.
For lunch, Anya, our guide, took us to a Russian pie shop for piroshki. I ordered beef, a mushroom, and a raspberry pie. Maybe I needed comfort food. Anyway, three piroshki were a bit much.
When we finished eating, we went to the Hermitage. There was a never-ending line of people waiting to get in. It went almost around the block. The advantage of paying for a guide was that we
THE GRAND CASCADE
The Peterhof gardens are stunning. There is some new delight around every corner. went right to the head of the line. While we waited for the door to open, hawkers walked up and down selling souvenirs. I bought three faux Faberge eggs and three Maruska dolls. Putting my purchases in my bag, I discovered I had left my cell phone on the bus; no pictures of the Hermitage.
The anteroom was so beyond elegant. I just wanted to stay and absorb the beauty. A friend told me recently that the Hermitage is the first time the box was more impressive than the gift. I knew what he meant: the buildings are treasures themselves, but I have never seen so many masterpieces in one place. I want to go every day for a month and enjoy the paintings, piece by piece.
Sadly, I have no photos for this blog. But in a way, I am glad I didn't have my phone with me. I was able to take a little more time to absorb the glorious rooms; the floors, ceilings, light fixtures, paintings, sculptures, and furniture. I was able to stay with my group. I didn't have to make tough decisions about what to photograph, and I didn't get lost. And now
SAMSON FOUNTAIN
The Peterhof grounds surprise and soothe the soul. I have the perfect excuse to go back again.
Back on the ship, I ate alone, looked for ballroom dancing, and went to the theater to see another Russian performance. I dozed off several times during the production. In our room, I sank gratefully into a welcome sleep.
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