St. Petersburgh

---

So here we are, the road well travelled is finally at its end. And what a long road it has been, well over 10,000km by train, and if we add the air, maybe we are up to 20,000km, but I'll let someone else do the math. On Saturday, I started walking, had to kill some time until the checkin, so away I walked, and what a place I stumbled upon. They have rebuilt this city very well since WWII, when pretty much the entire city was damaged or leveled. They have stayed true to the original spirit of the city, or at least so I am told. My other discovery about this city is that all the tourists I thought I would see in the other cities, they are hiding here. The town is totally overrun with them, but it is high-season now, so they are coming by the boatload. One good thing of all the touists, good for me that is, there is much english spoken all over the place. So, I have gone into lazy traveller mode and don't even bother with my phrasebook.
Once I made it to check-in time, I headed back to the hotel, cleaned, and a first shave in around a week or so, probably look 24 now. Then, a nap, as I did not get much sleep, then a walk around the the area to find cheaper internet and a store for water and food. Once that was done, back to bed I went and crashed pretty heavy.
I have breakfast buffet included in hotel price, so am eating for the day in the morning. Sunday found me going for one of the longest walks of the trip, a good 6 hours down just 2 streets...very long streets. The day before I was wearing sandals, and apparently I did not change them in time, so my heals started to crack a little. After my wonderful walk, I turned into a bit of a cripple. Good thing I can use a metro, 6 hours one way, 30 minutes the other. It was very easy to sleep that night. The sights are so amazing. They have many parks, all have statues, many have fountains. And so many of them, all over the city. There are almost 5 million people here, so I guess you have to keep them calm. The man who booked my hotel called me just past midnight to ask if I wanted to arrange any tours, apparently the time to sleep around here is the same in all of Russia...much later then I am used to. I agreed, thinking it would be a good change from making up the history, so on Monday a guide and a car came, picked me up, and we went to the summer palaces outside of the city. The guide told me that there are more then 2000 palaces in the area, wicked. So, I hobbled around the palaces, looking and taking pics. Very similar to Versailles and the other palaces around europe, very decadent, and the gardens, totally involved. One place we went to had over 100 fountains. So, that was a full day and good that I did not walk the entire day, I almost felt healed, so to speak. Tuesday came around, and I was told by the guide, you must go to the hermitage, everyone that comes to St.Pete goes there, it is an amazing gallery, one of the biggest in Europe. I wanted to stay outdoors for the day, since it was my last full day in town, but it was cloudy when I woke up, so took it as a sign I should go indoors. Well, I got there, and saw the line up...at least 150-200 metres long...people as far as the eye could see. That was another sign. A sign to take a walking tour that was mentioned in my guide book. So, that was my final day in St.Pete. Made it to the top of one of the churches, gave me a great view of the city roof tops, not nearly as pretty as the sides.
So, that is St.Pete, best looking city in all of Russia. I am booked for Budapest tomorrow, so a lazy day of waking up and wandering to the airport...then..another new language! What a lucky man😊

---

Comments

[Mike]

What a journey!
Well that was a very interesting read, and such a monumental journey. I sit here in my office reading about these exotic locations and my mind starts to wander to Russia, Revolutions, the Old Soviet Union, Revolutions, the Czars and Czarinas, Catherine, Nicholas.......................... Such a wonderous history, such a brave people. Thanks for the little mental trip. Look forward to reading more. Nostrovya!