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Published: October 4th 2006
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St Petersburg Sign
Entering St Petersburg Russia St Petersburg-RUSSIA 19/9/06-20/9/06
Have I mentioned before that life is great! So far I hope you are all suitably jealous, that this next bit will merely add to the already vivid shade of green in all your eyes!
I think I’ve found what I want to do when I grow up. THIS!
So RUSSIA in general and St Petersburg specifically.
Thanks to all those people who were praying for us and had all digits and limbs crossed for us to have a smooth boarder crossing . We did and in almost record time of 2 hours. Helped along the way to some degree I’m sure. Our crew did a fantastic job.
Crossing the boarder and what I believe is true to Russian Style being pulled over by the police not 20 minutes later, kicked off the Russian half of our trip.
The first eye opening thing is the roads. WOW talk about some pot holes and caution rough edges!!!. No way would I be taking Suby any where near them! And this is the main road to their second largest city. Poor old Rica rattled and shook, making it to St Petersburg and then
St Nicholas Church
19/9/06 St Petersburg Russia into what can only be described as the worst traffic ever! Even worse than Istanbul.
I wish I’d taken more photos or a video, cause there is just nothing to compare it too at home. Talk about adrenaline junkie heaven, just drive a bus in St Petersburg!
RUSSIAN ROAD RULES
Lanes, Ignore.
Red lights are a mere suggestion! (mum you thought my “orange means accelerate” was bad. I‘ve got nothing on these guys)
Don’t forget to drive as close as possible to the vehicles around you.
And yes the footpath does count as part of the road if you can’t get where you want to go.
Add speed, rain, police cars parked in the most chaos causing spot possible, trolley buses that look 25 years past their prime,
and exhaust fumes thick enough to get high on.
Your getting the idea.
I will never complain about the traffic on Pennant Hills road or the Pacific highway again.
Having made it to our hotel without a scratch which seem a miracle good enough to get cannonised for, tried to catch up on some sleep to shake of the sore throat
I’d picked up in Tallinn, the adrenaline buzz I think kept us up chatting into the wee hours.
Day ONE in St Petersburg, I must say the place is beautiful. The main part of town being made up of the 17th Century Palaces that everyone associated with the city is even more beautiful up close.
If only we could all paint our places in such pretty pastel colours, the world would be a more cheerful place!!
First stop was St Nicolas Cathedral (I think). White and bright summer blue with gold domes. Inside the churches are painted and gilded, a lot of gold.
Initially Russian orthodox churches come across as quite gaudy. But the more of them I saw the more I liked them.
Churches at home and in other part of Europe, I’ll admit, don’t feel like particularly spiritual places for me. The stone and cold glass makes them (for me) feel austere and unwelcoming not making me feel any closer to god.
The Russian orthodox churches are ornate but I felt that you could feel the passion and love the artists put into their work honoring God. For me they
Church on the Spilled Blood
St Petersburg Russia 19/9/06 were a more spiritual experience than I was expecting. Especially in some of the smaller places where the local people where in the church whilst we were there too. They have a sincerity in their faith that is appealing.
Anyway back to St Nicks, the choir was also practicing whilst we were inside. Indescribably beautiful and even though I didn’t understand what they were singing I still got goose bumps
St Issacs Cathedral was next, just a photo op outside, then past the summer palace, the winter palace, fields of mars where the tomb of the unknown soldier lies with the eternal flame keeping watch.
The afternoon was taken up visiting the Hermitage Museum which is Russia’s equivalent to the Louve in Paris.
The place was amazingly vast. And the collection mightyly impressive. All the names you would expect. Da Vinci (x2!), Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Fragonard and my favorites Rembrandt, Renoir and especially Monet (Im slowly making my way around the world seeing all his work). For the newer art lovers Van Gogh, and Picasso. This place is definitely worth the visit. And all of this housed in the pale, sage green Winter Palace
of the Tsars. Yes I’m constantly pitching myself to make sure I am awake!
To top off a fantastic day was the traditional Russia folk entertainment concert.
Now I was expecting the Kossack dancers (or some edition of ), but the choir of military (?)officers, belting it out at us, in Russian, was definitely an added bonus!! I haven’t laughed like that in ages!
Having decided that it was going to be sooooo cheesy anyway, the fabulous four + our brave cook, decided that only the front row would do!, to experience the full force of tourist entertainment.
And boy were we right. Having nicely discomposed the performers once they caught side of a row of grinning girls in the front seats, wearing those furry Russian Army hats, we then proceeded and succeeded in making some of the stony faced Russian Army Choir crack a smile, from their choir pirch at the back of the stage. Yes, girls, we’ve still got it!!!
However it is amazing how much of a language you can pick up. I believe “kiss me darling “ was definitely the lyrics for one of the soloing, close to retirement age,
generals . Thankfully he stayed close to the back of the stage.
But the hit of the night would have to be the serenading blond munchkin, in his little army uniform making eyes at the audience. As Mastercard say. Priceless.
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