For my parents generation, the idea of Russia was of this large region
covered in secrecy and danger.
What was really behind the iron curtain?
Ripe with poverty and
Bentleys.
Oil and barren Siberia.
Little babushkas and hott, alien
super models.
Despite the new access to Russia, it is still a
bit tricky to get in.
In 1703, Tsar Peter I (Peter the Great)
moved the Russian capital to St. Petersburg.
Unfortunately, this is northern
Russia, and often the river is frozen and VERY cold.
2 for heavy
drinking).
Church of our Savior on Spilled Blood is another must see in St.
Petersburg.
It’s beauty and color are unmatched, save for St.
Basil’s
cathedral in Moscow and the Church of the Holy Family in Barcelona.
in my opinion, equally as exciting is the array of kitsch sold outside.
From matryoshka dolls to old soviet kitsh, its a gift buyers paradise.
Well, its good to know
that the little angry babushkas control everything.
At the door we were told
that they were closed.
Hmmm…. Well, somehow we decided that we’d try
the hotel restaurant.
We walk in to a nearly empty restaurant and are
told that they cannot serve us.
That they have too many parties
tonight.
Now we’re hungry, still jet-lagged, and even after
arguing are not going to get dinner.
So what did we have to eat that
night?
Potato chips and soda from the hotel lobby store.
At
least the view from our Soviet era hotel room was beautiful.
A little
mix of old 18th century convent with 21st century technology.
But to see the
Kirov perform at the historic Mariinsky Theater is such a beautiful
experience.
The first is to
the Summer Palace, Petrodvorets.
Petrodvorets sits out in the Gulf of
Finland and requires a boat trip via.
Summer Palace is a huge grounds with acre after acre of gardens and
fountains.
second great palace to visit is Catherine’s Palace, or Tsarskoye Selo,
the Pushkin Palace.
One room
is covered, floor to ceiling with malachite, a precious green mineral.
Yes,
Catherine had many male suitors.
For a good read, I recommend Russka by Edward Rutherford.
