Out My Hotel Window -- St. Petersburg, Russia (7/2008)

[agedwiz]

My cup runneth over.   Yesterday we visited St. Olaf's, the Church of Spilled Blood, The Winter Palace and The Hermitage.  I am still processing it all and there is much to process.  It was an emotional day.

Sadly, the view out the back side of the Hotel Helvetia is not spectacular.  It is, however, quieter than looking out on the prospekt.

Comments

[emorrison]

I wondered where you were lately... Russia! Wow!!! Tell us more!

[agedwiz]

After too short visits in Amsterdam, St. Petersburg and Moscow we're headed all the way to Vladivostok on the Trans-Siberian Railway. I'll try to keep posting as I go, but it's hard to tell when I'll have access and when I will not.

[slymongoose]

The Hermitage alone would merit lots of time to process by itself, I imagine! That and the Winter Palace in the same day? Wow! And then... more?
woah, doooood.

[fauxklore]

The Winter Palace is part of the Hermitage complex, so that's not unusual. But, yeah, it's a lot to see in one day. I spent 5+ hours and still felt like I saw less than half of it.

[slymongoose]

D'OH!

I did not know that. *hangs head in shame*

So... where would the famous Amber Room be, if it was still in one piece/place?

[fauxklore]

That would be at the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, which is a bit outside St. Petersburg. If I recall correctly, they have partially restored it (as of a few years ago).

[fauxklore]

By the way, my favorite St. Petersburg site was the Tkhvin Cemetery at the Alexander Nevsky monastery. That's where many of the most famous Russian writers, artsts, and composers are buried. The composers were especially important to me - from Glinka through Balakirev, Borodin, Mussourgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, to Tchaikowsky.

[agedwiz]

Sadly that, and many other things, will have to wait until another trip. Tomorrow is off to Moscow...

[the_peej]

So. Jealous.

[agedwiz]

Ah...but you taught me how to drink vodka, which is coming in handy... I'll have several in your honor..

[the_peej]

Woohoo!

I absolutely want to see all the photos.