Friday, June 10, 2011

Last blogs

Thursday, May 19th, Transit to St. Petersburg (part 2)

We were picked up by our guide and bus (our guides name was Svetlana) and immediately went to Peterhof Castle. The grounds and the castle are bigger than Versailles. The first three pictures are of the grounds and the fountains are powered by piping of water from about the Castle and the use of smaller and smaller pipes. Visitors at one time came via the Finland Bay and up the center canal.

While we were waiting to get in at our appointed time, an unbelievably rude woman came up, shoved to the front of the line and when questions asked if we knew who she was (she told us she was the “Governor of Russia”—there is no such position). She said he had been waiting for her group and now they were ready—fortunately for us, the folks controlling entry would not allow her to enter before us—a small victory over an obnoxious person.

The grounds and the summer castle are quite beautiful and on the grounds are numerous other buildings where individuals stayed. I have posted some videos on the photo bucket site of events that occurred here. We then headed to our hotel and a nap and then on to dinner. It is the “white nights” time in St. Petersburg and it is light until very late, then dusky, then the sun is back up again. This city always seems lighter in attitude and outlook to me, and the population seems younger to me as well. Supposedly there are 5 females for every male there. The last two pictures are of the crew in front of one of the fountains and a new friend that Andrie and Angie made.

Friday, May 20th, St. Petersburg

Today was business visiting day. We visited the largest daily business newspaper in St. Petersburg and we were once again treated to an in-depth analyses. We also visited the Leningrad Chamber of Commerce (the youngest, the largest and the fastest growing of all Commerce in Russia) and a small but highly efficient trip/destination organization. This night we want to a show and the two photos are attached—but there is more video on photobucket and facebook. Kevin and Stefan were selected to perform and they did a great job—you can see Kevin’s reward for his efforts.

Our bus driver--Slava--was extraordinary and provided us with a great deal of history of the seige of Leningrad in WWII--I cannot begin to recount his commentary but it was as revealing as it was touching.

Saturday, May 21st, Last full day in Russia

Today was just a fun day—we started out at the St. Peter and Paul Fortress and visited where all the czars are buried (first photo of some of the beautiful tombs) and then went to the Hermitage (next three pictures—the bird is actually a clock).

It is an enormous museum and would take about 3 years to go through and spend a short time with each item. It was the private museum of Catherine the Great and “her mice” as she noted. After the museum, we went on a canal cruise that was just a great great deal of fun, walked around the city and had dinner then off to the overnight train to Moscow and home. The final picture is of an exhausted traveler in the LaGuardia airport as we finally arrived home.











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