So, compared to the first two days, it feels like we didn’t do very much yesterday and today. We actually did, but I think it feels that way because we weren’t taking so many pictures. I think I took as many pictures today and yesterday combined as I took on Saturday. But that is a good thing, because I was taking everything in with my own two eyes, rather than through the lens of my camera.
The Yesterday, we made our way to Peterhof Palace, one of the many palaces in St. Petersburg. It wasn’t in the center of the city like many of the palaces, so it was about a thirty minute trip by bus after we took the metro. The St. Petersburg metro is pretty amazing. The each station is beautiful and other than the subway trains and tracks, it doesn’t really feel like a metro. The stop that we got off on had chandeliers hanging above the tracks.
Peterhof, as I mentioned earlier, is a series of palaces and gardens together on the Gulf of Finland. It reminded me of Versailles. Some of the main attractions are the fountains that surround the buildings and are dispersed throughout the grounds which, during the summer months, work and are absolutely stunning. We however, were there not during the summer months, and unfortunately, the fountains had already been drained of their water and some boarded up in preparation for the Russian winter. Fountains without water are kind of depressing, but, never the less, it was still beautiful. Had the fountains been in working order, though, it would have been a marvelous sight to see. Also, we were not allowed to take photos in the palace museum, which consisted of a tour of rooms set up just as they were when the palace was in use, or the church, the inside of which was practically all in gold, so I will have to tell you about them upon my return.
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| What Peterhof would look like if we were there at the right time of year. |
In Peterhof, we also saw an amazing church. It was huge (like they all are), but this one looked like a huge gingerbread house.
Sunday night we went out walking around and taking pictures at night and the city was just as amazing as during the daytime. This city is beautiful all of the time, no matter the weather or the time of day!
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| The Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood |
Today was a difficult day because many places are closed on Mondays. But luckily we were able to find another palace that was open. We were also lucky enough to stumble upon an English speaking tour while we were wandering around and we followed them for a little bit, which was fantastic. After this, we made our way to the apartment-turned-museum where Alexander Pushkin, the famous Russian writer, lived and wandered around there for a little while.
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| Statue of Pushkin |
I like to think of yesterday and today as decompression days. The first day and a half that we were here, we saw a lot and it was slightly overwhelming. And tomorrow we are going to the Hermitage, which I predict will also be slightly overwhelming, so I hope, we are mentally prepared!! haha
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| Tomorrow's adventure - the State Hermitage Museum |
Amazing pix!!
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