Words Without Pictures

Here is the commentary I have promised for two days...and it is already midnight so I will have to flesh this out more when we get a day off.  It's been a hectic few days...and I hardly know where to start.  Two very long days in St. Petersburg, and some interesting observations.  

First, our guide was very talented, patient and knowledgable.  But so very Russian.  She provided many entertaining moments, especially when we had all gathered at whatever 'meeting point' she designated throughout the two days, waited as told while 'I just exchange the voucher for the tee-kets' and then the next thing we hear is 'I am waiting for you by the column/door/entry...please try to keep up...I am waiting for you....'  

We saw the highlights..Church of the Spilled Blood with incredible mosaic interior, Winter Palace and Hermitage Museums, Catherine Palace and Amber Room.  After a while, we suffered museum burnout.  I am sure with more time and energy we could have truly appreciated it more.  But are so glad we saw it.  

Many buildings are well kept, but just as many are suffering disrepair that is not so obvious in pictures.  Cracks in buildings, chunks of facades falling off and patched with cement. 

The people were hard working, at least the few we met.  Sergei, our driver, is an amazing, focused and talented man.  He wanted to be able to drive tourists all year, not just the summer months, so he knew he needed to be fluent in English.  So he went to the US, took a job in customer service while studying so he could learn conversational English.  All so he would be a desirable driver in the off season.  Nice young man with four kids, aged 8,6,4 and 2.  (So far #5 is not on the way).

Then we added the Faberge museum.  It's in a normal appearing building from the outside, but a private palace inside.  A very wealthy oligarch's private home turned museum.  And what spectacular collections of silver, enamels and eggs.  silk walls to rival what we saw in the actual palaces.

Despite the ornate decor and bright pastel buildings, there is a very gritty and gray feel to the city, even in bright sunshine (which we had both days and apparently this was the best weather of the entire season of the Regal Princess in St. Petersburg).  For that matter, all the big cities we have been in had their own vibe and feel.  If I were to rank them, it would be St. Petersburg, Berlin, Reykjavik, Helsinki, Oslo, Copenhagen.  That leaves out Stockholm which is yet to be blogged, but we visit tomorrow.

Today we spent the day in Helsinki, Finland.  The weather was supposed to be cloudy, which it was for a couple of hours in the morning, but we brought the sunshine with us so the Finnish enjoyed spending the day in the sun along with us.  I'll add a couple of pictures of our day, but mostly we visited the Church in the Rock, took a tram tour of the city, shopped the farmers market at the port, and stopped to sample four Finnish beers.