Russia
The trip from Helsinki to St Petersburg was relatively uneventful. The countryside in eastern Finland is lush, green and tree covered - with much of it being variously claimed by Finland, Russia and Sweden throughout the ages.
The border crossing between Finland and Russia is separated by a no-mans land several hundred metres wide - the crossing out of Finland was painless but entry into Russia, whilst smooth, was a tad more fraught - "no photos please" says Alex just in case the KGB (now the Federal Security Service) have a dossier on one of us (me probably!). There are trucks lined up for kilometres and kilometres to get through the border but luckily, we are not delayed and we are soon back aboard the coach and Werner has the pedal to the metal and we motor on towards the old capital of Russia - the former Leningrad - St Petersburg.
St Petersburg
Our first introduction to the city is with a tour of the fortress of Peter the Great and Saints Peter's and Paul's Cathedral where many of the former Tsars of Russia are buried. Pretty mind-boggling! After that, we check into our hotel - the Sokos Palace Bridge which is fabulous. It's a little away from the very centre of old St Petersburg but still within easy walking distance and it has some great restaurants nearby.
Alex takes us to an Italian restaurant for an early pizza dinner that is just so-so (and vino that is even worse) and then it's onto the coach and a short ride to the pier where we board our long, low canal river boat for an evening cruise.
The canals and the main river are spectacular in the evening gloaming and the warm glow is further assisted by Alex insisting that everyone try the local tipple - Russian Vodka (or Italian Prosecco if you prefer!). The vodka is used to start the boat motors in the dead of winter and certainly gives the throat a bit of a burn on the way down. This is what Insight Vacations euphemistically calls a "tour flourish" and we get more of these along the way (chocolates and sweets to match every country and the local brews and liquors whenever we enter a new region).
St Petersburg really is a comfortable city and one that everyone on tour finds friendly and accommodating. After our canal cruise, Viv, Adrian, Anne and I walk back into the city and do a spot of exploring which is pretty easy given our hotel's location. Even at 10PM there are hoons on the river on Jet Skis doing hockey stops trying to spray the people on the bridges - unluckily Adrian was one of the wet ones!
Next morning is an optional tour of the Yusopov Palace (no cameras without a fee) to see the treats and where Rasputin reportedly was murdered by some guy named Felix. In the afternoon, it's a hydrofoil ride to Peter the Great's summer palace and a tour of the gardens and water wonderland before a fantastic Russian dinner in a little restaurant across the road from our hotel. The Stroganov was to die for and the drinks were passable and reasonably priced as well.
Next morning is our last in this western-most Russian city and we crown it with a visit to the Hermitage Museum. This museum is five huge buildings of grandeur and priceless art and exhibits that reminds us of the Vatican Museums. It is simply mind-blowing! Finally some relief from the visual and cultural barrage as we end our tour and struggle to the coach. We're off to the train station and the very fast train to Moscow some 3 hours and 650km distant.
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| Trucks lined up to cross the border into Russia |
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| Flowers in St Petersburg |
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| Inside the Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul |
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| The tombs of the Tsars inside the Cathedral |
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| More tombs - the bodies are actually buried 2 metres below ground level |
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| The Alter |
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| This guy or gal was isolated for some reason - can't remember why! |
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| The chair where Peter the Great sat during services (all else had to stand) |
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| The little church off to the rear of the main cathedral |
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| On our canal cruise |
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| The Neve River - St Petersburg's link to the Baltic |
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| Across the river to the main square |
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| Part of the Hermitage Museum |
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| Viv & Adrian, Larry & Lindy in front of the Hermitage |
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| Alex our tour director with some "Tour Flourishes" - Russian Standard and Greenmark Vodka |
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| Looking back at the grand palaces |
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| Only in Russia - a stretch limo as big as a bus! |
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| Scenes from the canals |
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| On the bridge over the canal |
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| Adrian after being sprayed by a jet-skier. They're everywhere! |
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| This old ship is actually a nightclub |
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| St Important Church |
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| Icons - it is definitely Russian Orthodox! |
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| Main building off the central square |
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| Peter the Greats summer Palace with waterways |
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| Fountains everywhere |
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| A little Russian miss in costume for the cameras |
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| The man himself - Pete the Great One |
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| Musicians inside the gardens |
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| Lisa stuck inside one of the trick fountains trying to keep dry |
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| More fountains |
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| Now for something different - beautiful flowers |
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| The rain shower over the roadway - very tricky Pete! |
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| The Summer Palace - just a modest little dwelling! |
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| The outhouse where the relos could stay |
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| Outside the Yusupov Palace |
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| Inside the Hermitage Museum |
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| A rather ornate ceiling |
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| Brilliant inlaid flooring - exotic timbers from around the world |
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| A 'little' hanging number - Pari in the foreground |
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| Stained glass anyone? |
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| A little chandelier - only made of crystal and gold! |
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| The celestial clock in all its glory |
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| A rooftop garden |
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| Another quietly understated mozaic floor |
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| Friezes and wall sculpture in abundance |
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| A crouching sculpture - Warwick on the camera at right |
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| A little green jug |
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| A big green jug |
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| Their very own mummy (needs a bit of moisturiser!) |
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| Anne outside the back door of the Hermitage Museum |
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| Column in the main square - Anne on the foreground |
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