St. Petersburg goodness

The trip to St. Petersburg was wonderful. We left on the Express train at 11:59pm. The four of us had a room in the sleeper car, so no sleeping with creepy strangers. The price of the ticket included the made "bed", a towel for morning freshening, a small bottle of water, a newspaper, breakfast box and a little toiletries bag. The breakfast box had a roll, crackers, a cheese spread, yogurt, a chocolate bar, a little fruit filled cake, tea, instant coffee and two meat products. Not bad for an upper second class ticket (they have three levels of second class - the one with the bed in a room of four beds, a bed in a car with bunks on both sides, or a car of seats).

The train pulled into St. Petersburg at 8am and we caught a trolly bus to the hotel, Nevsky Inn. It was wonderful both as a hotel and in its location. When we arrived, one of our rooms was ready and the proprietress turned on the coffee for us. By 10, she'd cleaned our second room so we were all able to take a shower before starting off. Saturday was a day of walking.

From the hotel to Palace Square to the Hermitage to cross the river over to the park where the Rostral Columns are located. We walked along the quay to get a better view across the river; we passed a woman with a baby bear licking her chin. On our way back towards the road to continue our walking, the woman and her daughter (I assume) were putting the bear into a carry-on type nylon bag. The bear was making baby bear growly noises rather like a cross between a puppy and a crow. I interpreted the bears protestations as "Man, don't put me back in the effin bag! When I get big enough I'm gonna bite you." All the while they were walking away the bear was squirming in the bag mewling "When I get big enough, dude, I'm gonna maul you".

From the bear in the bag we walked to lunch. A random place called the Red Dog was where we found sustenance. There was a sign at the corner of the main street and we made a left for the restaurant. Not crowded, not too smoky and the food was good. Who would've guessed? After lunch, we trekked on to the Peter and Paul fortress. We paid only to get into the cathedral where we looked at the marble boxes containing dead tsars. The alter was lovely as were the ceilings, but it wasn't (to me) all that remarkable a church.

After the fortress, we crossed the Trinity bridge (one of the longest of St. Petersburg bridges) to see (and sit in) the Catherine Garden, which was closed. Still needing a sit, we trudged over to the Field of Mars (a park) to sit a spell. After our nice little rest, we walked back to the hotel via the Church on Spilled Blood where we took pictures of the outside. After photo snapping (going inside was planned for Monday) we returned to the hotel for resting and napping.

When all were refreshed we began, in Jenifer's words, the evening of needless walking. We set out for a pub where Jenifer had eaten during her last trip to St. Petersburg. Alas, it is no longer there. We recommenced walking to a pub we had seen earlier in our wanderings. In my head I had been singing "fish and chips and beer" and we wanted a pub. Well, the pub we found was horridly overpriced AND did not have fish and chips on the menu... and their featured beer: Grolsch. Hmph.

After more needless walking we ended up (yes, I confess to have been a major force in this decision) at MacDonald's. I got my "fish and chips"; the term "fast food" doesn't apply to that particular MacDo for I had to wait a full five minutes for my sandwich. After dinner we found the neighborhood bodega and bought beer and snacky foods and cookies. It turned into a good evening, in spite of the needless walking and the resorting to MacDonald's.

The Russian food I like. The eating out, not so much. Of the times we've eaten out, only twice have the menus had any English on them. Not being able to even pretend to read the menu is frustrating. Jenifer and Scot and M. gladly read to me any veg-head options, but this reliance on others, this being an interruption to the normal routine is odd and unpleasant for me. I am getting used to it, but it has been humbling. I now think I have a slight understanding of what it must be like for people who have to re-learn how to read; I look at a map and I think, "I should be able to read this". It looks like a map, it tells others how to find their destination, yet it is utterly useless to me. Humbling.

I'll write more later. Sleep is needed now.