The Federation of Russia is still very strict on who comes into the country. No was allowed to get off the cruise ship unless they were on an official guided tour, either with the cruise line, or had secured a private tour in advance. Rachel found us a private tour for just a little more than what we would have paid to go with the masses of folks who opted for the cruise tour. We were pleased with our choice because it was just our two families and the tour guide on a mini bus. We were more on our own schedule and we could ask any questions of the guide (Helen). We went through a rigorous (compared to the other ports) customs check and set off with Helen on our mini bus.
The first part of the morning was just making our way through the morning rush hour traffic to a few of the main sites in town. All the while, Helen is pouring over 300 years of St. Petersburg history into our brains. This was our first picture stop: The beautiful Rostral columns (and the Stock Exchange--columned building on left).
Again, the first 11 photos on this blog are compliments of Jeremy Moll.
This is the beautiful Church of the Spilled Blood. One might think that it is named that for the spilled blood of Christ. However, it was built on the site where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated and dedicated in his memory. It was raining pretty considerably at this point so we just hopped off and snapped a few pictures (including one of Mike and I in front or the church that got erased), and climbed back in the bus. We did not see the interior.
I took this picture from the bus as we were driving (one reason it's slanted). During the Communist era, most churches were not used for worship. Most were torn down and the ones that survived were used for other purposes. I believe she said that this one was used as a swimming pool or skating rink.
This is the outside of the Winter Palace: one of the buildings of the Hermitage.
We stopped for souvenirs and then headed to The Hermitage: the world's largest and oldest art museums. It was started by Catherine the Great in 1764 and was opened to the public in 1852. It has over 3 million items (only a small portion of which are on display at any given time), and has the largest collection of paintings in the world. Rachel said it best when she said that not only it is an amazing collection of artwork, but every room is a magnificent piece of art too because you are in a place. It was very cool.
Here, the group ascends the grand staircase.
One of the first rooms we entered.
I'm not sure what room this was. I honestly tried to pay attention and caught bit and pieces, but keeping up with the kids and telling them to keep their hands off of every surface was quite time consuming and attention stealing.
I believe this was the throne room--the throne is on the far wall with the red canopy.
This pic Jeremy took is one of my favorites. This is The Raphael Loggias. He took it because the ceiling is an amazing assortment of Biblical scenes. Catherine wanted it to be a replica of the hallway in the Vatican museum. She even got permission from the Pope to have it built. But the picture is hilarious to me because we look like a forlorn refugee family. Not that there's anything funny about being a refugee...
Jonas was actually asleep at this point. As we traveled east on the cruise ship, we had lost 2 hours by the time we arrived in St. Petersburg. So meeting our tour guide at 8am, really felt like 6am for us and we had gotten up even earlier for breakfast on the ship. Needless to say the kiddos (and grown ups for that matter) were Tir-erd.
These horses were some of the Tsar's favorite. He had them taxidermied so as to always to able to admire them. The boys like the horses and knight with armor.
We had lunch at this little place in town that served excellent meat pies. I thought they were awesome. Mike and the boys weren't fans. We had a beef meat pie, and a chicken and rice one, and apricot for dessert. I took a picture of the counter where all the pies were because they were really pretty. I just got this one from an internet search to give you an idea.
This is where my pictures start again. Yay! We drove about 30 min outside the city to Peterhof. This is us in front of the Peterhof Grand Palace, built by Peter the Great.
Jonas on the terrace overlooking the main fountain in the gardens.
A view of the center fountain and Palace.
At the top of this fountain were some dragons. The water ran down the checkerboard inclines and into the pool at the bottom.
So pretty! The Peterhof Gardens are said to be the Russian Versailles.
Jonas enjoying a shoulder ride and showing off his bottom.
A cool feature of the park was the trick fountains. Here, Jonas and I tried to make it over the rocks without stepping on the one that makes the water squirt. We made it!
At this one, the water didn't turn on until someone sat on the bench under the umbrella. Then the water turned on and they couldn't get out without getting wet.
Jonas, Ezra, and Evan enjoying the view.
Moll and Allison Families.
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