| St. Petersburg 30 May to 1 June 2008 |
Click here for the next page, "Family Visit".
Click here to return to the "Russian Trip Menu".
Click here to return to "Our Travel Journals" Main Menu.
Click here to return to the "Russian Trip Menu".
Click here to return to "Our Travel Journals" Main Menu.
From the St. Petersburg International Airport we were bused directly to our river cruise
ship, the "Kronstadt"' where we arrived shortly before noon. Surprisingly, no lunch or city
tour. We explored the ship and took a nap (we had not gotten much sleep on the plane). In
the afternoon the SmarTours representatives conducted an "orientation meeting" which
basically was a verbal repeat of the information sheets we had been given.
At 6:00pm we were glad to dine. Seating in the restaurant was at tables for six, and we
were very fortunate to be seated with enjoyable table companions, Sheri and Mario from
San Antonio, as well as Karen and Marie from California; all passengers kept the same seats
during the entire cruise.
In the bar that evening we enjoyed contemporary music by a 3-man band and a singer. Later
in the evening there was a performance by a costumed Russian folk ensemble composed of an
accordionist, two female singers, and four dancers (two male, two female). All the
entertainers were very good but presented essentially the same show night after night.
ship, the "Kronstadt"' where we arrived shortly before noon. Surprisingly, no lunch or city
tour. We explored the ship and took a nap (we had not gotten much sleep on the plane). In
the afternoon the SmarTours representatives conducted an "orientation meeting" which
basically was a verbal repeat of the information sheets we had been given.
At 6:00pm we were glad to dine. Seating in the restaurant was at tables for six, and we
were very fortunate to be seated with enjoyable table companions, Sheri and Mario from
San Antonio, as well as Karen and Marie from California; all passengers kept the same seats
during the entire cruise.
In the bar that evening we enjoyed contemporary music by a 3-man band and a singer. Later
in the evening there was a performance by a costumed Russian folk ensemble composed of an
accordionist, two female singers, and four dancers (two male, two female). All the
entertainers were very good but presented essentially the same show night after night.
The following morning we went on a bus tour of St. Petersburg with brief stops to see the
exterior of some of the tourist attractions, a few of which are pictured below.
exterior of some of the tourist attractions, a few of which are pictured below.
St. Isaac's Cathedral
Statue of Peter the Great in
St. Isaac's Square
St. Isaac's Square
Bridges over the Neva River
After the bus tour Virginia and I took a walk in the downtown area. In the afternoon we
went on a guided tour of a small part of the magnificent Hermitage Museum in the Summer
Palace. The museum is so large and has so much great art that we could have stayed in St.
Petersburg for at least a week and not see all. St. Petersburg has several other excellent
museums which we did not have time to see on this trip. Fortunately six years earlier we had
very thorough introduction to St. Petersburg, guided and escorted by our Russian contacts.
went on a guided tour of a small part of the magnificent Hermitage Museum in the Summer
Palace. The museum is so large and has so much great art that we could have stayed in St.
Petersburg for at least a week and not see all. St. Petersburg has several other excellent
museums which we did not have time to see on this trip. Fortunately six years earlier we had
very thorough introduction to St. Petersburg, guided and escorted by our Russian contacts.
St. Petersburg is a beautiful port city with many large impressive buildings, wide avenues,
and attractive canals and rivers. It was created by Peter the Great in the early 1700's to
establish Russia's access to the Baltic Sea and open a sea route to western Europe. Peter the
Great moved Russia's capital from Moscow to St. Petersburg, where it remained until 1917
when it was renamed Leningrad and the capital was moved back to Moscow. With the end of
the Soviet Union about 1990 Leningrad again became St. Petersburg. It is the second
largest city in Russia and the most westernized.
and attractive canals and rivers. It was created by Peter the Great in the early 1700's to
establish Russia's access to the Baltic Sea and open a sea route to western Europe. Peter the
Great moved Russia's capital from Moscow to St. Petersburg, where it remained until 1917
when it was renamed Leningrad and the capital was moved back to Moscow. With the end of
the Soviet Union about 1990 Leningrad again became St. Petersburg. It is the second
largest city in Russia and the most westernized.
Tauride Palace, St. Petersburg
Modern bridge over Neva River, St. Petersburg
Church of the Blood, St. Petersburg, Russia.