Saturday, June 28th
Our 35th Wedding Anniversary!
in St. Petersburg, Russia
 |
| We were docked outside of Russia when we woke up this morning. I say that because we were on a pier and not allowed off the ship or through the border UNLESS you had an excursion ticket. |
 |
| Doesn't look as appealing or inviting as other countries. |
 |
| very quite in port - other countries, there was always something going on like cargo being moved, lots of people around, just "normal" activity |
 |
| this place is quiet and ONLY our ship is here Weird feeling |
 |
| can't wait to explore though! |
 |
| We have a bus tour - the ONLY way we are allowed to enter Russia (a guided tour) |
 |
| border crossing area |
 |
| my passport ticket with MY name in Russian! |
 |
| our bus |
 |
| electric fences lining the road from the pier to town |
 |
| our guide said these are the nice apartments |
 |
| beautiful flowers around a hotel downtown |
Russian Museum
 |
Rostral Columns Peter and Paul Fortress    
Admiralteyskaya
   
just a very Russian billboard
 Neva River   
Winter Palace
 
music boxes
the souvenir shop they "let" us go to
filled with beautiful things!
Babushka - Matryoshka dolls
 
jeweled Faberge eggs
 
a postcard I sent to Aunt Linda and Fred
Bronze Horseman
  
typical St. Petersburg
 
The Hermitage
1764 - Catherine the Great
oldest/ largest building in the world
 
we saw so many great historical buildings!
Peterhof Palace (Russian Versailles)
the Summer Residence/ Catherine's Palace
Trinity Square
Aurora Russian Battleship
we had a 5 hour tour.
St. Petersburg is sometimes know as
Venice of the North
   Pushkin's Monument    on Spilled Blood  
we got to go inside
 
Kazan Cathedral
on Nevskiy Prospect
looking back at the Church on Spilled Blood
 
St. Petersburg, Russia
I can hardly believe we are here!
we bought tickets to go inside the Church on Spilled Blood
  
the interior walls and ceiling are all covered
with mosaics of enamels and semi-precious stones
 
It is intricately beautiful and amazing to see!
 
so ornate
 
I bought a souvenir coin
        with the church built around it where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated.  
outside a young man was playing a "saw"
 
crossing the Neva River to get back to our ship
What a beautiful day
Rostral columns again
  
barbed wire
    
we got back to our room and took a nap
with a 5:00 wake up call to get ready for dinner.
A knock on the door = room service??
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
from Jessica and Andrew for our 35th anniversary!
a nice surprise!
June 29th - Sunday docked in Russia but no excursion so we have to stay on the boat or on this little pier.  I tried to buy something in their shop but they wouldn't let me through.  
Jessica and I went to an on-board activity
making a treasure box
it was FUN!
The first night we saw a Russian Ballet Aerial Show
that was elegant and beautiful.
Tonight it is a Russian Military Song & Dance Show.
  
love this guitar?
 
leaving St. Petersburg
sailing out to the Sea of Finland
through the Russian Harbor
         |
Wow! what a beautiful and scary country. So fun that you got to see all these incredible places :)
ReplyDelete