August 2002

A 3-day cruise from Helsinki. We took every tour we could and saw an astonishing variety of architecture, art, culture and people!

My little cabin on the ship. The shipyard, our first view of St. Petersburg Greeted by a band playing Chatanooga Choo-Choo, Honest! A church from the tour bus The theater Lots of bridges St. Isaak's Cathedral. A statue. I forget of whom. St. Isaak's. Souvenirs... ...and more souvenirs. Street vendors took Euros and US dollars! Another bridge. The Church of the Resurrection from a distance. Façade A collection of shops, like a mall, sort of, only took rubles. Icon Lots of lacquered boxes They had all sorts of versions of thesepoliticians, sports figures, etc. Church of the Resurrection Definitely not in Kansas any more... ...and very much what I went to Russia to see! Inside was spectacular, but no photos allowed. I got yelled at by someone who looked a lot like my grandmother. Sounded like her too. Freaky. The onion domes represent flames, I was told. I think this was the church of St. Peter and Paul. A seranade at St. Peter and Paul. They have a CD out. Really. I'm pretty sure this was St. Isaak's. More St. Isaak's. Stained glass Some of the most amazing mosaic work I've ever seen. Also a mosaic. Amazing. A canal... the Venice of the North. An old Soviet-style buildling on the way out of town. Another cool church, near the Peterhof. A watermelon store shaped like... a watermelon! White nights, indeed. This was around 10:30 pm. Chess in the park The St. Petersburg Opera House My first live Opera! Great place to be initiated. The Opera House Outside the ballet End of a long hot day. I'm with friends Tuija and Eeva from Helsinki.