After a short bus ride, we attended the services at St. Isaacs russian orthodox cathedral. Today was a special day because of Easter. We saw regional priest ceremony, undressing and dressing in ceremonial robes. This was quite moving, observing with regular parishioners. After lunch was a bus ride ride Catherine's Palace. So many gilded rooms and a large room with mirrors that made the castle look endless. It is difficult to describe the size and splendor of this...

In the morning we took a city tour that included many picture taking stops. We also visited St. Peter and Paul cathedral where Peter the Great's family is buried. This was also a fortress including a prison. Lunch was in restaurant the was decorated from the Lenin era. The rest of the afternoon was spent on a guided tour of the Hermitage. What an incredible place!! And to think only 7% of the collection is on display. I have to say it was the most incredible muse...

Long bus ride tort to St. Petersburg. Hotel is downtown and first impression is a busy crowded city. Took a boat ride around the city seeing most of the palaces and the hermitage. After dinner of chicken Kiev, of course, we took a subway ride to various beautiful stations. The subway was very crowded, rode the fastest, longest escalator I have been on. Trains were longer and faster than dc metro. And the ran frequently and didn't break down!

Started the day with a walk into the part of the city where they are restoring the old architecture and incorporating modern architecture. The result is quite stunning and architecture awards have been given. We then took the tram to Kadriorg Park. This is a beautiful park with clever modern sculptures liking floating boulders. We then walked to palace residence that Peter the Great built for his empress Catherine I. We then toured Kumu, a modern art museum featu...

Estonia has the most robust economy of the Baltic countries. Estonians as a people are known as slow, deliberate, shy, standoffish, extremely honest, unemotional. However they are credited with the singing revolution. All Estonians sing at at young age. There is a singing competition that involves 30000 singers. As many as 200000 people attend the festival. During the soviet occupation the festival was used a peaceful way to protest. We went the place where the f...