Today is our last day in St. Petersburg which means an early start as we have to have our suitcases out in the hall by 7am, no worries because we were at breakfast by 6:30 am. Breakfast as usual were the numerous selections at the hotel buffet. With 4 juices, 12 breads, 10 fruits, 5 yogurts, 6 cheeses, 6 cold meats, 3 hot meats, eggs 5 ways, mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans, potatoes, herring, salmon, pancakes, olives, 4 types of peppers, cold cereal, oatmeal, and lots of things I can't remember. After double checking that they loaded our luggage to go to the cruise, we boarded the bus for our excursion to Peterhof Palace. Today is a rainy and cloudy day and after a brisk walk to the palace, we were drenched. We checked our coats and umbrellas, put away our cameras because photos are not allowed inside, and began our tour through silk covered walls, gold covered carvings, oriental rooms, painting masterpieces, and other impressive interiors. One special room was the European portrait room called Picture Hall where portraits of girls and one old woman in their native costumes fill the walls from floor to ceiling in this room. The artist used 7 models who were painted over and over in 368 different costumes. The old woman was one of the young girls who wouldn't sit still and she was told if she didn't sit still he would paint her as an old woman and now you know the rest of the story. Another room contained twelve large naval paintings showing the Russian victory in a war. The artist was criticized for not realistically showing the effect of exploding ships, so the artist painted those scenes again after Catherine the II exploded a ship for him to show what really happens.
Donning raincoats, protecting cameras, and getting out the umbrellas again, we headed outside for our hour long tour of the gardens. Stepping outside the palace we were entertained by a horn group playing as the Grand Cascade fountain displayed it's wonders. They were playing horns that each only produce one note, each person played two or three horns and the music was delightful and very melodic. Even though the trees are just budding out, the early spring flowers like tulips are still in leaf and bud stage, we had to walk through endless puddles due to the rain, these gardens are the most impressive I've ever seen throughout my worldly travels. Statues abound, geometric configurations astonish, and fountains intrigue the imagination. There was a child's rock area were it is said that stepping on certain rocks causes the water to rise up and drench you, an umbrella fountain with a circular bench around the stem where water cascades a curtain of water when you sit on the bench, the sun fountain where water radiates from a center disk as the sun rotates on an axis, the chess mountain fountain was under construction but water will run down a black and white checkerboard, the tree fountains, and numerous more I can't remember. Mind boggling best describes the experience.
Lunch at the palace, I had gelato, excellent flavors (salted caramel and hazelnut) and very expensive with each tiny scoop being $3.
We boarded the bus for our hour long trip to our new home for the next week, the Leo Tolstoy Cruise Ship. At the boat we were met with the official Russian welcome of bread and salt and traditional Russian music. We checked in, found our cabin, unpacked, and explored the ship. We were welcomed by the Captain with champagne and appetizers, introduced to the Captain and staff, and given our life jacket lesson. (Test tomorrow)
Dinner tonight - WOW- best describes this excellent 6 course meal. Wine, 2 types of bread, Greek salad, vegetable melody in pancake pouch, sorbet, salmon fillet, chicken cordon blu, or vegetable strudel with potato croquet, and roasted tomato with broccoli, and fruit, ice cream and walnut sponge cake for dessert with coffee and tea. While we ate, we were able to enjoy the river scenery and marvel at the sudden fog that came up around one turn in the river. It was like we were in the Twilight Zone. After dinner we went to the lounge for tonight's entertainment - various musical acts ( piano, singing, guitar playing, Russian folk music, and magicians). A couple of turns around the deck and it was time to turn in for the night as we are lulled to sleep by the engine white noise.