Heading back toward the Hermitage I was going to pass thru Admiralty Square and it's arches onto Nevsky Prospekt, 'the most famous street in Russia', and most expensive shopping district.

I was heading to the Stroganov Palace a few blocks up. It was easy to find on the corner but I couldn't find the actual entrance at first.

There were many elaborate state rooms inside with splendid works of art to enhance the grandeur.

Many of the rooms have only been restored in recent years and had been in decay for the last few decades.

It was then time to head home so I tried to find Admiraltyskaya Metro nearby, whose entrance was hidden inside a regular street building so hard to find and not a typical metro entrance. It was a long and deep escalator down again.

I was very impressed with the design of the metro and enjoying exploring some more.

I had to change at Pushkinskaya to get to my station Plaschad Lenina. Each station had its own unique style of architecture, moreso on the red line.

I then wanted to topup my tourist card but couldn't at the kiosk machines. I asked at the booths but they didn't speak English and didn't know. Then I read in the book that came with the card to select 'epurse' to top it up which I was then able to do.

I hadn't really eaten all day and couldn't see any restaurant but then I found a kebab shop by the station to give me some much needed energy. It was 210R ($4.50). I also got some juice cartons from a supermarket for 49R each ($1).

It has been a very long first day of exploring with no serious issues, managed to get into the Hermitage, and decent weather despite some wet flurries towards the end.

I settled into my room which had a massaging rain shower and a retro Russian cinema channel which was quite entertaining.