After a very late lunch, our driver dropped us back in the city with our guide, and we walked down Nevski Prospekt, St. Petersburg's principal shopping street, for an hour or so, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. This was great. We stopped at one of the oldest cathedrals in the city – which has been modelled to some extent on St Peters Basilica in Rome. This is now a museum. We learnt during the Soviet era (1917 to 1990) the state closed or destroyed most of the churches. The people were taught Atheism and that religion was evil as it stood itself above the state. Slowly though religious subscription is on the rise in Russia – but only about 25% of the population subscribe to a 'faith’.

We dropped into St. Petersburg’s premier food hall which was amazing. Very upmarket with a jazz orchestra and a wondrous array of fine food, confectionary, alcohol, caviar and the like. It opened in 1902 and has a wonderful old world ambience: potted palms, stained glassed windows and lots of very elegant customers.