Day 2 was another early rise immigration was much better today.
We drive around again and stopped at a church with services happening. There are no seats in Russian churches. To experience God you apparently have to suffer as he did. People walk around and kiss paintings (Yuck! It seems very unhygienic to me). We stopped at a local market. Nothing very different here except the washroom I used was a hole in the floor. Luckily my legs are still sturdy.

The Hermitage Museum. One could spend 7 days a week, 24 hours a day for 3 years and still not see everything. Unfortunately we only had 2 hours. I could have spent the day here except for the crowds. We got early admission but the crowds got unbearable soon after we arrived. While we were in line waiting to get in a huge bang occurred that sent me jumping. I said I was afraid. Well, I thought a bomb had gone off. But it was the military academy across the canal practising shooting a cannon for an upcoming celebration. This went off every few minutes and each time I jumped. Back to the Hermitage: it was built by Peter the Great daughter Elizabeth and is home to over 3,000,000 works of art. It is considered one of the world’s top art museums, ranking up with the Louvre and the Prado. Ot houses pieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Matisse and many other famous artists. It was the former winter palace of the Romanovs. It is steeped in opulence and splendour everywhere you turn. Words cannot describe it. AMAZING!

The Peter and Paul Fortress/ Cathedral is the birthplace of the city. It was a multi functional structure designed to shield St Petersburg from Swedish invasion and imprison political convicts. The ornate interior of the Cathedral boasts the tombs of many Csars including Peter the Great.

The restored Church of the Spilled Blood has a dramatic exterior and is built on the site of the March 1, 1881 assassination of Csar Alexander II. It is completely decorated in mosaic tiles inside. AMAZING!

Our last stop was a walk along Nevski Prospect, St Petersburg’s famous main thoroughfare lined with some of the city’s main attractions and stores and restaurants.

After 9 hours we returned to the ship and that ended our time in St. Petersburg. You could spend years her and not see everything.

In case you didn’t get it this place was AMAZING!

Fun facts:

- St Petersburg Metro is one of the deepest at 86 meters deep and truly is fit for a czar.
- Fences in each area have uniform designs - they can be geometrical, floral...
- Russia has enacted a new law prohibiting certain types of behaviour including waving rainbow flags, pride parades, and conspicuous displays of same sex affection. Penalties may include jail time and/ or expulsion from the country.
- Funny sayings: herrings in a barrel; exaggerate: make elephant out of fly; talented: can shoe a flea; don’t believe it will happen: crab whistles on a mountain; overexcited: jump out of your pants
- Russian vodka is a matter of national pride (10% of Russia’s income comes from vodka). It comes in a variety of flavours including horseradish, hot peppers and honey.
- Russia is the 4th largest manufacturer of beer in the world.
- The excesses of the Russian czars are legendary. Catherine the Great has a horse drawn winter sleigh shaped like a miniature palace, housing a beauty salon, bedroom, and library.
- Catherine the Great was born German princess Sophia Augusta Frederica.
- Tea (no, not vodka) is the national bevvie of Russia. 82% of the population drink tea daily.