Vladimir's St. Petersburg
Trip Start
Aug 13, 2007
1
7
83
Trip End
Aug 13, 2008
St. Petersburg,
Russia
Monday, August 20, 2007
so half 9 I awoke, the showers being full of Brazilians washing there hair, I was running late.. L however Vladimir was prompt, dress head to foot in flamboyant white linen, with a combo of sandles and jumper tied off around this shoulder with his managed locks draped over .. the russian 'man from del monte', except he say "Jack" instead of yes...
But the back streets were walked, his master artist engraver extraordinary badge/pass was flashed and I was enlisted into a number of paid events for 'local' prices.
inside the hermitage..
. all rather up-side-down really.. won't be long until red ken starts that little number, or the reverse.. Boris bans all tourist in London! vlad in the park.. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhnhtt/1195773424/in/set-721576 01591567777/
His wild English, Russia, German combo of retorts continued to fire at full speed during the trip, which also included walking around the columns of the the golden (st. pauls like) church photographed the day before fortress.. (I've read enough guidebooks, but I can't remember the all of the names), also the first post office in Russia was ventured to (although surely you need 2 post offices for mail to be sent?), but an incident nearly kicked off because Vlad (we're friends now - so I can call him that) wanted me to take a photo of a strange stone with a '0' on it, but the police / guard / dragon of an security woman (she put lilly savage to shame in the make up stakes) wouldn't.. I, as ever was wholly impartial.. still postcards were sent..
But the most overwhelming experience was the Kazan Cathedral (the columned church that I first saw from the station when arriving on Nevskiy Pospekt and then again when walking past on the return leg after the error was discovered). So mid-service, i.e. singing, priests and parishioners'n'all we marched in.. a very moving experience, vlad was running around in his usual manor, dragging me through the hobbit size congregation, he asked me to light a candle at the St. George painting for my brother in Afghan, then the service finished and the choir continued.. wouldn't dream of crashing a service back in London, very strange.. but as a great Vladimir says "Russia is Russia.. Life is Life"
And the Hermitage.. 2 hrs or lapping it.. wow.. tooo much stuff, can imagine people have died in there..
Next stop.. the train ticket office, armed only with very basic Russian and scribble of notes from the hostel translater I manage after many stern looks and huffs to complete the task..
Москва will be my next home..
