St. Petersburg 

We are closing out on our second day in st. Petersburg, Russia.  They are experiencing their hottest climate in history according to our guide.  For me, it pretty much feels like fl.  St. Petersburg was the Capitol of Russia until 1918 when it was moved to Moscow.  It has also formally held the name Leningrad under Lenin's rule but now continues under the name St. Petersburg after Peter the Great or Peter the 1st.  My first day here was on a tour called "introduction to St. Petersburg."  It was basically a bus tour with a few photo stops but it gave me the opportunity to see a lot.  There was a lot of traffic being a Monday and several weddings too.  I guess they don't wait for weekends here!  St. Petersburg is not a pretty city.  In many areas it appears rundown and there are not the vibrant colors I have seen in the other capitols.  However, the palaces are a sight to see and there are several in the city.  

Today I toured Catherine's Palace.  It is located in Pushkin, on the outskirts of the city.  Catharine's Palace was built by Catherine's daughter, Elizabeth, in honor of her mother.  It was basically built as a tourist attraction to help the city.  Elizabeth was actually responsible for the many Palaces' restructuring throughout the city after WWII.  She spent almost all of the country's money at the time (She left 3 rubles in the bank at the end of her reign) but over the years, it has saved the city because it has attracted tourists.    

In order to go into St. Petersburg, you have to have a Russian visa or be on a tour.  Our guide today was Alexandra and she dreams of visiting an English speaking country.  Once again I was reminded of how blessed I am and how blessed we are as a country.  After 2 days in Russia, I was ready for Helsinki!                


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