A morning walk

 I love walking through Saint Petersburg in the early morning.  It's the only time that the city is quiet, and while I love the crowds & the constant activities of this city, it can get to you sometimes! 

 

By morning, I mean anytime before 10am on the weekend.  I know, that's not really early by many standards.  But in Russia it is.  The streets are dead on the weekends until after 11am.  Saint Petersburg is a nighttime kind of town. 

 

So my walk started by my apartment (obviously).  The buildings are old and weathered and in desperate need of repairs.  But still interesting to look at.

  

The main alley behind our apartment.   I start my runs here, as a way to warm up before I hit the busy city streets. 

 

 

 I love this - and my Pittsburgh friends and family will definitely appreciate it!  Because while the practice of holding a parking space with a chair is done in other cities, it's an art in the South Side of the Burg'!

 

 

A really quiet morning at Palace Square

 



 

The Moika River was quiet as well

 

Walking through the courtyard alleys is always an interesting way to see something new on your journey.

See???  Some sort of State building is hidden back here

And this guy drinking his beer at 9AM

And a low-end hotel that appears to have something to do with music?

 

The Church on Spilled Blood - the sky couldn't have been any bluer

 

 

 

I tried to take a walk through the park behind the Russian Museum.  But there is an annual edict by the local government authorities which closes all parks from April 1-30 to "dry out".  Regardless of whether they actually need drying out! 

 

This year, we had practically no snow and a very dry Spring, so the parks are dry as a bone.  But it doesn't matter.  It's official drying season. 

 

So I looked at the park through the wrought iron with the all of the others.  We were like commoners, sneaking a look at the royal gardens.......

 

But I found another park which apparently doesn't have the same rules.  Why ????? 

 

It's called Arts Square, because it's surrounded by the Mikhailovsky Theatre (for Opera and Ballet), the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, and the Russian Museum.   With a statue of the poet Puskhin in the center of the square.  Which ALWAYS has birds perched upon it.

 



 

Enjoying the morning paper....... 

 

Enjoying a book.....

What is he reading?  Thanks to zoom, it appears to be a biography about a Soviet (Ukrainian) jazz singer and comedian who was popular in the 20's - 40's named Leonid Utyosov.  He entertained troups during the war.  Sounds interesting

 

Waiting her turn to play a sax solo......

 

Playing the violin........

 

 

Someone loves Safina!