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!

 

 

Images from Easter Weekend

Thursday April 17th - 1st day of the year without a coat (a blazer doesn't count).  The earliest in 3 years. 

 

New shoes from Berlin!

One of several interesting buildings on Millionnaya Ulitsa, or Millionaire's Street.  The street was named after the many Imperial families who once lived along this stretch of the city prior to the Russian Revolution.  It's a little run down these days, but there are still a few nice building and upscale apartments.

 

Tulip bulbs near our apartment.   Flowers should be soon

 

 

 

 

Crocuses in bloom in the park!

Posing with Peter......

 

Horseback riding in Palace Square.  You see horses & carriages in a lot of European cities (and NYC), but I always find horseback riding in the city a little odd.

 

I baked a pecan tart for Easter.  Total improvisation, with some puff pastry (I think) that I found in a market, cane syrup and vanilla that I bought in Finland, hand-crushed brown sugar cubes (because I couldn't find "loose" brown sugar, and pecans that I smuggled in my luggage from Memphis.

 

But it was good and a hit with our guests!  And the leftovers disappeared in 10 minutes at the office

 



 

I had to use the leftover scraps for cinnamon sugar cookies.  Doesn't everyone do that with leftover crust scraps?

 

Saturday April 19th - our 1st beer outside for the year.  A group of Germans to Pat's right, Italians (not shown) behind him, and Russians everywhere else.  It was a multi-cultural beer break

 

A selfie by the Church on Spilled Blood.

Reflections on the canal

 

 

A bike race?  Or just an organized biking team ride?  It was impossible to tell, but I love seeing more bikes in the city.

 

There were a lot of interesting people participating

Including a scary clown

 

 

 

Images from the Week

Here's what I noticed this week.....................................

 



Signs of Spring.  I am SO ready!!!!

 



St. Nicolas Cathedral.  I've never been inside, but walk by it when I go to the gym since the buildings are connected

 

 

Military academy students in the park near our apartment.  Their school is right behind our apartment.  Do you think they are ready for what their President appears to be setting them up for?  They look like young boys to me.....

 



 

 

It's the 1st week that I'm seeing an increase in tourists.  Mostly Russians, but also a few Chinese tourists.  Unfortunately, the dreaded buses are back.

 



My gym.  The Fitness Palace.  And it's in an actual palace - a restored section of the Nikolayevsky Palace.  The only thing that I dislike about the gym is that it doesn't open until 7am, which makes a pre-work workout impossible. 

 

 

This is a sign on a door (which leads to the outside) in my Svetogorsk office.  The words are non-sensical, but I get the message.  Don't go through the door!

 



 

A beautiful, old building in need of repair and/or rental. 

 



Another one.  There are a lot in this city.

 

 

Love the hats!

 

 

 

One of many Gazprom buildings in the city, this one on my walk home from the gym.

 

 

 

It's a BIG company.  400,000+ employees, $150 billion in revenue in 2012, owned 50% by the Russian government, 8-10% of Russian's annual GDP.  But the good times may be over........

 



 

 

But for now, this Gazprom exec has his own helicopter pad across from the office.

 

 

 

The Admiralty on a crystal-clear morning walk to work.



 

a (very) few pictures from Helsinki

Pat & I were in Helsinki for a few days to "decompress" - I find that I need to escape Russia at least once a month (especially these days) to keep myself in balance.

Not many pictures from the trip.  Sorry about that.  But you need to be in the mood to take pictures, and I just wasn't! 

But we did eat breakfast at a great café called Café Esplanad.  Amazing and completely decadent pastries!

We also took a long walk along the coast.  It was cold - 10 degrees colder (40F) than what we left in St. Petersburg (low 50's) because it's surrounded by water

Can you imagine life on one of these islands out in the Bay?  I'm a bit of an introvert myself, but life in one of these houses might be pushing it......

Oh yeah, we had an amazing dinner at Farang - modern Thai tasting menu with wine pairings. Yum!!!

And to wrap it up, a (blurry) picture of the bar table that Pat wants.  My liver is hurting just thinking about it...

 

Waiting for Spring

I know, I've been terrible at making posts this year.  I could make a dozen excuses about work (which has been tough lately), my general mood (which hasn't been the best this winter!), and other distractions (i.e. daily alarmist CNN news reports about Ukraine, Crimea, US/Russia relations). 

But it's almost Spring, so it's time to snap out of it!

Here are some pictures from recent days....... a walk around Peter & Paul Fortress, a beer, and some scary beach scenes.

First up is Peter & Paul Fortress.  Founded in 1703 by the orders of Peter the Great, it's considered to mark THE founding of the city.  This is the Baroque Cathedral of SS Peter & Paul - inside are the tombs of the Romanov monarchs.

The Grand Ducal Burial vault, constructed between 1896-1908.  The final resting place for another 13 family members of the Romanov dynasty.

We're just starting to see some shoots breaking through the grass....

It was a nice day.  Low 40's & sun, and a little breezy.  This is important information for later in this story.....................

There are some beautiful pieces of art & architecture throughout the fortress.

And there is also a beach.....Again, it was in the low 40's with some sun and wind.  But in Russia, that's a perfect day to hit the beach! 

You may want to cover your eyes

Of course, I was mesmerized and could stop looking (or taking pictures).  Here's a few closer shots.  

You have to give them some credit for just putting it all out there!  It's a nice day & they were going to enjoy it

I needed a drink after that!   Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!