" Visit Moscow because of business, visit Saint-Petersburg because of love.... "
This trip was planned a long time, and the task was not easy - bring all the ends together and pull my mother out of the familiar and bring she to admire incredibly Petersburg. I have been to this city, do not lie, 50 times ... sometimes a couple of days, sometimes a couple of months, but as this time - more than ever.
Interesting things started already in the train - tickets were taken at the last moment and we got 2 upper lateral places - that I am personally not a bit embarrassed. Firstly, I love the top shelf much more than lower, and secondly - I don't think that this places more "bad" than usual. However, my mother is caused obvious discomfort - I downright physically felt how every minute she is moving away from her "comfort zone." For me, "train-life" - with conductors, tea, passengers, banging wheels and smoked vestibule - from the first 25-hour trips to Ukrain - became a "comfort zone" at 100%. So for me it was very interesting to see how much effort she makes for keeping confidence and inner peace in this unusual situation for her. This proved to be a new experience for me, allowed to look at familiar things (such as travelling, for example) an unusual viewpoint.
With all these thoughts we arrived at Petersburg))) Of course, I am already was at Alex's home, but my Mom was visibly nervous before first met with his mom. By the way, this was the first meeting "between my mom and my lover's mom " in my life. And now - it happened :))) It was - excellent! Everybody liked each other :)
My mom had only 2 days for this trip, so firstly we went to Petergof to saw fontanes :)
The name "Petergof" known since 1705, in 1944 it was renamed because of the German sound, which was unpleasant for russians after war, but in 2009 goverment returned the old name again. Now this is architectural monument and palace and park art. It was suburban royal residence, which has acquired the status of a museum after nationalization in 1918. World renown lower park of Peterhof brought him numerous fountains (150 fountains and 4 cascade). In fact, for them we have come - to them we went.
Binoculars is awesome:))) From the Petergof we saw boats in the bay and the roof of Kronstadt. Where immediately after we went.
It was absolutelly beuty! I visit Saint-Petersburg many times, but here I was first time.
Sea Temple - it is something totally unique! Located in Anchor Square (before there was an old anchors, and now laid a huge granite anchor in the middle of it), this temple is dedicated to Saint Nicholas - the patron of sailors. This is not surprising, because the Kronstadt - a port city, built on the Kotlin Island in the Gulf of Finland and until 1983 there was only water-way to it. However, in 2011, was built 2-km tunnel, which runs under the bay, and it is for him, and we came there by it One of the main conditions for the construction of its was - it had to be visible from the sea and serve as a guide to mariners. 21st May 1903 the foundation was laid, and in 1913 it was completed and consecrated. Construction cost 1,876,000 rubles.
Also at the Anchor Square is a monument to Admiral Stepan Makarov, who died on the battleship "Petropavlovsk" during the Russian-Japanese war. "Remember the War!" - He tells us, and this simple phrase makes you think much deeper than any more elaborate sayings.
Eternal Flame, located in the same place, is dedicated to the sailors who were killed during the uprising in 1906 and others who died during the Civil War ...
At this stop our day, full of walking and places, came to an end. After a short rest and a dinner, we went to see the famous bridges in the night. At the photo - the Palace-Bridge.
At the next day we went to the famous "Kunstcamera" - Cabinet of Curiosities - Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, famous by they collection of "freaks" - animal and humans body abnormalities.
Similar museums exist in many backyards 16-17 centuries. Anatomical section of the museum includes a "canned" natural anomalies - congenital malformations, conjoined twins, a two-headed lamb, a giant skeleton, etc. Initially, the collection consisted about two thousand exhibits and was bought by Peter 1 in 1717, from anatomist Frederik Ruysch.
From the building of the museum to St. Isaac's Cathedral the way is short (you can see it's majestic dome at the photo). I'm a hundred times passed this incredible building, but this time we came to the top!
St. Isaac's Cathedral - the largest Orthodox church in St Petersburg, has a height of 101m, and the inner area - more than 4000 m! The fourth draft of the cathedral was still completed on the 30th of May (the feast day of St. Isaac) 1858. To the colonnade of cathedral are 265 steps on a spiral staircase.
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Enjoy the view, we went down. Further route was familiar to me - Palace Square, Nevsky Prospect, Kazansky Cathedral. The day began droop, Alex took us in the car. At home we crab our stuff and took my mother to railway station.
At this point I ended the first part of the narrative about this trip to St. Petersburg. It was great, I was a tourist and guide in one face, I showed my beloved city, talked with my mom in an unusual situation for both of us and introduced my mom to Alex's mom. It was important for all of us and it was great! :)))
On further developments - in the next post :)
