This day was a doozy which saw us on our feet pretty much all day. We started with a walking tour along the Neva, past the 'wedding palace' with a couple of wedding parties on the pavement, complete with stretch limos. A helicopter landed on a floating pad as we went past.
We checked out some tour ships and turned to walk past the New Holland 'island', where there were some brick rather than stucco buildings. Then there was a bit of a detour as I missed the Yusupov Palace through incorrect map reading. Back on track, past the Mariinskiy theatre to the St Nicholas Cathedral. It took a bit of looking to find the entrance to the park around the Cathedral - it was open on only one side. Once in, it was a pleasant stop under the trees to people watch. A couple of grandparents took grandchildren out for a walk - one ruddy-cheeked baby enjoying her day immensely as she was ferried around on her stomach in a pram, pigeon stalking. Some older women met among the pigeons.
Mariinskiy Theatre
St Nicholas Cathedral
Yusupovskiy Sad
I think this day was our first lunch at Yeliseev's, the amazing art nouveau building with the magical food store at ground level and the restaurant downstairs, with a window on the bakery. We both had borsch and I had very tasty meat pastries that I think are a local delicacy. Crispy on the outside and liquid on the inside.
After lunch, we went for our second visit to the Hermitage. I didn't take many photos, content to have the guide book and happy not to look at too much through an LCD screen. We retired thoroughly worn out, having visited every gallery we wanted and could find. Mum saw enough Grecian urns to last a lifetime and finally refused to look. There were so many exquisite things: the cameos a special treat, some extremely delicately carved. Mum made a friend who lent her his magnifying glass and gave her a ticket; we had no idea what it was since we read no Russian and he spoke no English.
Palace Square looking over to the Hermitage
Not more Grecian urns!!!
Better than Westeros
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