May 18
GOODBYE AUSTRIA!
It's Midnight in Vienna and in six hours we head for the airport to fly to St. Petersburg. Is this trip going by fast, or not? It seems like it at the moment. Russia, last stop! Jim is sleeping and I just finished packing all our stuff. It's getting more and more difficult to fit it all in the cases. Even with the two shipments I sent home – MY clothing - it's a tight squeeze. It's the goodies and paper goods that are taking up all the space now. I'd planned to send more clothing home today, but we didn't get back from the Belvedere Palace in time to get to the post office. Oh well, I'll do it in Russia. Of course I'll probably never see the clothing again, so I better send stuff I really wouldn't miss. Good idea.
Alright . . . where were we . . . well, we waited one whole hour at the bus stop for the river cruise/music/dinner last night, from 7 to 8 pm, and the bus never came. We walked quite a ways to the designated pick-up point, only to find out later when we finally returned to the hotel, that they came to the hotel to get us. Mis-communication big time! The brochure said to go to the pick-up point. Nothing was ever mentioned about them picking us up at the hotel, usually the brochure will say that. So, they gave us the money back. And I really wanted to go on that trip. I'd been talking about it for several days. It was a Monday night only trip, or we would have done it tonite. We ended up walking to the Imperial Hotel (beautiful place) for dinner instead, found it on our walk back through the city, and it was very nice. So, all was not lost. We even shared a delicious ice cream sundae.
Today we took a bus to the Belvedere Palace . . . Belvedere is Italian meaning a vantage point where there is a view from a distance, so I'm told . . . actually it's two palaces in one. An upper and a lower with expansive gardens between. Both hold beautiful original works of art among which is a huge Klimt collection including "The Kiss" or "Lovers" as it was originally called. Probably the most famous painting of his. But there were so many Klimts, some of which I've never seen. And his flowers and landscapes are quite different than his gold and silver leaf figure work. Quite different. Not as impressive to me. Sort of a Matisse style. Klimt is from Austria, so he's quite popular and famous in these parts. He's all over the place, as a matter of fact.
My favorite was Erik Jacob Schindler. I have never heard of him and hadn't seen any of his work until after I filled out a questionnaire in the foyer and was given a choice of a free art postcard for filling it out, any of 12 laid out on a table. I chose the one that really jumped out at me, not knowing who the artist was. It was a landscape, a very unusual impressionistic landscape, muted tones of green, brown, blue and gray . . . all colors quite subtle and not too much variance between hues. People strolling along a country road on a gray day, cloudy sky and tall thin trees lining the wet road, looks like it has just rained. The sunlight is coming from behind the clouds in the background. It's called "Avenue of Poplars after the Thunderstorm", 1892, oil on canvas. Well, after that I went through a few rooms, Jim was off in another part, he goes so slow we usually split up and go our separate ways. So, there I was all of a sudden standing before this very same immense original painting of the postcard I'd just chosen. Erik Jacob Schindler. Wow! I was impressed! I took a pic of myself looking at the original. (I'd like to paint that view, of me looking at his painting.) So then I searched for all his paintings, many many more were there. And several other painters of his school, he'd taught quite a few of them and it was evident in their work. So, I am hooked on Schindler.
Jim loved the galleries of course, he appreciates all the paintings and sculptures, peruses them individually. So, I waited for him in the cafe on the first floor and then we went to the Lower Belvedere Palace, actually it was built first, before the Upper. Prince Eugene of Savoy commissioned the palace to be built in 1744. There are a few rooms that are totally incredible, are empty and shown for the decoration and painting on the ceilings and walls. No other art is in them. The Grotesque Room (strange name, however very beautifully painted with faces, flowers, figures, designs), the Marble Room (which you can imagine, everything marble and embossed) and the Gilded Room (all gold leaf with flowers painted on the walls and in murals). Extraordinary.
We spent all afternoon there, and ended our visit with a light evening meal next door to the Lower Belvedere at a delightful outdoor tavern-like cafe. Can't remember the name at the moment, but I've written in down somewhere. Then we walked back along the "Inner Ring", sightseeing as we went, and finally made it back to the hotel at 9 p.m. I mean to tell you, that was some walk. No wonder Jim is snoozing. I should be too. And I think I will.
May 23
St. Petersburg. Such an exotic city in an exotic land! Exotic in the sense of its beautiful buildings, lavish artifacts, untapped resources, growing economy, expanse of land (the largest country in the world), language, people who are slowly but steadily coming into their own, restaurants (all kinds), canals winding through the city like Venice, the River Neve, and so much more. It's too much to fathom, actually. Too much to see in this short time. We're here for 6 nights at the Hotel Angletere, which is part of and an extension of the Astoria Hotel, both share common ground, food venues, etc.
The Russian people are a happy people, not at all what I'd expected. Maybe it's different in Moscow, we'll see. But the common person on the street dresses and behaves just as we do, they shop as we do, they too dine in the many many restaurants in the City. I'm sure there's another element behind the facade, just as there is in the U.S., but as far as I can see at the moment, it's rather normal here. Same as any other tourist destination.
The piano player downstairs in the cafe is American, from Norwalk CA, has been here a month, engaged by the hotel, accommodated by the hotel, and says they treat him top notch. He can order anything off the menu, and has a room on the second floor same as we do. He says he was so surprised at the number of tourists from all over the world coming to St. Petersburg. He hadn't expected the ultra diversity in travelers. Just last evening I visited with a group of people from Thailand who are heading for Norway, Finland, and Denmark. Doing this whole northern bit. That would be an interesting trip for sure.
Anyway, Keith, the piano player, just got a call from his agent yesterday, asking him to go to Abudabi (yes, I know that's got to be spelled wrong, for sure), the Arab Emirate State, you know . . . Dubai's there too. I know that's correct, because I want to go to Dubai on our next trip. So, Keith is off to his next gig in July from here and will be in Abudabi and the Inter-Continental Hotel through November. He'd planned to be going back to the States for a few months, but now his plans have been changed for him. What a life! (I have friends who should be doing this, they’re better musicians than Keith, but Keith’s fun and very personable.)
So, the first day we were here, Jim went off to the Hermitage, the huge museum which was partly the imperial residence of Catherine the Great, the Winter Palace and the Hermitage Theatre. It follows in rank behind the Louvre in Paris and equals other notable museums and palaces around the world, and of course is a must see when in St. Petersburg. Jim spent four hours there our first day while I stayed in and unwound and unpacked from our Vienna journey. That day of travel does me in completely. I swear, I've got to figure out how to travel with one bag only, and a light one at that. That was my intention this time, but we still brought too much. Now I've got to find out where a post office is and get rid of some more clothing. I'll definitely collect more trinkets from this city. I'll probably be down to only the clothes on my back by the time we leave Moscow for the States. I'm not kidding!
The evening of our first day we went to the ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre, the theatre from which all the ballet greats hail - Nureyev and Baryshnikov to name a couple. But the production lived up to the warning, that they put on very lackadaisical performances for tourists, don't really put out the effort, and I left after the first of three ballets being performed that night. Jim wanted me to hang in there with him, but when he arrived at The Grand Hotel, where we agreed to meet for dinner, he said it was just as well I left because the other two were just as boring. So, for once I wasn't off base in my take on the subject. I would have wanted to lie down on the floor and go to sleep, if I had stayed. Opera, ballet, symphonies and I do not meld. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is. However I must say when I saw "Swan Lake" in Brighton England a few years back, I was thoroughly impressed. Loved it. So, I guess it depends on the performers and the production. I've seen opera and ballet in S.F., in New York, in L.A., and other cities around the world, and find that I much prefer jazz and pop musicians most. We enjoyed viewing The Grand Hotel, one of Petersburg's oldest, and just had a snack there before returning to our hotel. (A reminder to me to tell the story of the Russia Mafia types I witnessed there while waiting for Jim.) It's daylight here till ll:00 p.m., by the way. Very deceiving. In a few days it will never get completely dark . . . for a couple of months.
So on our second day, we BOTH went to the Hermitage, I saw only part of one floor, too much to view in one attempt, and Jim went to another section he hadn't seen the first day. We'll be making another trip probably tomorrow, our last day - I'd like to see the Impressionist section. I had worn the wrong shoes to the museum and after a couple of hours I was having trouble walking. Had to return to the hotel and soak my feet. I can't imagine wearing the wrong shoes, I know better. But I was able to see some of the most glorious rooms that give Versailles a run for its money, believe me. And I took some photos of them. What opulence! Unbelievable! Royalty lived completely exorbitant in those days. It's just almost too much to fathom. We also visited the Treasure Room which houses the jewels and jeweled artifacts of Russian Royalty, and that was beyond belief. I just can't imagine wearing the jewelry and serving food from the jewel-encrusted pieces on display in that group of rooms. Even the horses wore jewelry. One blanket/saddle had hundreds of diamonds on it, and the bridles were lavishly studded with precious stones. Oh, to be a horse and gallop off down the road with those jewels!
That night we had a wonderful Indian dinner at a unique restaurant about 2 blocks from our hotel. Very very very good Indian food. And the atmosphere was so decorative and real. I loved it. Jim was disappointed because he figured the food would be hotter than it was. Hot, as in spice. Well, he hadn't noticed that the "hot" page was further back in the menu. Oh well, it was perfect for me.
Yesterday we visited the "Church of the Resurrection of Christ". That's the famous colorfully onion-shaped domed, mosaic cathedral that you see on postcards and ads around the world. It is amazing! It truly is. First we saw it from a boat ride through the canals the day before, and then when we went inside yesterday, we both were struck with awe. It is an impossible work of art! Every inch of wall and ceiling space is covered with tiny bits of enameled ceramic tiles and stones, depicting the scenes that led up to the resurrection of Christ. I took a lot of photos, but I know they won't do the place justice. I even bought a book devoted to it and some postcards, so I can scan some of them when I get home. And I also bought a video of Petersburg, so that will provide some nudging for lasting memories.
Then after that, it was scare-time again. Jim wanted to go through another church back up the canal from there, and I wanted to go through some shops on the Nevsky Prospect (the main shopping street of Petersburg, from where we'd just come before seeing the mosaic church). So, he headed off to the Kazan Cathedral, I went shopping, after which we were to meet back at the hotel.
GOODBYE AUSTRIA!
It's Midnight in Vienna and in six hours we head for the airport to fly to St. Petersburg. Is this trip going by fast, or not? It seems like it at the moment. Russia, last stop! Jim is sleeping and I just finished packing all our stuff. It's getting more and more difficult to fit it all in the cases. Even with the two shipments I sent home – MY clothing - it's a tight squeeze. It's the goodies and paper goods that are taking up all the space now. I'd planned to send more clothing home today, but we didn't get back from the Belvedere Palace in time to get to the post office. Oh well, I'll do it in Russia. Of course I'll probably never see the clothing again, so I better send stuff I really wouldn't miss. Good idea.
Alright . . . where were we . . . well, we waited one whole hour at the bus stop for the river cruise/music/dinner last night, from 7 to 8 pm, and the bus never came. We walked quite a ways to the designated pick-up point, only to find out later when we finally returned to the hotel, that they came to the hotel to get us. Mis-communication big time! The brochure said to go to the pick-up point. Nothing was ever mentioned about them picking us up at the hotel, usually the brochure will say that. So, they gave us the money back. And I really wanted to go on that trip. I'd been talking about it for several days. It was a Monday night only trip, or we would have done it tonite. We ended up walking to the Imperial Hotel (beautiful place) for dinner instead, found it on our walk back through the city, and it was very nice. So, all was not lost. We even shared a delicious ice cream sundae.
Today we took a bus to the Belvedere Palace . . . Belvedere is Italian meaning a vantage point where there is a view from a distance, so I'm told . . . actually it's two palaces in one. An upper and a lower with expansive gardens between. Both hold beautiful original works of art among which is a huge Klimt collection including "The Kiss" or "Lovers" as it was originally called. Probably the most famous painting of his. But there were so many Klimts, some of which I've never seen. And his flowers and landscapes are quite different than his gold and silver leaf figure work. Quite different. Not as impressive to me. Sort of a Matisse style. Klimt is from Austria, so he's quite popular and famous in these parts. He's all over the place, as a matter of fact.
My favorite was Erik Jacob Schindler. I have never heard of him and hadn't seen any of his work until after I filled out a questionnaire in the foyer and was given a choice of a free art postcard for filling it out, any of 12 laid out on a table. I chose the one that really jumped out at me, not knowing who the artist was. It was a landscape, a very unusual impressionistic landscape, muted tones of green, brown, blue and gray . . . all colors quite subtle and not too much variance between hues. People strolling along a country road on a gray day, cloudy sky and tall thin trees lining the wet road, looks like it has just rained. The sunlight is coming from behind the clouds in the background. It's called "Avenue of Poplars after the Thunderstorm", 1892, oil on canvas. Well, after that I went through a few rooms, Jim was off in another part, he goes so slow we usually split up and go our separate ways. So, there I was all of a sudden standing before this very same immense original painting of the postcard I'd just chosen. Erik Jacob Schindler. Wow! I was impressed! I took a pic of myself looking at the original. (I'd like to paint that view, of me looking at his painting.) So then I searched for all his paintings, many many more were there. And several other painters of his school, he'd taught quite a few of them and it was evident in their work. So, I am hooked on Schindler.
Jim loved the galleries of course, he appreciates all the paintings and sculptures, peruses them individually. So, I waited for him in the cafe on the first floor and then we went to the Lower Belvedere Palace, actually it was built first, before the Upper. Prince Eugene of Savoy commissioned the palace to be built in 1744. There are a few rooms that are totally incredible, are empty and shown for the decoration and painting on the ceilings and walls. No other art is in them. The Grotesque Room (strange name, however very beautifully painted with faces, flowers, figures, designs), the Marble Room (which you can imagine, everything marble and embossed) and the Gilded Room (all gold leaf with flowers painted on the walls and in murals). Extraordinary.
We spent all afternoon there, and ended our visit with a light evening meal next door to the Lower Belvedere at a delightful outdoor tavern-like cafe. Can't remember the name at the moment, but I've written in down somewhere. Then we walked back along the "Inner Ring", sightseeing as we went, and finally made it back to the hotel at 9 p.m. I mean to tell you, that was some walk. No wonder Jim is snoozing. I should be too. And I think I will.
May 23
St. Petersburg. Such an exotic city in an exotic land! Exotic in the sense of its beautiful buildings, lavish artifacts, untapped resources, growing economy, expanse of land (the largest country in the world), language, people who are slowly but steadily coming into their own, restaurants (all kinds), canals winding through the city like Venice, the River Neve, and so much more. It's too much to fathom, actually. Too much to see in this short time. We're here for 6 nights at the Hotel Angletere, which is part of and an extension of the Astoria Hotel, both share common ground, food venues, etc.
The Russian people are a happy people, not at all what I'd expected. Maybe it's different in Moscow, we'll see. But the common person on the street dresses and behaves just as we do, they shop as we do, they too dine in the many many restaurants in the City. I'm sure there's another element behind the facade, just as there is in the U.S., but as far as I can see at the moment, it's rather normal here. Same as any other tourist destination.
The piano player downstairs in the cafe is American, from Norwalk CA, has been here a month, engaged by the hotel, accommodated by the hotel, and says they treat him top notch. He can order anything off the menu, and has a room on the second floor same as we do. He says he was so surprised at the number of tourists from all over the world coming to St. Petersburg. He hadn't expected the ultra diversity in travelers. Just last evening I visited with a group of people from Thailand who are heading for Norway, Finland, and Denmark. Doing this whole northern bit. That would be an interesting trip for sure.
Anyway, Keith, the piano player, just got a call from his agent yesterday, asking him to go to Abudabi (yes, I know that's got to be spelled wrong, for sure), the Arab Emirate State, you know . . . Dubai's there too. I know that's correct, because I want to go to Dubai on our next trip. So, Keith is off to his next gig in July from here and will be in Abudabi and the Inter-Continental Hotel through November. He'd planned to be going back to the States for a few months, but now his plans have been changed for him. What a life! (I have friends who should be doing this, they’re better musicians than Keith, but Keith’s fun and very personable.)
So, the first day we were here, Jim went off to the Hermitage, the huge museum which was partly the imperial residence of Catherine the Great, the Winter Palace and the Hermitage Theatre. It follows in rank behind the Louvre in Paris and equals other notable museums and palaces around the world, and of course is a must see when in St. Petersburg. Jim spent four hours there our first day while I stayed in and unwound and unpacked from our Vienna journey. That day of travel does me in completely. I swear, I've got to figure out how to travel with one bag only, and a light one at that. That was my intention this time, but we still brought too much. Now I've got to find out where a post office is and get rid of some more clothing. I'll definitely collect more trinkets from this city. I'll probably be down to only the clothes on my back by the time we leave Moscow for the States. I'm not kidding!
The evening of our first day we went to the ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre, the theatre from which all the ballet greats hail - Nureyev and Baryshnikov to name a couple. But the production lived up to the warning, that they put on very lackadaisical performances for tourists, don't really put out the effort, and I left after the first of three ballets being performed that night. Jim wanted me to hang in there with him, but when he arrived at The Grand Hotel, where we agreed to meet for dinner, he said it was just as well I left because the other two were just as boring. So, for once I wasn't off base in my take on the subject. I would have wanted to lie down on the floor and go to sleep, if I had stayed. Opera, ballet, symphonies and I do not meld. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is. However I must say when I saw "Swan Lake" in Brighton England a few years back, I was thoroughly impressed. Loved it. So, I guess it depends on the performers and the production. I've seen opera and ballet in S.F., in New York, in L.A., and other cities around the world, and find that I much prefer jazz and pop musicians most. We enjoyed viewing The Grand Hotel, one of Petersburg's oldest, and just had a snack there before returning to our hotel. (A reminder to me to tell the story of the Russia Mafia types I witnessed there while waiting for Jim.) It's daylight here till ll:00 p.m., by the way. Very deceiving. In a few days it will never get completely dark . . . for a couple of months.
So on our second day, we BOTH went to the Hermitage, I saw only part of one floor, too much to view in one attempt, and Jim went to another section he hadn't seen the first day. We'll be making another trip probably tomorrow, our last day - I'd like to see the Impressionist section. I had worn the wrong shoes to the museum and after a couple of hours I was having trouble walking. Had to return to the hotel and soak my feet. I can't imagine wearing the wrong shoes, I know better. But I was able to see some of the most glorious rooms that give Versailles a run for its money, believe me. And I took some photos of them. What opulence! Unbelievable! Royalty lived completely exorbitant in those days. It's just almost too much to fathom. We also visited the Treasure Room which houses the jewels and jeweled artifacts of Russian Royalty, and that was beyond belief. I just can't imagine wearing the jewelry and serving food from the jewel-encrusted pieces on display in that group of rooms. Even the horses wore jewelry. One blanket/saddle had hundreds of diamonds on it, and the bridles were lavishly studded with precious stones. Oh, to be a horse and gallop off down the road with those jewels!
That night we had a wonderful Indian dinner at a unique restaurant about 2 blocks from our hotel. Very very very good Indian food. And the atmosphere was so decorative and real. I loved it. Jim was disappointed because he figured the food would be hotter than it was. Hot, as in spice. Well, he hadn't noticed that the "hot" page was further back in the menu. Oh well, it was perfect for me.
Yesterday we visited the "Church of the Resurrection of Christ". That's the famous colorfully onion-shaped domed, mosaic cathedral that you see on postcards and ads around the world. It is amazing! It truly is. First we saw it from a boat ride through the canals the day before, and then when we went inside yesterday, we both were struck with awe. It is an impossible work of art! Every inch of wall and ceiling space is covered with tiny bits of enameled ceramic tiles and stones, depicting the scenes that led up to the resurrection of Christ. I took a lot of photos, but I know they won't do the place justice. I even bought a book devoted to it and some postcards, so I can scan some of them when I get home. And I also bought a video of Petersburg, so that will provide some nudging for lasting memories.
Then after that, it was scare-time again. Jim wanted to go through another church back up the canal from there, and I wanted to go through some shops on the Nevsky Prospect (the main shopping street of Petersburg, from where we'd just come before seeing the mosaic church). So, he headed off to the Kazan Cathedral, I went shopping, after which we were to meet back at the hotel.
Well, after he'd gone to the Kazan, he was heading back to the hotel, walking down the crowded sidewalk and three big guys tried to ransack him. He said he fought them off, wasn't hurt, and they didn't get anything. It happened in a crowd, and no one offered to help. We knew that this might happen, and we've talked about it, how to avoid crowds on the street, go around them, step aside, etc. (which is what I do), but he forgot. And that's what happened. Scary. I'm so glad he wasn't hurt. Who cares about the money and stuff. Anyway, he's safe and sound and is out and about again today. That man makes me nervous sometimes. I worry about him till I see him again. He's so independent, aggressive and headstrong. So, he went to the Russian Museum today, will return around 6 pm. I'm still in my robe, taking it easy, have to space myself or I'm worth absolute nothing and get very irritable. Can't have that, now, can we?
Okay . . . that's it for now. Oh yes, we went to THE IDIOT, a wonderful Dustoyevsky and other writers' hangout, for lunch. It was sooooooooooooo neat! If I lived here, I'd hang out there too. So cozy, in a basement, and so full of atmosphere. We must go see the Dustoyevsky library and museum tomorrow, he's one of my favorites, as is Tolstoy. Oh to write like Fydor!
May 25
BYE BYE PETERSBURG . . .
Okay, on to the last leg of our Mega Trip 2004 . . . off to Moscow by train. We'll be leaving St. Petersburg at 4 pm, just a few hours away.
Right now we're in the hotel room here at the Angletere; I just finished packing the bags, including an extra one I purchased yesterday, bringing the total up to five. Amazing! Even after sending 3 parcels of clothing home, we end up having to purchase another suitcase. Jim is sitting nearby reading about Moscow, deciding on what he wants to do there. I'm sure the itinerary will be jam-packed if he has anything to do with it. I have to put my foot down on occasion regarding plans he makes for me. I swear he is absolutely more energy-ridden than a dozen Olympic players. And he sleeps well . . . whereas I don't. I sometimes wonder if it is the dozens of vitamins and minerals he consumes each day. We have to take a carry-on bag especially for the lot. The vitamins could be one of the energy-giving factors, another being that he is wildly driven to see all he can see in a short period of time.
Last night I was wanting to hear the Bush speech (2 a.m.), but right before it came on, CNN disappeared from the screen and didn't return until 6 a.m. Strange, isn't it? I wonder if it was just an electronic glitch or if it was removed from the tele over here. Now tidbits are being broadcast, focusing on his suggesting the demolition of the Iraqi prison and reiterating about the date of turn over, which is nothing new. So, we don't know what else was said, if anything. Probably doesn't really matter anyway. It was just a speech. Another one of many more to come. Talk talk talk!
Well, yesterday we took a cab (we’re tired of walking!) to the Dustoyevsky Library and Museum, where he lived the latter part of his life, after his 10 years in prison accused of belonging to a subversive organization. Surprise! The place was closed. Closed on Mondays. Darn it. That was the only time I set aside for visiting it. So, then we took the same cab to the Hermitage to see the Impressionist exhibit, which we'd planned to do, and when we got up to the door, it was locked. A nearby worker told us it was closed on Mondays. We couldn't believe it! Both places closed on Mondays. That'll teach us to pay attention to our guide book. It says right there that both are closed on Mondays. Oh well. Believe me, we've seen plenty! And I saw the house where Fyodor lived. That's good enough for me. I get the picture.
So, last night we had the choice of going to the Opera to see Carmen or going to a Russian Folk song and dance show. Need I say . . . Hooray! . . . we went to the Folk show. And was that ever a good choice. It was absolutely wonderful! I got lots of pics of the colorfulness, and the music and dancers were top notch. It was a pleasure to sit there watching and listening. Jim loved it too. I was afraid he would be disappointed not going to the Opera, but he said no, he wasn't. (I'm sure we'll go to opera in Moscow anyway) It was at the Nikolayevsky (spelling?) Palace. A short distance from here.
Earlier in the day Jim had befriended a cab driver when he went back out to see the sights, who was the same driver that carried us around last night. He was driving his own car, is an engineer who doesn't get paid much, moonlights by cabbing. He offered to take us to Catherine's Palace, which is in a suburb (about 30 minutes out of town) to see the Amber Room, that we would have done this morning, but it's closed on the last Tuesday of the month, which is today of course. Can't win! Amber is a big item in Russia, by the way. The jewelry is exciting, great necklaces and earrings and bracelets. I wonder what ever happened to all my amber jewelry . . . I used to have lots of it . . . what did I do with it? Same with turquoise . . . where did it all go? I hadn't given it a thought till now. A mystery. I probably gave it away. Or sold it. No, I don't remember selling it.
Jim just took off, said he wants to go see a few things before he leaves St. Petersburg. Oh boy. He promised me he'd be back by 2 pm, because our pick up for the train station is at 2:30 pm. It's nearly 11:30 a.m. as we speak. So I'll worry till he returns. Today in the paper was an article about a group of ruffians that are robbing people right in front of that church where they rough-housed Jim. They're trying to crack down on them, have had lots of reports from tourists, obviously. Jim was so lucky he wasn't hurt. He's much more aware now, however, as a result of it.
I'm going to call the desk in a moment and have someone come collect our boxcar-load of luggage to store until the time to leave, and then I plan to sit and relax in the lobby downstairs, have some coffee, maybe read, of course do some people watching, or maybe take another look in the gift shop which has such beautiful "stuff". Oh to be able to buy whatever one wants! Notice I say "wants", not "needs".
They have some enameled boxes that completely captivate me. Black-laquered, red inside, with Palekh paintings on the exterior of the boxes. It's an old Russian art form, still done today. Palekh is the name of a town, whose population devoted itself to the art of making the boxes and painting on them. The tiny pictorial stories are done with touches of gold and silver amidst the bold bright colors. Artists draw the pictures in white on the black enamel, and then pass it on to the artists who fill in the color. In fact I had to go find a book of Russian Fairy Tales after I bought one of the nesting dolls done with Palekh painting, that depicted fairy tales on each individual nesting doll. And that's where I found out about the Palekh artists. The fairy tale book's illustrations are done by one of the most foremost Palekh artists, and there's a write up about him and the art in the book. A real find, as far as I'm concerned. I was going to give it as a gift to a family member when we return, but nope! I'm keeping it myself. It's so beautiful.
So, then I had to have one of the little boxes. And that was the most difficult selection I've had to make on this trip. They're all so delicately painted and every one of them is a beauty. Of course the price had something to do with my choice, which narrowed it down to only a few. What a fun thing it would be to do . . . to collect those boxes! Or fairy tale books. That would be fun too. Fairy tale books from every country. Like I don't have enough collections now. Where to put it all?
Okay, enough . . . off to check out of the hotel. It's time.
TREES TREES AND MORE TREES
On the train to Moscow now . . . and this is quite enlightening. The countryside is dotted with villages of poor Russian citizens. At least I think they're poor. I'm not really sure. Maybe it's just the type of dwellings in which they live. Small wooden houses with tin roofs, but not trashy, like our poorer live. Their grounds are kept clean, no broken toilets, rusted washing machines, old cars, piles of sinks, and the like. So maybe it's just how the villagers away from the cities live. I'd love to learn the language and infiltrate somehow. Live in one of the villages I'm seeing along the railway route. It truly is different than what I'd expected. As it turns out, St. Petersburg is definitely a facade.
Speaking of . . . I wandered through one of the many gates that lead to a courtyard behind the frontline of exquisite and historic buildings along the main streets of St. P., and I found very shocking living accommodations. Apartments that had broken windows, exterior walls that were decayed and some with holes through the coated brick. Most of the buildings are plaster over brick. Some kind of painted substance, plaster, maybe concrete, I don't know. But it's about 3 to 4 inches thick, then there's the thick brick walls behind it. Very thick. So inside the courtyards the apartments went up several stories, and were really atrocious. Some had broken windows, splintered wooden frames and doors. It must be terribly bleak and dreary to live inside those buildings. The courtyard floors are unattractive stone, dirty, pooled with muddy water, not a pleasant sight to behold. I saw one young couple going home to fix their supper, it seemed, he was carrying a plastic bag of potatoes and she was carrying a couple beers. They had just been to the neighborhood store, I would imagine. Unless they were on their way to make their own Vodka and party a bit.
Anyway, most of the land along this railroad is swampy or marshy . . . full of trees, tall slim trees, some with white bark, some not. I wish I knew my trees, I'd know the names of them. There are also pine trees, beautifully shaped, so much so they'd each make the perfect Christmas tree. I wonder if the natives cut them during the holiday season. I've also noticed new log cabins being built. Hey! Now that's my kind of house, right? They also replace the trees they chop down . . . there's new growth where they level areas. Just as they do in our Oregon and Washington states. I suppose we do that all over the States now, do we?
So isn't this nice, here we have log cabins and one doesn’t have to have much money to live, and I could wear my full length white Mink coat whenever I wanted, which I can't in California for fear of being spray painted. Here they don't condemn you for owning a fur coat. There's some very lovely luxury fur coat shops in St. Pete, and I would imagine there are in Moscow. Soooooo . . . we could live out here in the outer regions, in a log cabin, not have to work, would cultivate our own garden (which I notice they all do), and could keep warm in the Winter in Mink (that's a good title for a story . . . Winter in Mink).
And I also notice a cell phone tower every few miles. But I don't see any satellite dishes for TV. Whoops! That might keep me from living here. Have to have my TV. At least the news because we could always subscribe to a DVD movie program, where they mail you whatever you want and you send it back with another order after you've watched it. Jim signed up for one of those offerings before we left home, at Best Buy. It'll be interesting to see how it works when we get back home and settle in.
We're 3 hours on the train now, only 2.5 more to Moscow. Jim has been reading a newspaper most of the way, has dropped off to sleep once, and we've already had a really tasty fish dinner served to us. Really good, I mean very good. So, now I'm having tea and watching the trees travel by, and writing my thoughts. If I ever hear anyone say the world is short of trees, I'm going to suggest they come to Russia, and they might even take a trip up to Washington and Oregon. I remember how my friend Linda and I actually got tired of seeing trees when we drove to Canada a couple years ago. I mean there were sooooooooooooo many miles of trees. Well, that's what's happening here. All the way from St. Petersburg to Moscow. Five and a half hours of trees as far as you can see. And this is flat land . . . miles and miles off to the horizon on both sides of the train.
We're riding first class, which is nice, although not as nice as it would be on some trains. It's a bit untidy, carpet dirty, bathroom not very clean. These seats are roomy, like on an airplane, with trays that fold down from the seat in front of you, and we've TV screens attached to the ceilings every 8 rows or so, and earphones. I've seen the movie that's showing, wouldn't you know it, in fact I don't know if it's in Russian or English, probably Russian, but there aren't any subtitles. And it's an American film. A thriller. John Travolta, he's the bad guy, and what's her name, the black gal who won the Academy Award last year or the year before. Oh what's her name?
Well, I think I'll close for now, the laptop battery has 40 minutes left and I'd like to play a bit of digital solitaire too. Ciao for now . . .
I just saw some yards in neighborhoods with trash strewn around. I take back what I said earlier.
May 29
CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S OVER!
Today we leave for the USA and Los Angeles. Yes, this trip is almost over, and we're heading home. We'll arrive at LAX tonight at 9:30 pm, and will stay over at the Hacienda Hotel, then will return to Cambria on Sunday. I just can't believe it's over. Seems like just yesterday we began. Although I must say I'm looking forward to going home to my safe, comfortable quiet space, to Jasmin our cat, and to family and friends. As always it's good to return home and settle into the usual routine once again. Then in about four to six months the travel bug will bite me again and thoughts will be of another exotic adventure in far away places. And another book?
Moscow is difficult to explain or describe. The facade isn't as obvious as St. Petersburg. Although it is as exotic, maybe more so, with a mystery and allure of its own. It seems more compact, more controlled, and there seems to be less to see in the way of tourist attractions. The Kremlin is truly an experience however, with its walls erected in 1367 and then rebuilt in 1495, still standing as they were then, today. The Kremlin is a fortress built on Borovisky Hill, its walls running along the Moskva River, the Alexandrovsky Gardens and Red Square. A triangle of sorts, with six or seven looming architecturally artistic towers. Five multi-gold-onion-domed cathedrals (I believe there are five) are within the walls along with official-looking buildings, the palace, the arsenal, treasure rooms (Armory), and a bell tower. The largest bell in the world is sitting on the ground near the bell tower, which has never rang . . . and the largest canon/gun in the world is nearby, which has never been shot. Very impressive. With the ever-present feeling of being guarded and watched over by not only the military who are positioned in threes everywhere you look, but surely by unseen eyes viewing from secret places, I didn't feel at all threatened. But then I was only there to look at the beauty of their possessions. I would imagine if I were to attempt to "take", it would be another story.
We purchased a walking tour of the Kremlin on Wednesday, when we finally found the ticket office after wandering around, frustrated, for 30 minutes in a crowded area. Then it was difficult to find, now it wouldn't be . . . now we know where everything is and it's simple. Most everything is just a few minutes’ walk from the Metropole Hotel, where we're staying. Anyway, Jim and tours do not go together. And after walking a block with our guide and a group of people, he said he wasn't going. He couldn't understand the guide's broken English and was having trouble hearing her. So he went off to do other things, and I went on with the group to the Kremlin. Which turned out for the best, because there was no way he could have kept up with the group, especially on the steps and across the open spaces. It was a fast non-stop 3-hour walk. As I've said before, Jim likes to stand and peruse buildings and displays at his leisure. So, I figured he and I would return on Thursday, since now I knew where everything was, and he could take as much time as he wanted. But as for me, I enjoyed the fast tour. It was right down my alley, and I snapped a lot of photos that I'm eager to play with on my computer at home. The guide refunded Jim's ticket.
In the meantime, however, Jim explored the Gum (pronounced Goom) a three-corridor, three-level glass-domed century-old shopping mall. What a structure! And he wandered the streets. Moscow doesn't have the same "dangerous" quality on the streets that St. Pete had, it does seem safer whether it is or not. Maybe because there are so many military and police around. It's some kind of national holiday this week come to find out.
So that evening I collapsed. The tour was from 3 to 6 and it rained most of the time. My feet and body were aching all over. Jim went to the Bolshoi to see an opera, even though he was told it was sold out. He NEVER takes no for an answer. He went an hour early to stand (in the rain) at the door and try to get in. The Bolshoi is right across the boulevard, so I didn't worry about him. However the box office stuck to their word, it was sold out, and then he was faced with the scalpers trying to sell him a ticket. He wouldn't pay more than 200 rubles he told them and they wouldn't sell to him. 200 rubles is $6.00. I mean to tell you that is really cheap. I couldn't believe he wouldn't pay more than that. Even at the PPP the tickets are $15, and that's a lower price than most. As he was telling me the story I was even happier that I hadn't gone with him.
Soooooooooooo . . . everyone was in the theatre, the box office was closing, and he finally found a scalper who sold a ticket to him for 200 rubles. Desperation I would think, on the scalper’s part. And then another problem arose. It was for the fifth balcony . . . that is waaaaaay up there at the top, above the chandelier. And Jim doesn't do stairs well, of course. So, a little old Russian lady usher searched for someone who had a key to the elevator that is used by personnel, it's not for the public, and after a few more minutes, Jim was taken up in the elevator and he selected the best vantage point on the fifth level, dead center looking at an angle just down under the chandelier, he said. He also noticed the house was only half full. That puzzled him. But he was stuck where he was and he settled in and enjoyed the show thoroughly, well, the scenery and costumes mostly, he said. I don't recall what the production was, he's asleep right now, can't ask him.
The next day was Thursday and the Kremlin was closed. No trip to the Kremlin for Jim that day either. We wandered around the perimeter of Red Square, which was also closed; preparations for a huge concert were taking place, so we went into St. Basil's Cathedral at the opposite end of Red Square, which is the famous colorful one in Moscow that you also see on all the postcards. However it doesn't compare in the least with the Church of the Resurrection in St. Petersburg. There isn't much to see inside St. Basil's. And the walls are frescoed unlike the tiled ones of the Resurrection’s. Although the wall paintings are interesting to see, it just isn't as impressive. We both were disappointed. And the space is smaller, maybe because it's older, more rustic, at least it seems so. I'll have to look that up. But the exterior is quite beautiful, like the St. Pete church sans the mosaic.
So, this morning Jim rousted me from a dead sleep, I was still soooooo tired from all the walking and we headed to the Kremlin attempting to get there before the tour groups so we wouldn't have to wait in line. I told Jim to go on ahead, at one point, and wait for me in the center of the park, where we'd walked the day before, near a beautiful pink tulip bed. I needed to find a bank ATM, needed to get some money for tickets and for some trinkets (being the trinket queen that I am). So, we took off in different directions. Well, after I got the money and arrived at the garden, it was completely surrounded by soldiers, blocking all access. They had closed it off. No admittance, and the Kremlin and Red Square were also closed. Trucks and buses of soldiers had been and were arriving; troops were marching around and by me, as I stood with dropped jaw. Where was Jim? Crowds were being pushed and signaled away. I immediately headed for the fountains that bordered one side of the park, where it appeared others were allowed to go, and began searching for Jim. Well, he wasn't in the crowds as far as I could see, and didn't know how I'd ever be able to find him anyway, there were so many people.
You won’t believe this, he was right where we agreed he was to be. He was in the middle of the garden sitting on a bench reading his Fodor travel guide, oblivious to what was going on around him. I couldn't believe it! There were probably five other people left in the garden the soldiers hadn't removed and there was Jim. I stood by the railing unable to get his attention, was waving my arms, he was too far away to hear if I called. I even asked a guard if I could go get him, no speaka da English . . . he said, along with no, no, no! And finally I gave up trying to make him understand and just waited to see what was going to happen. There was nothing else I could do. I was where Jim could see me eventually, and I could see him, so I wasn't really worried, I was actually amused at the dilemma and was cracking up over it.
Well then, four agents, dozens were all over the place too, in their black suits with ear phones plugged into their ears and carrying folded umbrellas (weapons?) . . . four of them told the five other people to leave the garden immediately, which they did. Then they headed for Jim and he just sat there after they told him to leave. Of course they were speaking Russian, he didn't understand. But they thought he understood and walked away until they realized he hadn't responded. So, they went back and motioned for him to leave again, with a bit more gusto. He still didn't leave. He had no intention of leaving. Oh boy. Three of them walked away at that point, but one stayed trying to convince Jim to get up and go. I began waving my arms again, hoping the agent would see me as he kept motioning Jim towards the sidelines and then he saw me waving. So he motioned to me and Jim saw me waving my arms. Then he got up and leisurely left the park heading to where I was waiting, at his own pace of course. The very last person to vacate Alexandrovsky Gardens amidst whatever chaos was seriously taking place.
We did make it back to the Kremlin, they reopened it later in the afternoon. I met Jim there after I went back to the hotel and napped. First he went to the Moscow Art Theatre to take a look and had a meal at a cafe nearby before calling me to say he was on the way back to the Kremlin. We were about the same distance from it, so I only waited about 20 minutes while having a cup of coffee in a cafe under where I'd been standing waving my arms at him earlier that morning. A return engagement. This time more successful. He was able to tour the Kremlin at his leisure and thoroughly enjoy it. Mission accomplished.
And now we leave today.
So, ciao to Russia . . . I want to come back someday . . . it's incredible and the people are intriguing. There's much much more to tell, but I'll save it for a book.
(Must add the hooker story at the Metropole, have also written about the horrid disagreement we had in Switzerland, but have not included it yet, and the suspicious terroist types on our plane from Vienna to St. Petersburg. The same airline, the same route, was blown up a few weeks later by terrorists.)
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