Sightseeing in Saint Petersburg: Peter & Paul Fortress and Pushkin

Peter and Paul Fortress /  Петропа́вловская кре́пость

Peter and Paul Fortress

During the May Day holiday I took a little trip over to Peter and Paul Fortress.  The fortress is situated on Zayachy (Hare) Island on the River Neva, and it's quite close to Petrogradskaya metro station. This is the birthplace of the city of Saint Petersburg.  The most striking buildings within the walls of the fortress are the two cathedrals dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul.  Although I didn't go inside (the queue was too long) their exteriors are very beautiful indeed; especially when sunlight shines off the golden surfaces of the domes and spires.

 

What really attracted me to come to the fortress was not the cathedrals; it was the infamous Trebetskoy Bastion.   This was used as a prison in both Tsarist times and after the Bolshevik Revolution.  Two of the most famous prisoners of Trebetskoy were Gorky and Trotsky.  I found which cell they had once occupied.

Lev Davidovich Trotsky 1879-1940

Trotsky's cell

I didn't feel particularly comfortable walking through the corridors of Trebetskoy.  There's an eerie atmosphere; similar to the feeling I had when I visited Berlin.  It's a mixture of sadness and death. It's hardly surprising; thousands of prisoners entered the bastion in those years.  Many did not survive their stay at the fortress. 

Naval mast and Second World War artillery next to the fortress wall

Sunbathers on the beach outside the fortress wall

On my way back to Nevsky Prospekt I walked across the much-acclaimed Troitskiy (Trinity) Bridge (Тро́ицкий мост), which was built between 1897 and 1903.  From the bridge and from the Palace Embankment you can get some fantastic views of the fortress, The Neva and other landmarks of Saint Petersburg.

River boat on the Neva

View from the Palace Embankment

Pushkin / Tsarskoe Selo & Catherine's Palace

A couple of weeks later I travelled southwards to Tsarkoe Selo with a group of Russian friends.  Tsarkoe Selo (Imperial Village) is located 24 km from the centre of Saint Petersburg just outside the town of Pushkin.  The two main attractions here, which we visited, are Catherine's Palace and park.

Catherine's Palace and gardens

From the very start of our walk in the grounds of the gardens and park, I was awestruck by the beauty and majesty of the place.  The topiary and the statues of gods and goddesses from Greek mythology greet visitors as they descend the steps towards the (hermitage) pavilion.  Oddly, this pavilion was surrounded by a moat that had long ceased contained any water.  Instead, a ring of grass surrounds the ornate building.

The Pavilion

The Turkish bathhouse

Illuminati confirmed!

Walking through the park you will see some strange buildings like the Turkish bathhouse and a pyramid structure, which I am told used to contain treasure.  Today it just contains some bits of old broken stone on a mud floor.  No treasure, and no aliens; apart from the disappointed English alien who poked his head through the 'doorway.'  

The Russians are coming...to bring bottles of water and peace!

 

A classical statue dedicated to the art of selfies

 

One short rest and an expensive chicken sandwich later, we queued behind the Chinese tourists and entered the famed Catherine's Palace.  Once you get through one security barrier, you will go through a couple more before you are allowed into the main halls.  Before you go through the final checkpoint you must wear an outer covering that goes over your shoes.  This makes you look like you've got a couple of kayaks strapped to your feet.  

There's mucho rococo in this palace.  Gold-covered cherubs and borders - it's a riot of lavishness.  Some of it reminds me of the decor in The Winter Palace (Hermitage).  But, the room I was really looking forward to seeing was the restored (recreated) Amber Room.  No pictures or filming is allowed in this section of the palace, so that is why I haven't included my own photo.  So, here's one from the internet:

The Amber Room:  not as large as it appears in photographs

The park, as I wrote earlier, was very impressive and the exterior of the palace is truly wonderful, but if I'm brutally honest, the inside of the palace is good, but I do think The Winter Palace is far more impressive in its decor, artifacts and its vast size.  That said, I would certainly recommend a visit.

It was a bloody good day out!

Victory Day 2015

This year marked the seventieth anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany by the western allies and the Soviet Union.

It is a shame that in the build up to Victory Day the differences between Russia and certain western countries were not put to one side.  Instead, the occasion was politicised, and from my point of view the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of the president of the United States and European heads of government.  On such a significant anniversary those countries (including my own) should have sent their representatives to Moscow to pay tribute to the millions of men and women who died in the fight against Nazism.  It is only right and proper to recognise the massive role that the Soviet Union played in the final destruction of the Third Reich.  There would not have been such a victory without the Soviet Union.  This is a fact that many in the west tend to downplay, or ignore completely.  There are many who still think that America, or Britain, won the war.  Of course, the western allies made their own significant contributions and aided the Soviet Union with arms through the Arctic convoys, but the fact still remains:  the bulk of the fighting was done on the Eastern Front:  around Leningrad, outside Moscow, in Stalingrad, across the marshes of Belorussia, and finally, to the German capital, Berlin.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualties_of_the_Soviet_Union

The Victory Day Parade in Moscow - 9th May, 2015

A student of mine remarked that he didn't like the idea of showing so much current military hardware in the parades.  He said that such an occasion should only really focus on the memory of those who lost their lives and not with such an overt display of Russian military power.  He had a point.  It's not a time of celebration.  But, I do feel that the military parades across the Russian Federation were important in that they gave an opportunity for serving soldiers, sailors and airmen to honour their family members and predecessors.  

Victory Day banner above Nevsky Prospekt

Saint Petersburg held their parade on Palace Square in the morning.  In the late afternoon I went to watch the Eternal March (around Vosstaniya Square and Nevsky Prospekt):  a street parade of veterans, cadets, reenactors in period costume and ordinary people carrying placards with pictures of relatives who lived (and died) during the Great Patriotic War.

    

This was my second time at this event in Saint Petersburg.  Unlike last year, the sun was shining.  Like last year, I felt moved and returned home in a sombre mood, thinking of the tragic loss of human life.

How to Survive a Russian Winter

Winter in Saint Petersburg

This is my second winter here and I think I'm getting used to it.  Well, almost.  Like Saint Petersburg, Britain has a maritime climate which make winters rather damp, so I am rather used to that.  And we do have snow, from time to time.  But compared to this region of Russia, it's but a mild sprinkle, and when it snows (in England), it sends the country into a kind of befuddlement.  Transport goes into a tizz after only a few millimetres of snow and people become anxious at the very thought of venturing out onto the roads.  Not so in Russia. The infrastructure and its users are made of tougher stuff and life carries on as normal.  It's not the snow or ice that bothers me, nor the cold temperatures;  what is a pain in the arse is the lack of sunlight, the slush on the pavements when it thaws and the wind that comes whipping across the Gulf of Finland.  There are two main ways you can deal with a Russian winter - either you embrace the bracing, or go and stay under your blankets and pray for spring!  For those who wish to live and work here, or for those who want to visit this great city between November and April (now that the rouble is considerably weaker compared to this time last year), here are my top ten tips to stay alive and thrive in wintry Saint Petersburg:-

1. Wear warm clothes:  Russia is cold, very cold.  If you don't wear warm clothes, you will freeze, guaranteed!  And ladies, particularly British women, be careful when going out at the weekend, because as far as the winter is concerned here, stilettos are NOT deemed sensible footwear for icy pavements; although I have seen Russian women walk quite eloquently on ice - but they are experienced and professional Russians!  Wearing a belt for a dress also won't keep you warm.  Yes, I know I'm stereotyping British women, but it's mostly true...mostly.  The order of the day, or rather the long winter, is thus clothing like a suitable warm and windproof coat, scarf, snood perhaps, and a warm hat (with bobble or ears if you can pull it off).  Hipster men have thick beards to protect their faces (and hide their shame of being hipsters), but that might get you stopped by the local fuzz because they just might mistake you for being either a terrorist or a vagrant; that is, of course, if you are a hipster. Beards aren't clothing, but I thought it would be cool to take a pop at them anyway.  And for your information, my beard wasn't hipster-thick, it was adequate.

2. Protect your shoes/boots/stilletos:  with a magic spray!  Chemicals actually.  Buy yourself a little aerosol can of the obnoxious-smelling stuff and spray away onto the surface of your footwear.  Once you've arisen from being knocked-out by the fumes, you will marvel at how water just bounces off the surface of your Jimmy Choos.  Sweet!

3. Be careful walking on snow and ice:  I learnt the hard way in Vyborg! If you see a lot of fresh, powdery snow, don't run on it like a wazzock!  The chances are, there is a sheet of compacted snow or ice underneath and you will go arse-over-tit.  Common sense must prevail in such occasions so to avoid looking like a complete narna.  And don't walk on ice that has been rained on.  That's just silly!

   

4. Enjoy the beauty of the snow:  If you don't like snow, then Russia is not for you! I have to admit, when it snows, I get excited.  I don't know why, I just do.  I think it must be something from my childhood.  As an adult I can appreciate the aesthetic qualities of the snow and wonder...

5.  Enjoy Maslenitsa: The week-long festival of Maslenitsa begins at the end of February.  Imagine Pancake Day multiplied by seven and there you have it.  One big blini fest! 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslenitsa

   

6.  Regular bedtimes:  As the nights are very long your body clock will become somewhat confused.  The best way to ensure that you get proper sleep at night is to have a regular bedtime.  I wish I followed my own advice sometimes. 

7.  Get out into the sunlight when you can:  Daytime in the winter can be dull and grey.  Even so, when there's a glimmer of sunshine, take a walk.  It works wonders for your mood!

8. Don't drink too much caffeine:  Especially at night time.  This will only have adverse effects on your sleep patterns, resulting in winter insomnia.  It really isn't pleasant going to work with only two hours of sleep.  Trust me, been there and seen the unicorns!

9.  Drink vodka:  If tips 6, 7 and 8 don't work, then you can always try the best Russian medicine - vodka!  It's cheap and readily available (before 10 PM) and gets the job done.  Be warned!  This medicine has some side-effects; so if you don't want to wake up with a tongue like Gandhi's flip-flop, go easy on the stuff.   

Vodka is wicked!

10.  Dream of spring:  Winter doesn't last forever and spring is round the corner.  Once you reach February you will notice the days are getting longer and the temperature will sometimes bounce back up to zero!  And you know, once spring is here, then it won't be long before it's summer; all six weeks of it!

Today (23rd February) is Defender of the Fatherland Day / День защитника Отечества

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defender_of_the_Fatherland_Day

Vertigo in Vyborg

с новым годом!

Happy New Year to you all!  I wish you all the best for the forthcoming year!

  


I spent this Christmas working, which was a bit of a pain, but at least I had a good week and a half off from work.  Catching up on some sleep and sorting out a few other things were my main priorities.

So, 2015 is here - can it be even better than the previous year?  Let's hope so.  There are a lot of things to do, and places to visit.

Trip to Vyborg

The other day I received a message from a former student of mine.  She asked me whether I'd like to go on a day trip to the city of Vyborg with her and some friends.  Of course!  The strange thing was I had been thinking about visiting Vyborg during my holiday, so this was the perfect opportunity.  She then told me to meet them at Finlyandky Station 20 minutes before the train was due to leave.  And so, on Thursday morning, with a couple of minutes to spare, we boarded the train.

The journey from Saint Petersburg to Vyborg takes two and half hours.  The price for a return ticket is a very reasonable 540 roubles.  That is less than £10, and probably closer to £5 after the currency crisis.  

The journey itself was smooth, but if you do take a regional train in Russia, be prepared to sit on a 'bench' with no upholstery or padding.  Bum-numb you will certainly get!  And as we got closer to the city we noticed the temperature had dropped somewhat.  Saint Petersburg, like all large cities, has its own micro-climate and tends to be warmer than the countryside and smaller cities.  By the time we reached Vyborg, at midday, it had been snowing heavily and as we got off the train we were greeted by the wet flurries of snowflakes blowing into our faces.  But, it was a glorious sight!  Fresh, lovely snow.  I love snow.  Maybe it's because we don't get a lot of it in England. 

Information on Vyborg, Russia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyborg           

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g298511-Vyborg_Vyborgsky_District_Leningrad_Oblast_Northwestern_District-Vacations.html

Travel companions:  Yulia, Natasha, Olga and Lena

Frozen river covered in snow

Approaching Vyborg Castle

Vyborg Castle

Being British I am more than acquainted with castles, so the idea of visiting this famous landmark was an attractive idea.  And being a soft westerner I am used to lots of health and safety features in tourist attractions.  I was in for a shock.  The narrow, single-file steps leading to the roof of the tower are fragile (or was it that my nerves were fragile as I imagined falling over the railings?) and a little rickety.  Once we had reached the top, my fearless companions braved out into the frosty air and looked rather unaffected by the whole experience; unlike me as 'the fear' was taking its hold on me.  The walk-way around the roof was as equally as narrow and I managed one circuit, before I chickened out and walked back down the steps of doom.  Before I left, I did manage to get an excellent view of the city, and even a picture (as I imagined falling over the edge..again).  

A breath-taking view of frozen Vyborg

No fear, no worries!

After the castle we slid back into the city and had a walk around the streets, looking for some pretzels, and then for somewhere else to eat before our journey home.  While I thought the city had a certain charm, I did agree with my Russian friends that the city had been neglected.  There are some beautiful buildings in the city's heart, but many of these had be left to wither away and crumble.  Some renovation work is being carried out by the local government, but I fear that the city's heritage is slowly being eroded.  More money has to be pumped into such renovation projects before it is too late.  Sadly, for some buildings, it will be too late!

I did enjoy my trip to Vyborg, not least because I was in such excellent company.  Thank you ladies for showing me the city.  It was fantastic spending time with you!  I would certainly recommend anyone to visit this city, but I do feel that springtime and summer would be better when you can enjoy the highly-acclaimed Mon Repos park, which we didn't manage to visit this time.

A few words about the Paris attacks and freedom of speech

The day before the trip to Vyborg, a vicious and cold-blooded attack was carried out on the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris.  The terrorists shot dead twelve people; and for what reason? The answer:  because the magazine had published cartoons which had made fun of the Islamic prophet Mohammed. The terrorists believed that they deserved to die because of these cartoons.  Well, no-one deserves to die for criticising any religion, belief or philosophy.  No-one.  And no-one should be censored either for doing so.  It's a fundamental human right of freedom of speech and expression.  Once you start silencing critics, it's a downward trajectory towards other incursions into your liberties.  Don't believe the left-wingers and crack-pot appeasers who say they support freedom of speech, but with limitations.  They do not support freedom of speech.  Imposing limitations, in whatever form, will only lead to anti-blasphemy laws, which will in turn encroach on other civil liberties.  Everyone should have the right to freedom of expression, even if that means offending other people.  Those freedoms, in a liberal democracy are non-negotiable.  If a religious group feels offended, then so be it.  Religions often make fantastical claims and such claims need to be scrutinised, criticised and even ridiculed.  It should promote health debate.  Unfortunately and horrifically, in this case, religious nutters did not see it that way and resorted to murder.

Sitting On The Blog

My Second Year

I'm now well into my second year in Russia.  My contract was renewed at the end of August, so I know I'll be here until at least August this year.  And, there is always the possibility that I may wish to stay longer. Since my last blog entry quite a few things have happened which I'd like to share with you.  I had hoped to post much earlier, but I've been busy with work.  

September/October 2014

The summer ended rather well; in terms of weather that is.  The long humid days gave way to a couple of weeks of fresh(er) air and clear blue skies.  And then, of course, came the wet weather and the ensuing loveliness of muddy pavements.

One day I decided to head to the Russian Museum, which boasts huge galleries of Russian art.  A lesson was cancelled, the day was bright and sunny, so I thought this was an ideal opportunity.  It was a Tuesday.  I forgot that the museum is closed on Tuesdays, so I was a little disappointed when I got to the closed gates.  But nevermind!  I took the opportunity to explore the area and take a few photos.

Kazan Cathedral 

The Singer Building - home to The House of Books and VK

Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood

Statue of Pushkin with the Russian Museum in the background

Peterhof

In the middle of September I had the opportunity to go Peterhof. Known as 'Russia's Versailles,' Peterhof is a series of palaces and gardens built by Peter the Great and is located south-west of Saint Petersburg on the coast of the Gulf of Finland.  Like Versailles, the gardens contain some outstanding fountains with figures covered in gold.  The main reason for going at that particular time was because it was the last night of the fountains - a closing ceremony held each year to mark the end of the fountain season.  At 9 p.m, when it was dark enough, the show began with a fantastic firework display and laser-audio-visual show (with moving projections on the main palace's facade).  It was a long wait until the start of the show, but it was worth it in the end.

One year in Russia

On 27th September I celebrated one full year in Russia.  I contemplated a bit on what that actually meant, thought about the forthcoming year a bit, and then held a party.  

   

While it was a time for celebrating I was also a little sad that I had lost a friend a few weeks earlier.  My friend hadn't died - he was in rude enough health; at least physically.  No, the person in question decided to sever all contact with me; and the underlying reason for this:  because I live and work in Russia.  One day I received a message through Facebook from him.  It was his last message before blocking me, so I couldn't reply.  And it was a long message.  It was courteous in tone, but he stated that for the peace of his mind he could no longer have anything to do with me.  His reasoning was as follows:  I work as a teacher in Russia, therefore I support the Russian economy; as I support the Russian economy, I indirectly support the 'Putin regime.'  Now, I knew he was no fan of Putin and Russian foreign policy.  And I was aware that he held some rather Russophobic views, but I was rather gobsmacked that he would end a friendship (we've known each other since university - 1995 to be precise) based on this.  In short, I can only come to the conclusion that he swallowed all of the anti-Russian propaganda coming out of the western media.  That, mixed with his own prejudices, must have prompted him to do this.  It was a strange reason.  Many people remain friends, even when their political views are at opposite ends.  I haven't ended a friendship because friends and acquaintances have posted weird left-wing rubbish on Facebook, or they believe in different things to me.  I'm just speculating here, but I think he might have lost the plot a little.  Such a shame.  For an intelligent man, he's bloody stupid as well!

November/December 2014

The Russian Museum

I finally made that visit to the Russian Museum in November.   It's a huge place and I spent a few hours looking at what I considered the most interesting paintings and sculptures.

   

 

The Currency Crisis

I'm just going to write a few words on this.  I haven't written much on the political and economic situation in Russia before, as I've tended to focus on other things (and maybe I should for another post).  As you know, the Russian rouble was hit hard in December and this made the currency very weak against the US dollar, Euro and Sterling.  What I will say at this point is that I think this is part of Washington's game-plan to weaken Russia even further.  The US government has used Crimea and Ukraine as an excuse to get the international community to impose sanctions on Russia.  This is only part of their overall strategy. Yes, prices are going up, people are feeling gloomy about the economic situation in the country, and there are certain goods you can no longer buy in the shops.  But, I don't think the US will get its own way in the longer term.  Firstly, Putin will not back down on Crimea or 

Ukraine.  Also, many countries are feeling the effects of not doing so much trade with Russia; tourism included.  Hopefully, countries like Germany will see sense and drop their sanctions, and Obama will be left with egg on his face.  Also, trying to bully Russia just makes people even more contemptuous of the US government.  

My Upper-Intermediate English Class

Congratulations to my upper-intermediate English class who passed with flying colours in their final tests! They were such a pleasure to teach.  I'm going to miss the laughs and the giggles.  And I did laugh a lot during those 15 weeks.  So, thank you once again for being such fantastic students! 

With my students:  Nikolai, Kseniya, Anastasia, Kati, Valeria, Alexandria and Ekaterina

And now for something completely different:

Little Big:  one of the strangest bands from Russia

From Russia with love

We will push the button