We woke up to a cruise through the industrial, container shipping part of the St. Petersburg harbor. Our ship tied up close to the central city at the English Embankment. From our cabin we can enjoy all the traffic noise of downtown St, Petersburg. There is a lot of traffic as all parking is free, and there is no congestion fee like London. Everyone drives if they can afford a car. We say everything from a Rolls Royce convertible to old beat up Ladas and everything in between.
When we found out we would be docked close to the heart of the city rather than 30 minutes away at the container port, we were a bit unhappy. Russia is strict about visas. If you want to travel independently, even to go ashore for a bit of shopping or dinner out, you have to have your own visa. If you are content with group tours, then you are covered by a group tour visa. So, when we thought the ship would be 30 minutes from the action, we figured we would save our several hundred dollar cost of a visa plus expensive cab rides and just go for the group arrangement. So, now we are parked in the middle of the action and can only leave the ship when going on a tour. While I was a bit miffed at first, after doing two tours today, seeing how bad the traffic is and being warned about pick pockets and other folks looking to take advantage, I can live with a bit less freedom and be content with staying board ship, getting a good nights sleep and being ready to tour all day again tomorrow. As will be lots of other folks as there are at least 5 cruise ships docked here. Don’t know if there are any at the container port and then there are the tourists who fly in. No wonder all the venues are packed.
This morning we did a highlights tour, an hour on the river and a drive around with a few photo stops. This afternoon was the cathedral tour, St, Isaac’s, Peter & Paul and the Cathedral of the Resurrection more commonly known as the Spilled Blood Cathedral. Each was different and has it’s own place in the history and architecture of St. Petersburg.
The city architecturally is like going back to the 19th century. After the revolution in 1917, little was built or changed in the city. It was allowed to decay and until a few years ago was turning into a giant slum. With the fall of communism and the opportunity to bring tourists and their money to visit the sights made famous by the decadent aristocracy, St. Petersburg has been cleaned up, the 19th century facades look good as new, the tourist venues have been or are being restored and the tourists flock in. Our tours today were an exercise in patience and a test of our ingenuity to sneak between other tourists and the perfect photo op without getting so far away from our guide that we would be left stranded on the grounds of some cathedral.
We are blessed with wonderful weather, blue skies and 75 degrees today. Normal this time of year is rain and mid-60. Tomorrow we hope for more of the same and we will remember to put on sunscreen for the wait outside the venue.
St. Petersburg Harbor
Through a canal for a tour by water
A view of St. Peter and Paul Cathedral from the Neva River
Cathedral of the Spilled Blood
