The day started with a mission that developed to be impossible: to buy advanced tickets to Tallinn, Estonia, for Wednesday. First I had to figure out how to get to the bus station, and more difficult, how to move around with the subway. As I said here before, it would not be that hard if
I could ready Russian the alphabet but they all seem nice little figures that say nothing to me!!! How frustrating!
I could ready Russian the alphabet but they all seem nice little figures that say nothing to me!!! How frustrating!Here I am standing at the entrance of the subway station, with dozens of options and having no idea where to go to. Russian people are nice when you get their attention, but at first it seems that no one wants to talk to you. They walk fast looking either straight ahead or to the ground. Eye contact is almost impossible. I am not sure if they don't want to help you or if they don't understand what it means a girl, dressing funny and with a backpack, does in the middle of the station holding a map and looking terrified. The fact is that you literally have to jump in front of someone to get help. Again, forget about English... It's Russian or sign language.
To make my story short, I finally got to the bus station thanks to the nice help of Alexander, a Russian young mechanical engineer, who is "looking for a good job" at the moment. He walked me there from the subway station because he wanted to "practise his English". He dropped me off and I was on my own again, now at the bus station. After exchanging my little notebook back and forward through the glass window with the woman selling tickets, we both understood why I was there. But when I was ready to pay, the large lady, with huge red cheeks asked me with a not so happy face: "passport?". Oh no, I should've known better! They hotel people still have our passports, so I left with nothing.
That's when I had the great idea (I am being sarcastic here) to check out the train station. Finally when I got there, I stood on line for about 15 minutes. Just before my turn, the woman simply turned the lights off and shut down the booth, without saying a word. We were all forced to change lines. Anyway, the message I got much later, was that there is no train from St. Petersburg to Tallinn, which is hard to believe. I am pretty sure the information got lost on translation somewhere.
On the way back I got lost and ended up in the other side of the city, had to pay another subway fare, and again after the machine "ate" my ticket". Well, this whole thing lasted almost 3 hours. It was fun, although a bit stressful. Those places were not for tourists at all. I felt like I was in a World War II movie, in the grey and cold station, fighting for something. Despite of my crazy imagination, I am glad it happened. Now I know how to get to the bus station. I will go back there tomorrow... with the passports. :)
I went for a walk on St. Petersburg's main street in the afternoon under torrential rain. It is a very busy and touristic avenue. The old of the buildings blend with the fancy stores of expensive jewelery, latest European fashion and souviniers. You can enjoy some photos of Nevskiy Pr. here.
This is the Kazan Cathedral.
The Dvortsovaya Pl. A huge square in the end of Nevskiy Pt., almost at the Neva River.
Since it was rainning so much, I jumped into a boat for a tour on the canals and Neva River. How beautiful. It costs 400 rubles (less than 10 euros) for a tour in Russian. They also have in English, but it was cancelled today because of the rain.
The very famous Hermitage Museum. We will visit it tomorrow.
This is the Aurora cruiser.
The summer gardens.
Some of the bridges on the canals are really low, so we had to duck.
St. Petersburg is also know of the Veneza of the east.
This lady was standing there like another statue in this busy avenue. It is hard to believe that anyone will stop and buy a flower from her. I gave her some money and wondered how was her life in the past...
Again the Church of Our Saviour on Spilled Blood.
These next photos are from the four horse statues on the famous Anichkov Bridge.
The Dvortsovaya Pl. A huge square in the end of Nevskiy Pt., almost at the Neva River.
Since it was rainning so much, I jumped into a boat for a tour on the canals and Neva River. How beautiful. It costs 400 rubles (less than 10 euros) for a tour in Russian. They also have in English, but it was cancelled today because of the rain.
The very famous Hermitage Museum. We will visit it tomorrow.
This is the Aurora cruiser.
The Aurora played an important part in Russian history. The crew of the cruiser supported the Bolsheviks' party, and on 24-25 October (6-7 November, new style) the Aurora took part in the armed rising that led to great political changes in Russia. At 21.40 Moscow time the gun of the cruiser Aurora gave the blank shot. It was the signal to start the assault of the Winter Palace. As a result of the historical assault, the Provisional Government was arrested, and the Bolsheviks' party got the power. It was the beginning of the new era in Russian history.
The summer gardens.
Some of the bridges on the canals are really low, so we had to duck.
St. Petersburg is also know of the Veneza of the east.
This lady was standing there like another statue in this busy avenue. It is hard to believe that anyone will stop and buy a flower from her. I gave her some money and wondered how was her life in the past...
Again the Church of Our Saviour on Spilled Blood.
These next photos are from the four horse statues on the famous Anichkov Bridge.
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