The Hermitage

Jen and I hit a bar after we arrived last night, so it was a late start for the sight-seeing! She used to live and work in St Petes so she whisked me around the sights before darkness fell. We stayed with one of her colleagues, in a convenient location so it was all nice and handy.

It wasn't as cold as it should be but it was cold enough! The river and canals were frozen but it was yucky and slushy in most places. Saw LOADS of weddings - couples and their friends went to various locations to have their photos done - they all looked really really young!

Anyway - did Nevsky Prospekt, St Isaac's Cathedral - beautiful inside and climbed the 250 odd steps to the top for panoramic views of the city. Walked passed the bronze horseman, along the Neva River, down to the Hermitage (shown here) with the vast and very slippery Palace Square in front of it. Walked down the canals, which reminded me a little of Copenhagen, with the coloured buildings flanking each side and then through a little market to the Church on Spilt Blood, which is in my opinion, not as striking as it's big sister here in Moscow. Still, it was pretty but my pics there were slightly overexposed. We recharged the batteries with a pit stop at an Indonesian place for beer and food and then watched and listened to a choir during the evening service in the Kazam Cathedral, which was really nice.

By this point it was nearly 7pm and time to go home to freshen up before heading out to meet up with some of Jenny's other friends...