St. Petersburg was built on the orders of Peter the Great because he wanted a seaport in the north, and the Gulf of Finland was convenient. He had to drag nobility and merchants to this new colony but he persevered.
Our visit to this once powerful city, badly damaged by the Germans during WWII, no longer the nation's capital, but now booming again, started with a bus tour of the principal sights including the Church of the Resurrection (above), the harbor and fortress, the Cathedral Church of St. Isaac, a drive past the Hermitage, Peter the Great's statue, to name just a few. In the "small world" department, our guide was the same person who helped guide our Russian river cruise three years ago.
By the end of the tour the sun had come out in full force, so after lunch we went swimming in the ship's main pool, had a cappuccino in our Explorers Lounge retreat, then enjoyed a three-course dinner in the main restaurant. Tonight we will enjoy an onboard performance by a soprano and mezzo-soprano from the Marlinsky Theatre.
Tomorrow in St. Petersburg includes a tour of the Hermitage repository (areas holding items not on display) and a second tour, that of the Russian Museum, full of classic and modern Russian art.
