Tallinn Estonia

Welcome to Tallinn, Estonia. This giant swing was greeting us right after we left the ship and made our way off of the pier.

View of the Old Town.

How many steps to the top? Great view from the observation deck located at the bottom of the green copper roof.

Wall and tower around the old town

We had a coffee in a small cafe along the outer section of this wall.

Another church

Restoration in progress

High above

Main Square

Looking for a place to have lunch.

Street of Old Town off the Main Square

Last look at the Main Square before heading back to the ship. Next stop after one day at sea, Aarhus Denmark.

Day 2 St Petersburg

Day 2 started at 0800, not as early as the day before but early enough. We were late getting to our meeting place with the rest of the group. The first day was long. We left the ship around 0700 and didn't return until after 2100.  This is a view from the boat down onto the Russian customs house, where they inspected our passports and visas before entry into Russia.

 

St. Nikolas Cathedral

Getting started with a photo op at St. Isaac's Cathedral.  The Germans intended to blow it up after the Russians surrendered St. Petersburg (thankfully that never happened).  It was not bombed during the war because it was used as a navigational point in the city, although the dome was painted over in gray to detract attention from it.

Statue of Peter the Great in front of St. Isaac's.  The statue is supported on on the horse's two back legs.

Portrait Gallery - Inside the Hermitage Museum, one of the largest and oldest in the world. 3 million item in the collection, not all on display, we arrived an hour before the general opening time. There were other tour groups in the museum as well, but it was walk and look.

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

The interior of the building (formerly a palace) was just an impressive as the art.

The queue for a look at a work by one of the masters.

Sculptures

Sculpture

Very impressive

Outside the Hermitage, looking out on Palace Square and the Alexander Column, the tallest granite column in the world.  When it was first erected, people were afraid it would fall over so no one got too close to it.

Door to St. Isaac's

Inside St. Isaac's, it was a full house.

Church dome

 

Incredible

On the way to the Yusupov Palace in the center of the city. The Palace was the place where Rasputin finally met his end.

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

No pictures were allowed inside.

Again, I wasn't awake for the last picture. On the way to Tallinn, Estonia.

Day 1 continues at Peterhof and Pushkin

Here we are at the enterance to Peterhof, I'm happy from the nap and lunch I had on the ride over. I think it took 30-45 minutes. All the water for the fountains is gravity fed from 2 reservoirs behind and above. This is the Grand Canal.

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

These fountains are below the main residence of the palace. In front is Samson and the Lion, which represents the Russians defeating Sweden. Behind is the grotto, along with the works on the sides these makes up the Grand Cascade.

Another of many great gardens and fountains.

Most of these where stop, look, take a picture and move on since we only had a couples hours here. It would have been very easy to spend an entire day enjoying all Peterhof has to offer.










Finally a rest. Watch out for the man in the green hat.

Wait for it...

Oh yeah! There are a number of fountains that were design to get people wet.

We're convinced this is where one of the ladies in our group was pickpocketed, as it was very crowded and everyone was standing around waiting for the fountains to come on.  Unfortunately, pickpocketing is very common in SP.

Christmas tree

Water, water, water

The side work of the Grand Canal.  Checkerboard fountain.

The view from the top of the Grand Cascade with Samson and the Lion behind and the Grand Canal stretching out to the sea.

On the bus again for and hour ride outside of the main city to Pushkin, home of Catherine Palace.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pushkin,_Sankt-Peterburg

Fantastic

The building was constructed in a long and narrow configuration. On the left looks out to the side we entered from. On the right, the other side.

Very ornate.

After riding back to the city center, some of the group returned to the ship. Alexandra and I joined three women from Mexico from our tour group and attended a Russian folk and dance show. This was taken after we returned.

Taken right after, I was out.

Saint Petersburg Russia, Day 1

Welcome to Russia, 0800 on 1 July 2011, already hot and humid.

Before we had a look around here, we rode on the Metro from one stop to the next. Unfortunately no photos are allowed. It was crowded and hot but also had very artisticly decorated station stops.

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

Saint Petersburg, Petrograd, Leningrad and back to Saint Petersburg a city on the Neva River with a population of almost 5 million.

One of the many bridges of St. Peterburg. All the bridges open at 0100 every morning. The price of a water taxi across goes up at 0101.

On the water, through the canal.

Two days in the city of St. Petersburg and we barely had time to stop and enjoy the sites as we passed by them. Both of our days were spent with a local tour leader which limited our group to 12 people. It was an incredible city full of history and lots of people. Our tour was not limited to riding in the tour bus. We spent lots of time walking, rode on the Metro, took a boat tour around the center of the city and rode a ferry to Peterhof Palace which have been referred to as the "Russian Versailles".

On the water, in the canals of the city.

Our boat went under the bridge.

There are many boats on the water.

The view from the river.

A health club and restaurant are inside the schooner.

The Peter and Paul Fortress on Zayachy Island.

Getting ready to go inside the fortress.

Inside, take a picture and move along please.

Burial place for many great Russians.

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


On to the Church of the Spilt Blood.

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

Inside

CoSB

CoSB

The alter wall inside the CoSB. This was the last site before lunch on a hydroplane ferry to Petergof. Lunch was a pizza toast, apple and bottled water. I had a nap.