Piter again...

[Seeker]

Okay, I want of show of hands... how many RWD members are in Piter right now?  Or will be by this weekend...

I can think of 6 that I know of.  Of course at least two live here... but they count too!

I say we all get together for a dinner and drinks some night.  I think it would be an enlightening experience for all of us.  And make for a very cool "group" trip report, even if just for the one night.

I have been on the ground since yesterday and have blisters on my toes already.  I knew I should have left those damn 6 inch heels at home, but my legs look so good in them!

And I spent today being a typical woman... I shopped for clothes!  It is SO hot, and I was not prepared even though Olga warned me before I left (OlgaH, not my wovo woman).  Notice I said typical woman... Not RW or AW....  Some things are the same everywhere. 

Tomorrow I meet my woman at Pulkovo...  Never have seen terminal 1... this will be another first.

Oh, and does anyone know why Russians do not believe in the concept of air-conditioning?  Even where it exists, they set it to like 28 degrees C.  What is the point of having it if you don't use it?  (Rhetorical question... I know... money is the answer)

Anyway, I am here and already having a wonderful time.  I love this city!  And not just for the reason you drooling men are thinking... Not saying I don't notice... but there is so much more also.

Well, dinner has settled... and it is time to hit Nevsky again...

More to follow... and maybe even a guest speaker.   

[Gylden]

WoW Seeker,
Your hooked!!!   
Hope you have a real good time with your lady!
How are the buildings doing?
If I was there, I would join your party!!

[Seeker]

WoW Seeker,
Your hooked!!!   
Hope you have a real good time with your lady!
How are the buildings doing?
If I was there, I would join your party!!

Yes... I am hooked. 

I forgot most of the Russian I had learned last time, but it is coming back.  Part of what makes this so fun is it doesn't matter.  We all just figure it out, and laugh over the mistakes.  A very forgiving people live here.  Of course they are used to us silly tourists.  And I love playing to the people.  A captive (if somewhat confused) audience.

I am sure we will have a good time.  She is just as deranged as I am. And, dare I say it and shatter anyone's dreams...  an intellectual equal, that even understands when I make philosophical jokes.  Now that is rare in any country!  Yeah, no 20 year old girls for me.

The buildings are doing great... but (grrrrrrrr!) sidewalk work in front of my apartment.  No big deal really, just watch your step!

And you are not THAT far.    Who knows... maybe an accidental trip to the airport?   

[Phil dAmore]

Tomorrow I meet my woman at Pulkovo...  Never have seen terminal 1... this will be another first.

Oh you are in for such a treat.  If you thought Passport control at P-II was a fustercluck, just wait till you see how they treat their own people.  I've seen stockyards that are better organized.

BTW, I wonder if it is still impossible to grab a bus from P-1 back to P-II.  The last time I was there the only way to return to P-II was via obscenely overpriced taxi... for a 7 minute ride.

I always thought that it was interesting one could take a bus FROM P-II to P-1 but NOT from P-1 back to P-II.  To me it reinforced the idea that Russia really doesn't want it's citizens going anywhere..

Oh, and does anyone know why Russians do not believe in the concept of air-conditioning?  Even where it exists, they set it to like 28 degrees C.  What is the point of having it if you don't use it?

For the same reason that they don't put ice in drinks.  They believe that any type of moving air or cold liquid will make them sick.  Get on a bus or train and no matter how hot it is, they will NOT open a window. 

Sometimes I think that they like the status of having an air conditioner.

I'm sure it's on your list, but do not fail to see Peterhof.  Take the bus and NOT the hydrofoil. The bus is actually faster and way cheaper.  You aren't going to see anything from the windows of the boat anyway.

Have a good time.  Damn I miss the place.

[dogspot]

Hey Seeker!

I'll be in Piter on Wednesday next week. Do you still have my #? Give me a call on Thursday or Friday during the day and we can meet up if you are available. I'm looking forward to the heat (and maybe some storms). Did you enjoy that storm this morning? It was cool to see and hear it via skype. 

[Seeker]

Hey Seeker!

I'll be in Piter on Wednesday next week. Do you still have my #? Give me a call on Thursday or Friday during the day and we can meet up if you are available. I'm looking forward to the heat (and maybe some storms). Did you enjoy that storm this morning? It was cool to see and hear it via skype. 

Oh yeah it was fun!  I was at my favorite coffee shop sitting outside having breakfast and it was like someone suddenly dumped a huge bucket of water on the city.  Luckily there were umbrellas... unluckily I was sitting under the gap between them.  Hey, its only water right?  And I am almost dry now. 

I am pretty sure I still have your number.  If not I'll PM you for it.  I look forward to seeing you again!

[Seeker]

Well, I met M at Polkovo 1 on Saturday.  I was a bit early so I waited around nervously looking at the board for her plane to come in.  When it finally land I got excited and headed for the gate.  Phil, you are right.  It took her 30 minutes or more to clear whatever process she had to go through.  When I had landed, I had grabbed my bag, cleared passport control, and walked through customs in less than 5 minutes.  Bizarre.

Well from the moment our eyes met, I knew she was exactly who I had hoped she would be and then some.  We had chatted twice a day for hours each time on Skype and Yahoo.. So I was pretty sure I knew what she was like.  Well, I was wrong.  She was so much more.  And I could see in her eyes and in her smile she felt the same about me. 

All the way back to the apartment (my first bus, then metro ride in Piter)  our arms were around each other, even though it was over 95 degrees, and in between kisses she was resting her head on my shoulder.  Every so often our eyes would meet and we would both get that "stupid teenager in love" grin on our face. 

We got back to the apartment and got settled in... showered... and relaxed a bit... then showered again and went out on the town.  We ate a great meal at a place I knew from my last trip (food was still just as good) then crossed the Neva to just wander.  We notice scaffolding being put up for a concert the next night and decided we were going to go. 

At that point it was getting late so we headed back home, chatting and laughing the whole way.  Wow... I got VERY lucky to have met this woman.

The next morning we got up and bought tickets for an excursion to Eketrina's (spelling?) Palace.  We had a few hours to burn so we wandered around looking for a SIM card for her phone.  We never found one, but we did find this really trippy bizarre.  And wandered if for a few hours.  What a cool place!  Kind of like a swap meet/flea market but in real buildings that had 100's of tiny little shops with the strangest assortment of things.  Once again, laughing and talking and joking and goofing around the whole time.  More and more I knew I had found a very special woman.

Then we went on the excursion.  Of course it was a fantastic place, look who it was built for!  But the 240 acres of gardens were what really blew me away... well, that and the amber room.  A room with every surface covered with mosaics in various shades of amber.  As always we felt so natural together, like we had known each other our entire life.  And we had only been chatting a month.  In fact, it was our one month anniversary of getting to know each other.  I had already planned the trip before we had even spoken once.  Seems like really good timing to me.

While we were there, got a phone call from Sculpto, and we planned to meet up later to check out some sights, the city, and possibly the concert and fireworks afterward.

So once we got back to the apartment, we showered again... relaxed a bit... showered again, then arranged to meet up nearby for dinner and then to head up to the river to check things out.  I let her choose where to eat... and her choice was Subway!  We got a laugh out of it.  9000 kilometers in travel to eat dinner at a Subway, but hey, it was easy on the wallet!  And I like it.  So we went.

After eating we headed across the river.  It was PACKED!  They had closed off the road where the concert was and 1000's of people were packed into the street and lining the river and bridge.  The traffic of course was being diverted which made for a very.... ummmm... congested situation.  And while we were waiting for the light to change so we could cross, what does Sculpto do?  About 10 meters down the street he sees a shot he wants to take and walks right out into the traffic to get "just the right angle" on it.  Yes, he is a nut.  But a VERY nice nut and I am glad we got to spend the evening with him.  Plus, we used him as a bulldozer through the crowd so we could get up closer to the stage for the concert.  It was amazing.  I didn't understand a word of it but the music was great, the energy was high, and the crowd was wild, but very friendly.  There are even a couple of drunken sailor stories, but I will let him tell them if he wants.  Dude, don't forget to send those guys that picture you promised!  I would like a copy too.

Instead of watching the fireworks, we went to a park near the Hermitage had a few beers and then headed back down Nevsky, the three of us talking and laughing and having a great time. 

The next day we had planned to go to Petergof, but since we didn't get to sleep until 2:00 am we didn't get up early enough, so we went to Mikholovsky Palace (part of the Russian Museum) and spent most of the day looking at FABULOUS art and artifacts from Russian history.  Then we had a huge meal at a local Russian restaurant, then headed back home.  She is napping now, and about to be awaken.  The street musician guitarist  I saw last time I was here just started playing, and I don't want to miss it!

More later... but I just wanted you all to know I am having a wonderful time with a very special woman.

[Chillidog]

The next morning we got up and bought tickets for an excursion to Eketrina's (spelling?) Palace. 

Then we went on the excursion.  Of course it was a fantastic place, look who it was built for!  But the 240 acres of gardens were what really blew me away... well, that and the amber room.  A room with every surface covered with mosaics in various shades of amber. 

The next day we had planned to go to Petergof, but since we didn't get to sleep until 2:00 am we didn't get up early enough, so we went to Mikholovsky Palace (part of the Russian Museum) and spent most of the day looking at FABULOUS art and artifacts from Russian history. 

More later... but I just wanted you all to know I am having a wonderful time with a very special woman.

I am really happy for you!!! Sounds like your having a great time and found a truely wonderful woman

You know there into you when they keep having you take showers

Ekaterina Palace was great. there are signs posted in the Amber room no "No photo's allowed" but my Russian fiance took the camera from me (turned off the flash) and snapped a few photos of this room. There was no way I was going to do this, but thought it is her country and if she wants to take some photos who am I to stop her

You have GOT TO VISIT Peterhoff, it is fanatasic!!! at it was one of the main "excursions" my fiance did not want me to miss while we were in Peter. So my advice GO!!!! I loved it

Enjoy your time in Peter and especially enjoy the time with your woman.

whether the woman is Russian, American, or some other nationality when you find the "one" each minute together is priceless

[Chillidog]

forgot to mention my "Avatar" is a photo of us looking into one of the mirrors in Ekaterina Palace

[wicheese]

Seeker,

I'm new to the site but not to Russia and I agree with Chillidog, you need to make the trip to Peterhof as you will not regret it.

[Seeker]

I am really happy for you!!! Sounds like your having a great time and found a truely wonderful woman

You know there into you when they keep having you take showers

Ekaterina Palace was great. there are signs posted in the Amber room no "No photo's allowed" but my Russian fiance took the camera from me (turned off the flash) and snapped a few photos of this room. There was no way I was going to do this, but thought it is her country and if she wants to take some photos who am I to stop her

You have GOT TO VISIT Peterhoff, it is fanatasic!!! at it was one of the main "excursions" my fiance did not want me to miss while we were in Peter. So my advice GO!!!! I loved it

Enjoy your time in Peter and especially enjoy the time with your woman.

whether the woman is Russian, American, or some other nationality when you find the "one" each minute together is priceless

I admit to cheating in the amber room too, with a hi-def video camera that looks like a cell phone.  Got to love modern technology.

And I missed Petergof the first time due to rain... I am going to do my best not to miss it again.  Tomorrow M has to visit her publisher, then I am taking her to the Church on Spilt Blood (she has never seen the inside, and it is one of my favorites) then to the aqua-park to try and beat the heat for an hour or so.  After that, who knows!  But Petergof will be seen before I come back!  Of course now that I have said that...  It is like washing your car... you know a flock of large birds will perch over it the next day.

And the part I highlighted is so true.  I think we all need to remember that.  Life is precious, and all too short to let even a minute slip away from us.

[GQBlues]

Seeker-

A bit of trivia for you.

Like I've mentioned to you in the past, while the scenery at Peterhof is breathtaking (notably the fountains), the magic lies within. Take the time to understand it and what makes it work and you'll have a much better appreciation of what you'll see before you and give it its fullest grandeur. You can tell me later what it is I'm telling you to find out.

Catherine's Garden is also a not-to-be-missed sight. Go and see it.

'hof' in German I believe means a 'courtyard', while 'burg', also German (with an 'h' makes it Scottish, I believe. The resident language experts can correct me on this), means a fortified town or better known as 'fort' i.e. Pittsburg - Fort Pitt (not to be confused with 'berg' which means 'mountain' e.g. iceberg - ice mountain). Which seems to be an oxymoron in describing Peter's fort and Catherine's courtyard.

Peterburg - Ekaterinahof, instead of Peterhof / Ekaterinburg.

Pictures, pictures, pictures....Gnom notwitstanding. 

[BrianW]

Seeker,


Glad to hear you're having a good trip. How did you meet your lady?


Chilidog,

You screen name cracks me up.

[OlgaH]

Another interesting place to visit is The Central Navy Museum
http://www.saint-petersburg.com/museums/navy-museum.asp

[Ludmila]

Seeker,

Was so glad to learn you're in Russia with your lady, and that everything-- ( esp. WOVO) is working out  for both of you!
Have a most enjoyable time, and say hi to Sculpto, please.