St. Petersburg, any advice?

[corp]

Wonder if anyone here can offer advice for the St Petersburg area.

What sites / interesting places at this time of this cold time of the year would be worth seeing?

Any nearby towns or cities would be worth seeing if one wanted to find a
Smaller atmosphere or even something out in the country?

Any names of people who one could for help if need be from that area?

SHould plan "A" fall apart, can anyone suggest a plan "B" agency?

[Vaughn]

Hey, stranger, we need to close the 10 mile distance between us
and have that lunch together. Listen, we have good friends here in Charlotte (the wife, Elena, is a doctor from St Petersburg, and is
currently in her 3rd year at UNCC) I'm certain she'd be glad to give you the scoop on her hometown. It'll be a local call, and she won't
feed you any fairytales, that's for sure. You've got my number.

Vaughn

[Phil dAmore]

Ahh... Petersburg in winter.  It's not really what you think.  Especially this winter.  Truth is except for a few days it hasn't been that cold at all. (Go Global Warming! ) So far we have only received one snowstorm and less than a week of sub-zero temperatures. As this is being written the temperature is +2 and the sun is shining...

What to see and do in the city during winter?  What's your pleasure?  Theater?  Oh yes.  Museums?  Certainly. Walks along the embankment?  Well, yeah you can do that too but you will need to bundle up a bit and wear shoes that have good traction on the ice. (How women manage to walk on sheet ice in spike heels I don't know!) ???

About the only things you can't do in Petersburg in winter that you can do in summer are those that have operating times governed by the calendar, like the fountains at Peterhof or taking a canal boat ride.  However we do have some nice winter sports including a just-completed ski facility out in the область. So it really depends on what you want.

I find a cold winters day to be the ideal time to go the cemetery in Piscaryovka and pay respects to the countless people who lost their lives during the Siege of Leningrad.

We are well past the time of extreme darkness.  Right now we average about 10 hours of light each day... much better than the 5 hours we experienced in mid-December.  You knew there had to be some type of payback for those wonderful "White Nights" in summer, right?

Bonus:  Prices for apartments and hotels are less in winter than in summer.

The downside:  It's dirty.  Or should I say it's dirtier than usual.  Between the sand used to thaw the ice and the soot from the city settling on the snow it's rather grimy here. 

Waterproof, insulated shoes are a must because slush ponds tend to gather in the low spots of the streets.... streets which don't have a particularly well developed drainage system.

The weather also take it's toll on the locals.  While Russians are not exactly known for their cheery attitudes toward customer service, in winter they can be downright surly.  It's nothing personal.  Try not to let it get you down.

Smaller towns?  Pskov is nice. Pushkin is another example of the over-the-top extravagance so favored by the Romanov clan. The Garden won't be in bloom but the Amber Room is... well you just need to see it. Pavlosk/Gatchina has always been a favorite of mine.   Paul had some very different architectural and decorating ideas... Kronschdat is a close by, often overlooked small island city about 25 km west of Petersburg.  Further west there is Zelenorgosk and Repina but there really isn't much of anything to do there in winter unless you like quiet strolls through the forest.  A couple of hours on a train to the north will find you in Vyborg, a quirky little city that has gone back and forth between Russia and Finland over the last 700 years or so.

What else?  Hmmm.... Well, the dollar doesn't buy as much as it used to; Having been on a steady slide for the past 4 years or so it's currently hovering around 26.10 rubles.  The Euro is somewhat stronger, and the British Pound... Well the lucky Brits enjoy an exchange rate that makes a trip to Russia an absolute bargain!

So you see, there is as much to do in winter as in summer. One just needs to dress a bit warmer!

[prince_alfie]

And don't forget to read a wonderful autobiography by V. Nabokov called Speak, Memory that alludes to his early childhood days in St. Petersburg before he moved here to America.

[SANDRO43]

(How women manage to walk on sheet ice in spike heels I don't know!)

Probably worked their way down from crampons .

[corp]

Phil actually that visit to the grave yard sounds kinda interesting.
I have a big interest in history and seeing life the way the average person sees it which is one reason I never stay in the "western style" rentals.
Whats wrong with a cold shower once in a while?

Two of the cites you named, I have heard about and now will put on the list.
After all, how many days can one spend walking around in the same city? (with wet feet)

[IAmZon]

There is ample discussion about Ukraine. It is hard to notice that there is much less discussion about St. Petersburg and Moscow.

I think I know the reason, and that is because these two cities are more economically healthy ... which would make the women more content and less than desperate. 

I doubt an "eligible" RW is necessarily "looking" for a foreigner, however, are the lines of communication open for these possibilities?

[Kuna]

There is ample discussion about Ukraine. It is hard to notice that there is much less discussion about St. Petersburg and Moscow.

I think I know the reason, and that is because these two cities are more economically healthy ... which would make the women more content and less than desperate. 

I doubt an "eligible" RW is necessarily "looking" for a foreigner, however, are the lines of communication open for these possibilities?

Rivardco,

There's perhaps a need for indepth discussion on "Economics and Marriage - How are they Linked?" because increased prosperity may not be the God send it seems.

For instance, there is a lot of talk about the property boom in Kiev and if you visit the shops and markets you'll see beautiful and expensive options everywhere. If you stay around Kreshatic you might wonder why any girl would be prepared to leave her family and friends for "a better life".

The fact is some people are living extraordnary lifestyles while others are struggling more and more as the economy and property markets move on and they are left behind.

I wonder though if St. Petersburg and Moscow are leaving the "International Dating Radar" because they have had more exposure to the men visiting, and girls are thinking/believing/seeing the poor quality men as the benchmark for marriage options???

Kuna

[Phil dAmore]

I wonder though if St. Petersburg and Moscow are leaving the "International Dating Radar" because they have had more exposure to the men visiting, and girls are thinking/believing/seeing the poor quality men as the benchmark for marriage options???

There is another reason why St. Petersburg and Moscow are falling off the radar that has less to do with the women's previous exposure to westerners and more to do with bureaucracy.

Put simply, it's a pain in the жопа to come here.  Russia has the most expensive visas in the world and obtaining them is a multi-step, time consuming process.  First you need the invitation, then the visa, then you need to register the visa within 3 days of arrival in-country.  This last step has just been made more difficult thanks to a change in the law that added yet another layer of bureaucracy to the process.  Sure, you can use one of the many commericial visa services that will do all the legwork for you (adding their own markup to the cost)...

... Or you can go to Ukraine, where all you need is a passport.



 

[IAmZon]

I am famous for making things as difficult as humanly possible.  Therefore St. Petersburg is a city of interest for me. 

Kuna, in my recent travels, I too have seen the "low quality of men" that you reference.  On average nice guys at heart, just rather pathetic in lady skills, or much older/unattractive for the match they are seeking.

I am an ass too, I must admit. I am seeking a combination of characteristics that God may not even make.  Yet, searching is fun too.

I have not yet reached a point where I say "OK, this is as good as it gets."  Or have gotten too bored with tits and ass to REALLY notice the human things.

To know oneself is perhaps the MOST important step in this process.  I am not only a newby.  I am enjoying being a newbie.  I have not tired from dating as of yet.  (I am just getting back up to speed:)  That will not last long.  That is when my study will actually pay off. 

Until then, Life is a Moveable Feast.

[2tallbill]

Corp

I was in St Pete over the New Year,

For a plan B I would recommend Elena ate www.love-formula.com

Good luck,

Bill

[IAmZon]

Excellent 2tall!  gatta plan C?

[corp]

HEy 2tall,
 I just finished reading your TR the other night, very good and interesting.
Your photos were nice too.
How does that agency work, can a guy just walk in or is there some membership requirement? Do they charge by the date? What does that run?

[2tallbill]

I belong to a big agency and Elenas company is one of the small affiliates. They charge $50 for each introduction. They have quite a number of ladies who speak English. Elena will also pick you up at your flat with a car for no additional charge. Yes you can just walk in the guy that I met Fred (not his real name)  did just exactly that.

For a plan C

The other agency was an affiliate as well. Vip international, but their webpage is the worst I have ever tried to navigate. Nastya is the cute little gal that was helping me there I kept getting her name wrong in my trip report. They charge $50 per introduction as well. You can email the owner xenia@mail.wplus.net the agency is a little difficult to find the first time. Its 21b Ligovski Prospect. You will pass right by it. You have to go under an arch in the middle of the block and its back in there.

I met Phil and he can help you with a lot of things, I had him deliver flowers for me to a nice gal V2. Phil if I remember cant get Cholula sauce in St Pete. Its a hot sauce with a wooden lid very tasty. I would bring a bottle or two with you.

The St Petersburg times is in English and has a section on marriage agencies. I thought it was a little funny that they have the escort agencies in that section as well.


Good luck,

Bill

[Mir]

Rivardco

There is ample discussion about Ukraine. It is hard to notice that there is much less discussion about St. Petersburg and Moscow.

I think I know the reason, and that is because these two cities are more economically healthy ... which would make the women more content and less than desperate. 

I doubt an "eligible" RW is necessarily "looking" for a foreigner, however, are the lines of communication open for these possibilities?'

The above is not true.Just like you may not find a as you say desperate woman in Moscow you won't find one in Kiev either. As we noted elsewhere right not Ukraine is much more accessable and so more people go there.
Personally I would advise anyone who wants to go on a hunting expedition to look towards Russia.

[2tallbill]

Rivardco

There is ample discussion about Ukraine. It is hard to notice that there is much less discussion about St. Petersburg and Moscow.

I think I know the reason, and that is because these two cities are more economically healthy ... which would make the women more content and less than desperate. 

I doubt an "eligible" RW is necessarily "looking" for a foreigner, however, are the lines of communication open for these possibilities?'

The above is not true.Just like you may not find a as you say desperate woman in Moscow you won't find one in Kiev either. As we noted elsewhere right not Ukraine is much more accessable and so more people go there.
Personally I would advise anyone who wants to go on a hunting expedition to look towards Russia.

I agree that Ladies of St Pete and Moscow are not nearly as desperate to leave. Of course this is only anecdotal information but I asked a few
why they were looking for a foreign husband and they all said that they didnt like the way Russian men treated them and they liked the way
we supposedly did. Another reason not to go to Moscow or Saint Pete is that they are huge huge cities. I think they think of Cities of 500k people as
villages. It could be argued that its better to find a woman who wasn't getting married just to leave a bad situation.

Just my slightly off topic two kopecks

Bill

[corp]

While I have had some contact with Girls from Moscow and ST. Pet I usually in the past have avoided them. Moscow girls absolutely have a chip on their shoulder, but because many can speak english it is easier to get to know them (and calls are dirt cheap too).

I would say without a doubt there are less woman Looking for for foreign guys as per their population, but still there are many!

If you had a dozen Oranges in your closet, how hard would it be to find them?
If you had twice that amount through out your house, how hard would it be to find them?

Before I go see any girl, I will suggest I might be interested to move to live with them rather than them come live with me. They all know in their country, I could not make any money but I check-out their response. A number seemed very positive at the idea of my moving there and only a few have seemed to want to talk me out of it.
But I don't write to the typical disco chick either.
In my experience.... many girls truly just want a dependable husband and family.
This is why, you can not expect her to play games about "if" you will come to see her and if you, put her off, she will move on to someone who is more serious.

RW are Romantic, but their version of it is seasoned with "the Practical".

[LEGAL]

Ahh... Petersburg in winter.  It's not really what you think.  Especially this winter. 

especially with Phil and Nina!!!
LEGAL and I had a great time in Petersburg in winter thanks to Phil and Nina.
They are wonderful couple. They are a PART of our happiness. 
 If you are going to go to  Petersburg and  need some advice or help you should ask Phil and Nina.

Olga.