Here in St Petersburg.....

[steve057]

Privet Everyone,

                     I must say I never thought I would like Russia but I'm telling you now I love it here in St Petersburg! What a beautiful city and the people have been very good so far with the exception of a few bank tellers! Seems  they don't like $100 dollar bills and I have some money they won't exchange for one reason or another. Go figure!! I will say that I have never in my life seen so many beautiful women in one place! WOW!! When I have a little down time I just go and stand in front of the hotel or walk the streets and it is unbelieveable how many pretty women there is. All dressed to kill as they say wearing high heels everywhere even in construction zones. The woman I came to meet is just as she said in her letters and we are getting along great. We had a few misunderstandings at first but just small ones really. She didn't like the interpreter so she had a friend of hers translate for us and her English is very good I must say. We got a couple of bottles of the bubbly and went to her friends flat and were going  to watch the bridges open at 1am but by the time we got that drank we missed the bridges opening! Oh well ! Maybe next time! Well thats it for now,I'm back out on the town!
Paka Steve

[diverboy70]

Hi Steve!

I'm glad to hear you enjoy your time! I just came back from St:Pete one week ago and can't wait to go back 

I totally agree with you on the beauty of the women in the city! One day I was sitting at the terrace at "two sticks" at Nevskiy Prospect, waiting for my girl. I couldn't even count all the 10:s walking by

I'm also glad that everything seems to be going well with your woman!

[steve057]

Thanks Diverboy Can you believe the drivers here? OMG!! Its fun just to watch them,they are crazy! The taxi rides are an experience to be remembered for sure! If you have no lane to drive in,no problem make your own! Yes it is amazing the number of beautiful women here Hope things are going well with your  woman also A friend of hers is going to get married  in Rome in January she thinks so I might meet here there which should be a great trip also. Inna is a very beautiful woman and very loving,just what I was looking for I will post some photos soon! Thanks again!  Steve

[diverboy70]

Yes the traffic is defintetely crazy there! Had a really scary taxi ride to the airport when I left last time!

Rome sounds like a nice place to meet Our next meeting will be in Helsinki in two weeks. Just because of convenience. She takes the train and I take the ferry. We will just be together for the weekend, but it's allways something!

Im glad that you have found what you are looking for! Just remeber to take the time to get to know her good before you concider taking her over to your place. There has been to many stories here about "train wrecks" that really hadn't have to happen. Just because the involved parties didn't take the time needed!

Good luck with your girl!

[steve057]

Thank you Diverboy for the advice and believe me it is well taken I am in no hurry and she isn't either and we both feel we need to know each other better before we make any big moves. But for now I would say things are looking good I do want to avoid any train wrecks as they say and want to be sure   Steve

[diverboy70]

Sound like you have a good attitude to this Steve

Ps. I sent you an PM

[Phil dAmore]

Steve:

Had some trouble changing bills did you?  Someone didn't read the archives thoroughly before arriving in St. Pete.   Seriously, glad all is going well for you.

If I may dispense a bit of advice:

1) Stay the hell out of metro Canal Gribyedova.  It is where you are most likely to have your pocket picked.

2) When in a restaurant, keep an eye on your jacket at all times

3) Do NOT carry your wallet in your back pocket, and keep your passport, visa and registration slip in a separate pocket, preferably one that is zipped.

4) Stay the hell out of metro Canal Gribyedova

5) Your best defense against being shook down is to be with your gal at all times.  In almost 7 years here I have never seen the cops stop a couple, no matter how obviously 'not Russian' the guy appeared.

6) Don't buy anything in Gostiny Dvor, or Passage (across the street) 99% of what is sold in those places can be had much cheaper almost anywhere else in the city.  Ask your gal.

7) The souvenier market behind the Church on Spilled Blood is a fun place, just learn  to scan the tables without actually looking like you are looking.

8.) Don't carry any more cash then you absolutely have to.

9) Keep a card with the name and address of your hotel or apartment (in Russian) with you at all times.  If you get hopelessly lost you can show the card to any taxi driver and he will take you to your place. (For a fee, of course.

10) Gypsies haven't been too bad this year but watch out for them. They are easy to spot because  they roam the streets in packs like wild dogs and swarm on you like locusts.  It's always the women and kids (where are the Gypsy men?)  One of the kids will swipe your passport and then come up to you and say he 'found' it. 

Enjoy your stay in Petersburg.  Sorry about the crappy weather.

Phil

[steve057]

Hi Phil,

 Thanks for the advice! Yes I didn't read back far enough or I forgot one or the other! One bill had a stamp on it and they didn't like that at all,the other two I have no idea what they didn't like about them. They were almost new bills to? I have walked my girl home a couple of times from the hotel late at night but it is only about 4 blocks from here. I never felt threatened but was looking around alot I really don't think I have to worry about the gyspies as long as I am with my girl,she is a little tiger let me tell you that The weather is not to bad really just a liitle cool. It is a welcome relief from where I live in the states I really have not traveled much but never carry to much money with me. Just enough to satisfy someone if I do get robbed The passport goes in the one front pocket and the wallet in the other. The pants are tight enough if someone sticks there hand in there to take something out good luck to them. I can barely get my hand in there
Thanks again for the advice! Advice is always welcome here!   Steve

[viking]

Hey Steve

EXACTLY where you are standing in your pic, I lost a cell phone to Gypsies. Front pants pocket. Just about saved my passport which was in the other pocket. Tight jeans as well. These people are good. So be careful in any event. And Enjoy the city!

[Faux Pas]

Hi Phil,

 Thanks for the advice! Yes I didn't read back far enough or I forgot one or the other! One bill had a stamp on it and they didn't like that at all,the other two I have no idea what they didn't like about them. They were almost new bills to? I have walked my girl home a couple of times from the hotel late at night but it is only about 4 blocks from here. I never felt threatened but was looking around alot I really don't think I have to worry about the gyspies as long as I am with my girl,she is a little tiger let me tell you that The weather is not to bad really just a liitle cool. It is a welcome relief from where I live in the states I really have not traveled much but never carry to much money with me. Just enough to satisfy someone if I do get robbed The passport goes in the one front pocket and the wallet in the other. The pants are tight enough if someone sticks there hand in there to take something out good luck to them. I can barely get my hand in there
Thanks again for the advice! Advice is always welcome here!   Steve

Hey Steve!

St Pete is a great place isn't it? I was there several months ago and I can't remember a city anywhere that I've enjoyed better. I highly recommend going on one or two of the excursions that interest you. Peterhof I found quite fascinating as well as Puskin.

One the rejected bills, the unmarked ones, iron them with a hot iron just like you were ironing your best shirt for a job interview tomorrow. Sprinkle water on them and iron the poop out of'em. It won't hurt a bit and will give them a temporary look of better condition. Straighten out the corners and make sure you don't kink it. I had a few like that and voila they accepted them. US currency is actually a cloth instead of paper.

If you get a chance and looking for a place to eat try the Apricot resturant. It is close to the Kazinski cathedral. Of course it is spelled in cyrillic so you might need some help but the food is excellent, extremely reasonably price and they have menus in english.

[steve057]

Hi Faux Pas & Viking,

       I believe the photo was taken on Nevsky Prospkt and the church in the background is "The Church on Spilled Blood" if I am correct? I never thought of ironing the bills but it is a good idea! I knew they were made of cloth and they would be nice and crisp after you iron them. I will try that next time!
      I must say it is nice to know that I have support here on this site and the advice has been very good,Thank you!!
Steve

[Phil dAmore]

Steve:

No problem.  Yes, that photo is in front of Church on Spilled Blood, just across the street from Kazan Cathedral... and right next door to metro Canal Gribyedova!

If you haven't already done so, the fountains at Peterhof are NOT to be missed.

About the money: For reasons known only to them, they are positively paranoid about the quality of bills that are accepted for exchange.  I've had bills rejected because the top and bottom margins weren't evenly spaced.  Curiously they seem to have no problem giving YOU worn out bills.

A common scam is they will accept 'inferior' bills.. but only at .80 on the dollar.  Don't do it. 

Oh one other thing: Be very aware of your surroundings when leaving currency exchanges.  Although we haven't heard of it happening in Petersburg, recently in Moscow they busted up a ring that was robbing tourists.  The girl behind the counter would call to her associates outside the exchange and give them a description of an exiting customer, who was then robbed. 

Have fun, be careful.

[Faux Pas]

Hi Faux Pas & Viking,

       I believe the photo was taken on Nevsky Prospkt and the church in the background is "The Church on Spilled Blood" if I am correct? I never thought of ironing the bills but it is a good idea! I knew they were made of cloth and they would be nice and crisp after you iron them. I will try that next time!
      I must say it is nice to know that I have support here on this site and the advice has been very good,Thank you!!
Steve

Yes thats probably right about on Nevsky. I have some pics taken on that same canal but closer to the Church of the Spilled blood. There was a money exchange one street off of Nevsky but parallel with Nevsky. It was on Italianana I believe (sp) close to a theatre but not far from where you avatar pic was taken. They were the best exchange rate I had found in St Pete and they also are the one that took my ironed bills. If that helps you any

No problem.  Yes, that photo is in front of Church on Spilled Blood, just across the street from Kazan Cathedral... and right next door to metro Canal Gribyedova!

Hey Phil,

Yeah that was Kazan Cathedral. I believe I referred to it as Kazinski. Was the Kazinski in another locale? Seems like there was a roundabout there and another monument of some kind.

[Phil dAmore]

My bad.  It's Kazinski.