Day 6, Thursday 22 August

We are sleeping well thankfully, even though the bed is a bit firm for my royal constitution. 18,000 steps today so we continue to build our stamina and enjoy our down time when we get it. The Aussies we met yesterday at breakfast have been following a similar itinerary to us albeit independently. They also go to Finland and Sweden next, like us. Yesterday we saw that they made a picnic lunch at breakfast, so today we followed suit. Instead of just exiting with fruit and a yoghurt we made a filled roll too. The nicest things at breakfast are the warm, soft on the inside and lightly crunchy on the outside, wide baguette shaped loaves. So I whacked off two 6 inch sub lengths and we had that with good ham, gruyere, Jarlsberg, and a slice of Italian salami. I call it the “Abi pizza sub”.

In view of our nice prepared lunch I have eaten light at breakfast – just salad, salmon, herbed cheese, sauerkraut, gherkin and matjes herring (yep thats light). Vern continues with the egg, bacon and beans. There is a nice pale melon like a rockmelon which is large, sweet but not as fragrant. We have finished off our breakfasts with this and a slice of watermelon which is good quality. Today we managed to get a filter coffee which was still not flash but better than the dreaded coffee machine rubbish.

Our internet is still down, so that is something I will do the haka about tonight and see if I can get some action. We get the impression the Russian are not very service orientated – well not in our hotel and the general demeanour around the place is rather dour. Never mind we are our cheery Kiwi selves and enjoy pleasantries with other tourists.

Our driver today was nice and had a clean modern Ford Mondeo equivalent. Every time we stopped he jumped out and opened the door for me with lovely eloquence and a bit of charm behind the eye. Our guide is the same as yesterday, is 65 and I find her hard work as she is boring as F*k and nervy. Today was a city tour with the highlight of seeing The Church of Spilled Blood.

First stop was a river canal and a few buildings of note to the guide but lost on us, before our visit to Peter and Paul Fortress. We actually wanted to drop this off the tour but it comes with the city tour even with a tailor made one. The photo following is of an original light house not far from the fortress.

Founded by Peter the Great in 1703 during the Great Northern War with Sweden, the fortress encompasses an island in the Neva river and was the birthplace of St Petersburg. The island was also a very important strategic point historically being the defence for the city following the initial Swedish war. The main attraction these days is the cathedral with its tall spire and the notable tombs inside.

Italian-Swiss designed it houses the tombs of the Romanovs, including Peter the Great, his wife, Nicholas and Alexandra and even the remains of Anastasia who DNA tests prove did not escape the murdering Bolsheviks on July 16, 1918.

We went inside the church and got a lot more than we cared for history on this person and that, with repetition from yesterday. Modern day close surviving relatives living in Canada and the US (from cousins that went there before the revolution) are allowed to come back and get buried there.

We then headed back to town after driving by a few things – too quick for any photo. I was beginning to feel the tour was actually boring and a waste of money when our guide asked us if we wanted a coffee stop – it was just after 12:00 and we had been previously advised that our driver was engaged to 1pm only. The rest of the day would be on foot, so we said yes to coffee and thought we could eat our picnic at this time. We got whisked by our guide – after she had an exchange with the driver – into a souvenir shop which apparently had free coffee. It was here I got really cross. We were shown to a corner of the shop where the free black coffee was given to us in a plastic cup, half full. Right. We were then taken round the shop and badgered to buy this or that souvenir – maybe amber for your daughter she says, or a furrrr hat, perhaps a cook book?…. (our guide).

Those that know me will be able to anticipate what transpired. Vern was instructed to drink his coffee real quick and we would exit without any overpriced trinkets. Essentially we had lost 45 minutes of paid driver time (he was dismissed early by our guide) and we didn’t get to stop at anything of interest and missed driving past a couple of key things so she could get a kick back. It was at this point I felt necessary to write to our travel agent and complain – when I could get on line of course.

We walked a bit further towards the cathedral and decided to eat our subs along the way. This seemed to elicit an anxious and slightly disapproving look from our guide. Now we have heard this before, that this kiwi practice is considered a bit uncouth over in Europe. I don’t care actually – needs must. Places to go, things to see and fuel needed to keep up the pace. As we got closer along the canal way I paused to size up a picture and our guide as usual got anxious and tried to corral me along as she was dong her bla bla bla historical propaganda talk. OK, enough is enough I had to let off my pressure valve and take charge of our custom made very expensive tour. I explained in a constrained, polite yet direct manner that I had paid a lot of money for this ‘private’ tour and I would stop and take pictures when I chose, and listen or not to what interested me. She got it.

In fact she got it so clear, she then enquired if we wanted to have a coffee. Really??? We choose a shop – not her – which had a real barista. It was at something called Market Place which was an upmarket food hall with stations of different food and drinks etc being prepared freshly. She left us there as she needed to pick up her visa (mmmm personal work on our pay) and returned half an hour later. We took advantage of a reasonable toilet and free wifi, which timed nicely with being able to video chat with Casey who is somewhere in the outback in Western Australia!

It was all too soon and the guide was back, taking us the short distance to the jewell in the crown Church of Spilled Blood. I was even allowed – advised (mmmm) to take photos whilst she sorted the tickets. This has been interesting as the skipping the queue has not gone as well here in St. P, as she has had to collet tickets each time and fluff around a lot more than our guide in Moscow.

Back to the tour, the Cathedral is undergoing renovation outside on the main spire which is such a shame for photography – kind of chops off the quintessential postcard picture. Never mind time to be creative and use a zoom. The interior with its breathtaking golden glittering mosaic masterpieces from floor to ceiling made up for it. It reminds me a little of St Marks in Venice, but lighter and airier.

The church gets its name from the site it is built on, complete with the blood allegedly never being cleaned up. In 1881 a suicide bomber assassinated Tzar Alexander II on the site.

The mosaics are complimented with marble and decorative floors. Simply wonderful to experience, and well worth the visit. Will let photos do the talking on this one.

After this thrilling visit we walked about 15 minutes to the Faberge Museum for our English speaking in-house tour. This was also a real highlight especially as we could take photos to our hearts content.

The privately owned museum is situated in the beautifully restored Shuvalov Palace and houses the biggest collection of works by Carl Faberge, jeweller to the Tzars.

It opened in 2013, and is built around the collection assembled by the American publisher Malcom Forbes, which was later purchased by a rich Russian. The highlight is 14 exquisite Faberge eggs, including 9 imperial Easter eggs which were gifts to delight the royals. The workmanship fascinates Vern, and the diamonds make me drool.

I also appreciated and enjoyed additional art works and collections displayed such as gorgeous metallic and pearlised enamel and Eastern dining items (gifts).

After our 1 hr tour we were met by our guide and walked a short way to the main shopping street where she ‘showed’ us how to use the trolley car. It was a short ride to the corner of our street which intersects, where she bid us farewell till tomorrow.

It was an easy decision to back to the Georgian restaurant and try more of this interesting cuisine. We had their cheese stuffed bread (with spinach) and whilst nice, it wasn’t as good as Moscow. We also had a chicken hot pot and a veal hot pot. Both based in tomato sauce with the chicken having the addition of capsicum. Both delicious and different – delicate yet beautifully flavourful and balanced.

Bed time and we finally got internet – yesssss! They had to do some different passwords and connection for us (and the queues of other guests), but pleased to be back on line. As I was doing a blog I heard some big bangs and looked outside to see fireworks. Not sure what that was about, but there were some really neat double coloured ones. Another full day, and two really fabulous and unique experiences well worth seeing.