17 September

Ah, a day that worked out!
It started as usual by waking to the alarm, rolling over and then actually getting up at 0705. All preparations went smoothly and I even remembered to take the Vegemite with me. The only problem was the power to the toasters went out (looks like a circuit breaker was overloaded somewhere). We finished breakfast and went our ways, me to prepare for the day by charging some batteries I had loaned yesterday and packing (very lightly) for the day – camera and camera bag, nothing more.
I was out at the bus where we picked up our guide from yesterday, Inna, and the correct bus, this time with boris driving. Yesterday we had Mikial (Misha). By 0900 we were off to the Hermitage with two additional passengers (two many for the Albatross bus). We couldn’t arrive until 1000 yet had a good run into the city so filled in time by circling the block (twice in the same streets, so it was sort of obvious). We did end up on the Embankment at the right time and here was the first place I saw the police controlling the traffic light lights. We parked, passengers out and we headed over to the entrance. I had already put forward my one hundred roubles for photography, but no flash is allowed with paintings, so some of them will seem fuzzy (as the exposure time was too long for successful handheld photography, but there was no other choice). I had decided to save time by leaving my jacket in the bus and was greeted by horrified looks from fellow passengers, the guide and officials on duty outside the Hermitage.
Once inside it was very warm – in fact I felt too hot most of the time. But the tour was … fantastic. From the entry hall (designed to impress, and it did) through the halls and the exhibition rooms, it literally was like a story-book place. The size, the wall and ceiling decorations and finally the works of art just were too much to believe and I can see how no matter now long one has to visit, it will never be enough. After our introductory tour I went to see the French painters and then found I had very little time left to get to the bus, so the catalogue I have to get for Ash will have to be obtained tomorrow (or perhaps the day after, but I will get it). After a too-brief tour and look at 1230 we were all back on the bus and some left in a minibus for the ship. The rest of us stayed on the bus, eventually got our packed lunch and were on our way out to Catherine’s Palace and the Amber Room.
Same situation there, so I was out in shirt-sleeves with disbelieving looks all around and we set off to walk the last few hundred metres in. Scott got a descriptive book for a good price, so set the benchmark for the rest of us (see later). WE walked in through the main entrance and it was breath-taking. The size and presentation was unbelievable. Inside, the Gold Hall (as in the Winter Palace) was truly a sight to behold. All the dining and study rooms were equally good, but the Amber Room was smaller in size but far greater in magnificence. The story is more I can go into here, but in a nutshell it was destroyed in WW II and rebuilt after. To see the pictures of the whole building and the damage was distressing, but to see the repair is fantastic. The guide’s husband had worked on part of the restoration of the church, so she knew about the work there even though she (and us of course) couldn’t see it.
Too soon it was back to the ship, quickly this time and we were back by 1600. As dinner wasn’t until 1900 and many (but not me) are going to the ballet tonight, it was a good chance to have some rest time before heading off.
I processed my photos and wrote my blog and can now hardly wait until tomorrow when I can check my email and post photos and blogs. I wonder if anyone will nave missed me?
Also, tonight is the last time most of us will see each other as we depart at different times tomorrow for different destinations (most to their homes), but a few of us get to stay in St Petersburg a couple of days more.