PETERHOF

Tuesday, August 14 may have been the nicest weather we have seen since leaving the United States of America: high in the low 70s, slight breeze, barely a cloud in the sky. So Andrea took off a day from the libraries, and we went to Peterhof, the "Russian Versailles."

I will not waste time with describing the place. For details, click here.

However, the place is more than vast. In fourth grade French class, when our teacher would show us photos of the chateaux, their grounds and fountains, at each photo, I would get the class laughing by saying, "Oh, that's my garage," "that's my side yard," "that's my closet," and "that's my toilet!"

Well, seeing Peterhof in person certainly shut me up! We covered perhaps a fourth of what there is to see in a day. And like the library, no photos are allowed inside (although plenty of people disregarded that rule and used their smartphone cameras.)

Here are some selected photos of a great day.

Dvortsoyava Embankment along the Neva River in front of the Hermitage and near the hydrofoil  launch.

Inside the hydrofoil looking at the Hermitage.

Along the Bolshaya Neva (Big Neva River) cruising past some of the  ocean-going passenger ships.

Along the Bolshaya Neva looking at Western St. Petersburg.

Disembarking from the Vodokhod hydrofoil.

Andrea en route.

Will standing along the shores of the Gulf of Finland on the way toward the Little Hermitage at Peterhof.

Marly - Peter's little family house on the west side of the estate and about two miles from where he originally built his Montplaisir chateau.

Little Hermitage - a party place along the shore.

Andrea loved Marly.

Will by the Menager Fountain. There are gravity-forced fountains throughout the grounds.

The Golden Hill Cascade.

Lion's Cascade.

Close up of the Lion's Cascade.

Eve Fountain. I liked how around the fountain, there are four little pavilions in which to play and party.

The Sea Channel that leads up to the Great Palace.

Monkey Lion. Monkey Boy.

Great Palace.

And here Professor Rusnock tells us about the famous Samson Fountain, renowned as a tribute to Peter's defeat of the Swedes in....ZZZ!

Atop the Great Cascade looking down the Sea Channel that once allowed boats to approach but is now only decorative.

Andrea atop the Great Cascade.

Church Pavilion adjoins the Great Palace on the east side through the gallery.

At 7:30 p.m., the sun shone brilliantly on the gold covered Church Pavilion.

Andrea sniffing the aromatic pink roses in the lovely Upper Gardens.

Great Palace from the Upper Garden.

Leninsky Metro station.

Moskovsky Prospekt from the "Two Chopsticks" sushi restaurant at the Leninsky Metro station.

THE RUSSIAN NATIONAL LIBRARY

Monday, August 13, 2012

While today's weather was decent - albeit like late September at home with
a warming sun but the temperature not above 70 - I decided to accompany
Andrea to the library, trailing along like a 4-year-old boy after his
mother.

I was able to obtain a library card, and in so doing, saw first hand the
bureaucracy and idiosyncracy that is, at least in St. Petersburg, the
public library system.

One cannot take much of one's belongings into the actual library. My iPad
and her computer and some note paper and writing instrument were
essentially what was allowed. Andrea assures me the policies have been
greatly liberalized since her last visit here.

The library card itsel is very modern. It has my picture and an ID number
and an expiration date paralleling my visa expiration date. Like a
security door at home, it is used to gain admission past the entrance
foyer and security guard. My image andall the information I input when
registering comes up on a screen for the guard to make sure the correct
person is entering.

The place is dark and foreboding, the wood floors creak, and there is
plenty of empty space designed more to impress those from another era
rather than to be functional in any way.

Andrea lead me through a barely lit hall lined with the history of the
library (some very interesting photos of the place going back to the
1920s, such as people all bundled up in winter clothing because there was
no heat in the place) past the "stolovaya" - a cafeteria in a library?
Yes, in Russia!- and up to a desk where we have our piece of paper stamped
that the security guard handed us when we passed through control.

This  stamped paper indicates we have our computers with us (not a bad
idea, since if our computers were stolen, the thief would need the stamped
paper to get past another security guard and exit the building.)

This paper is needed throughout the library and is used almost like an an
internal library card, getting stamped whenever a new book or publications
is taken. When Andrea left the Lenin Reading Room, where we were situated
and in which Lenin himself studied from 1893-95, she needed the paper to
obtain publications from the other reading rooms.

And that is because unlike the public library we are used to in the
States, publications do not sit on open shelves, readily available to the
curious or to those wanting them. You have to request each one.  And once
you get your book, you had beter be either a fast reader or plan on
returning to the library, because books cannot be checked out. They are
available for use only at the library!

There are some library computers now, but the old card catalogue system
most of us grew up with is still available for use by patrons (and Andrea
loves it!)

Once you find the book you want in the card catalogue, you must go to a
librarian's desk on the approprate floor or room and hand in a completed
slip of paper with all the publication's info. They check it over and you
wait at least one day before it's ready for you to pick it up.

As I have heard Andrea say many times, often the book may not be
available, or you might have to wait several days for it to be fetched, or
you may be sent to another library all together in another part of the
city, such as the new library far south of town where we are and where I
am currently writing today's blog.

Long and short of it; it is an overly complex and old-fashioned system
that, in my opinon, is designed to deter the free flow of information. And
that, also in my opinion, creates barriers to an educated society and
fosters elitism.

At the new library south of town across from the Park Pobedy metro on
Mosckovsky Prospect, which I believe was originally designed back in the
1970s but was not completed untl 2002 when Mr. Vlad Putin was the mayor of
St. Petersburg, the inefficiencies consist, as does the waste of space.

For instance, there are tons of spaces for the display of books under
glass, but just don't try to read them. They are there for looks only and
to plant ideas, such as who are the heroes and who are the villians.

Andrea did point out to me that all the people in the library (who are
overworked and underpaid, as she says) have been very helpful, patient,
and kind to her. And that she actually gets to hold in her hot little
hands books, etc., from the 1800s, something she assures me you could not
do in our lending libraries. I guess it is a good thing she is doing the
research in this labyrinthe of a system instead of me!

Lastly, I often give Andrea a hard time, teasing her mercilessly about
everything from her "hardships of leading an academic life" to how her
hair might look on any given day. It's the perverse way I learned to
express my love.

However, in all serioiusness, after being with her today, my hat is
off to her in great admiration for suffering through the library system,
its often indifferent workers, understanding them as they rattle off in
rapid fire Russian, and in general for not only bringing us here (and
everything that was involved with it), but bearing the very heavy load of
taking responsibility for both us in so doing.

Important note: I must reinforce that these are my initial impressions,
which may not be 100% factually accurate. The library may not track
with Americans' idea of a "public library," because perhaps its intent is
more research oriented rather than to lend books.

For details about the library's history, click here.

Front of new National Public Library at Park Pobedy August 13, 2012.

Medium shot new National Public Library.

Soviet-era apartment block complex across from Park Pobedy and library on Moskovsky Prospekt.

Close up of the apartment tower.

GEORGIA ON MY PLATE

On my way to pick up Andrea at the National Public Library, I stopped at the Ostrovskogo Park, which is right across from the library. I snapped two photos of the grand Catherine the Great statue that dominates the charming and quiet little bit of heaven right off the loud and hectic Nevsky Prospekt.

Statue of Catherine the Great is the center piece of the Ostrovskogo Park.

On the west end of the park is the Alexandrinsky Theatre. A tour bus driver mistook me for a Dutch tourist after I told him in Russian it was the Alexandrinsky and that I understood no more Russian, but that I was learning it.

Alexandrinsky Theatre from the park, just west of the statue.

The weather was relatively mild: mid 60's, cloudy, but no rain. We went into Gostiny Dvor and purchased a little French press coffee maker for about $40. The Melita funnel we use at home -- while very practical, inexpensive, and a great way to make coffee -- is just not available any place here, although the filters are.

We then went in search of a movie, but there was nothing showing that interested us at either the Aurora or Dom Kino movie houses.

So it was off to Georgia...for food! And no, not the Georgia of Scarlett O'Hara, peanuts and Jimmy Carter!

We enjoyed the best meal we have eaten in 10 days of our stay in Russia at a restaurant called Tarkhun. I have not been eating much, primarily because carbohydrates have become such a staple of my diet and I don't want to have to purchase another seat for the plane ride home. But I admit to eating at Tarkhun like the Willie T. for which I have gained a fairly deserved reputation.

Appetizers or zakuskis were: Pkhaleuli: cold hors d'oeuvres of walnut paste. Now the walnut paste was inside roasted red bell peppers and eggplant, as well as being combined into patties of green beans and spinach. As much as I love spinach, the green bean patty was better, but not by much.

We also had a hot zakuski called Lobio: French red beans in a sauce with gurian red cabbage. mmmm.

And topping off our appetizers was Xachapuri, imertian style (whatever that means.) Xachapuri, for those who may not know, is akin to baked brie in dough, but it is presented like pizza on a board and sliced into sections. Also muy delicioso.  Xachapuri and a salad would be a complete meal in itself.

Zakuski on my plate: 12 o'clock is the Lobio and cabbage; and then is the spinach and green bean walnut paste patties, followed by the Xachapuri at the 6 o'clock position. Sorry. I should have photographed the dishes upon arrival, but I also had Standart vodka on my mind.

I washed this down with the local vodka, labeled Standart.

But we were not done! For our entree, we had an outstanding fricaseed chicken in creamy garlic sauce and potatoes grilled on coal. I drank a Weltenberger Kloster beer with my meal. Truly outstanding, and even at $90 inclusive of service charge, a real value in St. Petersburg when compared to the other meals we have had.

Chicken in creamy garlic sauce prepared and served in a ceramic dish with potatoes grilled on charcoal and served with onions and a tomato-based sauce with dill.

NEVSKY PROSPECTING

The original intent of the late-afternoon expedition was to find a device to make the kind of strong coffee Andrea makes at home. We have finished the Folgers coffee bags (similar to tea bags, but coffee!) that we brought from home, and the chicory bags (yuck) we purchased the other day just won’t cut it.

However, while the weather was cool (55-60 degrees Fahrenheit), rain was not in the offing, and we headed down Nevsky Prospekt to see the renowned Alexander Nevsky Monastery.

Near the monastery is a new-ish Alexander Nevsky shopping center that houses the Moscow Hotel. We checked out several levels of shopping and the movie multiplex (nothing we wanted to see.)

It is a wonder that so many businesses can stay open, because while there were people milling about, the stores were virtually empty, and we saw no one hauling shopping bags. I say the same thing in America: how can so many stores be? How much can people buy? What do we really need?

In the basement of this shopping center is a Prisma Supermarket. We went in to check out prices, which were definitely lower than any previous store we had visited. Prisma seems to be akin to a Wal-Mart or Meijer, by the looks of their shopping flyer, with multiple locations.

The Alexander Nevsky Commercial Center (from the Tekhvin Cemetery) that houses the Moscow Hotel and which sits across from the Nevsky Monastery on Nevsky Square.

However, this particular store in the pricey city center had limited goods; all types of groceries, beer/wine, toiletries and some kitchen supplies. We purchased the long-awaited vegetable peeler (39 rubles at Prisma vs. the cheapest 175 rubles at Stockmann’s), some pepper and tissues. And I am glad to say I was wrong yesterday when I wrote I didn’t see any pet supplies. Prisma had at least 40 feet of shelves with dog and cat food and other items.

We then crossed Alexander Nevsky Plaza and headed to the monastery.

Alexander Nevsky Plaza. Nevsky is often heralded as uniting the Russian people when he pushed the Swedes back to the Baltic Sea in 1240. 

But before you actually get to the walled monastery, on the grounds are two famous cemeteries: Tikhvin and Lazarev. We paid the 200 ruble per person entrance fee. On one side are laid to rest famous Russian artists, actors, singers, poets, sculptors, and writers. This is called the Necropolis of the Masters of Art.

The grave of Fyodor Dostoyevsky - author of "Crime and Punishment."

The grave of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky - composer of the "Nutcracker," "Swan Lake" and "Sleeping Beauty."

Mussorgsky's Grave – opera composer.

Vladimir Stasov's grave - cultural critic of the late 19th century.

Rimsky-Korsakov's grave - composer of "Flight of the Bumblebee."

 In the other, much older and much more crowded necropolis are famous Russian families, aristocrats, scientists (like Lomonosov who, among many accomplishments in the sciences and arts, co-founded Moscow State University) and dignitaries. While the grave markers here may be older and less inventive, there were some interesting characteristics.

Entrance to the Lazarev Cemetery.

People place coins inside these skulls.

Interesting grave marker in front of what I believe may be a Sheremetev mausoleum, one of the famous families from early Petersburg.

Stroganoff graves side by side. You can see how crowded it is in this cemetery.

The cold and dampness began to rattle our bones, so we crossed over the little canal and entered one of Russian Orthodoxy’s most important monasteries.

Entrance to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery.

Cupola of Church of Annunciation (now known as the State Museum of Urban Sculpture) as seen from the Necropolis.  Peter the Great put Alexander Nevsky's relics here after Peter also defeated his own contemporary Swedes, but Nevsky’s remains are now in the Hermitage.

Trinity Cathedral at the monastery.

Entrance to Trinity Cathedral. Almost as grand as the Roman Catholic churches we saw in Italy and France, but not quite. And no photography is allowed inside.

Soviet war hero grave site. There are many grave sites on the monastery grounds from men who died during the Great Patriotic War (WW II.)

Dogs living on the monastery grounds. These dogs were eating a dead pigeon, almost visible between them.

After attending part of the enchanting evening service at Trinity Cathedral, at which the women must cover their heads and men cannot wear hats, we took the metro back to our part of Nevsky Prospekt and entered the sparkling new Galeria shopping center that sits astride the Moscow Train Station.

In my opinion, this certainly rivals any urban, high-rise shopping mall with which I am acquainted from either Chicago or Washington, D.C. And the stores here make evident my claim of the Russian love affair with, in order: 1) Shoe stores; 2) Coffee houses; 3) Sushi bars; 4) Lingerie shops; 5) Blue jean stores.

On the four vast levels there is also a multitude of other stores, such as department stores (H&M, Marks & Spencer and some well-known Russian clothing stores), sporting apparel stores (Nike, Champion, Adidas, Puma, Reebok…), electronics, and even a LensMaster’s and a grocery store.

Costa Coffee, Chocolate coffee house, and our favorite Kofye Chauz stacked on top of each other inside the Galeria entrance. There are others here, too!

Multiple levels of shopping at Galeria.

Countless shoe stores! Here are four right next to one another and there were at least three more on this same corridor alone!

For Greg - keep your pants on! Russians no longer want to buy blue jeans right off of us! Again, too many stores selling jeans to count in this one shopping mall.

At the Galeria food court. Incredibly (and proudly?) there were huge, long lines to the KFC, McDonald's, and Burger King (located just to the right). All the other restaurants (from Russian to Chinese to Italian, to Polish, to Japanese, to Middle Eastern…) had no lines at all!

…And we never did find a Melita coffee funnel or filters!

NO DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

While July set records for heat in the USA and parts of America are still burning up, it is only 55 degrees right now at 2:00 p.m. in Petersburg, and the high may only reach 60 degrees later this afternoon.

And speaking of dogs, while we have seen some dogs here in Petersburg, we certainly have not seen as many as we did in the large cities of Rome and Paris. The Animal Planet is on our satellite TV, but in the stores, cats and dogs don't seem to be catered to as they do in the states with a multitude of products.

Here is a link to handsome hund that Alexi inquired about. I have not yet seen any of these East Siberian Laikas, for sure.

And here is how I have been getting around town. Click here.

READINGS

Alexi just commented on my posting today. She asked, rather incredulously, if I had actually read a phone catalog.

Yes, indeed I did read a MTC mobile phone catalog to learn some current words (of course I had to look up quite a few, which is a good exercise in itself) and to see if it is worth it to buy a phone. I just don't think it is worth it to make the purchase at this time.

We have been here for exactly one week as of two hours ago (it's not quite 12 noon on the East Coast), and there really has not been a need for a phone. We have a house phone for which local calls can be made at no charge. 

And I do have my EuroBuzz mobile phone in case of emergency. Even at $3.95 per minute, I would have to make 20 minutes worth of phone calls on my EuroBuzz to justify buying a phone here.

I also read a lot of other junk, and by that I mean the pamphlets and giveaways you so often see in restaurants, train stations... By browsing these free, throw-away publications, it helps me learn new words as well as getting a feel for what Russians might be interested in. The other night I read a travel excursion brochure I picked up in the Yolki-Palki restaurant. Cruises, deals to Bulgaria, and the coast of Italy seem to be very popular right now!

RAIN DAY-LAY

It rained today. I did a little bit of work, practiced some Russian, watched some news. Spent the afternoon at кофе хауз (Coffee House.) There I read the NY Times and a MTC mobile phone catalog. In the evening, I watched some of the Olypics. All quitet on the Eastern Front.

FIRST MONDAY

So begins a new week in a new land.

Andrea spent the day in the Russian National Library.

As for me, I spent the entire day in the apartment working on my Russian workbook and some work projects with which I am currently engaged.

A person from the apartment service came over to check out our toilet, because it was backing up into the shower tub yesterday. It resolved itself yesterday, though. I showed her some minor problems, like a burned out light bulb and a loose floor strip.

In my meager and broken Russian, I asked her a few questions about conjugating some verbs, because the workbook didn't have examples. She corrected me. I think she may be Oksana's mom, who I know from the website was once a teacher. I presume that made her feel good to instruct me. She suggested I watch television to learn.

Andrea did not get home until well after 9:00 p.m. Of course, she was exhausted, so we went to the Russian restaurant outside our arch on Nevsky Prospekt. It's called (in English) Olki-Palki.  Since Alexi seems very interested in the food here, I will tell you what we had.

Hot borscht and lamb kebabs for me. Andrea had a Greek salad and roasted potatoes with mushrooms and mustard on the side. She said it was good, and what she often made for herself in her previous trips here. So how much did this seemingly simple dinner cost? $45! Sorry, but I am still not used to these big city prices!

I guess I will have to start carrying my camera with me to document the dishes we consume. Oh, and like many of the restaurants we have been to there was music and dancing by the wait staff. Maybe that's why it costs so much?