Sightseeing

The last couple of days, we have spent seeing the sights around St. Petersburg that we were not able to see on our first trip. Saturday, we visited the Hermitage Museum, which holds one of the world's largest collection of fine art. Some of the pieces in the museum include works by, Rembrant, Matisse, Picasso, Da Vinci, Monet, and Gauguin, just to name a few. Many of these works were not even behind glass or roped-off, which allowed you to get so close that you could examine each brush stroke made hundreds of years ago. It was quite an impressive feeling to see these works first hand.

Bush, by Vincent Van Gogh (1889)

But, famous works of art are not the only reason to visit the Hermitage. The building itself is a work of art. It contains over 400 exhibit halls and guilded salons, once housing the royal families of Russia before it became a museum. Many rooms, like the Malachite room (named for the malachite-trimmed columns in the room), are extremly ornate and displays personal items from the Imperial family.

The Malachite Room

There was plenty to see outside of the museum as well. We saw several monkeys, an very large bird, and two baby bears. They were all available to have your picture taken with, for a few rubles, of course.

Sunday's adventure took us to Peterof, the summer palace of Peter the Great. Peterof is a complex of gardens and residences on the shore of the Baltic Sea. We arrived by hydrofoil, which is a boat that rises from the water as it is propelled, leaving nothing but the prop in the water. Quite an interesting way to travel...

Once arriving at the dock, you walk along a canal that leads from the sea up to the palace itself. You are greeted with cascading waterfalls, over 60 fountains and more gilt statues that you have ever laid eyes upon.

Quite a bit of the palace and it's decorations did not withstand the attack of the German troops in World War II, so much of it is actually a replica, but many of the original parts are still intact. Nevertheless, a beautiful place to visit.

In the evening, we ventured down to the Palace Square in St. Petersburg where Madonna was performing. We were unable to get close to the venue, as the police and military had the area blocked-off to everyone, but ticketholders. We saw the back of the stage and were able to hear a portion of the show, but not worth sticking around.

Tomorrow, we will visit Max in the orphanage in the morning, before we head off to court in the afternoon.