Cultural Excursion #1

The International Language Program really focuses on teaching - it's what we do for five days out of every week. However, every weekend (approximately) we have what we call, "cultural excursions." Basically, it means we get to be tourists for the day. For this, we have a very special guide. Her name is Sveta, and she is the bubbliest, red-headed, middle-aged Russian woman you could ever hope to meet. Since we were blessed with miraculously sunny weather (it only rained twice that day!) we spent most of our excursion outside, taking pictures. I know there are a lot of them, but seriously, these were some awesome places!

This sculpture is supposed to be the personified symbol of Russia.
As in, if Russia were a person, this is what he'd look like.

That's a few of the girls looking into the Neva River.
There were steps that led right into the water! They wanted a big group picture.
I was very scared. I am not a good swimmer...

This is Russia's coat of arms. The two-headed eagle is symbollic.
One head faces toward Europe, the other toward Asia.
That's because Russia is so huge, it's very much a part of both continents.

We saw a lot of Russian soldiers while we were out. Don't they look fantastic?
Yeah, I don't care where you're from, men in uniform are impressive.

This is one of two very large pillars that we passed as we crossed the Neva river.
They're cool looking, but I can't exactly remember their historical significance.

This ship is not actually a ship. It's a restaurant - The Flying Dutchman.
Oh, and the back half of it is an aerobics center. (Don't ask me why.)

This is a picture from inside the Peter and Paul Fortress.
It's on one of the many islands of St. Petersburg.
You didn't know St. Pete's had islands? Well it does. Wiki it!

THIS is the chapel inside the Peter and Paul Fortress. It is important because...
...drumroll...
this cathedral is where all the Romanovs are buried!

Some Fabergé eggs that I saw in the gift shop.
(And a Fabergé poodle?)

I know the lighting is not very good, but do you see what those are?
You'd better believe it! Winnie the Pooh Russian Nesting Dolls!

Oh, this building is one of my favorites. It is the Church of the Savior on Spilt Blood.
You see, Tsar Alexander the 2nd was slain on the pavement over there...

...and Alexander the 3rd ordered a cathedral to be built there to memorialize him,
making sure to include the pavement that was stained by the Tsar's blood.

Isn't it a beautiful building?
I can't believe all the amazing things I've been seeing while I'm over here!

Ah, this fence is interesting. If you look closely, you'll see that there are padlocks
running all along this fence. Why is that, do you ask?

Well, you see, a lot of marriages are performed on this bridge.
And they have a tradition here in which the bride and the groom "lock " their marriage
by putting their own padlock on the fence.

Isn't that romantic? Some of the locks are heart-shaped,
while some of them have the couple's names and the wedding date written on them.
It's really a very sentimental thing to witness.
 (We got to watch a couple add their padlock that very day!)

The Neva River, in all its glory. It's a big part of St. Petersburg,
and a big part of the tour we had on Saturday.

That's me, luxuriating in the watery breeze on a beautiful day in St. Petersburg.
Don't expect to see pictures like these in December.

There are tons of waterways in St. Petersburg. Sveta says that on one of our other trips,
we will get to take a ride down one of them.
Alas, it shall be in a motorboat, not a gondala.
("There go all my hopes...my precious plans...my glorious dreams!")

This building is held up by approximately eight very large, very strong men.
Rumor has it that if you come here with your spouse, and you rub one of the men's feet,
your children will be large and strong, too.
(Good luck buying clothes for a 15'4" teenager...)

Last, but not least, a couple shots of the Winter Palace.
Where all of the royals spent the freezing Russian nights.
Including, of course, the Romanovs.

This tower in front of the Winter Palace is enormous. It has no external supports - it holds itself up.
This means that when it was first erected, the townspeople were afraid to get too close to it,
for fear that it might fall over. After a few months, when nobody had been squished, they got over their fears.
Why? Because they're Russian!

So, that was our "cultural excursion" for the week. I'll try to post after each one, so you can see the awesome places we go. And I'll put at least one picture of myself in each, so you can have visual proof that I am... 

ALIVE AND WELL IN 
ST. PETERSBURG!