Autumn at the Catherine Palace

Last Saturday, for our latest cultural excursion with Sveta, we travelled to the Tsar's village. There are lots of things in the Tsar's village, but we spent the afternoon exploring the Catherine Palace, a summer residence used by the Russian Tsars (naturally). It's a huge, blue, beautiful palace; but I must admit I was more impressed by the beauty of the grounds. Russia, it turns out, has beautiful autumns.

To the pictures!

This is the Catherine Palace. When St. Petersburg was the capital of Russia,
this was a popular place for the Tsars to receive dignitaries from other countries.
There are still huge, international parties held here.
They have a picture on display of George Bush visiting the Palace!

We had to look at the palace through the giant gold gate.
No tourists allowed!
(The touristy stuff, you get to through the back.)

Nature is incomprehensible in its beauty, I think.

We took so many pictures. Clarie and I kept getting left behind
because we were so caught up in trying to capture the moment.

Can you imagine owning these grounds?
The Tsars could just walk around here all day if they wanted!

Halloween is coming . . . .
I'll be in Estonia when it finally gets here.

(*sighs*) Why can't I have a backyard like this?

And if you thought the grounds already had it all -
SURPRISE! A hidden tennis court!
(Braden, this picture is for you.)

Ooh! And now we get to an ancient archway.
What doesn't this place have?

(*pretends to order a drink*) One Grosland, on the rocks.

(*laughs uncontrollably at the terrible pun*)

I'm thinking of using this picture as a "No Engagement" Announcement.
Wouldn't that be hilarious?
Well, if not, it's still a gorgeous photo. I'm well pleased.

Check it out! You can see the trees in the water.
Hurrah, reflections!

When I'm in places like this, I feel strangely absent.
Like I'm watching a movie or something.
This is a fantastical place. Could I really be here?

These are Allison and Bekka.
We were all very delighted with life.

Ah, yes. The bridge of stone faces.
I took these pictures for my mom, because they're kinda like gargoyles.
(*feels Mom's hesitation*) Okay, they're not gargoyles,
but they're faces made of stone. Okay?
Just work with me.

Like I said, it's a bridge. We passed many a couple getting their wedding
photos taken under this bridge and elsewhere on the grounds.
Can't say I blame them. It's great scenery!

See, Mom, I was thinking you could use this as a new profile picture.
I know you love your gargoyle, but people complain about it.
This is a compromise! And it kind of looks like you, too.

But you have to promise that Dad will use this photo as HIS new profile picture, too. (*grins*)
I specifically chose one that was wearing a hat.
Love you, Dad!

I feel like there's something almost artsy about having the wedding
couple in the background, getting their pictures taken.
I just don't know what it means . . . .

Look! I think that's grass! We don't have much of that in the city.

An island of trees and shrubbery in a sea of grass.
Landscape major Beth, eat your heart out.

I wanted to roll down this hill.
But we were on palace grounds, and I didn't want to get arrested.

More beautiful trees and reflections and grounds.

Oh! And we're back to the Palace. Almost ready to go inside now.

Hello, Catherine Palace!
(Golly, this is a gigantic back yard.
Do you have any idea how long it would take to play hide-and-seek here?!)

Now look closely, and you'll notice something that's a trend here.
When Russians are doing contruction on a building, they hang a great big
canvas over it to hide their work. But it's not just any canvas.
It's painted to look like the building!
See, you've got the real Palace on the right side,
and a faux palace on the left.
These fake buildings are all over the city, and it's pretty amusing.

Okay, we're finally inside. And it only took hours and hours!

First, we climb up the stairs. (At which point you can look out over the palace grounds that you already miss dearly.)
Then, we shall enter . . . .

The main ballroom! Wow! Can't you just imagine this place filled with dignitaries,
kings, queens, tsars? All wearing fancy dresses and suits, and dancing to a live orchestra?
It's like a fairy tale, but it's real!
I WAS THERE!!!

And then, as you grow hungry at this fancy ball, you wander in here to sample a few of the fine delicacies that have been artfully prepared for you. What a charmed life!

Just a humble sitting room.
You know, where Tsars used to sit and talk about Tsar things.

A more private dining room.
That picture on the right confused me. It's some strange animal.
I couldn't identify it. It has antlers, that much I'm sure of.
But the body looks more like it belongs to a calf.
What is this alien beast, and why did someone want to hang it in the palace?

Russians hold chess in very high esteem.
Sometimes, kids are taken out of our classes early
just so they can go have their chess lessons.
Of course the Tsars would have played chess.

I'm not sure about the significance of the black statues
holding the fruit bowls. Did Russia use African slaves as well?

A piano, an oven, and a writing desk.
(Green, blue, and brown, respectively.)

Catherine the Great herself! That portrait is original, I think,
but the dress is a replication made for the 300 anniversary of something or other. Still, though, it looks pretty cool.

I like this man. He was performing on the grounds,
playing absolutely beautiful flute solos.
It made me miss my mother and sisters.

Alas, every cultural excursion must come to an end.
As must every blog post.
(*sighs, looking at the photo*) I do so love trees . . . .

Sending you well wishes from St. Petersburg,
Jessica Grosland


(P.S. This is my favorite picture of me, ever)