St Petersburg Russia 16/06/15

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Arrived safe, been a long ol day, but had a wander around earlier. Been to the bank, Starbucks.....yes Starbucks.....ordered what I hoped was a cuppa tea with milk and got one a far cry from London and Edinburgh when I asked for a cuppa I got a cappuccino. ..also sat in a restaurant and ordered a meal, proud of myself as the writing is so different you can't work out what shop is for what....I'm working it out...I'm out all day tomorrow so will post an update and some more pics. 

click the photo for photo gallery Russia. 


Fitting in nicely

St Petersburg day 2.

Had a guided tour today, did you know St Petersburg was formally Leningrad?  She said Moscow and St Petersburg are world's apart with European influence in architecture and life. There's no evidence of the squeeze by the west, everyone's quietly going about their business. I walked my legs off today, and soaked in the atmos. lunch time treated myself to beef stroganoff and mash tatty..... how Authentic was that..

I'm coming to grips now with the signs, worked out Restaurant. ...Bank.....coffee shop....so doing well, ive also resisted the urge to go into McDonaldski, Burgerkingski and Kentuckyski. .....trying to be cultured and adventurous, .....well beefstroganoff is .....

 

I even deliberately stayed away from Starbuckski today. ...went to a coffee house Russian style, ordered a tea...."don't do tea", or she could have been saying "go home English"..We will never know....I opted for a hot chocolate, try something different ....when it came I think they just melted a slab of dairy milk over a flame into me cup ......I had to eat it with a spoon.....I've been hyper all day!!!....Starbuckski tomorrow. 

 

Tomorrow evening I'm on the all night train to Moscow, so have to say goodbye to St Petersburg, shall have a wander round  before catching the train......

Moscow June 19th.

Moscow June 19th day 3-4

Managed to get the sleeper train last night, 8 hours to Moscow all in bed ....owz that ;-) I shared a berth with two Russian blokes who spoke no English but were friendly enough, offering food and Brandy....the sleep wasn't the best, fear of getting rogered in my sleep or the fact the train tracks were made of what seemed like cobble stones it was a broken nap.  Arrived in Moscow at 7.55 am, and went to the hotel, not being allowed to check in until 2pm I had a bit of a long wait, no shower, clothes I slept in (you didn't think i was taking me jeans off did you) so decided to go for a sighski. 

after a few detours on the underground I found red Square and the Kremlin, even have a system where I count stops now, could be good unless you get on the train going in the wrong direction and count three stops......what an eye opener that is.... 


Tomorrow after breakfastski im going to see Lenin hopefully resist the urge to take a naked selfie ;-).....spackonanoche.(Russian for goodnight) 

Red Square Moscow.
Red Square Moscow.

Red Square people watching

Moscow day 5-6 . 21/06/15.  󾓬

 

Sitting here now waiting for he taxi to the station, finally getting on the Trans Siberian.....so made up. Ive really loved Moscow, pleasently surprised how different it is, cultured and lively. I spent most of my time in and around the Kremlin and Red square, thats where the main attractions are......i did venture further afield, mainly due to me getting on the wrong metro...doh....but I finally worked it out. 

 

The Squares a great place to people watch, they are so patriotic and passionate about their country, I must have spent hours walking around there.....and no urge at all to take a naked selfie ........

 

On the second day i waited at the Lenin Mausaleum, hes lying in state perfectly preserved......imagine the terror when i see a lookalike walk up.....pooped my pantski....the que was ages so I decided seeing the live one was better than a dead one.....

TBC...............

Lenin & Stalin...
Lenin & Stalin...