Swapping StP for MCW

OUTLINE

• Check out of Sabrina before 12, got our first smile out of our hostess. She must be happy to see the back of the English. Our bags were packed and waiting – I guess we really wanted to leave
• March to the train station (without getting lost this time) head down, record time. Still found time for a few pictures!
• Used the locker room beneath the station to store our bags for the day. The place could have been a KGB safe room. Bet experience in St.Petersburg yet
• Sightseeing can begin now the mornings work was complete. On to the Church of the spilt blood. That’s the one everyone recognises from the postcards
• Everyone splits up and I get a bit moody. I blame the Lemsip. James and I wander the streets in a really nice part of town talking and exploring
• Finally look behind the main street facades. They hide a mess of broken pipes and Ladas and frosty smashed windows. Also link ways through the massive city blocks and crumbling inner city housing projects. Kind of looks like an exciting place now, a bit dangerous though. We take a couple of snaps and keep moving
• We pluck up the courage to walk out on to a frozen pond
• Due to meet Jay and Sarah at the station we walk in the opposite direction in to a very rich looking part of town and an open area enclosed by a huge icey palace and some grand looking law courts. A great city space – finally. We bolt back down the 6 lane highway towards our sleeper train to Moscow.
• unlocking the bags from the KGB lockers is easy and so is locating our train.
• No sleep on the freezing sleeper
• Picked up by a long haired, short armed Russian taxi driver with a small beige Mercedes cab. He’s not happy to see the size of our bags
• Godzilla’s Hostel looks top. There’s a party going on when we arrive involving all the staff. The taxi driver uses a special phrase to get us into the small green door “WOMAN, PLEASE!”
• Finally get some sleep after the drunk staff force feed us beer then decide to leave us alone

Musical showers are rubbish – loads of buttons but not much water.

Bright sunshine and a new city ahead leave smiles on every ones faces.

James’ camera has battery issues.

A frozen looking couple pose for photos on a pretty little bridge covered with pad locks. It’s definitely an Eastern tradition.

The biggest snow flakes fall in great blinding sheets on our way to the train. Makes me feel like St.Petersburg wants us to stay after all. I’ve had ups and downs here and it’s not as beautiful as I had heard but it is interesting and there is lots to discover under the harsh exterior. I’m definitely glad I visited.

This sleeper, not a private train like our Vilnius beaut, had a brisk, thin Russian lady working it – she was not nice. The water was brown and dirty, the lights were never turned on and the heating was not used. One final dig for StP.

Getting picked up right off the train is a great thing especially at 3am in a big strange city. But it does cost allot.

Drunk Russian jokes aren’t so funny when all you want to do is sleep.

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