Allegro, our bullet train, carried us at a rate of 185 kph from Helsinki to St. Petersburg. We picnicked aboard with treats we picked up at the Market on our last day in Finland's capitol.
A late night arrival at the hostel and some much needed rest, we headed out the next day to see the City's most famous churches.
Our hostel is located a mere two blocks from the Four Seasons. This high class hotel advertises its prime location near St. Isaacs, Hermitage, and many more. And yet we are staying in the same area at a fraction of the cost. The venue is perfect for walking to each of the highlights along our tour.
We climbed the colonnade of St. Issacs for a 360 degree view of the skyline from the port to the river to the churches to the palaces. Our next stop was the mosaic marvel of Spilled Blood which took 27 years to build and yet 30 to repair after war and neglect ruined much of the artistry. Our last church of the day was Kazan, in which restorations are ongoing but this active Catholic church sees many prayer requests and candles lit by patrons. I was happy to have my scarf to cover my head out of respect as we walked among the paintings and tributes to saints.
In the evening we sat in box seats a few feet from the stage to watch the Mariinsky Ballet Company perform one of the world's most romantic ballets. Debuting in 1832 La Sylphide delighted the audience, myself included.
And yet we ended our evening in such a different way than one would imagine after a day of historically significant churches and ballet. We found our way to an Irish pub watching south american soccer while listening to American music and dining on pelminis. I guess after the mini UN conference in Finland, we needed to represent.
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