One of the reasons we scheduled this Celebrity Constellation cruise was because there were two full days in St. Petersburg. On our second day we took about an hour's drive out to a summer palace, Peterhof. This was another UNESCO World Heritage site (Cahokia Mounds near St. Louis is also one; here's a complete list of World Heritage sites for those who are curious)We didn't really tour the palace or any of the upper buildings, but walked around the gardens---the photo above shows the Bay of Finland through the trees. The hundreds of fountains and waterfalls here are all from gravity---no pumps. Obviously, we took a ramp down the hill---thanks to Jim and Debbie, Dave made it down safely. We did tour Monplaisir seen in the background, but no photography was allowed---it was a like a Czarist-style "beach house" overlooking (and benefiting from the cool breezes from) the Gulf of Finland. This was near Lomonosov which is where our grandson's orphanage was. We went back to St. Petersburg for lunch at Pon Eiffel Restaurant. Although the food was good. . Jim and Dave weren't too happy with the napkins. The afternoon was spent at the Church of the Spilled Blood. At last there was a handicapped entrance. . . .sort of. . . OK for someone in a wheel chair, not so good for someone with ambulatory problems---still no handrails. And, what about the person pushing the wheelchair? My brother is demonstrating how he would go up. . . This was never a real church---it was built to memorialize Alexander II who was assassinated on this spot. I was surprised to read on Wikipedia: "The Church contains over 7500 square metres of mosaics—according to its restorers, more than any other church in the world. This record may be surpassed by the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, which houses 7700 square meters of mosaics."
When we returned to the ship, we found a German ship next to ours. . . For some reason, we were amused by one of the phrases painted on it.
BEAUTIFUL PICS!!!!!!!!!!!!! amazing. the handicap "ramp" is crazy. i'd even be scared in a wheelchair ... i can barely manage putting my car in the rails at the car wash. :) ha ha love the "fahrtwind".
Most of my life, I've considered it fortunate that I was just ahead of the Baby-boom. Generally, the Baby-boomers were born between 1946 and 1964 after the fathers returned from World War II. It was a huge population explosion that has reverberated through American society.
This blog will be part history, part memories, part reflections of a retired teacher, but active "Senior". I have always felt like I straddled two generations forming a bridge. Sometimes I think like a baby-boomer, but sometimes I'm locked into my parents' Depression era thinking. I'm a dichotomy of two eras. But, I'm always ready to try something new---so here I am dipping my toes in the water of Blogworld.
One of the reasons we scheduled this Celebrity Constellation cruise was because there were two full days in St. Petersburg. On our second day we took about an hour's drive out to a summer palace, Peterhof.
This was another UNESCO World Heritage site (Cahokia Mounds near St. Louis is also one; here's a complete list of World Heritage sites for those who are curious)
We didn't really tour the palace or any of the upper buildings, but walked around the gardens---the photo above shows the Bay of Finland through the trees.
The hundreds of fountains and waterfalls here are all from gravity---no pumps.
Obviously, we took a ramp down the hill---thanks to Jim and Debbie, Dave made it down safely.
We did tour Monplaisir seen in the background, but no photography was allowed---it was a like a Czarist-style "beach house" overlooking (and benefiting from the cool breezes from) the Gulf of Finland. This was near Lomonosov which is where our grandson's orphanage was.
We went back to St. Petersburg for lunch at Pon Eiffel Restaurant. Although the food was good. .
Jim and Dave weren't too happy with the napkins.
The afternoon was spent at the Church of the Spilled Blood.
At last there was a handicapped entrance. . . .sort of. . .
OK for someone in a wheel chair, not so good for someone with ambulatory problems---still no handrails. And, what about the person pushing the wheelchair? My brother is demonstrating how he would go up. . .
This was never a real church---it was built to memorialize Alexander II who was assassinated on this spot.
I was surprised to read on Wikipedia: "The Church contains over 7500 square metres of mosaics—according to its restorers, more than any other church in the world. This record may be surpassed by the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, which houses 7700 square meters of mosaics."
When we returned to the ship, we found a German ship next to ours. . .
For some reason, we were amused by one of the phrases painted on it.
1 comment:
BEAUTIFUL PICS!!!!!!!!!!!!! amazing. the handicap "ramp" is crazy. i'd even be scared in a wheelchair ... i can barely manage putting my car in the rails at the car wash. :) ha ha love the "fahrtwind".
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