2014 - OCEAN PRINCESS - St. PETERSBURG, THE HERMITAGE

MOVING UP THE BALTIC A LITTLE, WE NOW REACH ST. PETERSBURG.

I HAVE BEEN WANTING TO COME HERE FOR A WHILE & IT IS A MAJOR REASON FOR MY BEING ON THIS CRUISE.

THE SHIP IS HERE FOR TWO DAYS. I DID HAVE A VERY EXPENSIVE TWO DAY TOUR BOOKED THAT WENT EVERYWHERE, BUT DECIDED TO GO THE CHEAPO ROUTE WITH A PRINCESS EXCURSION TO THE HERMITAGE WITH A FEW HOURS ON MY OWN.

GOING WITH AN ORGANISED TOUR MEANS I DO NOT NEED A VISA BUT I AM SURPRISED ABOUT BEING ALLOWED TO BE OUT WITHOUT A GUIDE.

FIRST A FEW SHOTS OF THE EARLY MORNING FROM THE SHIP ......

IMMIGRATION WAS SHORT & PAINLESS WHERE A VEY PLEASANT GIRL DEALT WITH ME..

PRACTICALLY THE FIRST PEOPLE INTO THE HERMITAGE ..... SO WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE LIKE?

SUMPTUOUS - I AM HERE TO SEE THE BUILDING AS MUCH AS THE ART WORK .....

LOTS OF SHOTS LOOKING UPWARDS TO KEEP THE PEOPLE OUT .....

I DID NOT GET TO GO OUT INTO THE GARDENS BUT TOOK THIS FROM A WINDOW ....

WONDERFUL MOSAICS .

THIS LOOKS ARTIFICIAL TO ME BUT WAS ALSO TAKEN OUT OF THE WONDOW .....

I COULD NOT GET A GOOD LOOK AT THIS FOR THE PEOPLE BUT IT IS A MECHANICAL BIRD .....

LOTS OF NAKED LADIES .....

A DA VINCI MAYBE ....

I WAS LUCKY TO GET A SHOT WITHOUT PEOPLE HERE ...

SURPRISE - A LADY WITH HER CLOTHES ON. BY CARRAVAGIO I THINK. I WAS LISTENING TO OUR EXCELLENT GUIDE ON RADIO HEADPHONES BUT THERE IS FAR TO MUCH TO TAKE IN ...

THIS GUY OBVIOUSLY HAS A HEADACHE. I KNOW HOW HE FEELS .

THE YOUNG LADIES FROM THE BOAT SEEM A LITTLE AWESTRUCK - OR JUST A LITTLE TIRED MAYBE ....

SOME FOLKS GETTING SOME MUCH NEEDED REST .....

NEARLY A PEOPLE FREE SHOT ...

AND HERE WE ARE ENTERING A TEMPORARY EXHIBITION WHERE PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOT ALLOWED. THIS WAS TAKEN BEFORE THE GUIDE MENTIONED THAT.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE STRANGE FACTS THAT ALL THE PLACES WHERE YOU ARE TOLD NOT TO TAKE PHOTOS ARE EXACTLY THE PLACES WHERE YOU WANT TO.

SHHH!

WHAT A LOT OF EFFORT WE ALL TAKE TO GET JUST THE RIGHT CAMERA ANGLE ....

HERE'S THE HERMITAGE EXTERIOR .

IT WAS A GOOD THREE HOURS BUT IT NEEDS AN HOUR A DAY, EVERY DAY FOR SIX MONTHS TO APPRECIATE IT. WITH THREE HOURS IT ALL BECOMES A BLUR. ONE MORE MASTERPIECE AFTER ANOTHER .

STILL GLAD I DID IT AND WILL KNOW FOR THE NEXT TIME

ANYWAY - THAT'S IT FOR THE HERMITAGE, NOW FOR MY THREE HOURS ON MY OWN ....

WE GET DROPPED OFF AT THIS SHOP AND AFTER A PEE BREAK, A COFFEE & A GLASS OF VODKA, ALL FREE I SET OFF ...

ACROSS A LITTLE PARK ....

PASS THE CAVIAR SHOP .....

AND THE AD FOR THE BALLET ..

TO THE ODDLY NAMED, CHURCH OF THE SAVIOR ON SPILLED BLOOD ....

WHERE THE LOVELY PRINCIPAL DANCER FROM THE SHIP IS ENJOYING SOME CANDY FLOSS ....

I GO ROUND THE BASE OF THE CHURCH BUT NOT INSIDE ... & INTO THE PARK FOR A SIT DOWN WITH A DRINK AND SOME ALMONDS BOUGHT FROM ONE OF THESE STALLS ....

WATCHING LIFE GO ON AROUND ME ..... IT'S A POPULAR SPOT FOR WEDDING PICS ....

BACK OUT OF THE PARK, OVER THE CANAL AND ONTO NEVSKY PROSPEKT, THE NEVER ENDING SHOPPING STREET OF ST. PETERSBURG.

I FIND A LITTLE PLACE TO HAVE A BEER BUT NO ONE IS AT THE SERVING HATCH. I AM ABOUT TO LEAVE WHEN A VERY SCARY, DISHEVELED, TRAMP LIKE GUY SAYS SOMETHING TO ME. I AM ABOUT TO BRUSH HIM OFF WHEN HE LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE OWNER WILL BE BACK IN TEN MINUTES.

NOT SCARY AT ALL ..

I WAIT & GET MY BEER & SIT DOWN TO DRINK IT .

THIS PLACE IS SET BACK A LITTLE FROM THE MAIN ROAD WITH ANOTHER RESTAURANT WITH A PATIO BETWEEN ME AND THE STREET. A NICE SPOT TO PEOPLE WATCH

THE GIRL ON THE LEFT & HER FRIENDS SPENT A GOOD WHILE TRYING ON A SUCCESSION OF CLOTHES ON THE PATIO. THAT WAS ENTERTAINING..

AFTER A BIT MORE WALKING ON NEVSKY, IT'S BACK TO THE MEETING SPOT FOR THE SHORT DRIVE TO THE SHIP

I HAD A TICKET TO THE BALLET FOR TONIGHT BUT HAD GOT A BIT OF A COLD & DID NOT WANT TO BE COUGHING AND SNEEZING AT THE PERFORMANCE, SO I GAVE THE TICKET TO A NURSE ON BOARD.

SHE WAS DELIGHTED BUT THE AUTHORITIES WOULD NOT LET HER OFF THE SHIP AS SHE DID NOT HAVE A VISA & THE TICKET NAME DID NOT MATCH HERS. -- TOO BAD.

BUT - THE DAYS NOT OVER YET....