Antony Gormley

[Alan Marsden]

Linda,after a few days in London (although its extremely congested I'll never tire of it), we then enjoyed Canterbury for a couple of days,a lovely city ( we found an appealing Indian restraunt www.apeksha.co.uk and experienced with the worst, most bland inedible snd expensive of Indian food ), then departed Dover and the Baltic where amongst other cities we visited St Petersburg ,toured the Hermitage and after taking a very nice Russian lunch, toured the city . In the evening we attended first a choral concert followed with a cruise on the River Neva which was spectacular, we sailed up to the Aurora ( she fired a blank shot to indicate the commencement of the revolution), the cruise ended after an onboard Russian dancing and singing show at around 11.00 pm , St Petersburg was still busy partying in virtual bright sunshine !
The following day we toured Pushkin and Peterhoff palaces, the latter in size and layout of fountains even more spectacular than the Hermitage http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peterhoff , and even better than Versailles . Not a single pump is employed to supply water to the hundreds of fountains . The grandour of Peterhoff indeed St. Petersburg is greater than we've seen elsewhere, extravagance and gold in the extreme ,and it's all been rebuilt since receiving extensive war damage !
Small wonder Russia had it's revolution .
On the modern side, I've never seen a city undertaking so much building, infrastructure etc. ,yet there are splendid parks in abundance, not at all drab, in fact I was amazed, St. Petersburg is very much better than I expected, and well worth visiting , if are contemplating a visit I'm sure that you will enjoy it !

Incidentally, whilst on the Thames dinner cruise ( which we enjoyed also), we were 'entertained' by a middle aged couple sat nearbye,first they argued,then he threw his drink over her head soaking her, she chased him ,hit him and scratched him until his head bled, then they went outside continued to shout at each other ,finally they threw their drinks and glasses into the Thames !

Russian entertainment is more subtle, more cultured!

[Moff]

Hi Alan, I was chuckling at the argueing couple, typical! but I was more interested in your write-up about St Petersburg. It sounds fantastic, its one place that has escaped at visit by me (one day soon I hope) I have visited Versailles just outside Paris, but after looking at your link on Peterhoff I can see that its pure spendour.

[Alan Marsden]

Bill, yes St. Petersburg is a great place to visit. I was apprehensive prior to visiting, we were informed that we would not be allowed to step ashore unless we had previously booked a tour or had arranged a visa.Not having experienced such restrictions elsewhere I thought that repressive, yet the actual experience when embarking was excellent, well organised, and the coaches in which we toured were new,had good comfortable seating and good a/c . The guides gave us each a pocket mounted receiver and earpnones, all the guides spoke good English, were extremely pleasant and knowledable,they informed about anything we asked including historical and political issues, they all deplored the alagharks revered Mr Putin and his efforts to retrieve from them their ill gotten spoils , and having the receivers could speak normally, without shouting, as we toured the cathedrals,museums art galleries etc. When asked ,the guides said that living conditions in the area had improved immensely in latter years, shops were full of goods /food just as elsewhere in the west, in years past they were sparce, had no variety etc. Most people lived in apartments in the city, but these didn't look at all like the drab gloomy apartments one used to see on newscasts. I don't recall seeing any grafity ( a particular annoyance to me and evidence of disrespect for society and civil order, to me ), in St. Petersburg and surrounds, but I saw ample in several other Baltic cities .
It would be very difficult to negotiate your own way around St.Petersburg, one can identify little from their street signs, the Russian alpabet is completely different from our own http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_alphabet .

Should you be interested in the types of sites in St. Petersburg, I doubt you would be disapointed!

[LDunlop76]

quote:

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Originally posted by Alan Marsden

if are contemplating a visit I'm sure that you will enjoy it !

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I've already visited St Petersburg, Alan. I went on a school trip 32 years ago, so under the Communist era. It was a beautiful city and somewhere I would like to revisit. I've always wanted to go during the so-called "White Nights" - at the summer solstice (i.e. now!) the sun never properly sets in St Petersburg so it's light 24 hours a day for several days.

[Alan Marsden]

Linda, yes we were under the 'white nights', right through the Baltic, quite remarkable, I recall strolling around the deck of the ship at 1 am and at 4 am , in quite bright daylight. Then again I've walked on beaches at the northern tip of Scotland at midnight in summer and it's been quite bright .

[tonytony]

Glad to see that you enjoyed St Petersburg Alan. Normally I don't like cities, most of them are noisy and look much the same whichever country there are in, but for me St Petersburg seems to have something else.
My dear wife and I visited St Petersburg in 2000, 2001 and 2002 and enjoyed ourselves each time.
Although we had only 2 quick visits to the Hermitage the magnificence of the artifacts was apparent and it certainly puts all other museums in the shade.
We travelled the underground, a sight not to be missed, and where else can one recommend an underground journey? and sailed the canals on the local river taxis as well as enjoying a cruise on the Neva River in the evening aftere which we strolled back to our hotel through the parks in the centre of the city.
As for Peterhof and the Palaces, together with the fantastic water gardens I dont think there is anything like anywhere else in the world.
Yes it was different and it can only be recommended to anyone if they get the chance to visit. I might still get the chance to return.

[Moff]

Thamk you all, you've certainly wetted my appetite to visit St petersburg.

[noel]

Antony Gormley hits Preston roundabout??

http://www.lep.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?se...id=2989299