Highlights of St Petersburg - by Geoff (guest blogger)

Where to begin?

The lights so far, not necessarily high or low, just the lights.

If you travel you need to wash, clothes as well as yourself. So. Found a laundromat cafe online in SPB. About 30 minute walk if you go directly from the hotel. An hour after we set off, there it was. What a find. Clothing in the front loader, beer in hand we sat back to look at the locals. This was quite an alternative type bar. We fitted right in, as did our washing. Lucky that. One more beer for the dryer and we left. Why is this a light? Well, on the walk there we cruised through the Mikhaylovskiy gardens, passed by the Blood church, traversed a couple of canals and got a sense of what SPB is all about. 

We quite like finding the "back streets" getting lost and then found. (Not in a religious sense). Luckily we seem to be blessed (also not in a religious sense) with a skill for this. The churches we have visited have, however, been very religious.  I guess that goes with the territory. Talking about religion the AB's played Aussie while we were here.

Rugby was a light. We met 4 other kiwis all ready for a comprehensive win, beer and TV tuned in we sat back at the Rugby House Pub to watch the ABs lose to a better team on the day. Oh well, it's not every day you get to see the ABs play in Russia. It's only a game. We got to see a different part of SPB and speak english.

The Hermitage was amazing. So many artefacts, so many facts, so much information. One thing that struck a chord was reading about the tribal battles for power in the 9th Century between Sunni and Shiite muslims. It seems not a lot has changed. Many many paintings, carvings, statues, mummies, you name it.  Heading out of the main building and over to the General staff building, 4th floor, awash with impressionists, very impressive. Art gallery ankle aside, this was one of the highlights. Monet, Van Gough, Kandinsky, Matisse, Manet, Gaugin, Picasso, and more. Room after room with hardly anyone else. It seems as though the groups that swamp the main building jump on the bus and head to the next bus stop without calling in here. Good job too. Those bloody tour groups are more of a nuisance than a flock of sheep being driven down a rural road to the next paddock, going the same way as you but slower! 

Then out into the heat of the day, another 3ks walk and a welcome drink at the Brew Bar close to home (Indigo hotel).  Great bar, more than 20 beers on tap and twice as many bottled.

Dinner at Duo, amazing food, great service, fantastic company! We had to book as they are constantly full. The owner, waiter, chef, took our order. For a change I ordered the steak. His English 3/10 my Russian 0/10. How would you like the steak frozen? Ah ha-Rare please. All sorted. That's the trouble with opposites, they get confusing. Left, Right, hot, cold, etc etc.

Travelling with someone you love is truly an experience that everyone should share. It can be a real test of that love. Gladly for us this is seldom the case. Seldom, but not never! For some reason she is reluctant to cross roads and is often found stranded on the other side after I have safely changed sides. Also what's with this penchant for grabbing the map, flipping it upside down and around the wrong way, declaring with great certainty that this is the direction, and then heading off in said direction gradually, bit increasingly getting further away from our intended destination. [Objection: hyperbole - ed.]  Minor I know. The love wins out every time. [True that - ed.]