Stan - would like Peterhof dining recommendations if you have any!

[Compass Rose Monica]

Hi Stan,

 

I am back in touch with Ilya of Denrus. Apparently they were using an old email address of mine. When he confirmed my reservations, he showed lunch before returning to the city. I do have my list of city restaurants, but he suggested lunch in Peterhof while strolling through the fountain park. Would you have any suggestions for lunch that would be no more than $20-25 per person for a full meal?

 

Thanks!

 

Monica

[stanj]

Hi Monica

For some reason I missed your message until now. There is a cafe next to the Grand Palace but I was not crazy about it. Since you are visiting in a warm time why not bring some snacks and have a relaxing picnic out in the park by the Gulf, with a view of both the fountains/palace one direction and the Gulf of Finland in the other. The shops and markets would have all the traditional Russian snacks: caviar, bread, smoked salmon, fruit, juices or Kvas, Russian salads etc and of cource ice cream from the carts on the grounds.

 

Stan

[Tatka]

The most convenient options would be Orangerie restaurant in Peterhof park and Peterhof cafe just outside the entrance to the park. Lunch shouldn't cost more than $15-25 per person.

 

$15-25 for lunch...Boy..life is getting expensive in Russia.;)

[stanj]

$15-25 for lunch...Boy..life is getting expensive in Russia.;)

 

Yes, Tatka it is getting expensive for a number of reasons. Although there are locally grown food products, the growing season is short and limited in what can be produced so most food used in cafes and restaurants has imported elements. Import duties apply to everything, so Russian prices for imported goods are about the same as in Europe.

Cars, TVs, home appliances, furniture, clothing are all about the same as in the west. The things that are cheap are labor, locally grown food suffs, beer/fruit juice, public transportation, utilities, and drugs/medical care..including cosmetic surgical procedures, postage, books, paper products and such.

The cost of housing has ballooned out of sight, with prices in the $1200-$3,600 per square meter range in St Petersburg city center.

Luckily for most residents, they received their apartments for private ownership during "privatization". So many poor pensioners own old flats currently worth $50,000-$100,000 now yet have to get by on $28-100/month in pension. Moscow is even more expensive. Capital cities throughout the world are very expensive even in 3rd world developing countries.

 

Overall, the economy is improving quickly particularly in large desirable cities and much less so in the fast depopulating rural areas. The middle class is growing by leaps and bounds, with the accompaning high expectations for imported products and a bit of luxury. Foreign autos used to be limited to rich New Russians in their black Mercedes and driver/bodyguards but now that has all pretty much gone away and the streets are filled with new mid range imports. Sure you can buy a Rolls Royce or Ferrari in St Petersburg but the vast majority of new car sales are of Fords, VW, Toyotas, SUVs, Volvos, such $20-30k cars. There are still 11 car manufacturers in the countries that made up the Soviet Union but only two sell any quanitity to notice, Lada and Volga and they are cheap but new buyers are crazy about their import cars. Motorcycles are becoming popular suddenly, not the economical people movers found in China or Southern Europe. Almost all seen are high end Cafe Racers from Italy and Japan with a sizable number of Harley Davidsons. These are expensive bikes anywhere and especially so in Russia where the import duties can be high.

 

Yes, things have changed

Stan

[Princess Di]

Would you please send me an e-mail? :D

 

donnaiworldtravel@earthlink.net