Norton Explorer(er)s Trumps BFF Putins land

[Emperor Norton]

The turret looked almost like something you'd see on an old Spanish fort in the Caribbean.

 

Our guide said this bridge was a horizontal Eiffel tower as it they were both designed by Eiffel (Ahh Pravda returns... It wasn't).

 

 

 

 

Apparently these canons and the ones on the upper tier are for signalling

[Emperor Norton]

Peter and Paul fortress is built on Hare island. They had a few wild hares.

 

 

They had an exhibition of some local blacksmiths work

 

 

 

[Emperor Norton]

A statute of Peter the Great by someone who felt he might've been a little less than great. I don't know why but it seems in Russia people like to rub the knees of statues. This one also had some love on his hands. I'm also not sure why this is tolerated.

 

 

 

Our tour was cut short as it started to sound and look like a storm was brewing. This was the exit we used with the storm appearing to form over the blue dome of a mosque.

 

 

Vodka and boating don't mix.

[Emperor Norton]

 

We left the fortress ahead of the storm and were in the car right as it started raining. Upon returning to the ship I had just enough time for a proper libation before heading out on my ships tour of the day - an evening at Catherine's Palace. Regent would send a few buses on this tour. Unlike the Seabourn version Regents included dinner. I recommend doing the evening tour rather than the day time. The evening tour has a few benefits. The first is that you're allowed to take photos in the Amber room (usually that pesky no photography sign applies). The second is that even with the number of buses Regent sent the place is far, far less crowded than during the day.

 

I believe our tour guides real job was working for Pravda. She had a very interesting take on things. She claimed the Romanovs were exiled (reality: taken out back and shot / had genocide committed against them). Also at some point she mentioned that Russia was in Crimea to build a bridge (reality: invaded a sovereign nation and are still holding territory that isn't legally theirs).

 

She did have a calming voice however.

 

Our first stop was the carriage museum (interesting but I thought the one in the Kremlin armory in Moscow was similar if not a little better).

 

[Emperor Norton]

 

 

 

 

What a multi-horse not open sleigh may look like

[Emperor Norton]

 

 

 

The guide had a two word comment for these: Boys toys.

 

 

[Emperor Norton]

 

Exiled, which is why the family tree ends in 1917.

 

 

Apparently Peter the Great didn't require such a great bed.

 

 

[Emperor Norton]

 

 

 

 

 

[cwn]

Loving your wonderful pictures!! They are bringing back great memories from our 1998 trip to that part of the world.

 

Thanks so much for posting.

Carolyn

[Emperor Norton]

 

 

 

 

 

A brief video of the Amber room

[YOUTUBE]A8yaNQgWFYE[/YOUTUBE]

[RJ2002]

Really great pictures! Enjoying very much.

[Emperor Norton]

Loving your wonderful pictures!! They are bringing back great memories from our 1998 trip to that part of the world.

 

Thanks so much for posting.

Carolyn

 

Really great pictures! Enjoying very much.

 

 

You're welcome. A few more days left (on the trip and how long posting will probably take;))

[Got2Cruise]

Thank you for those Amber Room photos. Wowza.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Pamela1]

Thanks again for all the wonderful photos....just fascinating.

 

Pam.

[Emperor Norton]

 

 

 

 

[Emperor Norton]

After the tour we went outside to see more dancing.

 

 

 

Then it was off to dinner.:(

[Emperor Norton]

The Seabourn tour didn't include dinner so I had no idea what to expect. I was disappointed that we weren't given any options and it was some pallid farmed looking salmon or nothing. Just what I wanted.:rolleyes:

 

The starter was a little salad with some mystery pork rounds.

 

I took a whiff of the vodka and it reminded me a little too much of the vodka served the last time I was here. I'm sure a staff member enjoyed it later.

 

Mushrooms and cheese baked together.

 

The sauce and vegetables were nice.

 

A little sorbet for dessert.

[Emperor Norton]

Galleries:

 

St. Petersburg day 2, St. Petersburg the first time, St. Petersburg day 1.

[Emperor Norton]

By day 3 I'd seen what I had wanted to see and was a bit tired of group tours. I would have liked to have been able to explore on my own but that would've required I get my own visa (even then I'm not sure how successful such an endeavor would've been as my Russian is rather limited). I took the day as an inshore sea day.

 

Near us was a Viking ocean ship doing it's best to obstruct my view of the lower levels of the Gazprom space.

 

A little caipirinha to get the day started.

 

Lunch today was in Chartreuse (read the daily bulletin people)

 

I believe the onion soup is the result of too much deconstruction.

 

The croque monsieur was good. I'm still not sure what the point of the undressed lettuce was.

 

Dessert was a milk chocolate mousse. I should have ordered another.

[Emperor Norton]

After lunch my time was filled with the Pool bar and getting a shot of the World Cup stadium. I wish I'd gone out after returning from the palace the previous night as it was lit brilliantly at night.

 

 

Dinner that night was in Prime 7. Apparently the sunset was very scenic that evening.

[Emperor Norton]

The amuse bouche was a shot of tomato soup with a giant bit of pita shoehorned into it.

 

 

A little crab cake that wasn't too large or too small.

 

A nice steak tartar (I'm not sure why the one in Chartreuse isn't served with toast points like this)

 

The shrimp cocktail shrimp were cooked perfectly.

 

A ribeye steak cooked to perfection. If only the seasoning and flavor of the meat matched.

 

In case you imbibed too much to remember how many layers your cake was (or couldn't count) they thoughtfully provided the answer on the plate.

[Emperor Norton]

Gallery: St. Petersburg, day 3

[Emperor Norton]

Our next stop was Helsinki in Finland. As this was another port I'd previously visited I decided to take a short tour that stayed in the harbor area. The tour was a harbor cruise followed by a walk, some free time and then a bus back to the ship. I very much regret going on this tour. We were all packed onto buses, then boats for the harbor cruise. Unfortunately on our boat there were a large number of people who appeared to suffer from the verbal runs. They would not be quiet and kept talking over the guides.

 

 

 

Being windowed in on the ship and being on the wrong side of the sun wasn't helping my mood.

 

 

 

[Emperor Norton]

 

 

 

I have no idea what the padlocks were supposed to represent. There was a message by them but I don't think CC would like me posting it.

 

 

[Emperor Norton]

There was a farmers market adjacent to where our harbor cruise dropped us off so I parted ways with the tour there.

 

 

96QpfjpOAv8

 

 

Other places to see in/around Helsinki:

 

The Sibelius monument

 

 

Perhaps a church in rock