Around the World

I arrived in Russia by train from Helsinki and my transfer guy was waiting with my name and drove me through the traffic to the hostel. The lady in reception spoke no English and had to act out eating when giving me the meal tickets. Our group is really fun. There are 15 of us and I am the only American. There are 4 Aussies...three girls and a guy, 2 sisters from Amsterdam, and 7 from England and 1 from Northern Ireland. There are about 5 guys and 10 girls and everyone is in their 20s. Our honcho here (guide) is a 20ish local girl Kate who took us on a slightly rainy boat cruise last night and to the enormous Hermitage Museum today (the biggest in the world) in the Winter Palace of Peter the Great. We also went to the beautiful Church of the Spilled Blood built on the spot where Alexander II was killed. Then we went to the Peter and Paul Fortress and saw the Tzars graves and the fort build to defend St. Petersburg against Sweden, but was actually used as a jail. It's great having a local guide because she tells us all about Russian culture as well as helping is with ordering food, buying tickets etc. because no older people speak English. They speak to you in Russian as if you'll understand. The signs at tourist sites are in English, but on the street and in our hotel there are none. You can get cavier crepes and meatball soup. We have had good food so far. Everywhere has student discounts. Thank goodness for ISIC. Tonight we tried to go to the ballet but it was the night off, so we'll check out the bar and club scene instead. Tomorrow we go to see Peterhoff, the Versailles-like palace and gardens with fountains outside of the city and to see the Russian art in the Russian Museum. We head to Moscow on the overnight train. I am really excited for the red square.