St. Petersburg and Solovki

Back in St. Petersburg

2005-01-21T14:40:00.000-05:00

We have arrived safely back in St. Petersburg.

Both of us are suffering from exhaustion and are going directly to bed.

The Russian North is amazing, breath-taking and positively life-changing. But, the descriptions will come tomorrow.

Thinking of all of you....

On our way

2005-01-16T14:27:00.000-05:00

Shortly after my post last night we caught a bit on 'euronews' about the protesting pensioners in Russia. Turns out its a multi-city demonstration, and we happened upon the St. Petersburg one last night. Tonight, there was another demonstration in the same place--this time the pensioners were joined by the young communist party, yabloko. So we got to see a little bit of history in the making.

We spent the morning touring around St. Petersburg in the dark, and watched the sunrise on the neva, reflecting in the spires of the Peter and Paul fortress. It was fantastic and the city was so quiet.

We were at the doors when the Hermitage opened and passed a lovely couple of hours wandering around the halls. We saw Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Van Gogh...all the gems of the museum. It was positively delightful, for it was almost empty that early on a sunday morning.

Tomorrow, we're off to Solovki. A cab will come and pick us up at 630am, we'll fly at 840am, arrive some 2+ hours later in Arkhangelsk, and then hop on a 45 minute flight to Solovetsky Island. To be totally honest, I'm a little concerned about all the flying...but I'm sure Pulkovo and Aeroflot airlines are up to the test!

No internet on Solovki...so I'll be taking pictures and thinking of you guys. We'll be back to St.Petersburg on the night of the 21st, so I'll catch you up then.

Day 2

2005-01-15T15:35:00.000-05:00

The most exciting event of the day happened just several hours ago. We were walking down Nevsky Pr. to go to dinner when we noticed that the street had been closed to traffic and people had taken over the entire street. As we walked farther, we thought that it had to do with the holidays that seem to still be taking place. But, then it became clear that no one really knew what was going on, and there were a lot of people milling around asking what was happening.

We finally made it to a large conglomeration of people...and there seemed to be a preponderance of old men and babushki (grandmothers/old women) standing about in the middle of the street. The militia had closed off all of the adjoining roads and were "containing" the old men and women in sort of a loose circle. It wasn't quite clear what was happening, and in fact, several people approached me and asked what was going on. After a while, signs started emerging and the babushki grabbed them and started walking around carrying them. Then, it became clear that what they were doing at that particular corner was holding up a very busy tram intersection. So tram's were backed up in three directions while the babushki protested the fare-hike for pensioners. (Up until two weeks ago, pensioners did not pay for public transportation. Now they do, and many can't afford it and are righteously angry).

Things began to escalate as one of the tram-drivers decided to take it into his own hands to move the blockade. So, he started up his tram and inched it toward the pensioners. The older men, sensibly, drew away. But, the babushki banded together and got right in front of the tram and wouldn't move. (I took a picture of it and it's posted below...sorry about the quality, it was dark and i couldn't get too close). They then elected one particularly outspoked babushka to shame the driver for trying to run over the "starukhi" (old women). It reminded me of the very dramatic scene of the tanks rolling into Moscow in the 90s and all the old women coming out to yell at the boys in the tanks telling them to go home.

I did manage to get a picture of one of the babushki with her sign, which I've posted below. We left before things heated up too much. By the time we returned, several hours later, everything was back to normal.

I met with Konstantin today. He had some very interesting things to say...including his views on the current state of Russia. He feels that it is following the same track as it has before, and it may be necessary for him to leave Russia in several years if things continue trending in the same direction. He is an amazing intellectual--a member of the true Russian intelligentsia. He gave me a great big packet of stuff to go through, and I will meet with him again after my return from Solovki. I'll have more to say about him when I get my notes together and translate the articles he gave me.

On a side note for those who know Russia: I can't find Kasha anywhere. We spent two hours looking for it this morning, and finally had to come back and attempt to make it ourselves! Barracuda cafe is still around and looking very inviting. Propaganda pectopah has expanded and opened at least one other branch on what used to be 'my' island. Dom Knigi has moved to a less beautiful building way down Nevsky. Everything else is pretty much the same!

One more day, and it's off to Solovki!

2005-01-15T15:30:00.000-05:00

Babushki Blockade...

2005-01-15T15:29:00.000-05:00

Protesting Babushka...

First day down, several to go....

2005-01-14T14:37:00.000-05:00

Our first real day in St. Petersburg has gone off without a hitch. Originally, the plan was to wake early and get the most of the day. That plan was thwarted, however, when Mom decided that she couldn't sleep past 4am. I hear her rummaging around in the other room...and once I determined it wasn't a murdering robber, I thought my clock had stopped in the middle of the night. But, no in fact, my mom just thought it was a good idea to wake up and make herself some tea and read a book in the middle of the night. So, of course...both of us climb back into bed (her on the pretense of reading)...and promptly fall asleep until 10:30am.

After we finally pulled ourselves out of bed we headed for no destination in particular. We walked down the street past the massive Kazansky Cathedral, which we stopped in to catch the last bit of the morning liturgy. Russian orthodox churches conduct the majority of their service behind the icon screen--with the priest(s) venturing out at various times during the service. Everyone must remain standing (has to do with your spiritual complacency if you sit while praying) and an absolutely beautiful choir sings throughout the entire thing from a balcony waaay above the cathedral floor. The cathedral itself is covered in ornate icons and murals--all hand-painted--absolutely beautiful...and cavernous. Wish I had pictures to share with you guys...but of course, its an operational cathedral, and no pictures are allowed.

We then walked along the gribodoeyva canal toward the Church on Spilled blood (the church was built around the cobblestones where one of the tsar's sons was shot...and the cobblestones and blood are preserved inside under a religious altar). Spilled blood isn't a "church" anymore, just a tourist site...and I've already got pictures galore...so we skipped the touristy thing. We walked through more of the main neighborhoods and stopped off at the Mikailovsky Castle (a branch of the Russian museum) for some photograph and painting exhibitions.

In Russia, there are two prices: one for Russian Nationals, and the other for foreigners. Entrance to musuems for russians is generally around 50 cents, american. Entrance for foreigners is anywhere from 10-15 dollars. Last time I was here, I had a student card froma russian university...which entitled me to the 'russian' price. But this time, obviously, I don't. Last time, it was almost IMPOSSIBLE to get the people at the ticket desks to give me the russian price (even though I was entitled to it)...and this time, we have little conversations about how I really should have a student card, and it's a shame that they have to charge me so much!! I don't know what happened to the Russian people in the two years since I've been here last....but it's nice to be treated humanely.

We ventured to the Anna Akhmatova museum next and had a great tour around her apartment and discovered that they have a little book made from birch bark on display that they recovered from the "northern camps" (GULAG). Written in beautiful, miniscule script, was a collection of Akhmatova's poems that the prisoner(s) had recalled from memory and written down to help them in their troubles.

We wandered back on Nevsky Prospect and ate lunch at Stockman's (a cop-out, I know...for those that aren't familiar with St. Petersburg, Stockman's is a scandinavian department store--and the closest thing to "Western" you can find in the city. There's a cute cafe in the middle of it that serves sandwiches--not typical russian fare). Went home, and promptly fell asleep for three hours (guess we were jet-lagged).

Woke up, dragged ourselves down the Moika river to the Cafe Idiot (after Dostoeyvsky's "the Idiot"). On the way there was happened to look into a cafe called "Zoom" and saw an actual poetry-reading going on. It feels like the St. Petersburg that I've read about in books--not the one I lived in two years ago. Maybe it's something about the holiday (the russian new year was last night--according to the orthodox calander)...but everything seems a little nicer than it did when I was here last. The women who sit in the museum rooms (they have old babushki sitting in each museum room to make sure you don't touch anything...generally they fall asleep or scold you for one thing or another) were not only helpful...but they were excited to speak to me, and excited that I knew a little bit of Russian (something that I've not encountered much here).

We had an absolutely wonderful dinner at the Idiot of black bread, cheese, butter, mushroom soup and blini. Had an initial language problem when I ordered a "seagull" to drink instead of a pot of tea. (Okay...so for those that I was in St. Petersburg with, YES i did order a "chaika" instead of "chainik" AGAIN in the same place...deal with it...I'm amazed I remember these words two years later...). The two shots of complimentary vodka to start out the meal were greatly enjoyed by mom!

And now, we're back in our little apartment that is scandinavinly-decorated (IKEA furniture abounds) comfortably reading and planning tomorrow. Despite the rain, wet snow, and late/early sunrise/sunset, the colors here are still quite amazing. The pictures don't do the light justice--and it's just so hard to explain what happens to the sky when the sun never reaches past 15 degrees above the horizon. The buildings here are built to make the most of that type of light, and everything positively glows (when it's not dark, of course).

Tomorrow, I meet with Konstantin. We've planned to meet outside the most famous Russian book store, Dom Knigi--and then make our way to the "international pen club" club, and have tea and coffee while Konstantin recounts his experiences. I'm looking forward to it, and from what I can tell from him through our phone calls, so is he.

Hope that everyone is well at home. We're thinking of you!

Allison's tally:
Total cups of tea consumed so far: 10 cups
Total mayonnaise consumed: About 2 tbls.
Total hours of being in Russia: 30 hours

2005-01-13T12:16:00.000-05:00

Our beautiful entry-way

So, we've arrived...

2005-01-13T10:01:00.000-05:00

We landed in Pulkovo airport about 2 hours ago...claimed our baggage...argued with a taxi driver (my negotiating skills need a little fine-tuning, but I did knock 15 dollars off the price!)...made it to the apartment in true Russian style (break-neck speed and death-defying stunts). And, in true Russian style, we were promptly unloaded right in front of what appears to be an abandoned building. Please, everyone who knows this phrase, say it with me: IT'S RUSSIA! But, no, our building isn't abandoned...it just appears to be. We were then treated to a spectacular display of fireworks for a christmas celebration (although we could only appreciate them in a reflection of a car window). Currency exchange has been completed, and we are now outfitted with the funds to go wild (the currency exchange is significantly lower than it was last time we were here....very dissapointing). I'm smelling the smells I never thought I'd smell again--the warm, sweaty, earthy, russian-winter smell--for all those who know what I'm talking about. Sounds gross, but it's strangely comforting. It's amazing to be back...still a little on the nervous side, because I'm the only one who approximately speaks Russian...but it'll be an adventure. Well, we're off to find some fat-filled, mayonnaise-ridden dinner...and maybe some giardia-free water for brushing our teeth later. Hope everyone is well!

First post...

2005-01-11T23:00:00.000-05:00

So...in 24 hours we'll be on the plane headed for Heathrow. (No, neither of us are packed yet. And no, neither of us are particularly ready). Exciting!