Peter the Great trampling a serpent. This statue is along the Neva River and just 3 blocks from our hotel. Thank G-d for those Marriott points.
We saw a temporary exhibit of incredible paintings (confiscated from German Jews during the war and recovered by the Russians and now displayed at the Hermitage). Four rooms of priceless art that came from three families. Blurry photo - no flashes allowed.
A gift to Catherine the Great from the British ambassador at the time. Stunning golden peacock adorned with all sorts of whimsical creatures. The whole piece is actually a fully working clock.
Crouching Boy - the only Michelangelo at the Hermitage.
The view of Church of Spilt Blood. A Tsar (Nicholas the II I think) was murdered by what in essence was a suicide bomber on the site of this church. His son then spent 40 years erecting a monument to his father. The original cobblestones are inside the church.
One of two original works by ......I'm so tired I can't remember the artist. We've seen every major classical painter and I'm in overload.
The painting is by Da Vinci.
Church of Spilt Blood.
It is a custom for brides and grooms to visit Holy Places on their wedding day and take pictures. We've seen several couples walking around both Moscow and St. Petersburg partaking in this quite charming custom.
Paul's Summer Palace. Catherine the Great built it for him so he wasn't too close to her. That's certainly one option to deal with a dysfunctional mother-son relationship.
You have to put booties on in many of the museums to protect the flooring.
Incredible woodwork in one of the palaces. As with the artists, I'm starting to lose track of which palace. One is more grandiose than the next.
Great place for lunch by Paul's Palace. We had our first chicken kiev.
Inside Paul's palace with our new guide, Julia.
Catherine's Palace.
No, this is not a comment about my husband. It is a wonderful restaurant. We had dinner there last night and Brent kept asking people where it was by saying very firmly "Idiot?" This is one time I'm glad most people here don't speak English.
Graduation party in the park.
Il Divo performed two nights ago as part of the World Forum being held here. The free concert was outside the Hermitage. I took this picture at 9:30 p.m. and you can see the sun is STILL shining.
Graduates of the Admiralty school. Training Russian naval officers. (Another 'here's to you Bro')
One of the cupolas in a church.
Peter the Great trampling a serpent. This statue is along the Neva River and just 3 blocks from our hotel. Thank G-d for those Marriott points.
We saw a temporary exhibit of incredible paintings (confiscated from German Jews during the war and recovered by the Russians and now displayed at the Hermitage). Four rooms of priceless art that came from three families. Blurry photo - no flashes allowed.
A gift to Catherine the Great from the British ambassador at the time. Stunning golden peacock adorned with all sorts of whimsical creatures. The whole piece is actually a fully working clock.
Crouching Boy - the only Michelangelo at the Hermitage.
The view of Church of Spilt Blood. A Tsar (Nicholas the II I think) was murdered by what in essence was a suicide bomber on the site of this church. His son then spent 40 years erecting a monument to his father. The original cobblestones are inside the church.
One of two original works by ......I'm so tired I can't remember the artist. We've seen every major classical painter and I'm in overload. The painting is by Da Vinci. 
Church of Spilt Blood. 
It is a custom for brides and grooms to visit Holy Places on their wedding day and take pictures. We've seen several couples walking around both Moscow and St. Petersburg partaking in this quite charming custom.
Paul's Summer Palace. Catherine the Great built it for him so he wasn't too close to her. That's certainly one option to deal with a dysfunctional mother-son relationship.
You have to put booties on in many of the museums to protect the flooring. 
Incredible woodwork in one of the palaces. As with the artists, I'm starting to lose track of which palace. One is more grandiose than the next.
Great place for lunch by Paul's Palace. We had our first chicken kiev.
Inside Paul's palace with our new guide, Julia.
Catherine's Palace. 
No, this is not a comment about my husband. It is a wonderful restaurant. We had dinner there last night and Brent kept asking people where it was by saying very firmly "Idiot?" This is one time I'm glad most people here don't speak English.
Graduation party in the park.
Il Divo performed two nights ago as part of the World Forum being held here. The free concert was outside the Hermitage. I took this picture at 9:30 p.m. and you can see the sun is STILL shining. 
Graduates of the Admiralty school. Training Russian naval officers. (Another 'here's to you Bro')
One of the cupolas in a church. 
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