St. Petersburg
We arrived at St. Petersburg in the late afternoon on May 6th. One of the Program Directors told us at the airport that the boat was delayed because of ice in the lake. We would have to stay in a hotel for our first night. He also said that it was raining in the city. We were not at all sure that was a good start for this tour. However, we had a good stay at the Ambassador Hotel downtown. The tour started the next day, right after a good breakfast.
In a typical Russian city, you will see many statues, a lot of wires, square buildings and flags everywhere. There were a lot of smokers, including a working policeman.
St. Isaac's Cathedral:
Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood (which means that Alexander II was murdered here):
The one and only Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace:
a long
line for locals
One day we had a lunch out at our choice of a restaurant. Some couples had a $52 meal of soup and salad. We had some Russian fast food at this place and you could read the menu:
$1~ 27rubles
Peter and Paul Fortress:
This is where the Tsars of the 18th and
19th centuries were buried (including Peter the Great): 
Catherine's Palace and Park (actually started by Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great):
Our Green Group with Program Director Asia in front:
Peterhof (the summer palace):
The floor in Catherine's Wing at Peterhof:
One day we visited a musical school. Originally it was established for orphans, but they now make up only half of the students. The rest are chosen from the general public. They study voice and piano plus another instrument of their choice. It was a nice experience to talk with these young kids after their concert.
The first wood cabin build by Peter the Great. It was home to him between 1703 to 1708.
Our boat was parked at the side of Neva River. There was a water pumping station nearby, you would not be able to recognize it as such:
It was a beautiful scene when we started to leave the city and travel to Lake Ladoga, the largest lake in Europe.
