Russian opulence at St. Petersburg

https://www.sriyachakravarti.com/wp-content/themes/blade/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg 150 150 Dr Sriya Chakravarti Dr Sriya Chakravarti https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e73542448b5d97dbcf31b33086ff2138?s=96&d=mm&r=g June 24, 2013 January 10, 2018

When I think of Russia, I think of the opulent Tsars and their lavishness, the unbearable winters, the defeat of Hitler, and KGB jokes. More recently Russia is in news for Vladimir Putin and his divorce, and its consideration for giving a safe haven to Edward Snowden. However, this article is about none of the above. It is about my trip to the city of St. Petersburg and the town of Pushkin.

From Moscow, l left for St. Petersburg via a local train (kudos to me on that). The city was previously known as Leningrad (1924 -1991) and prior to that as Petrograd (1914 – 1924). The original name of city was St. Petersburg, and was re-instated in 1991.

My journey lasted roughly five hours but the ride was quite pleasant, with views of farms, rivers and tons of untouched greenery. As soon as I boarded, I got a snack box. My meal was included in my ticket price. It is always such a delight to get a cute little surprise like that. My Russian snack box had sweet wafers, olives, a piece of bread, chicken, a small bun with a side of butter and a cup of water.

On the train, I made friends with a Russian girl. She was returning from a trip to Kiev, and suggested that I must explore Ukraine when I can. The new generation of Russians seems quite open, eager to speak English and interact with the world. She was quite excited to know about my maiden voyage, and gave tips on smooth travelling. She even helped me in locating the spoon I had misplaced for which I would have been charged. We had a nice chat until we reached Petersburg.

Ice winds blew in my face as I got off the train station at St. Petersburg. I was told that the city was prettier, inviting and much warmer in many aspects than Moscow. I immediately noticed that people could speak and understand a little more English. Oh, I cannot tell you the joy I felt for the first fifteen seconds after knowing that.

Some people refer to St. Petersburg as ‘Petersburg’ while others simply call it ‘Peter’. I have been told that the city of St. Petersburg has taken its inspiration from Venice. Many call it the Venice of the North. This city is simply elegant and tastefully decorated. It is one of the world’s most beautiful cities. I believe that I have a slight bias, when it comes to any city, which has a waterfront. Still, this city has all the ingredients for any traveler. The history, architecture, nightlife and cultural traditions of the city have inspired many in the past, and will do so in the future too.

St. Petersburg is a city of splendid palaces, impressive historical monuments, museums, broad tree lined avenues and winding canals. By night, the city seems like a lady who is dressed with selected jewels that display her affluence. Hermitage museum is one such jewel in the crown of St. Petersburg, and it houses roughly 2.7 million exhibits of art from around the world. This green and white palace has 1786 doors, lavishly decorated halls and rooms (many of which are open to the public).

Some of the main attractions here at St. Petersburg are: Peter and Paul fortress, the famous dome of St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Alexander Column, and the Bronze Horseman. I overheard a conversation where some folks came to a tipping point with all the history, and just couldn’t keep a track of Peters of the city. That is when the Bollywood bug in me remembered Ajit, and his jokes. So I retorted, Robert, sara shehar mujhe Lion ken am se janta hai, so don’t get confused, simply call Peter’s son Repeater.

On that note, if you are Indian, you may want to try some good old Indian food at Cardamom, St. Petersburg. Sometimes, it just gives me a kick to have Indian food in different parts of the world, just to see, how closely it resembles the authentic or if it is just an adaptation or fusion of the flavors of the said country.

Roughly 25 kilometers away from the city of St. Petersburg is the town of Pushkin, where the famous Catherine Palace has been restored post WW II. The town of Pushkin is mainly known for its impressive baroque Catherine Palace, where Empress Catherine lived and died. Each room in the palace is grander that the other. The richness, abundance and prosperity of the Russian Tsars are at it full display here. The ballroom with its white and gold leaf work and mirrors is a captivating point of the palace. Similarly, the emperor’s room with amber walls depicts the power of the kingdom he once ruled.

I am now leaving Russland but I can confidently agree with all those who have said it in the past that St. Petersburg is the Venice of the North, and the cultural capital of Russia in every which way.

Russian opulence at St. Petersburg