Category: Russia

Museums

SDSpivey

After a nice shower, I looked at my saved locations. Oh, there is a museum I had wanted to visit. Not too far away.

Back in 1997, I went to my favorite theater, the Enzian, in Orlando. On this occasion, I saw a film starring Jeremy Irons, Dominique Swain, Melanie Griffith, and Frank Langella, called “Lolita.” It was originally a book by Russian author Vladimir Nabokov.

There happens to be a museum dedicated just to him, in the very house where he was born.

I enter and step up to a small desk with a computer on it. After a minute a lady comes out and points to a QR code, I use my iPad camera and open the link, but it is all in Russian. What I do gather is it is a way to purchase a ticket online with card.

I can’t (and don’t want to) use a card. I use translator to ask if I can pay cash. Apparently nyet, but she has me write down my name and email and takes the payment in cash, then she says she will pay online for me. Weird, just take my money and let me in. I don’t even care if the museum gets it.

She then asks if I would like to see a film about Nabokov, in English. Sure why not.

It is a interview from the BBC, 1962, called “30 minutes with Vladimir Nabokov.” I didn’t intend on watching a half hour, but it was somewhat interesting, so I watched. He stated he had color synesthesia (not in that term, maybe it wasn’t used in ’62), which is a condition where one perceives colors associated with numbers and/or letters.

I then browsed through the rest of the museum’s items, mostly photos of him and his family. There were also many games shown, he really liked playing chess, Scrabble, and other “thinking” games.

He was also an amateur lepidopterist, a collector of butterflies. Most of his specimens are on display.

There were many, many copies of his books, English, Russian, French, etc. He actually lived most of his life in USA, and wrote most of his books in English. He self translated Lolita into Russian. I had thought it was Russian to start.

As I said, I saw the 1997 film, but I also saw a Stanley Kubrick version from 1962, starring James Mason, Shelley Winters, Peter Sellers and Sue Lyon. With Sellers, I guess they thought the film needed some comic relief due to the theme.

I also found an unopened audiobook version at a yard sale, so I bought it. It was quite good.

After, I made another look at the map and there was another museum near, the Kunstkamera. I knew it as the oddity museum.

The majority of the collection is just anthropological items from ancient Inuits, American indians, Chinese, Koreans and Africans. But as this building was once home to the science society, it also now includes science and medical tools, along side human and animal specimens. It includes some medical curiosities, like a two-headed pig, which you can now view the skeleton.

Across the river was the Hermitage Museum, founded by Catherine the Great to house many of her artworks. Yes, nothing like having so much art, you are forced to have a huge mansion built just for them. The problems of the elite, I feel your pain sister.

Like the Louvre, I don’t think anyone can see the whole thing in one trip. There are rooms off of other rooms, halls that have expanse. Even with a map, I’m sure you’d still miss some rooms.

There are many Roman pieces, including busts of several Emperors. Also Egyptian works, not Tut’s or other pyramid stuff, more Roman and pre-Roman time periods.

There is a table with a lapis lazuli top, if you could find a piece that big today, it would run you tens of millions. Another had multi-stone inlays making a image. Certainly took time to produce.

Many marble “bowls” that are taller than me. I have to presume they were bird baths that you’d have in your garden and look down at them from your balcony.

Three items on my list and three successes. Hurray!

Hunger was getting to me, so I searched for restaurants. My eye immediately landed on Cafe Rasputin, I had to go.

I had a house specialty salad and a traditional meat soup. Both were good.

Day two

SDSpivey

I awaken the next morning, ready to take the city on. Looking at my saved places, it seems none open until 10 or 11.

I decide if I am going to try the metro today, I might as well go to the farthest place, then I can work my way back.

Lakhta Tower is a spire skyscraper on the edge of the Sea of Finland, and it is at the last station, Begovaya, on the green line.

I enter the metro, scan my card, and proceed. I was worried that the card I bought, still needed to be “charged up”.

It was rush hour, so quite busy. I’m in no rush, so I walk along the walls to keep out of other’s way.

The London Underground has a station with a very long escalator, one I fell on. Nevsky Prospekt had an even longer one, we must be 400 ft below the surface.

I find the correct platform and get on the next train. The stops are quite far apart, I think mostly due to traveling under an island.

Lakhta Tower

As I exit, I see a building with large lettering, “Atlantic City.” Uh oh, I ended up in New Jersey.

It is surprising how many western company names there are, all seem to be in Latin characters. KFC, Coke, McDonalds, Bulgari, John Frieda, Spar, etc.

I pull out the map, but Google is saying I’m at Rybatskoye, which is at the other end of the line. Weird that a random GPS fix would have been that specifically wrong. I definitely knew I wasn’t there, but I could imagine someone freaking out that they’d gone the wrong way.

The tower is a 22 minute walk away.

I see a section of road with a very skimpy fence across it, with razor wire. There is another fence about 30 yards beyond. There is nothing to stop anyone from just walking around the fence, nor an evidence they are doing any work on that section. I do not think it would stop anyone determined to drive through it.

I do notice they love their razor wire. It is everywhere, just about every fence, across the rooftops between buildings, around road support pillars…

I’m hoping to go to the top and check out the view, maybe there is an observation deck. I don’t get to find out, there is a fence around the building. They are still working on it.

Strike #2. Not doing too good on my chosen locations.

A park lay on the way back to the station, so I browsed through. Many people out with dogs. I saw a kid on a swing, at 9:30. Why wasn’t he in school?

Each subway station has its own theme or design. I had the idea of stopping and seeing each. I only did a few before I realize that I’ll waste too much time doing that.

I exit the metro, and spot a Spar grocery. I need shampoo, so I browse. I picked up the smallest bottle they had, I hope I can get it through airport security to Moscow. I’d hate to have to buy another, even if it is cheap.

I also grabbed a bottle of grapefruit juice, payed, and exited.

As I open the bottle, nope, it is grapefruit soda. I drink it anyway.

The irony is, my hair is too short to bother with washing too often, but I can use it as body wash. As I left for Georgia, my hair started poking up in one area. I had thought about cutting it before, but it should be good for a few more weeks. Now, it is too short to comb, but long enough to look messy if I don’t.

Afternoon

SDSpivey

Okay, it was well after noon, I didn’t wake until about 4:30.

I took a shower, but did not have any shampoo or soap. Most American and European hostels have some or at least some other guest has theirs in there that I can steal a bit. A shower without soap is still better than no shower at all. It really did feel better to get rinsed off and get clean clothes on.

As with most hotel/hostel showers, this was one that either was freezing or scalding. There is no in between. Why do they pick these controls that are so hard to figure out. Hot water control and cold water control, that’s what they need. Simple. Stop all this one handle does everything BS. Alton Brown may have a dislike for mono-taskers, but I think he’d agree with me on this point.

With the large number of people who spend long periods in airports, I wonder why they don’t have pay showers. It seems to me a good income source. Maybe some do, I just never saw any.

There is a nearby restaurant with “modern Russian food.” I order 3 crêpes, totally Russian, those French must have stole the idea. Right?

One is meaty like stroganoff, the second is filled with a sweet cream, the third has red caviar. Yes, I’m extravagant. They are all good, but the caviar is too salty. If I say something is too salty, you should believe it, as I like salt on most everything. Perhaps if I had eaten that one first, while I was hungrier, I could have finished it.

Since I now had a fully charged map device, I looked at my Google map and picked the first saved location. I was going to go see Lenin. No, not Lenin, Lennon, the bloke from Liverpool. There is a small alleyway that is decorated with drawings and paintings on the walls of the Beatles.

I walked along admiring the sites. Occasionally looking at the map or taking a photo of some interesting building.

I was looking, but didn’t see it. I walked back a bit, with the map open, and went down it.

There was just an ordinary area between two buildings, then a gate. There was a small group ahead of me that stopped at the gate, which was chained. They turned around and left. I did the same.

I don’t know if the artwork was past the gate or if it had been removed, but I was disappointed. My first item was a strikeout.

Nothing else was nearby, and it was starting to darken, so I picked a different route and headed back.

Arrival

SDSpivey

As we enter Saint Petersburg, I see signs for “9 Maя” (May 9th) and banners being removed. I don’t know what May 9th is, but I guess I missed some sort of celebration.

We made a few stops, letting people off. Including at the stop where I have to get the airport shuttle, good to know it for sure.

Finally, my last stop, 5am.

I walk up the street to the Metro, but I already know it doesn’t open until 6. Why hadn’t I thought of that earlier?

I wait there a bit before deciding that if I walk to the next station, I will not only be closer, but the station might be open then. Spend the time walking or spend it freezing.

I easily find the next station and I’m able to go in to get a pass.

The machines have multiple languages, but only dispense singles. I want a 7-day pass.

Using Google translate, I ask a guard (yes all the stations have military guards, normal?) he has me go over to a window.

I try to get a 7-day pass, but am told they don’t have that. Wikipedia has failed me. I do get a 5-day pass, 1000₽.

I think more about using the metro right then, I have my bags and I don’t want to have to go through more security. I only have one stop to go, so why not walk and see more of the city. Actually, if I rode, I would have to walk back a little towards where I was anyway.

I walked through a park. It had a very fine gravel, so I had to carry my suitcase. But I saw a lot of interesting buildings and statues.

After a while, I arrived where I needed to be. As I feared, I see nothing of my hostel. I had looked at street view on Google, but the images were years old and they blur out some signs sometimes.

Using the camera translate, I found a hostel and went in. There was a million year old elevator. I didn’t know what floor, so I had to use the stairs anyway.

I walked all the way to the top, translating at each door. The top door had a sign that had something to do with a hostel, so I hope it is it. The door is locked. I press a button, no answer. I’m about to go back down, when a couple of women in robes and head coverings come out. They know a tiny bit of English, but let me in. I walk down the hall, all the way to the end. No sign of an office, so I walk back to the main door.

I recheck my mail again. A week ago, I had sent a support notice asking about the location and still had nothing.

Now I have to do the thing I didn’t want to do, I had to take my phone off airplane mode and make a call.

I call the hostel, but only get a recording in Russian. Great, now I don’t have a room and I may have an additional charge on my phone bill.

I go back down and out, rechecking every sign on every door. Nothing.

There is a kebab place with its door open, so I go in to ask. Still no English, but I guess he’s had other people ask, so he points me to the right place. The sign on the door says “Diskette”. I had seen this on streetview, but that isn’t the name on the booking site. It doesn’t even make sense.

Again I climb the stairs, translating at each door. I find it. The main door is a jar, but there is another just inside. I press the button that has an English sign telling me to.

I wait a few moments, but no one comes. I look more through the window, the clerk is laying her head on the desk. I press the button again (which does make an audible tone), her head comes up, she looks around and then lays back down.

I don’t want to be rude, but she needs to let me in, so I press a third time. This time she looks through the window and sees me and indicates I have to open the door after I press the button. The sign says nothing about that.

I show her my reservation and she verifies I am at the right place.

Check in is at 2, but I can leave my bags in the corner.

After my walk, I’m a bit sweaty, so I take off my jacket and leave everything there. My iPad was below 20%, so I left that too.

As I get back outside, I realize, I can’t go very far, I have no directions. That’s alright, the building on the corner has a row of balloons, so I should be able to return easily enough.

I walk down towards the metro station where I was originally going to get off, looking for breakfast.

The reason Russians are poor is because the businesses are never open. I could not find a single place on that street that opened before 8am, many were 11 o’clock openers.

Irony is that there are bakeries everywhere, but none open early enough for workers to get anything on the way.

I left the hostel about 6:15 and can’t check in until 2, but I also can’t go anywhere for the next 8 hours. Total catch-22. Also, I still don’t have my watch on and don’t have my phone or iPad, so I have no way of knowing the time.

I went down to the mentioned subway, crossed the street, then went down to another subway entrance, crossed and returned. Nothing for food was open, even when I asked someone the time, and waited at a restaurant doorway. I never saw anyone inside.

Finally, I found a place and got a pastry and orange juice. I went down to the subway plaza and sat in the sun to eat.

I noticed I was the least dressed person, period. I was not even that uncomfortable, in the sun. So much for the hardy Russian.

Since I had nothing to do and I was getting tired (Ok, more tired), I went back to the hostel. There was a new person, still no English, I asked if I could pay extra to check in early. She typed on the computer and made a phone call, but told me that the room wasn’t ready yet. It was around 8:30, so likely no one had checked out yet.

She allowed me to sit in the lobby, where I was beginning to pass out. Finally, around 11, she let me check in, for an extra 250₽, that’s a lot for 3 hours, but I was glad to.

We were on the 5th floor and she led me down to 3rd to my room.

I plugged in my iPad and considered a shower, but went straight to bed.

Bus to Russia

SDSpivey

As the bus arrived, the bus had windows all the way to the back, no sign of onboard toilet.

We all gather around shoving our bags at the driver to put underneath.

There was an old lady (a babushka) in front of me and the steps were high, so I tried to offer a hand up, but I think she thought I wanted to cut in front of her. I was trying to be a good Samaritan, but I should act like a normal Russian.

I was in the second row, but I was in seat #1. WTF were the seats in front of me called?

I had the pillow and blanket, still in the bag, from the flight. So I placed them against the window and tried to sleep. Mostly successfully, I didn’t see much of the Estonian country side.

About midnight, as we neared Narva, on the border, we made a few quick stops and some people got off.

Then we entered a heavily fenced area, with multiple swing gates, and parked. The driver got off, spoke to the border police and opened the luggage compartments. An officer came on board, took our passports, examining each against our photos.

After about 45 minutes, the officer returned and handed back our documentation.

The bus departed, and stopped again about 1000ft later, another swing gate. The driver got out and showed some paper, the guard made a phone call, then let us proceed.

I thought we were through, but that was just the Estonian side.

After crossing the river, we went through another swing gate. OK, now we’re good.

Nope.

We drove a bit further and then stopped at a building. We all exited the bus and took everything inside. Oh, I see metal detectors and baggage x-rays. Great, more dis-robing.

Once I reached the window where the guard was checking documents, she did not know English, but scanned my passport and visa, then directed me to go back and wait a few minutes. I guessed she need to get an English speaker to come out.

Another guard comes over and takes me to a back room. Oh, great, secondary screening. The bus is going to leave me, I just know it.

He didn’t know English, either, but used Google translate on his phone. Super sophisticated. I presume that there would be someone in the daytime or weekends that knew English, just not now.

He asked me “Do you have metal in your pockets?” Then had me pass through a metal detector and back again.

He asked for my phone which I provided and he wanted my password. I indicated I had none and just swiped up to open it to show him. I asked if he also wanted my iPad, but nyet, he didn’t. I was then told to go back through the metal detector and sit down, and I waited a while.

I had to remove my watch for the security check in the frantic run to catch my plane. I had not replaced it yet, so no idea how long it was, much I’m sure it was shorter than it felt. The only consolation was there was another man there sitting before I went in.

Finnally, he called me back in (before the other guy) and gave me back my phone and escorted me back out. Phew, no rejection. I presume he swabbed the phones for explosive or drug residue.

The scanners were simple, just place everything on the belt. Nothing to remove, not even my jacket. But I had all empty pockets already.

I rejoined the rest of the passengers and a few minutes latter we all re-boarded the bus and departed.

After one last swing gate, we really were in Russia. Time, just under two hours.

We stopped a mile further up, at a gas station. Where some of the passengers got off and departed.

Many more were getting off and going into the store. So I decided to follow.

The restroom was bright and clean, but good bye to comfortable toilet paper, we’re in Russia now.

Yes, this is the first chance I had to go since I was on the plane to Warsaw, about 10 hours ago. It felt so good. I know, TMI, but true never-the-less.

Still a long way to go still, I tried to go back to sleep, but couldn’t. So I finished a TV episode on my iPad before trying again.

At about 3:30, I notice the light is starting to show on the horizon. It also did not get dark until 10pm in St Petersburg, which I think has something to do with the latitude and upcoming solstice.

The bus has a clock and a temperature display. It gets down to 5C (27F), but rises again as the sun comes up.

TSA PreCheck

SDSpivey

I recently paid the $78 to sign up for TSA PreCheck. I was going to get the Global, but didn’t have time before the trip.

I did not think it would really be that significant of a time difference. I spent about 2 minutes goin through security. Compared to the estimated 25-30 minutes for the “normal” people, I don’t want to be normal.

It also allows you to leave your electronics in the bag and keep your shoes on. Those alone are worth the price.

New (old) Trip

SDSpivey3 Comments

I will shortly be heading off to Russia, visiting the cities of Saint Petersburg (formerly Leningrad or Petrograd) and Moscow, the capital city.

Yes, it was 3 years ago when Mom and I went to Houston to get visas to go. That was before lock-downs and border closings and sanctions.

My itinerary will take me from Atlanta through Chicago and Warsaw, Poland, before landing in Tallinn, Estonia. I will then need to take a seven and a half hour bus ride to Saint Petersburg. I know, you are so jealous of me getting a long bus ride.

As Estonia is in the Schengen Area, I don’t need a separate visa to enter. So I will have a few hours to walk around their capital before getting on the bus. I don’t have any Euros, but I can use my credit card if I find anything worth buying (or rather worth carrying around for over 2 weeks). But because of the sanctions imposed by the US, no American credit, bank, or debit cards will work in Russia. Fortunately, I have Russian rubbles, that I got back before the lock-down screwed everything up.

A idea I had when I went to Italy, take bank envelopes and divide up the money I need for each hostel. This allows me to spend without worrying about not being able to have my room. Russia is too cold to sleep outside <brrr>.

After Moscow, I fly through Istanbul (Constantinople), Turkey, and Frankfurt, Germany, before returning to Atlanta. In total, I will spend over 72 hours in transit.

Interestingly, I will go through Atlanta, Warsaw, Tallinn, Moscow, and Istanbul. Each is the capital of their country or state. Not planned, just worked out that way.