Beatles – Steve's Trips

It must seem strange that I traveled thousands of miles and spent a lot of money and then I purposely start off my day going to a junkyard.

This is Nelson’s Courtyard. Just an eclectic assortment of random items, that have been painted in bright colors, and have messages all over.

I find the address easily enough, passing through a drive area. Around the corner, I see first of the items.

There is a man (later find out it is Nelson) repainting one of the items, and talking with a couple ladies. While taking photos, a white dog comes ambling up, I presumed it was a stray, but now I believe it to be Nelson’s.

He came over and wanted to shake my hand. I said I was from America and Florida. He seemed impressed, I don’t know if any Americans had been there before. It is possible that with anyone I meet, I could be the only American they will ever meet. That’s a lot of responsibility.

He indicated a entryway down, which I thought was more of the exhibit. Nope, it was his home, a small bomb shelter someone had built in the cold war. I had to duck as I entered, because the door was only little over four feet tall. The walls and ceiling were painted over with numerous messages.

He sat and indicated he wanted us to sit also. He had a guitar and proceeded to serenade us with song. He performed several songs, speaking between some.

I see his name on his computer screen, in Cyrillic, so I know it was likely him.

After a bit, I guess he said something to upset the lady, she was a bit harsher sounding than a few moments ago. They got up to leave and I followed. I was really wondering how I was going to get out without injuring feelings or having to donate.

NOTE: After I returned, I see the page for the courtyard states it is permanently closed. The photos are of the same area, most stuff is gone. I don’t know what happened to all the other stuff. I wish I had noticed that beforehand, so I could ask. But If I had, I would not have gone.

On my way back to the metro, I pass by Leningradskiy Zoopark. Being Saturday, there are large numbers of people here.

Looking at the weather, I had chosen not to wear my jacket today. A good choice as it would reach 68F, cool but tolerable. But still all I see are people all bundled up. It makes me feel like a Yankee in Florida, despite these people should be used to the cold.

Saint Petersburg Mosque, one of the largest in Europe

Many kids playing in the grass or running on the paths. A group were playing with bubble wands. In one area, I find some bronze miniature buildings. I spot St Basil’s Cathedral and a couple others I’ve seen somewhere.

I also see a building I just saw yesterday. Outside the Heritage Museum is palace square and on the out side of the square it a building curves around it. I little girl was crawling through it as I tried to photograph it.

The park contains the Saint Petersburg Zoo. I consider, but I’m sure they have nothing I haven’t seen here.

I need to go find out information, so I decide to visit the Grand Maket Russia. Killing two birds, so to speak.

Several metro stops and a brisk walk later, I find it. It is a huge miniature of various Russian areas, including Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

The room is large enough, you can’t see the other end.

There are moving trains and road vehicles, flashing lights, a working geyser, construction vehicles, etc.

The people are so tiny, but still detailed. Everything is as accurate as can be. There were chickens that moved around, but only about 1/8 inch in size, crazy details.

I am also near the bus stop where I need to catch the bus to the airport, in a few days.

I already know I need the #39 bus, but I don’t know if I can pay as I get on, or do I need to purchase ticket in advance.

There are dozens of buses there. The stop is on the edge of a busy road, and buses keep pulling in just as another pulls out.

I already have my question typed into translator, but I notice right away that the drivers are segregated in their own little compartments. I have no way to ask the drivers anything.

Finally, go to a small stand and ask, she calls someone and the answer is I can use a card on the bus. Not a solution and I say so. She then takes me down to the other end of the block, leaving her stand unguarded, to a ticket booth. Yes, I will not have to walk all the way to the airport dragging my luggage.

Click here for images of Grand Maket Russia

As I was planning to return to my room, I decided to try John Lennon street again, it was early enough that I might have success.

I did, of a sort. I returned to the alley and the gate that stopped me was open.

No Beatles, though. Well there was an image of John along with some other artists who died young. There is an anarchist bar behind the gate also.

I still don’t know if I was in the right area, but I did find something interesting.

The artists are: Kenneth Hensely (Uriah Heep), Jim Morrison (the Doors), Mikhail Gorsheniov (Korol i Shut), Sid Vicious (the Sex Pistols), Cliff Burton (Metalica), Yuri Klinskikh (Sektor Gaza), Jimi Hendrix, Ronnie Dio (Black Sabbath and Heaven & Hell), Freddie Mercury (Queen), Elvis Presley, Egor Letov (Grazhdanskaya Oborona), Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), Keith Flint (the Prodigy), Viktor Tsoi (Kino), Chester Bennington (Linkin Park and Stone Temple Pilots), John Lennon (the Beatles).

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.