it's been a couple of months since i left st. petersburg, and i'm still in awe of the splendor i witnessed in just two days. on day one of the russia leg of our trip, we visited the famed hermitage museum. composed of six different buildings, we walked through the four open to the public - the winter palace - former imperial residence and home of the largest collection of paintings in the world. after hours spent consuming more masterpieces than one can take in one day, we took a short break to shop for souvenirs and to view more architecture and history on foot. we ended the day with a canal cruise of the wonderous waterways connecting this beautiful city, surrounded by a surreal view of the baroque and neoclassical buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries. the history permeating from every corner of this city is something i will never forget. i describe my experience in st. peterburg as "the best classes in college come to life" and i can't wait to return.
the hermitage
souvenir shopping! which ones don't belong?
church of the savior on spilled blood
canal cruisin'
