St. Petersburg Journals

Quote: In Spring 2006, we travelled by train from St. Petersburg to Shanghai by way of the Trans-Siberian from Moscow to Irkutsk and the Trans-Mongolian from Irkutsk to Beijing. Despite the lengthy journey time and border crossings, we settled into the pace of train travel with relative ease.

Quote: A trip to St. Petersburg deserves a week at the very least. Sadly, we only had three days but staying at a homestay apartment near the Peter and Paul Fortress we visited some of the main historical attractions in one of Russia’s most majestic cities.

Quote: I travel a lot in Russia since I came here studying in 1999.

Quote: Peter the Great envisioned St. Petersburg as a reflection of the great European cities and the primary Russian shipping port via the Baltic Sea. While Petersburg is equal in prominence to Moscow, its European-influenced architecture makes it less Russian than the country's capital.

Quote: Venetian-style water canals, Russian church architecture, world famous museums, splendid imperial palaces, opera and ballet theatres and parks adorned with outstanding fountains distinguish St.Petersburg from other big European cities. Charming white summer nights, huge bridges spanning the Neva and majestic boulevards complete the picture.

Quote: St. Petersburg has celebrated its 300th birthday and never looked better! The Venice of the North boasts world class restaurants, great hotels, a vibrant night life and more music, art, and culture than anywhere else on the globe.

Quote: In January 0f 2002, I ventured to St. Petersburg, Russia, for the trip of a lifetime. I was lucky enough to visit most of the major sites and enjoy an unusal thaw in the weather.

Quote: Ilya Repin (1844-1930) “was and is Russia’s foremost national artist”, and we go to his summer-house, that is called "dacha" in Russian

Quote: In August of 2002 I journeyed across the world to Russia. I found myself in St. Petersburg as a side excusion from Moscow.

Quote: St. Petersburg, formerly Leningrad, was founded & constructed by Peter the Great. The city was his creation & in it he revealed himself w/ exceptional clarity as a distinctively Russian genius, capable of great vision. St. Petersburg is a result of his creativity, truly a work of art. I've included in this journal a comprehensive overview of top popular sites & little known treasures wrapped up in 17 journal entries & 22 photographs. Russia is rich w/ history. If you want to immerse yourself in Russian history, as I have, I recommend "The History of Russia" by Nicholas V. Riasanovsky. In addition, "Pushkin Threefold" by Walter Arndt has wonderfully translated works by Aleksandr S. Pushkin. Happy reading! :)