Thursday, May 16, 2013

ST PETERSBURG DAY 2, CANAL BOAT RIDE


After returning to the hotel, many of us headed out for more activity, realizing how limited our free time would be.  An absolute must, according to friends who had visited St. Petersburg, is a canal ride.  Our intrepid band of 7 made our way to the "horse bridge" as we called it, but found that all the English tours had left.  After some discussion, and a bit of a wait, we went out anyway.  We had our boat ride, and we saw the canals and even a bit of the Neva River, but we learned absolutely nothing, since the entire narration was in Russian. It was after 8 PM -- note the sun is still up -- and cooling off.  Delightful!
















This is the church we had visited on our first day, seen  from the canal.



The old and new Mariinsky Theaters are across the canal from each other.  









We didn't realize it at the time, but this is one of the buildings of the Hermitage.



Under the bridge and out onto the Neva River, with a view of the spire at Peter and Paul Fortress.








 And back into the canals. 



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