The Hermitage, St. Petersburg

Phew!  What a morning!  After a late night out yesterday, gallivanting at the Summer Palace in Tsarskoe Selo (arriving back at the ship at around midnight), we had an early start this morning to tour the Hermitage.  The museum opened early for our cruise ship groups, which was very nice.  This is a picture of the famous Jordan Staircase, resplendent with gilt, granite, and paintings on the walls and ceiling.  We felt very grand ascending it.

We think we saw almost everything there is to see there, although I know that's not true!  We saw Da Vincis, Rembrandts, priceless jewels and ornaments, statues, urns, exquisite mosaics and marquetry woodwork, and some jaw-dropping Imperial gowns that were only preserved because they were used to bundle up priceless art works during World War II to save them from the Germans.

The extras show:  (1)  "The Giant"  the most annoying person on our tour.  He had to be at least 6' 8" tall, and insisted on standing right at the front of every item our guide wanted to show us, completely oblivious to the fact that no one else could see anything.  Last night when we were at the Summer Palace, he pushed in front of me as we were leaving, and then shoved his umbrella under his arm in such a way that he almost put out my left eye!  Needless to say, he is on my list of Least Favourite People.  (2)  We had a minor adventure when we left the Hermitage, footsore and weary.  There was a marathon being run from Tsarskoe Selo to the center of St. Petersburg, so the streets all around the Hermitage were closed to traffic, and our tour bus could not meet us!  We had to walk quite some distance across the Palace Square and through the marathon crowds to find our clever bus driver, who was waiting as close as he could get to the museum.  He was told he could not wait there by the police, so he told them the bus was broken down.  When we finally got to him, sure enough he had the back of the bus opened up, and orange safety triangles arranged around the vehicle.  What a miracle!  As soon as we all boarded, it started right up, and away we went!!!