There's Another Great, And Her Name Is Catherine!

October 2nd, 2016

And after a brief recess of a week, (I got stuck reading Dostoevsky for class, I still am. Crime and Punishment is hilarious!) I have finally managed to update this blog for the time being, and to visit another spectacular location in the Russian Motherland! My travels this week have taken me to the Saint-Petersburg suburb of Pushkin, in which resides Catherine's Palace!

So, after inviting mostly everybody I know, everyone was too busy (or hungover) to accompany me, so I set off on this excursion on my own! After walking down the street, I made it to the railway station that takes me to Pushkin, the Витебский Вокзал (Vitebsky Train Station). It took only a few minutes to arrive, but the wait to get a 46 Ruble ticket was totally not worth it. I stood in a line that took 30 minutes to move, when I had, probably about 15-20 people in front of me. The horror of it! How could I, a person who loves to get to places quickly, be forced to stand in a line that took longer for me to arrive at the register than it did for me to get to Pushkin? Как ужас!

But, after bording the Электричка, I made my way down to Pushkin, and seeing the super confusing platform exit, finally left Царское Село (Tsarskoye Selo, also the former name of the town). I made my way down the street with the help of my trust friend, Google Maps, and just adored the architecture of the area! Upon arriving at the gates, I stood in yet another line for about 15 minutes, only to be told that if I wanted to go into the palace, I had to stand in another line to get inside, and another line to buy a ticket to enter the museum. What is it with Russia and their lines?

Well, after a 45 minute wait outside of the palace, I finally entered, and got my ticket, only to be told by a very rude guard that I had to remove my coat. Why would I want to take it off? I'm wearing it for a reason! So, because of that, I was forced to leave the line, and when I returned, it was full of more tourists! I'm starting to consider myself a citizen of the city, not because I want to feel like I actually belong somewhere, but because I know that Petersburg is my city! Why do I have to leave next summer?

Well, upon entering, you just start to see amazing things! I was awestruck! I have been to Hermitage and the Louvre, but this was just as spectacular! Going through all the rooms, and seeing how life was there, just not paintings was wondrous! Why would I ever want to not live here? I can consider Catherine's Palace my fall destination, Peterhof my summer, and the Winter Palace.... That doesn't need saying which season. And spring you ask? Well, of course, spring will be spent at the Winter Palace!

But, to continue on with my story, there are pictures above, and there will be pictures below. I got yelled out by a Babushka for attempting to photograph the Amber Room, but in order to spite her, I have added one that I found online! For it does not matter! I know I have been, and I don't need my own pictures to prove it! I have tickets (And a video segment briefly showing it). A little bit of History of the Amber Room! It was considered the 8th wonder of the world, until it was lost in World War 2, when the Nazi's invaded, and of course, stole it. How could they steal a room you ask? Well, they acquired a team of specialists to remove it, and took it to Koenigsburg Castle, and placed it there! Needless to say, due to Allied Bombings, or the Nazi's themselves, the Amber Room was lost or destroyed. Legend says that it was actually in the Cellar of the Castle, but.... The Russians tore down the castle. So it's just gone for now.

After leaving the palace, I decided to take a nice stroll through the park. It was calm, relaxing, and of course, full of annoying tourists who kept getting in the way of my taking pictures. I am trying to take a quick photograph, please, stop getting in front of it! Despite their petty annoyances, I had time to reflect on myself, and asses myself as I walked through the park. What did I come up with in the end? Well, that is a secret you will have to as either me, or find out in the future. (Both of which might conclude to absolutely nothing, for what is a human without secrets?)

I fear, that my reading of Dostoevsky has quite affected my blog writing style for the time being, and if that were true, it's quite lovely. Who doesn't love raving on like a madman? I managed to see a lovely palace, walked through a quiet, somber town that reminded me of Huntingdon (Minus the Trump Banners that have popped up. And I do quite miss the person who always drove down Moore Street blasting Sinatra, always made my mornings!). But, now the end of the blog is apparent my friends, and I must reflect on several things. 1. Go to as many museums as I can, especially if they are palaces! (Most of them are) 2. For those of you reading my blog, I thank you very much. I do keep track of the pageviews (I made it remove my own), and it brings me joy that people are looking at it or at least reading it! And 3. Petersburg is amazing, and I'm glad I study in a palace! It grants me certain bragging rights! My mind is a Palace you say? Well, the plae where I sharpen it is a palace, so I can leave my mind there and lose it (only while writing) for a little bit of fun! Thank you for reading! Until next time, when I choose to go somewhere new! (Probably Dostoevsky's house. I heard he serves great tea!)