Russian Entertainment

On our last day in St. Petersburg, two hours before "All Aboard," a local troupe put on a show of Russian Folk dancing and singing. They were headlined as the "St. Petersburg Military Ensemble." It was a great show.

With globalization, more and more of the world is becoming the same. The worst example of this is airports and hotels. Few new airports give an indication of where you are in the world.

Folk music and dance helps to preserve the historical culture. We should support it when we travel, and at home so that our own culture is remembered.

City of Romance

This is a picture of one of the three brides that we saw in St. Petersburg. We were there on a Monday and Tuesday. I was surprised to see that many weddings during the week. Most weddings in Canada occur on weekends.

My wife and I celebrated our 2oth Anniversary the day after I took this picture. My sister-in-law and her husband celebrated their 25th Anniversay on the cruise. A cruise is a great way to enjoy such a special occasion.

All of the brides that we saw wore wedding dresses that I would consider western in style. I wonder if this would be typical throughout Russia or only in the European section.

St Peter and Paul Fortress

This is a picture of the church inside the St Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg. It is a lovely building. Inside are the tombs of the rulers of Imperial Russia, from Peter I to Alexander III.

The fortress was built by Peter the Great in the early 18th century to protect his new capital city. It served as a military garrison and prison from the time it was built until the Russian Revolution.

I enjoyed the visit to the Fortress. Inside the cathedral was crowded, but outside there is lots of room to stretch your legs and take pictures. There is also a small gift shop where my son bought a Russian Army hat.