New Years Day

Маша says that we made a mistake.  We should not have come to Peters in the night, better to have come in June when it is daytime.  The day time is very short here.  We missed it on new years day.  After staying up late, buy the time we got ready to go, it was already dark out.  So you might notice many night photos.

We have tickets to a couple of shows at the Mariinsky theater.  We tried to get them on new years day.  We must go to a booth and give them the conformation number to get the tickets.  We walked to this place, and it was closed.  On the way there we came across the Kazansky Cathedral.  It is a wondrous Russian Orthodox Cathedral.  From the outside it looks like a relic, something very old, and in a roman like style.  We saw people coming in and out of it so we went inside.  The inside was very much alive.  We walked around looking at the many paintings and statues, and then a service started.  It reminded me of Johns wedding a little, there were some strong similarity's.  One things that I like about the Orthodox church is how the priest stands facing the alter with the people.  In this Cathedral, an area was sectioned off, and the priest was literally among the people.  I could not take any pictures inside, there were some signs saying no photography, and it was a service an all.  I thought it was interesting, and maybe Rachel could enlighten me, but they had 3 gates.  One was small and not very 

fancy, One was very large and grand and in the center, it was the gate that the service was in front of when we were there.  The last was very ornate, but not so large.  I'm sure there is a meaning for each.  The structure of the building is very interesting.  From the outside it looks like a large crescent shape, like a young moon.  But inside the space open to use was in the shape of a cross.  After we finished exploring it we went on to where tickets could be picked up.  When we got there it was closed.  A woman there told us to go to the theater, it would be open.

For the record and to be perfectly clear, yes, Steve has been to the Kazansky Cathedral.

We walked a long way along this canal, to get to the theater.  It was very beautiful, but also very cold.  We had a few funny run ins with drunks.  We were taking a picture and a drunk man started peeing into the canal.  Further down, a drunk crossing a bridge that we were taking a photo on, stopped and offered to take out picture.  Маша ignored him since I don't understand Russian I did the same.  She took my picture, and with night photos some times they are a little blurry so you must try again.  The drunk was kneeling under to not be in the photo and standing just to the side, so his shoulder and parts of him are in a few pictures.  He was being silly and was quite funny.  He was chatting to us the hole time, rattling on in Russian.  Finally I told him in Russian "I'm sorry, I do not speak Russian", and he said to me in Russian "What, you do not speak Russian?" he then turned to Маша and said "What is he, Italian?".  It was funny, and we continued on our way leaving the drunk man on the bridge.

We walked along this canal for some time, and then we finally made it the the theater, and it was closed.

There are many monuments to great composers, and streets named for them.  There is clearly a love of great music here, and a deep respect for its creators.

Маша Attacks the conservatory.

This is a very wondrous city with many sights and interesting things.  We came across this palace randomly.  It was just on the way home.  Such grand entryways, are not uncommon here.  It really is an interesting city to see.