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Good evening!

I thought I'd provide everyone with a small update on the goings-on in Питер.

It's been hot. And humid. I know I don't have much room to complain since it's scorching on the East coast, but with no air conditioning, and very few fan-like devices in buildings...let's just say the heat takes its toll. From what I've read on the weather channel, I think today was supposed to be the last day in the 80s. For the next week or so it says we're supposed to have temperatures in the mid to low 70s with plenty of rain (in true St. Petersburg form). Oh, weather channel website, please don't be lying to me!

Last Wednesday, our group went to the Nabokov estate which is around an hour outside the city. (For those of you who are unaware of Nabokov - he is the author of Lolita). Ironically enough, the weekend before, my tutor and I meandered over to the apartment in which Nabokov was born and raised. He lived here until he was about 18 when his family was forced to leave the country during the October Revolution (his father was a member of the Provisional Government). Nabokov never returned to Russia - he inherited this estate right before his family fled Russia so he never truly got to own & enjoy it. Sad. The house was beautiful. We took a tour of it and I was particularly impressed when we got to go up to the very top and look out at the landscape. There was Russia, as far as the eye could see. As the Russians would most likely tell you, Moscow and St. Petersburg aren't really Russia. The real Russia is outside the cities, and that's what it felt like I was seeing. I wish I had an opportunity to see more of that, but that makes a return trip even more appealing. (Yes, I'm already planning my return for some vague date in the future).

Then, this weekend, my tutor and I took a journey (it felt like one in the heat) to the Pavlovsk park & palace. It was gorgeous. After living in the center of the city for a month (which I love, don't get me wrong), seeing trees and smelling fresh air was a much welcome experience. I just adore those Russian birches! And the water...it was so peaceful. We walked around for a bit, took a tour of the palace, visited the museum of costumes (outfits of the tsars and empresses, very cool), and then went into a small exhibit of artistic photographs of the park. In the middle of the room where these photographs were being held, there was a group of Russian women doing crafts. We were invited to sit down and make a flower from essentially wire, tissue paper, and glue. I normally consider myself pretty atrocious at all things artistic (even small things), but this was great fun! My tutor and I both made one - hers red, mine purple. I've come to understand that it's the small experiences here in Russia that will ultimately be the most memorable.

After we rode the bus back, we walked to the Metro, and on the way we ran into another Lenin statue! It is now a running joke amongst my American peers just how much I love Lenin. It's true. And I have made it a (lofty) personal goal to photograph as many things relating to Lenin as possible. These are the things that are important to me, haha! Some people love art, literature, and the finer things in life. I love Lenin. (Did I mention I purchased a pin with his face on it at the Political History Museum? If not, shame on me.) Next stop in pursuing my goal...Smolny!

Tomorrow, we're going to the Piskariovskoye Memorial Cemetery - the location of a mass grave during the Siege of Leningrad. About 500,000 thousand people were "buried" here. It is going to be a sobering experience. Sometimes, walking around the city, I forget that wars have been fought here. I forget how much history is here under my feet. It's good to be reminded.

Monday and Wednesday of next week, I'm going to see two different ballets! How lucky am I?

Well, that's all the news I have for today...this weekend I plan on museum hopping and maybe going to the Yusopov Palace where Rasputin's murder was attempted...in several ways. If you're curious, google it.

Пока!

Оливия

Lenin Statue, part 2!

Entrance to Pavlovsk!

Pavlovsk Palace

Statue of Paul I - Pavlovsk was created by him and his wife lived here after his death.

View of a church from the top of the Nabokov estate

Another view from the top

Extra Pictures

The Aurora

Finland Station

Fountains outside Finland Station. The Russians were playing in said fountains. It was hot.

The Lenin Statue!

Oh, and me experiencing a particular kind of joy that only comes upon the sight of things relating to Lenin.

Heat wave

Good afternoon!

I'm pleased to report that I am (finally) feeling better! I still have a bit of a cough, but overall I think I can declare my sickness gone.

And it's a good thing too because time is passing at an unbelievable pace. When we first got here, 9 weeks felt like a lifetime to be away from home. But it has now been over 3 weeks since we got here, and I can barely believe it. Keeping busy certainly has that effect on time.

So, what have I been up to? Quite a bit, actually. Last weekend we went to visit the Hermitage on Saturday which was overwhelming to say the least. The Winter Palace is stunning. I think the thing that excited me most about the whole trip was just being in the palace and knowing how much history was there. Of course I didn't get to see everything, but the pieces that I did get to see were really interesting. I particularly liked the old furniture and decorations that were actually in the palace when the tsars resided there. And of course I liked all the paintings of the tsars, empresses, and other members of the royal family. I know them all by face now, which I don't know whether to be proud of or embarrassed by... (I've come to the awkward conclusion that I'm a Russian history junkie...more so, it seems, than anyone else on the program. I stick out, haha!) I'm planning to make another trip back to the Hermitage before the end of the program. I didn't take any pictures of the interior, so I'll do that during my second trip.

On Sunday, my tutor and I returned to the Peter and Paul Fortress, but this time we went into the cathedral and also the prison. This was unbelievably fun. I have grown a great appreciation for the Fortress - It's beautiful and so peaceful since it's right on the water. After we were done there, we walked around for some time and when to see Michael's Palace, built by Paul I. It's currently a branch of the Russian Museum. We didn't go inside, but we did walk in the courtyard and saw a small statue of Paul.

This Wednesday there was an excursion that I wasn't particularly drawn to, so I decided to skip it in order to go do something I had been desperately wanting to do : go through the Museum of Political History! The building where the museum is was once the mansion of the prima ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya, who was the mistress of Nicholas II before he married Alexandra. The mansion was also important in the revolution: Lenin had an office there and gave speeches off the balcony attached to his office. Everything was fascinating beyond fascinating and yes, I plan on going back.

Yesterday, I went with a friend to see the Cruiser Aurora. This ship was used during the Russo-Japanese War, and was also important in the October Revolution. Shots were fired from the ship that functioned as a signal for the Bolsheviks to force out the Provisional Government. It was so important to the Soviets that they SUNK it during World War II to protect it from damage. They obviously surfaced it at some point, because I saw it with my own two eyes! We weren't allowed to get on (we assumed as much from the chains and a Russian military man guarding the entrance). That was a little bit disappointing. Afterwards, we walked in the direction of Finland Station where there is a huge statue of Lenin. There were also a dozen of huge fountains that felt amazing in the blazing heat. After we got back from Finland Station, I learned that within the station you can see the train car on which Lenin returned to Russia from exile. I was annoyed that I didn't know about this, but I'll just have to make the trip back and see it!

Next weekend I'm going out sightseeing, the weekend after that I think we're planning on going to Peterhof which is so exciting! If you don't know what Peterhof is, google it immediately. You won't be sorry!

I must be going for now, homework and a meeting with my tutor await!

-Olive

 Michael's Palace

Courtyard of Michael's

 Statue of Paul I

Inside the Peter and Paul Cathedral

 Where the royal family used to stand in Peter and Paul Cathedral during funeral processions

Tomb of Nicholas I (These are just markers - the bodies are buried at these locations, but under the church)

Painting of Lenin giving a speech from the balcony

THE balcony!!!

Portrait of Nicholas II that used to hang in the Winter Palace. After the storming of the Winter Palace, men took bayonets to it and slashed it.