We arrived this morning to yet anor beautiful day. We have
indeed been fortunate. We are staying here 2 days so have booked two tours,
today we have a tour booked for 1.00pm to the Faberge museum.
The requirements for immigration for this port are different
to most other ports. Each person has to
have a face to face with passport and tour ticket attached. You can of course obtain a Visa for here but
really for two days you would not. The
places we visit require one to be on a tour in any event. I have to say the pass thru immigration was
extremely efficient bearing in mind these are huge ports the day we docked
there were five ships in this would be roughly 15,000 passengers they do an
amazing job really the whole process is organised to the minute. You have your face to face the tour bus and
your guide is waiting for you. Our guide
today was Catherine a very appropriate name for this city. She was a delight. We were only a small group 14 I think so small
bus easy for the driver to get us in and out of places everything is timed to
the minute. We had left quickly so Catherine
took us on a very lovely tour of the city showing us as many sights as possible
before our time to enter the museum.
I am sure everyone
knows Faberge. He became the Jeweller to
the Royal Family Tsar
Nicholas I. He began
making the Easter Eggs for his wife Empress Alexandra. After
he passed away Tsar Nicholas II who married a German
Princess in 1897 continued having the eggs made for her and his mother. After he and his family were murdered by the
Russians in 1917 and the Grand
Palace Moscow
and some in private hands. The 9 eggs
mentioned here eventually came to the ownership of a chap named Forbes but have
been purchased by a Russian oil billionaire and he has had the Shuvalovsky
Palace renovated and they are now on display there along with much of Faberge’s
other work. There are no words really to
describe any of this to be quite honest.
Faberge passed away in 1920 of a broken heart and penniless. Even his company name was sold
illegally. Very said end for him as
well. I am very surprised there was such
a small group of us but having said that it was efficient one could see these
perfect pieces so close not something one could ever imagine. I have to say the Russian oil billionaire who
has made this possible for mere mortals to see what a gift for us all.
On our second day after face to face again with Immigration
very efficient I must say again we were met by our gorgeous guide Daria there
were 44 of us this time she was assisted by Natasha to keep us on best
behaviour for our visit to The Hermitage Museum which was the Winter Palace of
the Imperial Family. Again to be seen to
believed there are over 3 million art treasures here. Many many tour groups but efficient timed
entry etc. All I can say is thank
goodness for Natasha who kept us in line to help Daria else we may not have
ever been seen again.
Daria is an Arts student and very clever and knowledgeable
as are all the guides on these tours.
All the above to be stored in ones mind.
Lots of not proper sentences here but proper sentences are
the last thing on ones mind after having seen what we have seen the last two
days. There were many other tours seeing
many more amazing things.
Sam said I know St Petersburg
being modelled on Venice is called the Venice of the north but he thinks Venice
should be called the St Petersburg
of the South. He thinks that St Petersburg is the most
beautiful city he has ever seen.
I will post these today and continue on with the next places
and post later. I cannot do justice of
any of it really suffice to say all beyond ones imagination. Sabine and Sam xx
Great to hear all is good. Are you having "White Nights"?
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