St. Petersburg: Thursday, Sep 27

 

    What a marvellous way to end the trip!  In the morning we took the bus to Tsarsko Selso and toured the Catherine Palace, which is absolutely mind-blowing --  lots of gold and mirrors, high ceilings, endless corridors, inlaid floors, silk, ebony and every kind of art. 

The walk through the gardens gave us another welcome taste of fall.  The sunlight through the golden leaves was magnificent.  It’s gorgeous, but so over-the-top we all agreed that no one would blame the common folk for staging a revolution. 

In the afternoon we returned to the city centre where we first visited the interior of St. Isaac’s Cathedral.  This was a most unusual Russian church.  The icons were all mosaic, rather than painted wood.  The Royal Gate between the nave and altar was very wide and made of open ironwork.  Behind the altar was a huge, beautiful stained glass window of Christ.  The interior is marble veneer and many paintings.  In the highest steeple we could see a dove floating. 

From there we continued to the Peter & Paul Fortress for a visit to St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral.  

 This is where all the Romanoffs are entombed, for the most part in white Carrera marble.  The church itself is unusual in that it doesn’t seem to be square like other Russian orthodox churches.  It also has much larger windows than most and so is naturally brighter.  A small chapel in the back of the church has memorial plaques for the last emperor, Nicholas III and his wife and family ( except Anastasia and Alexei whose remains have not been identified ).  They were reburied under the chapel, with great ceremony, in 1996.  It’s very touching. 

Back at the ship, we gathered for last “hall party” and presented Cathy with a gift for arranging this wonderful trip.  At dinner we wished our terrific waiter, Andrey, a sad farewell, and then sang “Go Now in Peace”.  We were joined by several other people in singing it.  Then everything broke into general revelry before we retired to our cabins to finish packing for the trip home.

Photos 27 Sep St. Petersburg