Russia

Location Description

Sub-locations

114 photos

Alison and some girl whose name I totally forget.
On my first "night" in St. Petersburg, I got taken on a...
Some of my new Russian friends.
John and Alison on a row boat.
This thing looks pretty safe... why not take a ride? ...
Sand castles/sculptures are apparently big in this town....
Alison took me to see Swan Lake my second night in town....
It only gets dark for a few hours at night. I think...
The Hermitage. As Trevor said, this place really puts...
One of the ridiculously ornate palace halls inside the...
A view of the second floor and ceiling.
I think this painting was on the cover of my Gender...
And I'm pretty sure this one is sort of famous too.
And this was on the opposite wall.
While a poor picture of it, this 18-th century sleigh...
I came across some older men playing the Russian version...
The eternal flame for the unknown soldier, with the...
Church on the Site of Spilled Blood. My favorite church by far.
Self-photograph portrait... heading out the door on the...
Alison, getting cozy in our cabin which we will reside...
John, relaxing in our train cabin.
Train cabin, day 2.
John, at the north pole. One interesting anecdote from...
John standing on fragile alpine tundra. Defender of the...
When communism ended, I suppose some communities...
Defender of the Soviet North!
The scenery was actually quite pretty here. Low green...
Guess which building the communists didn't build.
Alison in front of her favorite statue.
This thing was large.
Eternal flame in Murmansk. Note the size and number of...
Self portrait. Yes, it was cold here, even in August.
John and the Defender of the Soviet North.
Ship graveyard!
Ship graveyard again! (Yes, this was marked on the...
Pretty wildflowers and boats that don't work anymore.
Next stop was the coal depot. Up next: phosphate depot!
Phosphate depot!!11! Catherine, what sort of cranes are these?
Ok, so I guess I lied. Someone here must speak English.
Our hotel room at the nicest place in town. Cost: ~$30....
This was an odd office to find inside our hotel.
Close up.
This is the closest we came to seeing either a polar...
Murmansk main train station.
28-hour train ride back. Hour: 1. Mood: content.
28-hour train ride back. Hour: 1. Mood: content.
28-hour train ride back. Hour: 3. Mood: still feeling...
28-hour train ride back. Hour: 10. Mood: We still have...
Our less-than-salubrious powder room on the train which...
Victory! Back in Petersburg.
Why go home and change when you can continue to walk...
I missed out on 4th of July fireworks this year (as of...
The Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg, across from St....
Alison's Russian language tutor Anastasia wearing a hat...
Alison in aforementioned Chinese hat.
The subways in this town are very very deep. I couldn't...
John in front of the Russian History Museum.
Alison in front of the Russian History Museum.
Alison studying some artwork.
I thought this portrait of Catherine II (I think) was...
Detail of portrait.
I found the realism frightening. Alison and I both...
I just like this figurine.
I was not aware that the Russian Orthodox gravesite...
I think half the reason it takes so long to walk around...
St. Petersburg definitely had a Venetian feel to it, in places.
The church steeple of Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral...
This statue of Peter the Great was installed in the...
Swimming in the Neva river. Not sure I would have done this.
The Peter and Paul fotress now hosts many concerts and...
Another sand sculpture. The theme of this sculpture...
Another sand sculpture.
Another sand sculpture.
A somewhat surreal sand sculpture.
Detail of sand sculpture.
Detail.
View of the Neva (the main river running through St. Petersburg).
This is one of the reasons why I wouldn't swim in the Neva.
The church in Alison's neighborhood (Dostoevskaya).
Alison's entry way. You might have needed to spiffy...
Me and Alison's roommate Misha.
Alison in outside the Moskovsky Vokzal (Moscow train station).
At night, the bridges in St. Petersburg all go up in...
Another pretty picture of the bridge.
Evidence of bombing on the side of the Church on the...
Mosaic interior of the Church on the Site of Spilled Blood.
I think this phrase is so cute in Russian: "Sushi bar"
A chandelier that looks like it is made out of gilded...
Heh, I thought this was cute. Easy words to practice...
My train after arriving in Moscow at 6:00 am.
So this was a real kick in the groin. After being woken...
More fun Cyrillic translation exercises. So after...
Check out what's on the menu. McBlini!!
The State History Museum comes into view on my early...
Red Square: Left. Kremlin: right.
State History Museum.
St. Basil's and the Kremlin bell tower. You normally...
The Kremlin bell tower.
Stray dogs are quite populous in Russia. Not sure why. ...
I didn't bother to read the plaque on this statue since...
The GUM shopping center for the noveau riche on Red...
Taking ridiculousness to a new level. Sprayable misting...
A cute little church on a corner of Red Square.
Some foutains outside the vast underground shopping...
Ethernal flame. Moscow. I witnessed a bride dropping...
Standing in line to get into the Kremlin. I also paid...
Walking up to the gate of the Kremlin.
The game "Guess Which Buildings the Communists Built?"...
Large ceremonial cannon. Never actually fired. Note...
Gardens in the Kremlin.
Ivan the Terrible Bell Tower in the Kremlin. ...
The Moskva river, as viewed from over one of the walls...
A pretty top to one of the churches in the Kremlin.
Putin's office. Sort of like the White House for...