Peter the Great’s Throne

Our boat trip included a tour of St. Petersburg. We took it and we are glad we did. The highlight was the Hermatage. We never made it to the main part of the museum because of the very long lines. But the tour group took is right in. Right off the start, the main staircase was incredible. Of course, it was used only for official functions. But it still looks amazing.

Peacock Clock

The tour went around the rooms of the main floor, which contain some of the most important exhibits. Here’s a picture of the Peacock Clock. Once an hour, various parts of this clock moved in the most incredible ways. They claim the clock works perfectly. If you want to see this peacock strut its stuff, there are plenty of YouTube videos. Just search for “Peacock Clock”. Don’t worry about what language you get. The clock doesn’t need words to make it more interesting.

Church of the Spilled Blood

We had time to see several other things we hadn’t seen already. Here’s a shot of the Church of the Spilled Blood.

Russian Wedding Party

One of the interesting things we saw was bridal parties taking pictures. In Russia, couples usually get married on Saturday by going to the marriage office and signing papers. Then the newlyweds run around town getting their pictures taken in places with great views, while the parents and guests start the reception party. The happy couple shows up at the reception in time to have dinner. Then it’s off to their new lives together.