St Petersburg!! 27th of August- 2 of september 2008

A city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city's other names were Petrograd (Петрогра́д, 1914–1924) and Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991). It is often called just Petersburg (Петербу́рг) and is informally known as Peter (Пи́тер).

Founded by Tsar Peter I of Russia on 27 May, 1703, it was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years (1713–1728, 1732–1918). Saint Petersburg ceased being the capital in 1918 after the Russian Revolution of 1917. It is Russia's second largest and Europe's fourth largest city (by city limit) after Moscow, London and Paris^. The city has 4.6 million inhabitants, and over 6 million people live in its vicinity. Saint Petersburg is a major European cultural center, and an important Russian port on the Baltic Sea.

Saint Petersburg is often described as the most Western city of Russia. Among cities of the world with over one million people, Saint Petersburg is the northernmost. The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Russia's political and cultural center for 200 years, the city is sometimes referred to in Russia as the northern capital. A large number of foreign consulates, international corporations, banks and other businesses are located in Saint Petersburg.

My trip:

I arrived In St Pet on the 27th of August, in the evening, by bus from Helsinki.
I had no pb at the border... Ouf!!
The trip by bus (russian bus, much cheaper, only 15 euros!! the finish buses are 60 euros!) was funny, the bus stop in some different shops along the way where the russian guys were buying lots of things...
As the accomodations are quite expensive in Russia, especially in Moscow and St Ptersburg, I couch surfed in St Pet. I had met a Austrian guy, Bernhard, through couchsurfing.com, and as I arrived in St pet, I called him , and went to his appartment. Bernhard is a very cool guy, I directly felt home as he told me "mi casa es tu casa " Nikel! He gave me the keys of the flat!!
Then after a quick dinner, Bernhard took me to some bars to meet some of his friends!!! Cool no?? Great actally. He left early , telling me he had to work the next day and telling me to stay and enjoy St Petersburg night life!!! I partied  a lot and Olga, a friend of his took me back to his house... That was brilliant!!!

The next day, the weather was shit so I stayed in the flat in the morning, and washed it... As some other couch surfers left the day before, I thought Bernhard was really really cool, and that  he would be happy to find it clean when he would come back from work at night... I also read what to do in St Pet, and went for a walk in the city in the afternoon...
That's what I saw:
 
I first walked by the river, and into  a nice park
A statue in the summer garden, if anybody knows who it is, please say it in the comments!!

The monument to the unknown soldiers
The view over the Neva river. That is the most powerfull fountain I have never seen, the water was sent to above 30m!! Inpressive!!   
Patricia Kass!!!!! Je ne savais pas en arrivant qu'elle etait si populaire en Russie
The Russian speed boat on the Neva river... It is not floating.. It is Flying!!!!!!!!!!
A nice old boat on the Neva.


Alexander the First, the great!!! The founder of St Petersburg!
Palace Square with the Alexander Column
In the appartment of Bernhard (on the Left), with Julien et Pauline, 2 other french couch surfers that arrived that day at night!
The next day, the 29th, I first went to register myself at the official bureau for that... That's another thing you have to do when you enter the country... And it is costly.(500 roubles, 15uros).
Then Julien, Pauline and I went to visit the Peter and Paul Fortress. The picture above shows it, it is taken  from the other side of the Neva.
It was the first part of city built by Peter the great, Strategically situated along the neva river to control its passage.
The entrance to the fortress, from the river side.
The forbiden things to do in the fortress... The list it is long, and not understandable!!
The Peter and Paul cathedral. Saint Petersburg has no skyscrapers and a relatively low skyline as regulations forbade construction of buildings higher than the bell tower of the Cathedral!! The 122.5 m Peter and Paul Cathedral is then the highest building.

Inside the cathedral, where the tsars were buried since Peter the great....

The southern side of the neva, seen from the fortress. You can see the winter palace, that houses the Hermitage museum, one of the 3 biggest museums in the world, with the Metropiltan museum in New York , and the Louvre in Paris.
A photo of Youri Gagarine, in the museum of aerospace in the fortress. 
The Gaby , happy,  in front the Church of the Savior on Blood. :)

That night, The foot ball club of St petersburg won the champions league!!! I did not watch the match, but of course we went partying... It was crazy , In the streets the people were shouting , crying, singing, drinking, laughting, dancing .... It's been a great night...

The next day, saturday the30th was harder....