Rivaling Disneyland For My Affection

This Saturday made up for all the not-fun-times I have had teaching. We went to the Winter Palace, also known as the Hermitage, and I almost wet my pants. (That could have been because it was freezing outside and Russians are apparently anti-public bathrooms.) Really though, I have never seen anything so beautiful in my entire life. The detail, colors, and artwork are truly unbelievable. The only problem is that it is so big and so magnificent you can't enjoy everything you want to! Our guide told us that if you were to spend 30 seconds at each exhibit for 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, it would take you nearly 7 years to go through the entire museum.  I was so distracted at how beautiful the buildings were though I didn't even appreciate the awesomeness of the exhibits! I can not wait to go back for another trip.

You have to pay for a special ticket to take pictures inside, and since we were being so touristy on Saturday I decided I would go back again when I would have time to myself to take all the pictures I wanted to. Luckily for us, we have special international student cards that allow us to go as many times as we want for free. This I think will become my new Sunday afternoon activity!


I have a few pictures of the outside for you to enjoy, as well as some from the walk there. As soon as I have some of the inside I will post those too! I want everyone to come to St. Petersburg now just to go to the Hermitage. I love it that much. I was going to give some more history, but I will wait until I have some better pictures to accompany it. (Ease the boringness.) Hope everyone is well!

On the way to the Hermitage...excellent build up.

A little theater we passed by. The buildings were getting more and more pretty along the way.

Our first peak!!!

In full glory...

More glory.

A little more detail for you. Note the small individuals walking by...not in fact midgets. Just seriously that big.