I'm on the way to Murmansk again. I'm taking a different and shorter route this time. No need to fly via Moscow when I have nothing there to do. Today I'm traveling alone all the way, without my Russian colleague. It's somewhat more difficult, I'll admit, to get from the international terminal to the domestic terminal,by bus, finding the right check-in desk, getting through the security. Some language problems, but I made it, by a mix of English and body language, and the five Russian phrases I know.
Right now I'm in transit in this fabulous city, built by Peter the Great in the 18th century, on the swamps by the Finnish Bay. It was the capital of Russia for 200 years, untill the last Tsar, and his family, were killed by the communists in 1917. The city has been known by several names, Petrograd,Leningrad, and now, St Petersburg. I call it Dostoyevsky City.
The first time I was here was in 1990, at the dawn of the Soviet Empire. I got to see all the major sights; the Winter Palace, St Isaac's Cathedral, the Russian Museum, with the famous paintings by Ilya Repin (Ivan the Terrible Kills his Son, Barge Haulers on the Volga), the Dostoyevsky Museum, and Nevsky Prospect. The latter is the main street, where Raskolnikov was walking in his anguish and pain after killing the money lender (Crime and Punishment).
The Dostoyevsky Museum is in Kuznechny Street. It's in his apartment where he lived, a major part of his life, except when he was in prison in Siberia, or forced to serve as a soldier in the Army. It's the place where he wrote many of his great works. Very interesting to see, for a Dostoyevksy fans, and worth a visit if you come to St Petersburg.
Today I'm only in transit for a couple of hours. My plane to Murmansk is departing in 45 minutes. I hope I get the chance to visit this city again soon. Like Moscow, St Petersburg has changed alot in the last 20 years.
The only remnant of the Soviet era is the airport code, which is still LED, for Leningrad >:)
(It's St Petersburg in the background. I took the picture right before landing at the Pulkova Airport, after fasten seat belt signs were on. Not allowed, but I just switched my camera on for a couple of seconds.)
