Elbrus Expedition Dispatch
June 26, 2014 – Dan Tom and Wally Arrive in St Petersburg
After months of planning and dreaming, were are here: Leningrad, a scene of some of the most compelling stories of the survival and triumph known. We are very interested in The Siege; the 900 days when the city was blocked and bombarded by Nazi troops who were quite literally at the doorstep.
Later, after resting a bit at our hotel, which is located right on Nvesky Prospekt, we wondered the still-light nighttime streets at 60 degrees north.
The Gormley Boys in St. Petersburg
Tom, Dan, our driver and our St. Petersburg tour guide Lina at the airport
Victory Park, a monument to survivors of the Siege was completed during Soviet times, in 1975.
This obelisk was built for the workers and the soldiers.
Dan, Tom and Lina enter the victory museum.
One of the most interesting most interesting displays in the museum. This violin was used to perform Dmirty Shostakovieh’s Seventh Symphony. Which was performed in defiance as the bombs fell in 1941 and was recorded and played by radio throughout the siege.
Dan and Tom as we leave victory square.
Later we walked around our hotel. We saw the Church of Spilled Blood with it’s classic “onion dome styling” like St Basils in Moscow.
The best street for late night walking in the world: the Nvesky Prospekt.
Dome of Kazan Cathedral at 11:45 pm
Entering palace square past Alexander monument
Winter Palace
The General Staff Building
The Admiralty
Finally the sun was this low – after 12;30 am the view is of the Rostral columns across the Neva River.