Russia Pics, Part 3

     Happy Tuesday, Peeps.  Which reminds me ..... tomorrow is Wednesday ..... which means we're back with "Ask Me Wednesday".  So ask away.  I figured some of you may have questions about Russia ..... if so, I'll do my best.  If not ..... ask me about anything .... I'll still do my best.  :)

     So I went to my regular Dr. yesterday about my hip.  We ruled out blood clots .... thankfully.  I'm having an MRI tomorrow to see if anything else is going on.  I'm still not sure if it was just the trip (I totally believe Russia could do something like this!), or if there's a problem.

She also put me on stronger pain meds, but they seem to knock me out so I'm not keen on using them unless the hip is screaming so loud I want to cut it off (which has happened).  

So tomorrow afternoon .... back to the medical center I go.  

Yee.  Haw.

     The big bummer is that I was supposed to leave today for a "girls' trip" to Austin with a bunch of friends.  But I knew that my hip would not stand for a 3 hour car ride today.  It has taken over my life and I'm really starting to resent it.  

Maybe I can sell it on ebay?

     So .... here are more pics.  Some from Moscow and then some from our trip to Petersburg.  There are more Petersburg pics to come.  Hope you liked the thrilling Cat Circus video!!!

This is a park in Moscow.  Not far from the statue park (also not far from the Mafia boat):

     I'm not sure if this is from a museum in Moscow, or if it's from the Hermitage in Petersburg. But I liked the statues on the building:

     This is a store window in Moscow that we passed every single day.  I found it to be quite ironic ..... both in its color and its message:

     These were some guys at the Kremlin, I think.  Or maybe the Hermitage.  Either way ... they didn't charge for a picture:

     This is D1 on our king-sized bed in Petersburg!!!  Too amazing for words!!  Not too many of those beds in all of Russia!
     These are of the hotel room in Petersburg:

     View from one of the many bridges in Petersburg (over 60 canals and rivers).  Peter the Great built the city on a marsh, because he liked Venice so much.  Which means it has the same problem as Venice .... it's sinking.  Some people do NOT think ahead:

     This is a pic of the Hermitage ..... or us approaching it.  It's a huge collection of castles/museums (several buildings):

     This is outside the main building there .... in line to get in:

     This is the "throne room" ..... the room dwarfed the throne:

The following pics are in the Hermitage:

     This is the line waiting to get in (where several rude people cut .... a normal thing in Russia):

     Great artwork there:

    Somewhere in Petersburg:

     A park where we sat and rested:

     Now THESE people charged for pictures .... which is why I took one from a distance.  :)

       This is from a chocolate museum in Petersburg.  We didn't go to this one (which I think was more of a cafe than a museum):

     This was one of the free breakfasts at our hotel.  Breakfast was huge .... way too much food, which was a big surprise:

     This is inside one of the cathedrals in Petersburg ..... very much like many cathedrals .... lots of icons on the walls:

     Another canal:

      This is Catherine the Great, from another museum.  Needless to say, she did not appear to be the same small-waisted person that she was at the age of 16 (much to her relief, I'm sure!):

     More museum/castle shots:

     I took a picture of the doors to remind me to tell you about Russian doors.  They are heavier than any doors I've ever seen.  Everywhere .... stores, restaurants, museums ... everywhere.  They were heavy and they slammed shut very, very hard.  It was a bit frightening.  I'm wondering how many small Russian children/people are killed every year by slamming, heavy doors?

     A park outside the Hermitage.  It reminded me of Central Park:

     Pics from our boat tour in Petersburg:

     OK, that's it for today.  I hope you're enjoying the pics.

Don't forget ...... ask some questions!!!!

And have a good Tuesday evening.