Mrs Tull's Letters About St Petersburg

Эти письма были написаны английской учительницей Миссис Талл, другом нашего клуба английского языка, в марте 2003 года, накануне трёхсотлетнего юбилея Санкт-Петербурга.

A few impressions of St. Petersburg by an English person

Dear Valya,

Well! St Petersburg is amazing! I had a very strong impression of an enormous beehive, full of people working to get the place ready on time for the big celbrations in the summer. The city was like a cross between a glorious work of art and a building site. Everywhere we went there were people cleaning bridges, ready for painting (magnificent iron work) cleaning, painting and repairing the palaces, digging up old roads and pavements, and me and Jenny scurrying along, dodging pot holes and electric cables, and constantly digging each other in the ribs and saying 'Look at that' and 'Isn't that wonderful'

The hotel we stayed in was very comfortable, and very hot. We had a wonderful view over the Neva, in fact we looked out on to the cruiser Aurora. I have never in my life seen pack ice on a river, and neither had Jenny. It had mostly gone by Friday, when we left, so it was truly a once in

a lifetime experience to see that. The weather was fine and dry, but cold (by English standards) and we were glad of our scarves, hats and gloves. The moment one stepped from the sun into the shade, then it was very cold. The wind blowing across the river was cold also.

I will send this letter now, and try to write more this evenig. I thought I would just jot this down, and add more detailed impressions later. Of course, I have lots to do now I am back, and had better hurry to get going.

Best wishes.

Sue

The Hermitage and other extraordinary places

Dear Valya,

I hope you have now received the smiley e mail and have enjoyed it. I would like to think you can forward it to the school computer for the benefit of the English Club, and tell the students it comes with my best wishes.

Well, what can I say about the Hermitage that hasn't already been said by more able writers than me? It was our first port of call, and we spent the whole day there. We had a guide book, and pored over it carefully to see what we most wanted to look at. We knew that we couldn't possibly see everything, so we had to be selective. It was very crowded, with large parties of school children (I thought of you Valya) but the place is so vast, we were soon in open space. By the way, the grounds of the Hermitage are also being worked on. The area where the Bloody Sunday marchers were gunned down by the Tsar's troops was being dug up and re-surfaced. The interior defies description. The dazzling and complex gold decorations, the magnificent ceilings, the exquisitely decorated walls, the marble and mosaic floors. What can one say? We were dazzled, and concocted a theory that the dark winters must have induced a love of colour and reflection to offset the darkness. We went to see the Rembrandts (superb) and the French Impressionists (beyond criticism). We visited the Malachite Room, where the Provional Governmet held its last meeting before they were all arrested in the drawing room next door. I've never seen anything like it.

We visited the Golden Drawing Room, and it was, it was. It almost hurt the eyes to look at it. We visited the Crimson Boudoir, and it was of an opulence which is hard to describe. There was a vast clock with moving golden animals, and a library which I would kill to have for myself. Carved wooden panels, staircases, huge fireplaces, what a place to sink into a book!  We were hugely delighted by the ornate sledges on display, they were works of art in themselves, and for us snow starved Brits, what a picture it conjured up of being pulled across the snow in one of those.

For me, the highlight of that day was when we signed up and paid (a very small sum of money) for a tour of the Golden Treasury. In my ignorance, I thought this meant the Crown jewels and the Faberge eggs, but it was much better than that. We were with 2 other English people, and we had an English speaking guide who was tremendously knowledgeable, and greatly enthusiastic. It was a pleasure to listen to her.

The Golden Treasury is in fact, the ancient treasures from the burial mounds of the Scythians, and later the other tribes who followed them. They lived around the Black Sea, up to the Urals I understand, their craftmanship was a wonder to behold. Our helpful guide told us about animal symbolism, and we saw the golden stage, and also the golden panther which are the official symbols of the Hermitage. What jewellery they produced! It was all most perfectly displayed, some of it under magnifying glasses so we were able to see it's amazing detail. I have never seen anything more perfect. Ear rings, bracelets, head dresses, rings, neck ornaments, and shield ornaments of the greatest beauty. Also on display were some oriental works, gifts given by the rulers of China to the rulers of Russia, and this was something else also. There were amazing daggers with jade handles, and swords, china, and more jewellery. My sister was utterly bewitched by some ornaments which were designed to go on horses head bridles, and other parts of the animal's reins etc, and could hardly be torn away from them. I staggered out of the exhibition feeling as if I had drunk too much, but I was intoxicated by the sheer beauty of  everything. We were so entranced by the Hermitage, that we made a second trip, again lasting several hours, and refreshed our memories once again.

We also visited The Church of the Resurrection of Christ on the Spilled Blood. This was built on the spot where Tsar Alexander 2nd was mortally wounded in 1881 when a bomb was thrown into his carriage (probably by someone like me who wanted to get their hands on the ancient Scythian treasure).  I understand the Church was built in the old Russian style, and is a flight of fantasy of epic proportions as far as colour and decoration are concerned, both inside and out. Have you heard of this building Valya?

Another highlight was the museum of Russian art, where we had yet another feast, in particular of the most glorious icons. We spent much time looking at these, and were in agreement about their exceptional quality. They were hauntingly beautiful.

        You asked if people spoke to us, and the answer is not really, although I think we were the object of some curiosity, with our English speech, and perhaps our rather different style of dress. As you know my dear Valya, I am fond of colour (I think I would have fitted in perfectly well in the Imperial palaces in their heyday), and my flowered boots, my bag embroidered with sequinned parrots, and my glittery scarf drew quite a number of amused, and some startled glances. Certainly, the people we spoke to were very courteous and helpful.

We also visited Nevsky Prospect and again the beauty of the long street, and it's lovely facades was a great pleasure. Of course, we were intrigued with the differences between consumer culture in Russia, and England, no chain stores or fast food outlets! I should record that Jenny bought a beautiful glass butterfly, and being me, I bought a bottle of 'Russian Standard' premium vodka. It is currently in my freezer, and if you received an e mail from Roger tomorrow telling you that he found me face down in the garden in the morning, you'll know what to blame.

What a lot I have written, and I could write more, but you will be bored silly. I took a note book with me, and each evening I wrote up the events of the day. Jenny has asked me to e mail the notes to her, and I will send you a copy of them too. Probably in the next day or two. Two last observations. We were warned to not drink any tap water in the city. I must say, when I ran a

 bath I could see why. It was a rather strange colour.

I will close by saying I forgot to post the Red Nose Day tape before I went. I will post it on Monday. I am glad you like the magazines. I came home to find the delphniums I ordered have arrived, and I have spent some time putting them in the garden. I hope their colour will rival that of the Hermitage. No chance I feel.

Write soon. Best wishes.

Sue