March 15, 2009
Russia's white nights
Cultural capital St Petersburg enjoys longer days than nights during summer and is the perfect city to romp in till the wee hours
By Deepika Shetty
SINGAPOREAN ABROAD IN ST PETERSBURG WITH...
Edwin Yeo
Age: 23
Occupation: Student
Length of stay: Four months
St Petersburg is the cultural capital of Russia and rightly so. With numerous museums, galleries and theatres in the city, art lovers are always spoilt for choice, says student Edwin Yeo.
The National University of Singapore undergraduate arrived here late last year as a visiting student at the European University at St Petersburg to do a six-month course in Russian and Eurasian studies.
'Going to Russia and living there has been my dream since I was in secondary school. I am smitten with Russian history, culture and literature,' he says.
Moreover, the city's historical buildings and spectacular architecture make it seem like one is in a museum every day.
Unlike Moscow, the pace of life here is a lot slower, which adds to the charm of the city.
GETTING AROUND
The best way to get around the place is...
By the metro. Traffic here during peak hours can be very frustrating, so the metro is the best bet. It is cheap and efficient. Regardless of the destination, a ride costs only 20 roubles (90 cents). Also, the metro stations here are grand and beautiful. At the Mayakovskaya Metro station, named after the late Soviet poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, you get to see not just statues of the poet but some of his writings as well.
The best way to explore the place is...
On foot. Most of the attractions are close to one another. And because people here dress impeccably, walking is also a great way to observe Russian fashion.
The best time to visit the place is...
May to July, when it is summer. If you visit in June, you will experience 'white nights', when the sun does not set until after 10pm. During this period, there is the Victory Day Parade in May, where you can see military parades and fireworks in the evening. The White Nights Festival in June has ballet, film and music events.
If you can bear the cold, visit during the winter months of December to January. The temperature may be anywhere between -3 deg C and -20 deg C, but I can assure you that the sights that await you are beyond your wildest imagination. As some would say, what is Russia without snow?
Must one know the language to get around?
Yes. One does need to know basic conversational Russian. But you could hire an English-speaking guide.
CULTURE
The entire city has so much to offer, where does one start?
The best way to start your city tour is via Nevsky Prospekt, the main street in the city centre. Some even argue that this is the most famous street in Russia, where high-end consumer goods shops and modern buildings are sited next to historical buildings. It is just amazing how all these blend together naturally and perfectly.
It is a 4.5km stretch of road, which takes you to the famous Church Of The Savior On Spilled Blood. This iconic cathedral with a blue facade and onion domes has an even more impressive interior of wall-to-wall mosaics.
Further along this road, you will come across the statue of Catherine the Great and the impressive Kazan Cathedral. Constructed between 1801 and 1811, the cathedral has an impressive stone colonnade encircling a small garden and central fountain. It was inspired by the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome and was intended to be the country's main Orthodox Church. After the war of 1812, where Napoleon was defeated, the church became a monument to Russian victory.
Keep walking on Nevsky Prospekt and you will arrive at museums such as the Hermitage and Dostoevsky.
If you are lucky, you might even see some parades here. I got a chance to witness a Hare Krishna parade recently. Seeing Russians dressed in traditional Hindu attire in the cold Russian winter was really something.
Your favourite cultural stop is...
The Hermitage Museum (38 Palace Embankment, www.hermitagemuseum.org). It stores a vast number of art pieces, including German, French, British, Flemish, Italian and Spanish art. Rembrandt's The Return Of The Prodigal Son and The Portrait Of An Old Man are among the many prized possessions of the Hermitage. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the Hermitage possesses the largest collection of paintings in the world. It has a collection of three million works of art.
Rouble rumble
The Winter Palace, where the Tsars used to live, is also located within the Hermitage Museum. You can get a taste of their imperial extravagance when you see the grand chandeliers and ornate furniture. The most fascinating part is the Room of 1812. An entire hallway is decorated with individual paintings of all the generals who played a part in defeating Napoleon.
One cannot leave without visiting...
The Museum of Erotica (Furshtatskaya Embankment, 47/11A, tel: +812-320-7600). One of the biggest draws is the preserved 30cm penis of the infamous Rasputin. What is Russian history without Grigory Rasputin? Nicknamed the Mad Monk by historians, he was born in 1869 in Siberia and arrived in St Petersburg in 1911. Within a few years he became one of the most influential men in the government.
SHOPPING
The best bargains are at...
The Souvenir Fair across the Church Of The Savior On Spilled Blood. It offers a wide range of souvenirs such as the famous Russian matryoshka dolls, fridge magnets, paintings and Soviet memorabilia. Look out for a store that sells interesting avant garde photographs, which I think make for better presents than touristy magnets.
Most store vendors speak English, so bargaining is relatively easy for tourists.
If you have a fetish for military uniforms or Soviet military hats or badges, Tovar dlya Voennikh (Sadovaya Ulitsa/Street 26) is the place to go to. And the Russian shapka (Russian fur hats) are cheaper here than at the Souvenir Fair.
The richest variety of products can be found at...
The Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor (Nevsky Prospekt 35, www.bgd.ru), one of the largest shopping malls in St Petersburg. You can get anything from stationery and souvenirs to high-end clothing and Zenit St Petersburg soccer jerseys here. Think of this as St Petersburg's Takashimaya.
How much might one expect to spend?
Anything from a dollar to hundreds of dollars on things such as matryoshka dolls. It depends on how elaborate the doll is and how many dolls are in one set.
If you do get a set, remember to pack them separately. Wood expands and contracts in different temperatures, so by the time you get back to Singapore, your smallest doll may well be stuck inside.
If you are interested in fur coats and leather boots, the variety and prices you will find in Russia are mind-boggling.
FOOD
Do not leave the place without...
Trying borscht. Borscht is a soup made of beetroot, meat, cabbage and sometimes potatoes. It is bright red in colour and is served with sour cream and black rye bread. Also try the solyanka, a thick spicy and sour soup made of pickled cucumbers, cabbage, mushrooms and meat or fish.
Another must-try are Russian dumplings, known as pelmeni. Unlike the dumplings we get in Singapore, pelmenis are served dry, without soup. The meat filling is usually a mixture of beef, mutton and chicken.
There is the all-time favourite - Russian pancakes, known as blinis. They can be eaten as an appetiser, a main course or a dessert with jam, honey or ice cream.
The best breakfast is at...
Teremok (www.teremok.ru ), a Russian fast-food chain selling blinis at takeaway
kiosks across the city. It offers a huge variety of blinis, from the humble Russian meat fillings to those with foie gras or red caviar. Your food is cooked to order, so do not worry about getting soggy and cold blinis. I would also recommend that visitors try pirozhki, small filled blinis with meat or vegetables. These are also sold at takeaway kiosks and they cost around 20 roubles each.
The best lunch is at...
The Art Cafe (near Gagarinskaya Street). You can get soups for 50 roubles and main courses such as meat with potatoes for 100 roubles. The best thing about this place is its retro Soviet look.
The best dinner is at...
A Georgian restaurant called Kafe Lagidze (3 Belinskogo Ulitsa, tel: +7-812-579-1104). Many locals dine at this restaurant and it is usually quite crowded, so do make reservations.
I would highly recommend an authentic Georgian dish called khachapuri, which is like a cheese bread. You must also try lobio, which is made of stewed beans and tomatoes and goes really well with the khachapuri.
SUNDOWNERS
What's the one must-try drink in town?
Russia's No. 1 drink is vodka so your trip will not be complete without it.
What's the coolest place to chill out?
Russian Kitsch (Universitetskaya nab. 25). At this quirky restaurant, you can catch Brezhnev kissing Castro on the ceiling of one of the rooms and the menus are designed to look like the ideological works of Lenin and Stalin.
The one place you always take your friends to is...
Dom Knigi, the cafe at St Petersburg's largest bookstore (House of Books, Nevsky Prospect 28). It has the relaxed ambience of the Royal Copenhagen Tea Lounge at Takashimaya and it is a good place to people-watch.
Is there a Clarke Quay equivalent in St Petersbug?
No, but the nightlife in St Petersburg is very vibrant. Most of the night spots are scattered around the city. One of the most popular clubs is Achtung Baby (Konyushennaya pl. 2, Tel: +7-812-000-00-00), which draws a largely youngish crowd.
FURTHER OUT
What's there to explore?
For the adventurous, there is Murmansk, near the Arctic circle. The train ride is 27 hours long, but you will see a very different side of Russia.
For those who do not mind spending one week on the train, the Trans-Siberian railway, from Moscow to the Russian city of Vladivostok, is the ultimate adventure.
Any other sites that would appeal to Singaporeans?
The Tsarskoe Selo, also known as the village of the Tsars, where the famous Catherine Park is located. It is a two-hour ride from the city centre.
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