Posted By: Anonymous
BACK FROM RUSSIA - 05/27/02 08:54 PM
Well, about 14,000 airmiles, 2 hrs at passport control at Shermetievo Airport in Moscow just getting into Russia, several missed connections in London, the wrong flight coupon lifted by Aeroflot (Aeroflopped?) on the way home causing me not to have a valid flight coupon from London to Chicago, overbooked flights, long boring layovers, and all of the other "fun" stuff that goes with international travel later, I'm back in the USA. Despite all of the hassels assocaited with the travel part of the trip, Moscow and St Petersberg are both great cities for a visit, and if anyone is every inclined, I would recommend them, especially St. Petersberg, heartily! The people are warm and friendly and very willing to be helpful to visitors, the food was great and so was the vodka for that matter! Suffice it to say that I thoroughly enjoyed myself while I was in Russia.
I did get to see a couple of lighthouses along the way while I was in St Petersberg. Maybe a first for anyone from the CF's going lighthousing in Russia?!
I and everyone else in St. Petersberg also got to be frustrated by Bush's visit to St. Petersberg over the weekend. His visit there basically tied the city in knots with security measures - no maritime traffic on the Neva River, intersections blocked and traffic snarled by his motorcade Saturday evening, The Hermitage shut down for his tour of it on the 299th anniversary of the city of St Petersberg (you have to wonder who did the planning and whether or not they took into consideration things like local, MAJOR celebrations - would Putin visit DC on July 4th? duhhhhhh....) Oh well...
I'll post some shots from Russia tomorrow or Wednesday when I have my slides back, assuming that they weren't X-rayed into oblivion alaong the way. I was able to have my film hand checked at a number of steps along the way. The least hospitable airport security folks, without any doubt in my mind, are those in Chicago!
Gary
[This message has been edited by lighthouse_photo (edited 05-29-2002).]
I did get to see a couple of lighthouses along the way while I was in St Petersberg. Maybe a first for anyone from the CF's going lighthousing in Russia?!
I and everyone else in St. Petersberg also got to be frustrated by Bush's visit to St. Petersberg over the weekend. His visit there basically tied the city in knots with security measures - no maritime traffic on the Neva River, intersections blocked and traffic snarled by his motorcade Saturday evening, The Hermitage shut down for his tour of it on the 299th anniversary of the city of St Petersberg (you have to wonder who did the planning and whether or not they took into consideration things like local, MAJOR celebrations - would Putin visit DC on July 4th? duhhhhhh....) Oh well...
I'll post some shots from Russia tomorrow or Wednesday when I have my slides back, assuming that they weren't X-rayed into oblivion alaong the way. I was able to have my film hand checked at a number of steps along the way. The least hospitable airport security folks, without any doubt in my mind, are those in Chicago!
Gary
[This message has been edited by lighthouse_photo (edited 05-29-2002).]