18/05
After spending the day indoors, I then wanted to watch Eurovision! I watch Eurovision every year without fail, so I wasn’t going to let a little thing like time difference get in the way! I managed to find the Eurovision website to watch it on, without commentary. It would have been very strange to have no commentary at all, but luckily Christine and Charlotte were online and watching too, so they could fill me in on everything that Graham Norton said! My programme was slightly delayed, but otherwise it was pretty good to have simultaneous trans-European Eurovision watching! It would have been a slightly duller experience (there were still strange costumes to laugh at etc) without them, so thanks you two.
19/05
I woke up still feeling slightly unwell, so originally I wasn’t going to go to Pushkin, but I’m glad I did in the end! Tsarskoe Selo (in the town of Pushkin) was the Summer Palace of the Tsars, and it really is beautiful (and huge):
Last time I went, we looked in the palace (one of the highlights is the room with walls covered in amber, very pretty), but this time we walked around the grounds, which are beautiful, and there is so much to see! We had lunch overlooking the huge lake, and even saw an otter (or was it a vole?!):
We also saw some other people from school, so that was funny. It was a very nice, relaxing, sunny day, and after that we looked at a market across the street, where I bought a watch for £6, just because I don’t like having to keep taking my phone out to check the time, especially on the metro!
20/05
After school, we had lunch at Штолле, where they have an amazing variety of pies, savoury and sweet. I then joined some students on a trip to some of the shopping centres at Sennaya Ploshad, where we had a look round in an attempt to find some actual Russian brands (we managed to find one shop, out of two shopping centres!)
After school, we had lunch at Штолле, where they have an amazing variety of pies, savoury and sweet. I then joined some students on a trip to some of the shopping centres at Sennaya Ploshad, where we had a look round in an attempt to find some actual Russian brands (we managed to find one shop, out of two shopping centres!)
21/05
When I got out of class, everyone had left already, so I was left with the decision of heading home, or being brave and doing things on my own. I chose the latter option, which you can read about in my previous post! Here’s a picture of the inside of the Hermitage (the outside is being renovated, so I will wait to take a photo of that to show it in it’s full glory!):
When I got out of class, everyone had left already, so I was left with the decision of heading home, or being brave and doing things on my own. I chose the latter option, which you can read about in my previous post! Here’s a picture of the inside of the Hermitage (the outside is being renovated, so I will wait to take a photo of that to show it in it’s full glory!):
I also saw the countdown clock to the Winter Olympics in Sochi:
22/05
After school, I was invited to have lunch with two other girls. We went to a restaurant which is kitted out to look like a plane, with curtains acting as doors to the kitchen, and to the toilets, as well as departure and arrival boards for Pulkovo airport! The restaurant is called Две Палочки, which I didn’t understand at first, since my dictionary gave me the translation of ‘stick’ or ‘wand’… neither of which made sense! After googling it, it turns out it means ’2 Chopsticks’. That doesn’t really fit with the theme, but it fits with the food; they sell a mixture of sushi, curry, and Chinese food. I didn’t get what I actually ordered, but I was too British to make a fuss, and actually it was better than what I’d originally ordered!
After school, I was invited to have lunch with two other girls. We went to a restaurant which is kitted out to look like a plane, with curtains acting as doors to the kitchen, and to the toilets, as well as departure and arrival boards for Pulkovo airport! The restaurant is called Две Палочки, which I didn’t understand at first, since my dictionary gave me the translation of ‘stick’ or ‘wand’… neither of which made sense! After googling it, it turns out it means ’2 Chopsticks’. That doesn’t really fit with the theme, but it fits with the food; they sell a mixture of sushi, curry, and Chinese food. I didn’t get what I actually ordered, but I was too British to make a fuss, and actually it was better than what I’d originally ordered!
23/05
After lunch at Teremok, one of my friends said she was going to the Dostoevsky Museum, and invited me along too. I’ve read some of Dostoevsky’s works at Uni, so it was interesting to see where he once lived! Although I have to say, it was a lot smaller than what we were expecting. But I’m glad I went anyway!
After lunch at Teremok, one of my friends said she was going to the Dostoevsky Museum, and invited me along too. I’ve read some of Dostoevsky’s works at Uni, so it was interesting to see where he once lived! Although I have to say, it was a lot smaller than what we were expecting. But I’m glad I went anyway!
24/05
In class, we watched a really sweet film called Piter FM, about a woman who loses her phone, the man that finds it, and their struggles to meet each other so that he can return the phone. Very cute, and set in St Petersburg, so there were some recognisable places! We then went to have lunch at a Mexican restaurant called Tres Amigos. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Mexican food in Russia, but, although it was slightly different to what I’d have at home, it was very good! There was so much food, we couldn’t actually finish it. But I’d definitely go back again. After the disaster that was last Friday, and with a developing headache, I decided not to go out in the evening (I hate trying to get home in this city at night, no fun).
In class, we watched a really sweet film called Piter FM, about a woman who loses her phone, the man that finds it, and their struggles to meet each other so that he can return the phone. Very cute, and set in St Petersburg, so there were some recognisable places! We then went to have lunch at a Mexican restaurant called Tres Amigos. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Mexican food in Russia, but, although it was slightly different to what I’d have at home, it was very good! There was so much food, we couldn’t actually finish it. But I’d definitely go back again. After the disaster that was last Friday, and with a developing headache, I decided not to go out in the evening (I hate trying to get home in this city at night, no fun).
25/05
I had no enthusiasm to do anything this morning, especially as it started raining, but eventually I forced myself to leave the house. I ended up at Galeria (a big shopping centre on one of the main streets), and headed to the cinema, where I saw Великий Гэтсби (The Great Gatsby), which I’d wanted to see before I left, but annoyingly they kept pushing back the release date! So I watched it in Russian, but, since I know the story well, having studied it for my English Lit A-Level, I got by! And yes, I went by myself to another place I’ve never wanted to go to alone! I deliberately chose a seat at the end of an aisle, since the film was just about to start and I didn’t want to disturb anyone, and when I got into the screen, it was already dark, and there were people sitting next to me, so I didn’t feel self-conscious about being alone at all, and I don’t think anyone really noticed (or cared)! Very happy, and I definitely would go to the cinema alone again, since I didn’t have to worry about anyone else not enjoying the film that I’d chosen! Also, despite the bad reviews this film has got, I think it was actually pretty good. I loved the way they revealed Gatsby (there was a collective sigh from all the females in the room when Leonardo DiCaprio turned round), and originally I wasn’t sure about using modern music, but I think it was okay! I also wasn’t sure about Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan, but she was pretty good I must admit (even though of course I didn’t hear her attempt the accent since the film was dubbed!) I also loved the costumes of course!
I had no enthusiasm to do anything this morning, especially as it started raining, but eventually I forced myself to leave the house. I ended up at Galeria (a big shopping centre on one of the main streets), and headed to the cinema, where I saw Великий Гэтсби (The Great Gatsby), which I’d wanted to see before I left, but annoyingly they kept pushing back the release date! So I watched it in Russian, but, since I know the story well, having studied it for my English Lit A-Level, I got by! And yes, I went by myself to another place I’ve never wanted to go to alone! I deliberately chose a seat at the end of an aisle, since the film was just about to start and I didn’t want to disturb anyone, and when I got into the screen, it was already dark, and there were people sitting next to me, so I didn’t feel self-conscious about being alone at all, and I don’t think anyone really noticed (or cared)! Very happy, and I definitely would go to the cinema alone again, since I didn’t have to worry about anyone else not enjoying the film that I’d chosen! Also, despite the bad reviews this film has got, I think it was actually pretty good. I loved the way they revealed Gatsby (there was a collective sigh from all the females in the room when Leonardo DiCaprio turned round), and originally I wasn’t sure about using modern music, but I think it was okay! I also wasn’t sure about Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan, but she was pretty good I must admit (even though of course I didn’t hear her attempt the accent since the film was dubbed!) I also loved the costumes of course!
I then wandered round Galeria for a bit, and even found an Accessorize. After a while, I got slightly overwhelmed by the amount of people wandering around and constantly walking into me without apology, and by that time it was nearly dinner time anyway, so I made my way back, where a very nice bowl of vegetarian борщ (beetroot soup) was waiting for me!
So overall a good few cultural days! I’m not sure what I’m doing tomorrow, and I am hoping to move class because it was ridiculously simple this week, so we shall see! Thanks for reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment