Hermitage

[tikistitch]

A highlight of every tourist's trip to St. Petersburg must be a visit to Catherine the Great's famous pencil collection, the Hermitage.

A highlight of every tourist's trip to Mother Russia is a lot of standing in line.





Oh, there's Mr. Tiki. He loves standing in line.



Then Duncan and Anne joined us.



Yes, to answer your question, at some point,we were actually forced to enter the museum. Perhaps a story for the next time, when we've more time at the internet cafe. For now, yes, people were still lined up outside.

We were startled to see so many priceless collectibles stored in rooms IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT! At one point, a particularly officious museum factotum scolded us for using flash. We just rolled our eyes--they're exposing a room of Reubens to UV, and are freaking over a strobe? Ye gads, ex-Soviet dudes. No wonder that stuff is yellowing.



Ooo, look, Jeremy Irons!

Comments

[dantheserene.livejournal.com]

If you'd had a good guide you could have bribed your way in through a side door at the Hermitage for a quite reasonable price.