Summer Solstice

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Gogol? Especially The Nose. He's so wonderfully satirical, and while I don't particularly like the idea of art for the sake of art, it simply so much fun. Humor without higher meaning is perhaps occasionally needful. It perhaps cannot be high literature without a didactic purpose surrounding it, sometimes a playful time with the absurd is just so much fun! Gogol interweave his ironies, absurdities, and “laughter through tears” so well that one often does not know where to begin.

I also (of course) loved going to the Alexander Nevsky monastery. I particularly enjoyed the tour of the cemetery that we got, as well. Our guide was brisk enough to not over do the matter of all of the graves we saw, and there was quite a variety. We were able to visit the graves of writers, actors, artists, musicians, sculptors, and so many more. Seeing Dostoevsky’s grave was very poignant, and the fact that it started raining a little right there was entirely appropriate. I later went inside the monastery (free for Orthodox!), and as a result of a misunderstanding with those who came with me, ended up spending quite a long time with the relics of St. Alexander Nevsky and attending a panikhida that a priest was offering on the side of the church. It seemed to reflect a very grand atmosphere, that was not quite the same sense of peace as I normally have, but I could saw the humility and love of the monks and nuns. One priest made me kiss his cross after I kissed his hand - the Russian version of the Coptic practice of pulling one’s hands away after a blessing before it can be kissed? It seems likely, and was a very poignant gesture.

We later went to a Swan Lake performance, which was fun. I wore my four inch stiletto heels, just because I could. It made me feel very Russian. I was going to Nevksy Prospect for a performance of Swan Lake in stiletto heels, and I was working it. It was so much fun, and the walk was short enough that my feet were not turned into unrecognizable shapes and contortions. I enjoyed the last two acts of the ballet much more than the first half. Before the first entr’acte, the dancing was all very stereotypical and kitschy. It seemed very flighty, shallow, and almost comical – I felt like it might as well have been straight out of Disney. It was wonderful, though, when the tragedy started entering afterwards. Much more touching, better dancing, better music, and it evoked stronger feelings. In short, Tchaikovsky was likely a genius. I then walked home from Nevsky Prospect in my stilettos – I feel like I’ve gotten my female ego in for the entire trip. Will avoid those shoes for the rest of the trip. We have a love-hate relationship.

And now, I hadn’t mentioned it yet, but today was the summer solstice. And I happen to be in St. Petersburg, one of the northernmost cities in the world. Therefore, it was completely necessary to drink some cognac, and go out with some friends (including men, don’t worry) to watch both sunset and sunrise on the Neva river. It was breath taking, and shocking- the sky never even got completely dark. We left around 1 am, at the end of sunset, and stayed out until we saw the beginnings of dawn a little before 3. This is truly a beautiful place.