Is This Really the End?

                Today is, unfortunately, the last day of St. Petersburg. The departure is bittersweet. I am happy that in thirty six hours I will once again be Washington, with my drinkable free tap water, air conditioned rooms, usable debit card, and leash laws, but there is so much to miss about Russia. I love seeing the towering spires in the air, cathedral domes silhouetted by the sky, with backdrops of rivers and forests, and no-nonsense priests walking around the streets in cassocks. I have recently gotten sick of the city because I hate constantly being a tourist, but there is still so much to see and do here, even if only sitting in a café sipping Americano coffee with one’s friends while looking at the canal, or navigating the obscenely efficient and well-decorated metro systems.

                We went to the Russian museum today, which is interestingly full of art. Wouldn’t you think the name of an art museum would be a little more specific? Apparently not. After a two and a half hour tour that was supposed to be one hour, Virginia, Jonathan, and I went by the Stray Dog Café, got some obscenely over priced orange juice (110 rubles for a glass? Really?), and then went for dinner in a place called “Happy Pizza.”And that name is deserved, because it was so happy. They had pillows in the booths. Legitimate pillows. After a day of being exhausted from standing around too long, it was very welcome. Despite all of the warnings I got about the horrific quality of pizza here, it has honestly been really good both of the times I’ve had it in Russia. Perhaps they spent the last ten years figuring it out, and finally managed.

                I also went to a ridiculously good tea shop today. I honestly could have lived there. They let us smell all of the teas (which were divine), and wrote on the packages in a real fountain pen. Like, with an ink well. Also, tea is so cheap here! The average price for tea there was about 95 rubles per ounce (about $3.50). Can you imagine those sorts of prices at teavana? Also, the selection was gigantic. And they sold the cutest tea pots. Can you tell I’m in love?

                I also went chocolate shopping, since the two things the Russians do really well are tea and chocolate (besides vodka, potatoes, and caviar, that is). I found a bar of pineapple and champagne infused chocolate. So excited for this thing. Really. SO excited. And, finally, finished off the day watching Anastasia, with the rule that we had to drink for every place we had been to, and every inaccuracy. We quickly ran out of alcohol. This concluded with one last stroll around the streets of Petersburg… I’m going to miss it.

                It’s gorgeous, the sun never sets, and the river gleams at night. The concept of darkness at 8 pm will really bother me in America. So, please, everyone… never let me forget my romantic month in Russia. До свидания, Россия. Можно Святая Россия ещё?