Петергоф Peterhof and today

Петергоф Peterhof was very nice. Much of the morning was spent in cold wind, but the day was clear so it warmed up quickly. We went on a long and boring tour of the bathhouse, given entirely Russian and consequently understood by few (Americans). However, I think it was mainly boring because our guide seemed to have been giving the same tour for the last forty years, every day. On the bright side, we got to wear fun plastic shoe slippers to protect the floor. You can see the slippers in this picture.
After the tour, we were free to wander around for a long while. The gardens really are spectacular. There are fountains everywhere. The property is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. I think it was nice for the group to have a break from the city, public transport, and homework. Perhaps such repose is just what Peter the Great had in mind when he built the place.

Of all my photos thus far, these (starting halfway through album 6) are the ones that I can't really capture in words and, accordingly, might deserve a gander. Here is one of the main palace and fountains.I walked home from class again today. A healthy thirty minute trot that made me feel better about everything. I stopped on the way at the supermarket so that just in case I needed something in a pinch I would be familiar with the layout and etc. It was really quite interesting! Many similarities to supermarkets I've seen before, of course. Meats and other frozen goods were in open-air freezers for people to sneeze in. The alcohol section took up several full-length aisles. I've never seen so many different kinds of vodka. This is perhaps irrelevant considering that I've never been in a liquor store for more than 30 frantic seconds. There is also a vast selection of sausages.

I walked around for a while without buying anything and I managed to set off an alarm on my way out. This concerned me somewhat because a) I hadn't allocated time in my day for arrest and detention and b) I was wearing a rather full and perhaps suspicious-looking backpack. Everything was fine, though. Someone came over, asked me a few questions, and told me to go away. I happily complied.

I mailed some postcards today! It turned out to be much less expensive than I had anticipated, only a couple of dollars for eight.

No pictures until later because Michelle has my camera for some reason.