Russia - St Petersburg

After a 4½ hour high speed train ride from Moscow, we arrived in pouring rain in St Petersburg, but it stayed dry after that.  It was peak tourist season with White Nights, when the sun never really sets and a dark blue sky can still be seen in the early hours.  It was rather crowded for our taste but the sites to see were quite outstanding.

Founded by Peter The Great in the early 18^th century as the capital instead of Moscow, to be closer to Europe and bring Russia closer to the West, it is steeped in history, particularly of the Romanov Tsars until the Revolution in 1917, when it became Leningrad.  Its name was restored after a referendum following the fall of Communism and break-up of the Soviet Union.  It straddles the Neva River and several canals on the Gulf of Finland.

Notable things that we visited included the Peter & Paul Fortress Island, where many of the Tsars and family members are entombed in a chapel, including the recently discovered remains  of the last, Nicholas II, the Hermitage Museum, Peterhof, Catherine The Great’s Palace & Amber Room and St Isaac’s Cathedral.

To say that we were more than saturated after we had finished in the Hermitage would be a gross understatement!  In addition, we enjoyed a few meals out in addition to our cultural excesses.

Statue of Peter The Great with St Isaac's in the background

St Isaac's Cathedral

Late night, White Night

Another Metro tour!

Metro Platform Mosaic

Peterhof

All fountains are gravity fed without pumps!

and there are lots of them!

Entrance to Catherine's Palace

If it doesn't move, gild it!

Peter & Paul Fortress Chapel

Peter The Great Tomb

Nicholas II Tomb

Church of Spilled Blood, where Alexander II was assassinated

Huge square in front of Hermitage Museum

Hermitage Museum

An enormous collection of art

One example - Leonardo da Vinci Madonna

Russia - RWC Sevens

The principal reason for the visit, but it was an event of firsts:

- A magnificent stadium with capacity of nearly 90,000, ex 1980 Olympics but with about 15% cordoned off with IRB advertising and what remains only about 10% full, rather scattered too. There were more officials with badges, police of various kinds and many National Guard than paying spectators.  Security was styled for a football match, not a Sevens Carnival.

- There were no programmes of any kind, not even a notice board of fixtures, but I had fortunately brought one with me for the Pool phase. But, I had to go on-line to get the fixtures for the Knock-out phase, otherwise I wouldn't have known who was playing!

- There was to have been a French band and there was a large stage set with video screens, but it must have played on Saturday to an empty stadium and after we had left, because nobody knew and their kit had gone come Sunday!

- There was no merchandise of any kind to take away or promote the success of what they would have hoped to have been a sensational tournament, and there seemed to be almost no local advertising, even though Russia won the Bowl.

- There was a grim selection of food in the few kiosks inside the Stadium - you can live on it, but you wouldn't choose to unless you had to!

- Crucially, there was no beer, or any alcohol of any kind, inside or outside the Stadium on the first day - 5 hours of rugby on two small bottles of water on Day 1 was definitely a first!  We did find a small tent doing brisk trade in beer outside later.  Dubai, despite its restrictions, is fully provisioned.
The complex is magnificent, very impressive, and well maintained despite its age, but the blatant lack of marketing and selling opportunities was quite stunning.

I've complained to the IRB but don't expect to hear anything.

There was a substantial high energy opening ceremony, but the senior officials and organisers must have been acutely aware of how empty the stands were around it, and I question whether the IRB could come here again with such a misunderstood event provision and low attendance.

There was an amusing aside on the morning of the 3rd day when we saw a scuffle between two National Guardsmen, one of whom had decked the other and given him a bloody nose.  The fracas continued as the victim swung twice more at his assailant and all this took place in front of the officers without recourse!

Two small groups of supporters, one Kenyan and the other Fijian, made more noise than the rest of the crowd, except when the thunder came late on Sunday, when general cheering broke out.  Play was stopped while the lightning cracked and the heavy rain fell and it did compromise handling when play resumed.  For some time, huge bow waves preceded sliding players and tacklers.

However, the rugby was good, especially the final day, and it saw New Zealand win both the Men’s and Ladies’ World Cups to become World Champions for both 15’s and 7’s, Men’s & Women’s, a first.  England had a patchy performance and made it to the final, but was rather overwhelmed by New Zealand, whose coach had spotted its weaknesses, particularly in the line-out.

Luzniki Stadium as seen from Moscow State University

and vice versa

National Guard getting ready for the trouble

But, where are the spectators?

Flags of participants in Opening Ceremony

Jean - stalwart supporter in the rain!

Both NZ teams celebrate this RWC successes in the near empty stadium

Russia - Moscow City

We stayed in the Hilton Leningradskaya, converted from one of the Seven Sisters, large “wedding cake” style architectural pieces from the Stalin era.  It was pleasant enough as a place to stay with the exception of the price of beverages – local lager at £9/pint, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at £70/bottle, and cocktails were cheaper than beer, wine and bottled water!

Hilton Leningradskaya

The (expensive) expansive Lobby

Kremlin on the opposite side of Moscow River

Red Square

Lenin's Mausoleum (he looked a bit 'waxy')

St Basil's Cathedral

8 churches in 1

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier & Presidential Guard

(who must all be pure Russian and 1m 80cm tall)

All change

'Allo, you taking over?

Bye

Kremlin Clock Tower

Garden nearby

Kremlin in background, again

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

(destroyed by Stalin, rebuilt in 10 years in the 90s, without State funds)

GUM shopping centre in Red Square

(nothing actually bought there, just for brand marketing)

Of course, some Russian dolls!

Bolshoi Ballet

Into the Metro

Rub the dog's nose for luck!

Statue of Chekov

Moscow State University

The City has changed dramatically since the fall of communism and much progress has been made in just over 20 years.  It is very clean and without litter, despite a lack of law and fines.  There is little to no obesity and everyone seemed very smartly dressed.  One of our rugby group was gripped judging whether the trim and attractive promenading young Russian ladies had longer heels than skirts! iPhones and foreign cars were everywhere and the city has a major traffic problem despite having 8 lanes each side on some of its ring roads, so financial well-being is evident on the surface.  But, we also saw blocks of Soviet style apartment blocks that looked pretty grim and some of the many road accidents were more than just bumps.

We had two walking tours with different guides and we felt we had tromped over most of Moscow by the end of them.  Value for money was high on a per km basis!  We saw varied architecture, from Red Square with the Kremlin, Lenin’s Mausoleum, St Basil’s Cathedral & The GUM Store, to Bolshoi Ballet Theatre(s), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (another of the Seven), The Moscow State University (yet another), the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and the Metro, yes the Underground!  It even warrants a full day tour of its own because of its architectural prowess.  It was hot, over 30°C both days, but the price of a hotel beer didn't seem to matter on our return!