Saturday September 20, 1997
Helsinki, Finland to St. Petersburg, Russia
Finland's Flag Russia's Flag
Current Time
GMT (+0):13:21
Seattle (-8):05:21
St. Petersburg (+4):17:21
St. Petersburg, Russia :
Latitude:59° 55' 48" North
Longitude:30° 22' 11" East
From Seattle:6256 miles
Altitude:173 feet
Lodging:Hostel - St. Petersburg Hostel International
Map
Today's Travel:
Countries:Finland
Russia
Regions:Helsinki
St. Petersburg
Route:Sibelius (train): Helsinki-St Petersburg, Taxi
Linear:185 miles
Weather:Sunny
Map
Available Photos:
All photo images © 1997-2000 Anthony Jones
Images may not be used without prior written approval.
Photo
Subject:Street sign sponsered by Coke
Location:St. Petersburg, Russia
Larger image available
Photo
Subject:Fontaki River
Location:St. Petersburg, Russia
Photo
Subject:Church of the Resurrection of Christ
Location:Griboedova Canal, St. Petersburg, Russia
Larger image available
Photo
Subject:Kazan Cathedral
Location:Griboedova Canal, St. Petersburg, Russia
Photo
Subject:Winter Palace and the Alexander Column
Location:St. Petersburg, Russia
Larger image available
Photo
Subject:The Admirality
Location:St. Petersburg, Russia
Larger image available
Photo
Subject:Building facades
Location:St. Petersburg, Russia
Larger image available
Photo
Subject:Ploshchad Vosstania and Neon
Location:St. Petersburg, Russia
Larger image available
Trip to Date:
Day:163
Linear Dist:33364
Countries Visited:6
Regions Visited:43
Nights in Hotels:30
Nights with Friends / Family:77
Nights Camping:35
Nights in Hostels:15
Nights in Transit:6
Beers:564
Click on map to Zoom in...
Map
Entry:
Got up early took the tram to the station to catch the 6:30 train to St Petersburg. Learned an important lesson today, never go somplace completely unprepared. I'd left most of my luggage in Helsinki and only brought what I'd absolutely need for one night. So I didn't bring my guide book, since I'd already read it, and I'd just pick up a local map at the tourist desk. No turist desk. Worse no one in the station speaks English. I managed to change some money, but then realized I had no idea where the hostel was. No address, no phone number. I walked around the neighborhood, unwilling to believe there wasn't tourist info somewhere. Then I tried to get some help from a group of policemen. They tried, but they couldn't speak English either. After almost two hours I was getting a little scared, when I found a scrap of paper with the hostel's phone number in one of my jacket pockets. I bought a phone card, called the hostel, and got the address. Still feeling a little shaken up I decided to go with a taxi rather than risking public transportation. Caught a cab, got to the hostel.

At the hostel I bought Lonely Planet's city guide for St Petersburg. Armed with the book I spent the rest of the afternoon / evening exploring Nevsky Prospect. Didn't really go in anywhere, but went by Kazan Cathedral, the Winter Palace, and the Admirality.

Went out to a small restaurant (maybe 30 x 30 feet), where I was definitely the only foreigner, ahd a a couple beers, read my guide book, and watched th world go by.

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