Walking Tour

It was our first full day in St. Petersburg, and here are my impressions so far:

• This city is cold. Really cold. June is supposed to be the warmest time of the year here, but this morning it was only about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, if that.
• It is a beautiful and quaint city, very different from the commercial hub of Moscow.

Today began with an informal presentation by Peter, founder of Peter's Walking Tours. Once we learned about the background of his business, we set off on a tour of the city. Peter was an amazing guide who truly demonstrated his passion for this city and his knowledge of its history, while showing us both prototypical landmarks, as well as unique ones. We enjoyed the experience so much that we agreed to go on a private midnight boat tour with his company on Saturday. Below are photos of sites that we visited along our tour.

Summer Palace of Peter the Great

Summer Gardens of Peter the Great

For lunch, a few of us ate at Cafe Botanika, a great vegetarian restaurant. We were so happy to have a warm respite from the cold and delicious, healthy food to last us through the day.

In the afternoon, we had a presentation from Edgar Pauly, General Manager of the Novotel St. Petersburg. He reminded me so much of professor Christian Dussart, not only due to his French accent but also in the words he used (e.g. "servuction"). After the presentation, we all did a round of vodka shots together - Na Zdrovie! 

This entry was originally posted on the HEC Montreal Campus Abroad blog here.