Of Winds and Whispers.

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And nearing our destination unrestored buildings and a statue of Pushkin-

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But pretty buildings and parks-

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And the first glimpse of the palace-

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We had some time before the time of our admission to the Palace so walked around to the front gates and a brief stroll in it's park.

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Our guide Elza with rojaan and then yours truly-

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The park had an Asian flavour.

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It was now time for us to enter the Palace-

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[TLCOhio]

Appreciate Dr. Ron your excellent reports and nice pictures. Seeing your views from Stockholm, St. Petersburg, etc., bring back excellent memories from being there in 2008. Glad that things are going well and that you getting lots of good food, etc. Keep up the great sharing!! Look forward to seeing more!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Lots of interesting and dramatic pictures can be seen from my latest live/blog at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now at 19,125 views for this reporting and visual sharing that includes Cape Town, all along the South Africa coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta area.

[Stumblefoot]

 

Lots of construction on the city outskirts-

It's incredible how they continue to produce some of the ugliest architecture in the world.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[drron29]

It's incredible how they continue to produce some of the ugliest architecture in the world.

 

 

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Pre 1917 pretty good architecture,post 1917 woeful.

Now what changed?

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Rojaan loved these room heaters.

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This is the one that I want-

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And what a Great Empress wore-

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One of these men was a Czar of Russia,the other a King of England-

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[jpalbny]

Wow! I just went through the last 6 pages. Some amazing sights - sensory overload. Seeing it all in person must be like trying to drink from a fire hose.

[spinnaker2]

Just amazing to see tsarskoye selo though another persons eyes, to relive and remember that very decadent lavish palace of Catharine.

Thanks so much for sharing these photographs.

[drron29]

It is indeed decadent and sensory overload.For those who think inequality now is worse than it ever has been needs to visit St.Petersburg.No wonder the serfs revolted.So let the decadence continue-

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And that basically completes the tour inside the Palace.There is one room you are not allowed to take pictures in-the Amber Room.It is naturally a reproduction.The original was taken apart by the Germans in WW2 and transferred to Konisberg castle where the Russians say it was destroyed when Konisberg was retaken.Though other theories abound.Some say the Germans moved it again-either by ship which were then sunk-or by train with many thinking it is buried in Poland.On the other hand some believe the Russians recovered it and it is now hidden somewhere in Russia.This theory received a boost when Brezhnev ordered the destruction of what was left of Konisberg castle without allowing any onsite research.It is said the Russians wanted to be able to blame the Germans for it's disappearance.

[drron29]

What is not disputed is that the Germans looted the Palace and set out to destroy it when they retreated.So some pics of what they did-

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Recreating the Amber room-

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[jpalbny]

Ah, the Amber Room...that mystery was the basis for a book of the same name, written by a guy named Steve Berry. He writes in a similar style to Dan Brown, taking old mysteries and expanding upon them, bringing them into the modern era where they are eventually solved. We enjoy his books.