Saint Pete is celebrating it's 308th birthday this weekend, and in good Russian spirit the whole city has been out celebrating. Russians never turn down the opportunity to have a party. Practically every weekend this month has been a holiday weekend (День труда, день победы, день города...), but this has been one of the most fun and laid back. Although we woke up to rain this morning (no cloud-seeding today!) the weather turned around in enough time for the festival to get in full swing. Since most of my friends are off traveling the Baltics this weekend (without me, thanks to the great visa crisis of 2011), I set out into the city solo. The streets were filled with party-goers that were just out to have a good time. The atmosphere was very laid-back but colorful as many were dressed up in funky costumes with faces painted. I strolled along Nevsky Prospect stopping at each stage to listen to different musical performances or watch the dancers. After hearing lots of jazz, folk music, and poor but humorous renditions of American pop classics, I ended up at the Palace Square (where the Hermitage and the Alexander Column are located). There I found one of the neatest things that I've seen in this city. A troupe of French acrobats had set up a circus in the center of the square. For an hour and a half a stood amazed as these kids zip-lined off of cranes across the entire square sprinkling feathers as they went and performed other awesome tricks as we stood directly underneath them. I've been to many a circus, but I have never experienced something so up-close and interactive. Way. Too. Cool.
It's crazy to think that this city is only 308 years old. It's true that she is, of course, older than America, but when you compare her to the rest of Russian history, St. Petersburg is just a youngin'. At the same time though, it is hard to believe that in just 308 years this city has such a rich, deep, dark, beautiful history. The history of the city is alive and tangible. You can't help but feel it as you walk across the Neva and see the beauties of the city on the horizon. You can't help but feel it as you stare into the worn faces of babushki and dedushki that lived through the Seige of Leningrad and the Great Patriotic War. You can't help but feel it as you watch the sun rise over Peter and Paul Fortress and imagine what Peter the Great must have felt as he was founding this place. The story of St. Petersburg is as much the past as it is the present (not many are really thinking about the future just yet). Such a beautiful paradox!
*So, Happy Birthday, Piter! Thanks for capturing my heart and making me fall in love with you more and more every day. Thanks for shocking me, confusing me, challenging me, making me laugh, speaking to my soul, and leaving me with no words to explain you. You're pretty awesome and I'm glad I can call you mine even if it is just for a short amount of time. ♥Love, Liza
*The writer of this blog profusely apologizes for the cheesiness that here ensues (a.k.a. end-of-the-semester-sentimentality).
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