For future reference, it's the other bridge

So I thought I would give a quick run down of my Saturday night. Interesting story.

Saturday, we spent most of the day at Peterhof (amazing amazing amazing) and when we got back we were all exhausted. Except most people had plans to go out that night. I thought, "well, what the heck. I haven't gone out at all yet because I was sick, and I am in St. Petersburg..." I decided to join the group of people going with Allen and Jon-Michael. Their хозяйка (hostess) was planing on taking people out bar/club hopping. It was actually a lot of fun, especially during the White Nights when it's still light out. We moved from a pretty basic bar to one that played spanish-inspired russian music (my favorite one), to one that looked like it belonged in a coming-of age foreign film (weird graffiti and art on the walls, neon lights, lasers, etc), to the last one hidden in the basement of a building where you have to squeeze between a fence to get into (oh, you know it). All pretty fun.

Some people wanted to head back around 1:30 am, so some of us decided

to walk them home. See, Eunju and I live on the island, while the bars and most of the homestays for people are on the mainland. The bridges to get to the island go up at 1:30 am to allow ships to pass through (the Neva River is HUGE), but there is one that comes down at 2:45 am until 3:10. That gives us a little window to cross the bridge and go home. Eunju and I were already planning on staying out past the bridges going up and then crossing over during that window. Since we had time to spare, we hung out at a cafe with Panos, and then wandered around the Hermitage taking pictures. It was actually kind of dark at this time (the sky was a lovely, deep, dark sea blue), but there were plenty of tourists around.

As we sat by the bridge, waiting for it to come down we met a group of 4 kids from Dartmouth, also waiting for the bridge. Talking, we realized that the bridge should have come down a while ago. So we asked a bridge security officer about the situation. He told us that this bridge actually doesn't come down until 4:55 am. Though the bridge "over-there" is down right now, but will go up in 5 minutes. ... We were waiting at the wrong bridge. Crap.

We ran to the other bridge (me in heels. darn Russian women always wearing heels) and made it there in time to watch it go back up. With us on the wrong side of the river.

(Note: Not my picture. Will upload one once I steal one from Eunju :P)

Soooo. We had time to kill until 5 am. Wonderful. We wandered around St. Petersburg, seeing the sights all glorious in the actual darkness, passing the chocolate museum, as well as the vodka museum. Stopping at a hotel to use the restroom, we decided to hang out in their lobby until it was time to head back.

We left the hotel at around 4:45, walked to the bridge, and made it over safely :D Then, we headed in the direction where most people live. I live on the other side of the island, so I left them at one point to go to the metro. It didn't open until 5:30, and my train didn't actually get there until 6:01. By that time a guy hit on me and creepily stared at me until the last possible minute before he missed his train. As I was walking from the station to my apartment, another guy asked me to have some champagne with him (at least they're classy?? but it was 6 am....welcome to Russia, again). I was then paranoid the rest of the way home. But my хозяйка did not wake up. Bed time: 6:45 am. So much win.

It just reminds me of what Julia Titus (my former professor) told me when she found out where I'll be living: I should not walk home by myself, or I'll be mistaken for a lady of 'quesionable character.' Duly noted, Julia, duly noted.

My first night going out in St. Petersburg? Not too bad. Had an unwelcomed adventure, but it was fun :D

Пока!

--Н.И--