This Reminds Me

The Victory Day fireworks tonight were very cool.  I took this photo showing the horizon of St. Isaac’s around 11:30 p.m. – no tripod, no special setting, it was still light enough.

St. Isaac’s is the third largest church in the world.  It will hold 10K standing (as is customary in Russian Orthodox services) worshippers.

Keith was fascinated by the silhoutte of this goose on a nearby bulding.  The goose was seemingly not affected by the boom-boom-boom all around us.

We’re quackers about St. Pete!

I think the frantic preparation to travel, preparing to leave our jobs, nine time zone changes, emotional upheaval, etc. caught up with us today.  Keith and I have each taken three naps. Given two minutes, I could have been sound asleep at any point today.  We were both content to watch the fireworks without “working” at anything.  We’re headed to bed for a good night’s sleep before court tomorrow at 12N.  Please be praying the judge waives the 10 days so we can begin bonding to Guanna and get her home quickly. Please.

Fireworks are fun.  Family is forever.

Keith and I took a quick walk at 10:30 p.m. last night, just to experience St. Petersburg’s White Nights. That’s often the time we’re walking in San Antonio, but flashlights are required at home.  Not so here.  We could see perfectly well in the dusky light near St. Isaac’s Cathedral.  ”St. Petersburg is the world’s most northern city with a population over 1 million, and its stands at such a high latitude that the sun does not descend below the horizon enough for the sky to grow dark.”

To contrast with the White Nights, this morning we joined thousands of other Victory Day celebrants in a Red Dawn at the Palace Square adjoining the Hermitage.  Every branch of the military was parading with officials’a'plenty, bands, flags and banners.   For history buffs (or pathetic nerds, per Rachel) like ourselves – the sights and sounds were thrilling.

Late tonight – long after our visit with Guanna-to-be-Julia – we’ll watch the Victory Day fireworks, which are touted to be more lavish than those used in the annual 4th of July celebration in New York.

White nights – red dawn – we’ve had a colorful 24 hours.

WWII -  A particularly brutal era for Russia in general and St. Pete specifically

Grateful citizens offered red carnations to WWII veterans – wish I’d known earlier, we’d have been carrying a few to proffer

Steel-toed boots sound really sharp on concrete, particularly accompanied a drum’s harmonic rat-tat-tat.

Hanging around with sailors – next thing you know, it’s beer for breakfast and a few sweet, sweet tats….

Photographer Keith hurried out of the way of the Marines, speculating, “I think they’d run right over me.”  Da, Keith, da.

We had no idea of the identity of these officers, but those chests of fruit salad commanded salutes by all.