Night Train 116 to St Petersberg & the Hermitage

A reminder that you must plan ahead! We left the train booking to the last minute and despite more than 40 trains per day between Moscow and SPB, we struggled to get tickets. Ended up we could not get two beds in the same berth, but at least we were in the same carriage.

Train 116 was a shocker. Very old and slow. I gues the locals know this, and it is the reason we could get tickets. Departed Moscow midnight and arrived SPB at a civilised 9:15am.

Got a real bargin for accomodation (Hotel Nevesky 5 $70 night) 2 minutes from Metro and 3 minutes from Hermitage. They allowed early check-in too, so we were able to head off for an afternoon in the Hermitage Museum (Winter Palace) $15 each.

The Hermitage is enourmous. A museum of antiquities on floor one, an art gallery on floor two to rival the Louvre (including all the famous ninja turtles - Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello) and other displays on floor three. All set in a huge palace (in fact three inconnecting palaces). Oppulence and gold overload.

Hmm..now what will I wear today?

Silliest hair award...

[insert your own caption here]

Art work...so many famous names

Inside

A very royal 5 star day.