Feb

24

Peter’s City and the “Defender of the Fatherland Day”

Filed Under Russia | 1 Comment  | by

Well, Russia continues to offer nothing short of a fascinating life. St. Petersburg is undeniably beautiful, a fact I do not think I can stress too much. Despite the fact that the city is only slightly older than America, the amount of culture, history, and architechture that has been amassed in this area in that short amount of time is tremendous.

To begin with, St. Petersburg, or “Piter” as it is known by the locals, is set upon the mouth of the river Neva. The city is littered with old bridges, each with it’s own character and unique style. Although the temperature here has dropped significantly since I arrived, from around freezing to -20 Celsius, walking through the city has proven to be a great way to pass the time. Argueably, meeting with friends in a warm cafe afterwards may be a slightly better way to do so.

On my strolls through the snow beaten, ice covered streets of the old Russian capital, the “Venice of the North,” I have seen a number of grandiose cathedrals and palaces that rival those of France and Italy. It seems to me that everyone in the Romanov family, not just the tsars were owners of luxurious housing that make the White house look like servants quarters.

Piter is also amazingly resilient despite the bonechilling weather that would hold any American city I’ve been to hostage. Although the snow piles relentlessly upon the sidewalks, I’ve discovered many Russians simply sleep in in order to avoid trudging through the chemical mix of the acidic salt and dirty snow, as they know there will be someone to shovel it away each morning. And even last night, as I walked through the blizzard to a nearby cafe to watch the Olympics, the streets were suprisingly full.

This city has undergone so much, and after reading more about the history of Piter, especially during the Second World War, the ability of the people here to endure whatever natural or man made force that is thrust at them amazes me.

Patriotism, especially from that war was rampant yesterday, on a holiday entitled “Defender of the Fatherland Day”. Essentially, it is a holiday for men. As I walked to the store to buy a text book, I watched an impromptu parade of cars, not just of civilians, but of police and the military too, which drove down the main street, Nevsky Prospekt, with Russian flags of all sorts flying from the back windows. Sirens and horns filled the air and the lamposts and walls were all emblazened with slogans, flags, and placards for the holiday. It was truly a spectacle to see.

Comments

One Response to “Peter’s City and the “Defender of the Fatherland Day””

  1. Jeremy on February 26th, 2010 5:22 pm

    This is a great post Andrew! I never thought Russia could have a city comparable to Venice!

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