20180725 Hermitage 3 (7 photos)

Words fall short of describing what we see, but our extraordinary guide Nellie finds a plethora of them as her brain supplies names of artists and works, bio info, history, family members, mysteries, scandals, etc. I'm posting only a few photos as samples of an overwhelming collection.

20180725 Hermitage 2 (6 photos)

After security we pass the plan, historical displays, directions, signs, explanations, etc.

20180725 Hermitage 1 (6 photos)

After lunch the bus takes us to the Hermitage Museum and the General Staff Building. We pass over bridges where we previously traveled in the canal boats on the water below.

At the General Staff Building, once again security is tight and the uniformed personnel never smile or speak, only scowl and gesture. This part of the Hermitage was renovated specifically for housing the impressionist and post-impressionist art collection there in 2014. Since viewing this world-famous art was my main incentive for choosing this particular tour, I immerse myself in the experience.

20280725 Lunch 2 (5 photos)

Ordering Russian beer is priority after a busy morning. Beginning with bread and borscht, of course, the servers keep us moving through the courses. The main is chicken stroganoff on fat noodles with pickle garnish, then pavlova for dessert. Whew! Fueled for the afternoon!

20280725 Lunch 1 (6 photos)

The tour we chose for today lasts 8.5 hours, and lunch is a welcome break. (The funky indoor lighting in the photos looked less funky in reality.) This venue at the Metropole seems to be more of an event location than a restaurant because everyone there is on our tour from the Viking Sun cruise ship. We sit at tables of ten and make more new friends, all eating from the same set menu.

20180725 St. P. Day Tour 12 (7 photos)

We exit the grounds through a gate in the curtain wall, but I take a few more photos on the way. The Mint remains active mainly for coins, medals, and awards. The elegant Boathouse pavilion built for the small sailboat belonging to Peter the Great now contains ticket offices.

Security remains vigilant, even as we board our buses to leave the Fortress.

Next stop will be lunch, and some of the landmarks we pass begin to look familiar.

20180725 St. P. Day Tour 11 (8 photos)

Inside the exhibition halls adjoining the cathedral, we have a short time to explore the artifacts, photos, descriptions, etc. lining the walls. Before we leave that building, four monks (only two show in my forbidden photo) invite us into a surprising simple, tiny chapel. They sing a hymn a cappella and then offer to sell us their CD's.

20280725 St. P. Day Tour 10 (8 photos)

At the back of the cathedral right side is an addition for the Chapel of St. Catherine and tombs.

On the left side of the cathedral are the remains of Empress Maria of Denmark (Princess Dagmar there), wife of Tsar Alexander III and mother of Nicholas II, the last Russian Tsar. Her remains were returned to Russia from Denmark in 2005 to finally fulfill her desire to rest next to her husband.

We see another altar to the left of the main altar and exit by a side door into museum exhibition spaces.