Da Vinci Would Be Proud

Cafes are the same all over Russia....lots of smoke and techno music blaring. This time I am on Nevsky Prospekt in St Petersburg. It's 10:40am and I'm sooo grateful to finally have internet access. We couldn't get it yesterday anywhere we went -- don't know why -- and now today I can't access facebook. Anyway, I'm here and have almost too much to cover.

I want to be very clear that I do not hold Finland or Helsinki responsible in ANY way for the treatment I received while at the Russian Consulate there. You know how it is ...when you travel and have a bad experience, usually the entire city where you are becomes guilty by association and you say " I'm NEVER going there again!" Well, be sure this is not the case with Finland. I loved it there. It was bittersweet because I was not with my girls and had no one to share the experience with, but it piqued my interest enough that I really want to go back there some day. there is a sweetness about the people there, a gentle sincere contentment, that I have not experienced in any other country. I know I was only there for two days, but I had to deal with a great many people just maneuvering my way around the city. If the language were not  barrier, I might want to move there! They seem to hold the same values I do, and, to be honest, I like the way they dress..lol! Men in knit caps and wool coats, women riding bikes with baskets of flowers in the front, sporting colorful tights and maryjane shoes. It really looks like a postcard.

Now I'm back in St Pete and enjoyed a really relaxing, inspiring day yesterday at the Hermitage. For those who do not know what the Hermitage is, it used to be the Winter Palace of Czar Nikolas and his family. It is now one of the most impressive museums in the world. I bribed the girls into going for two hours full knowing that couldn't be done. I knew that once they were in there, the beauty of the place would draw them in. I was right.

Watching Anya look with wonder at Grecian statues and Da Vinci paintings literally made me cry. I had to go hide in a corner! she walked in a jaded, cynical girl from a very small world and walked out a very different person. Think about it, if you had never ever seen beautiful art your entire life  and then you found yourself surrounded by some of the most majestic, sacred and moving works of art the world has to offer. It would change you too.

I could tell it was affecting her when she tried time and time again to get away from Nastia and just be alone in the galleries. I finally had to take Nastia aside and remind her of her first time in a museum. " She needs to be alone, honey.." I told her. Thankfully, she got it and stuck with me. We spent almost seven hours in the Hermitage. My girls. Seven hours in a museum. Can you believe it? I was torn between the delight at fielding Nastia's non-stop questions and observations of what she was seeing, and revelling in Anya's absolute absorption of ever little thing. We crossed paths with her several times (which is a feat if you know the size of the Hermitage!). Once we found her sitting across from a Flemish painting of a young girl, (reminiscent of Girl with a Pearl Earring) and Anya had her head tilted sideways in the sweetest way, just pondering this girl. It was one of the most beautiful moments I have ever witnessed. I will treasure it forever.

Nastia, on the other hand, has become an amazing observer over the years. " Mom, look at the love in her face...she really loves that man" She says of one painting. " I wish I could go  back in time and watch this statue being carved. I want to see the guy who made it.." she says sweetly. It was seven hours of this. God couldn't have given me a more precious gift, unless He told me face to face that Anya is coming home with us.

I have so much more I'd love to share, but we have to pack up our things and head to the airport soon. Because of two flights, layovers and time changes, we actually don't arrive back in Kemerovo until Monday morning. So I may be MIA again for a day or two. Thanks for all your comments. I LOVE them. See you back in Kemerovo!