Arriving in St. Petersburg, Russia Baby! -
We finally on our way to
Russia on
Vilnius to St. Petersburg sleeper train . I booked the tickets the agency we had arranged our visas with the real Russia, so it was not surprising that the two other passengers in the compartment were four berth also tourists. Sean, a fellow Brit and Trent, an Australian based in London were our companions for the next thirteen and it did not take long for the vodka flow.
Half the trip was spent in the dining car, drinking our way through a quantity of vodka, Sean, who was married to a Russian woman, we learned how to say cheers in Russian: nostroviaI must admit we were a little the worse for wear when it came to cross the border in the early hours of the morning.We were sent to our kupe and where we waited for the border guards and their dogs. Border guards had rather large boots, I remember that, and faces unsmiling stern. The boys were sniggering, it was hard to keep a straight faceHowever, it all went smoothly! - And if I'm honest, somewhat vaguely. We were heading north, we were in Russia!At some point after the vodka caught up with me and I found myself looking into the pan of the toilet carriage. This did not bode well for Russian Voyage!
The awakening. The four of us terribly hungover, was only twenty five minutes to gather our things before the train pulled into
St Petersburg .We managed somehow to negotiate the subway, my head was dull and I felt terribly uncomfortable - the epic ride escalators seemed forever!If I have to be hungover everywhere,
Soul Kitchen Hostel in St. Petersburg is the place to do it. Wow, what an amazing hostel, so welcoming, comfortable, elegant and relaxed.The bunk beds in our dorm were large and enclosed with curtains for complete privacy dormitory. Suffice it to say that I was for the day, I did not leave the hostel until the next morning.
Oh drink wrong, you lost me one day! 
We awoke the next day to the blue sky and bright sunshine. The three of us booked on the walking tour and we met our guide as Yana
Alexander Column in Palace Square .With so much to see Yana tour based on a small area and advised us to things further. She threw a lot of history and anecdotes. The tour ended at the Kazan Cathedral so we went inside to take a look
there, we walked over the river to the
St Peter and St Paul fort and had a mooch around before continuing our walk. It was a beautiful day, and the old building of the fort gleamed in the sun.We found ourselves in the
Zoological Museum , to see the woolly mammoth more than anything. It was quite big inside, and eclectic. A blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling above the seals and sea lions plush. In cabinets nearby dogs have been stuffed taxidermy imagine Scottie Dog next to a King Charles Spaniel! completely random, the museum felt lost in a timewarp, with displays tired but that adds to its charm.
The woolly mammoth was the center of a much larger room at the back, it was found thawed ice in Siberia last few years and has been displayed in its position found kneeling. His skin is leathery in appearance, with brown fur and spots a woolly tail, amazing to think how old it is do not even need to think about food, this evening, the staff soul Kitchen Hostel all cooked pasta that makes eating sociable and a relaxing evening . ! This is by far the best hostel I've been to
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